UCI, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics announce strategic collaboration

IRVINE, Calif., June 21, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, a global leader in the clinical diagnostics industry, has embarked on a strategic collaboration with the University of California, Irvine – one of the first targeted academic partnerships the company envisions around the globe.

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics will access UCI research in innovative diagnostic platforms, life sciences applications, devices, and data analytics to further its mission of advancing healthcare. UCI faculty, students and entrepreneurs will benefit from Beckman Coulter Diagnostics' expertise  in accelerating the commercialization of technology and other world-class UCI breakthroughs.

"We are honored that Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has selected UCI as a strategic innovation partner," said Richard Sudek, Ph.D., chief innovation officer and executive director at UCI Applied Innovation. "This is a new type of industry collaboration which aims to significantly change how industry and universities partner together. We look forward to teaming up with Beckman Coulter to increase the speed and quality of how UCI discoveries make it to market."

"We are excited to tap into the broad expertise of UCI researchers as we focus on identifying innovative solutions to clinical unmet needs," said Fiona Adair, Ph.D., vice president of strategy and innovation at Beckman Coulter Diagnostics. "We believe this type of academic-industry partnership can lead to development of innovative diagnostic technologies to improve healthcare. UCI Applied Innovation is a place where valuable new ideas are incubated. In turn, we can provide promising students, researchers, and entrepreneurs industry-specific feedback and mentorship opportunities. We will have a Beckman Coulter office at the Cove @ UCI Applied Innovation for seamless collaboration with academic units as well as to integrate into the innovation ecosystem."

This level of collaboration is an industry model of synthesizing research, commercial expertise and clinical needs to produce beneficial results. As a first step, Beckman Coulter will fund Proof of Product grants to help UCI innovations bridge the gap between the lab and early commercialization. Through these grants, Beckman Coulter will determine a specific focus area for university entrepreneurial teams. 

Additionally, Beckman Coulter will also seek eligible UCI graduate students to enter its competitive talent onboarding program, in which they'll get the opportunity to work across multiple divisions of the company. 

"The partnership with UCI represents a landmark in Beckman Coulter's strategic initiative to drive translational innovation and extend the company's leadership in clinical diagnostics." said John Blackwood, senior vice president and general manager of products and services at Beckman Coulter. "Beckman Coulter is engaging with academic partners that excel in applying the latest technology to develop superior solutions for better patient outcomes. UCI maintains an ecosystem of innovation that facilitates academic-industry partnerships and we are excited about the opportunity to leverage UCI's research expertise for the benefit of patients around the world." 

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit www.uci.edu.

About UCI Applied Innovation: UCI Applied Innovation brings campus-based discoveries together with Orange County's vibrant business community to support job creation and economic growth. To make this happen, UCI Applied Innovation facilitates connections between UCI and industry, including entrepreneurs seeking access to university inventions and talent, large corporations looking to tap the school's research capabilities, and investors wanting to support promising new companies financially. UCI Applied Innovation is also working to cultivate an "innovation district" in the heart of Orange County, producing more startups, more scale-ups and, ultimately, a world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem.

About Beckman Coulter Diagnostics: Beckman Coulter Diagnostics helps healthcare and laboratory professionals provide better patient care by delivering the accurate diagnostic information they need, when they need it. With a rich 80-year history, Beckman Coulter is a strong partner for healthcare organizations. Beckman Coulter's scalable instruments, comprehensive diagnostic tests and business management services are trusted by hospitals, laboratories and other critical care settings around the world. Beckman Coulter shares in their customers' mission toward continuous improvement and quality patient care because they believe when efficiency and clinical outcomes are improved, patients benefit and they can move healthcare forward for every person.

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SOURCE University of California, Irvine

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