The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has been named one of the top academic institutions in the world for innovation, according to Nature’s 2022 Innovation Index report. The report ranked CU Anschutz in the top four universities globally for forging the strongest innovations links.
Nature, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals, tracked patent citations and academic and corporate collaborations to help determine the rankings. Their innovation index focuses specifically on the influence of an institution’s scholarly works on patents. They consider innovation as the practice of turning cutting edge basic research into inventions with real world applications.
CU Anschutz had one of the highest scores globally for patent influence, ranking 15th as a leading institution; top four in academic institutions. Other institutions on the list included the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
“At the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, we have built a highly connected innovation ecosystem where new discoveries move quickly from our research labs to the clinic and the market,” said Chancellor Donald M. Elliman. “We pride ourselves on our talented faculty, and this recognition is a testament to their work to bring the latest in science and medicine to people everywhere.”
CU Anschutz has a unique ecosystem responsible for pioneering medical innovations. It has over 60 centers, six health science schools, biomedical facilities, two nationally ranked hospitals and much more.
Moving the healthcare needle forward
The campus is also home to CU Innovations, dedicated to bringing together industry partners, entrepreneurs and investors to help researchers and healthcare practitioners translate research discoveries into new therapies, novel approaches to delivering care and improved patient outcomes.
CU Anschutz faculty have invented a variety of important tools and treatments. They include two vaccines for shingles - Zostavax and Shingrix; the Kahook Dual Blade for glaucoma and a Botox treatment to treat urinary incontinence, among others.
“We’ve created a place where partnerships, including industry and academic collaborations, are encouraged to help move the needle forward more efficiently, innovatively and effectively for treating patients with a range of diseases,” said Kimberly Muller, Esq., executive director of CU Innovations. “By breaking down barriers and providing resources, the campus is able to recruit and retain top talent for a broad range of disciplines and encourage them to explore new approaches to solve important medical problems and improve the quality of life for patients worldwide.”
CU Anschutz was recently recognized as a case study for commercializing medical breakthroughs.
“We’re excited about the future of innovation on our campus,” Muller said. “We’re dedicated to finding more efficient ways to advance therapeutics through new technology, digital health innovations, data driven drug discovery and much more.”
