Institutes and Centers

The USC Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (USC ATRI), located in San Diego, CA, is dedicated to the development of effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease through innovative, collaborative, multicenter clinical trials. ATRI’s collaboration with Keck School centers and institutes include the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute. Together, they facilitate rapid progress in data sharing and analytical methods central to the drug development process. USC ATRI is the Keck School’s clinical outlet for testing of new treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease.

The Center for Applied Network Analysis (CANA) hosts a twice monthly, two-hour lab meeting in which students, postdoctoral candidates and faculty present work in progress. CANA meetings cover a diverse set of topics centered around conducting research using the social network approach. CANA also organizes workshops on technology and techniques for conducting analysis.

The Center for Genetic Epidemiology studies the genetic factors that contribute to disease, with a major focus on diverse populations that have different risks of developing disease. The center also concentrates on the establishment of population-based resources and the development and application of genomic methods for understanding the genetic basis of disease.

The Center for Health Equity in the Americas (CenHealth) conducts and promotes research and collaborations that address health equity in vulnerable populations throughout North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. CenHealth’s mission is to eliminate health disparities by encouraging and facilitating research in the Americas.

The Center for Image Acquisition is an MRI facility housing a Siemens Magnetom Prisma, a new 3 Tesla MRI scanner and a Siemens Magnetom 7T MRI scanner. Opened in 2016, the center is part of the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, which aims to enhance discovery through the application of imaging and information technologies in the study of the brain.

The Center for Personalized Brain Health will integrate expertise in genetics, neuroscience, neuropsychology, computer science, radiology, pharmacy and nutrition to gain a deeper understanding of factors underlying Alzheimer’s and use what they find to intercede, decades before damage sets in.

The Diabetes & Obesity Research Institute (DORI), established in 2012, fosters interactions across disciplinary boundaries, embraces methods and techniques from diverse fields of study, and develops effective approaches to risk assessment, prevention and treatment of the international co-epidemics of diabetes and obesity.

Investigators at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research explore the normal mechanisms that build, maintain and repair our body systems to develop knowledge-based approaches for regenerative medicine. Scientists are researching kidney, liver, neural, blood, cardiovascular, skeletal and skin disease models. The center serves as a hub for USC Stem Cell, which connects researchers in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine across USC.

The Institute for Addiction Science (IAS) is a multi-school academic unit involving 80 faculty from 11 different schools across the university.  The goal of IAS is to break down silos that have historically prevented scholars and practitioners from different disciplines from working together.  To this end, IAS provides infrastructure and resources to promote novel “transdisciplinary” research, education, clinical services, and community engagement to reduce addiction locally and nationally.

The Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research (IPR) is an organized research unit of the Keck School of Medicine with faculty respresentation from the departments of population and public health, medicine, pediatrics, family medicine and surgery, and several of the departments of social sciences. IPR is recognized for its strength in health behavior and disease prevention research.

ITEMS brings together a diverse group  of faculty working at the intersection of engineering and medicine. Our multidisciplinary team combines expertise in neuroscience, electronics, bioengineering, electromagnetics, and integrated circuits.

The Department of Translational Genomics and Institute of Translational Genomics  at Keck School of Medicine is focused on translating the molecular study of genes into individual treatment plans. The award-winning, collaborative team intends to redefine and further precision medicine to bring novel technologies and molecular insights to patients.

The MADRES Center facilitates research efforts, research translation and dissemination, capacity building, and mentoring in its efforts to identify opportunities for policy, clinical, and programmatic interventions to increase environmental and health equity for Los Angeles communities disproportionately impacted by obesity and environmental chemical pollutants. MADRES Center is based within the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences.

The MESH Strategic Partnerships is a joint initiative of the Dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Office of the Provost. The mission of the MESH Academy is to empower the convergence of research disciplines to address challenges in human health and disease.

