Penn placed No. 3 in a nationwide index measuring how effectively institutions use healthcare innovations to improve patient outcomes.<\/p>\n
The Cure Innovation Index, launched<\/a> last month, evaluated 303 universities and research centers for both clinical and commercial impact. Penn ranked<\/a> first in research capabilities, second in entrepreneurial readiness, and eighth in market translation.<\/p>\n Harvard University claimed the top spot among the 243 United States universities listed, while Stanford University was second. Mass General Brigham placed first out of the 60 research institutes.<\/p>\n Cure, the organization that created<\/a> the index, is based in New York and \u201csupports healthcare entrepreneurs and innovators.\u201d<\/p>\n In an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian, Cure CEO Seema Kumar explained that the index scores universities based on three domains: research capabilities, market translation, and entrepreneurial readiness. Each contains specific indicators that \u201cconstitute what success looks like.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Get the DP delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n Sign Up<\/a><\/p>\n Kumar added that the Cure Innovation Index is the \u201cfirst of its kind\u201d to measure how research institutions \u201cturn breakthroughs into cures.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt creates a metric-driven approach to look at your own individual institution and compare yourself against your peers,\u201d she said. \u201cIn addition to that, at the systems level, it gives you a map of where innovation is going.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cure team determined eligibility for the index based upon an institution\u2019s research spending, national classification<\/a>, and data availability.<\/p>\n Kumar emphasized her desire for \u201ceverybody to be engaged in understanding\u201d the Index.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are the best of the best of the best of United States academic research enterprises,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Anthony Giordano, senior vice president of marketing at Cure, told the DP that the the index displays a map of ranked institutions which investors and industry experts can use to find \u201cpockets of innovation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen a lot of state government departments that are showing that multiple institutions within their state are at the top of biomedical innovation,\u201d Giordano said.<\/p>\n Kumar added that the index takes an \u201cevidence-based\u201d approach to identify \u201cbarriers for innovation\u201d in biotechnology.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need a system which can reliably and consistently churn out cures,\u201d Kumar said. \u201cOur mission is to convene everybody to effect positive change, to accelerate cures, and create a world where disease is a thing of the past.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Kumar highlighted that academic institutions should focus on \u201cbasic science\u201d and \u201creal life application\u201d amid reduced federal funding.<\/p>\n