How Universities Became the Engine of the Biotech Industry
April 21, 2026
Meharry Medical College
150Institution Overview
#150In Universities
#106In Research Capabilities
#169In Entrepreneurial Readiness
#185In Market Translation
Top 20 Punching Above Their Weight
Nashville, TN
Meharry Medical College, ranked 150th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index, is a historically Black medical school in Nashville, Tennessee. Its profile leans toward research, with its strongest standing in Research Capabilities relative to its positions in Market Translation and Entrepreneurial Readiness, both of which fall in the lower half of the field. An MD/MBA dual degree program offers a pathway connecting clinical education with business training. Founded to train physicians from underrepresented communities, Meharry occupies a meaningful place in U.S. biomedical education.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
Meharry Medical College 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, Meharry Medical College fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
Meharry Medical College 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, Meharry Medical College fared best in Ecosystem Support.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
Meharry Medical College ranked below 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, Meharry Medical College fared best in TTO Efficiency.
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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.
