Who Is Funding the Science That's Too Early for Venture Capital?
April 22, 2026
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
#28 in Institutes and Centers
28Institution Overview
Overall
Ranking
28
30
Rank in
Research Capabilities
30
Rank in
Entrepreneurial Readiness
19
Rank in
Market Translation
La Jolla, CA
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies ranks 28th among biomedical research institutions in the Cure Innovation Index, based in La Jolla, California. Its profile is balanced across discovery and translation, with Market Translation as its strongest domain, where it places in the upper tier among biomedical institutes. Faculty serve as principal investigators on clinical trials; the institute holds a Clinical and Translational Science Award and supports an MSTP training program. Founded by Jonas Salk, the institute has long been defined by a commitment to fundamental biological research.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Salk Institute for Biological Studies ranked above average for Research Capabilities, a measure of the foundational infrastructure and resources that enable an institution to conduct high-quality, innovative science. Out of the factors in this category, Salk Institute for Biological Studies fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Salk Institute for Biological Studies ranked below average for Entrepreneurial Readiness, a measure of whether the institution has built a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurship and whether faculty are engaged in and incentivized toward commercial activity. Out of the factors in this category, Salk Institute for Biological Studies fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Salk Institute for Biological Studies ranked above average for Market Translation, a measure of how effectively a research institution moves scientific discovery out of the lab and into real-world clinical and commercial applications. Out of the factors in this category, Salk Institute for Biological Studies fared best in Health Impact.
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Cure Innovation Index Methodology
From a pool of more than 6,000 institutions, the top 303 were ranked using two dozen indicators — from scientific foundation and lab infrastructure to patents, products, and partnerships — drawn from more than a dozen federal and commercial databases, an original audit of all institutions, and surveys of more than 3,300+ scientists, industry leaders, and biomedical experts.
Insights From the Cure Innovation Index
Explore by Category
Innovation isn't a single moment — it's an entire ecosystem. The Index evaluates institutions across two dozen indicators, grouped in three core domains that reveal the full picture of what it takes to turn groundbreaking science into real-world impact.
