How Universities Became the Engine of the Biotech Industry
April 21, 2026
University of Southern California
70Institution Overview
#70In Universities
#23In Research Capabilities
#117In Entrepreneurial Readiness
#84In Market Translation
Top in Research Capabilities
Los Angeles, CA
The University of Southern California ranks 70th among universities in the Cure Innovation Index, located in Los Angeles, California. Research Capabilities are the university's clearest strength, ranking 23rd and placing it in the upper tier of the category. Market Translation performance sits in the mid-range, and Entrepreneurial Readiness falls below the midpoint. The university supports technology transfer through an incubator and accelerator, offers an MD/MBA dual degree, and engages faculty as principal investigators in clinical trials, marking a profile where research depth and applied translation each have institutional support.
Ranking Metrics
Research Capabilities
University of Southern California 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, University of Southern California fared best in Funding Support.
Learn MoreEntrepreneurial Readiness
University of Southern California 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, University of Southern California fared best in Faculty Engagement.
Learn MoreMarket Translation
University of Southern California 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, University of Southern California 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.
