Cal State LA has received a $100,000 grant from the Amgen Foundation to establish the community education component of the Cal State LA BioSpace incubator, which is leading the university’s efforts to promote a thriving bioscience ecosystem in the heart of Los Angeles.
Cal State LA BioSpace will partner with the California Community Colleges Statewide Offices of Life Sciences/Biotech and Business & Entrepreneurship, in order to educate and inspire women and ethnically diverse community college students to pursue leadership careers in biotechnology through bioentrepreneurship.
“The goal is to give students insight into the biotechnology industry as well as to provide them with the necessary tools to create innovative business plans and launch early-stage startups,” said Howard Xu, director of incubator development and programming and professor of microbiology at Cal State LA.
Funded by the Amgen Foundation, the main philanthropic arm of the global biotech Amgen, the online bioentrepreneurship training program will enhance the existing curriculum at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Los Angeles Pierce College, and Rio Hondo College.
“Reflecting the foundation’s mission, this project aims to advance excellence in science education and inspire the next generation of innovators,” Xu added.
The Cal State LA BioSpace initiative was created to address critical shortages of bioscience entrepreneurs and of lab space for startup companies, and promote the bioscience industry in Los Angeles. The incubator, housed in the university’s Rongxiang Xu Bioscience Innovation Center, is developed by grants from Los Angeles County and the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
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California State University, Los Angelesis the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves about 27,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
Cal State LA is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, Billie Jean King Sports Complex and the TV, Film and Media Center. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.
As the principal corporate philanthropy channel for leading biotechnology company Amgen, Inc., the Amgen Foundation advances excellence in science education, inspires the next generation, and invests in strengthening the communities where Amgen staff members live and work.