Established on the National Science Foundation-funded Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems Engineering Research Center (BMES-ERC) at USC, IBT provides a vast infrastructure of expertise to develop novel biomedical technologies. The BMES research center focused on the development of implantable microelectronic devices for the treatment of presently incurable diseases. Novel interventions for ophthalmic, neurosensory and other systemic disorders through the use of microelectronic and biomedical technologies were created. IBT expands upon the principles founded by the BMES, going beyond the development of microelectronics to develop biomedical technology through applications in biology, photonics and pharmacology.

The Research Center for Liver Diseases facilitates and fosters interdisciplinary collaborative research, which leads to a better understanding of the pathobiology of diseases of the liver and digestive tract and the development of new treatments for these diseases.

Research at CHLA focuses on pediatric diseases and treatments and is ranked as one of the top pediatric research programs in the nation. The Saban Research Institute manages and leads all research endeavors. Visit Institute Site

The Southern California Center for Children’s Environmental Health Translational Research works to reduce the burden of childhood air pollution-related diseases by building an innovative framework for multidirectional engagement in which communities, government and civil society use science to develop solutions, with a focus on environmental justice communities.

Established in 2010, the Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC CTSI) is one of 60 NIH-funded Clinical Translational Science Awards with a mandate to increase the efficiency and quality of translational research. SC CTSI helps accelerate scientific discoveries and their application in real-life settings in order to address the specific health needs of urban and diverse populations and improve human health by helping researchers obtain the education, resources and collaborations necessary to translate discoveries into practice.

The mission of the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center (SCEHSC) is to develop the scientific knowledge base, investigator teams, and community engagement needed to reduce the burden of diseases and disability from environmental impacts. The center’s integrating theme is Environmental Exposures, Host Factors and Human Disease across the Lifecourse. This approach guides its exploration of effects of environmental exposures on vulnerable populations, critical developmental periods, and major diseases mediated through shared molecular and biological pathways.

Funded in 1999 by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the Southern California Research Center for Alcoholic Liver and Pancreatic Diseases (ALPD) and Cirrhosis unifies 60 investigators from major academic institutions in Southern California to pursue a common mission of being a leader in research, training, and outreach for the diseases.

USC Cardiac and Vascular Institute has been a leader in the treatment of cardiothoracic diseases for more than 10 years. As the founding Director of the USC Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Dr. Vaughn A. Starnes has built an interdisciplinary powerhouse comprised of clinicians and basic scientists who are exploring better and more innovative ways of treating heart disease.

The USC Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science aims to accelerate the adoption of high-value and equitable health care for the Los Angeles community and nationwide, through science, advocacy and education. The center’s mission is to help collaborating health systems deliver better, more efficient care and to learn about the science of health care delivery in the process.

The USC Hastings Center for Pulmonary Research is making strides to combat lung disease through scientific investigations into the biology of lung injury, repair and regeneration. As part of its mission, HCPR seeks to expand and enhance pulmonary research through the creation of interdisciplinary research programs, enhanced training and career development, and targeted faculty recruitments.

USC Urology provides leading-edge expertise across the full spectrum of adult and pediatric urology.

USC IIGH collaborates with faculty and schools across USC, as well as hundreds of civil society, academic, government and UN partners around the world to conduct innovative research that transcends borders and disciplines to make a difference in the world.

The USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (INI) aims to enhance discovery through the application of imaging and information technologies in the study of the brain. The Institute is dedicated to excellence in data acquisition, analysis, stewardship and computational innovation for the purpose of biomedical research.

The USC Neurorestoration Center is a multi-institution collaboration for breakthrough discoveries that, for the first time, bring together neural engineering, neuroscience and neurorehabilitation to restore neurological function in the human brain. Driven by patient needs and further refined within our world-class clinical programs, strategies created by the center aim to restore an injured or diseased nervous system by developing new technologies that harness advances in basic neuroscience and neural engineering.

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists work toward a complete understanding of the most fundamental aspects of cancer. They study the abnormal cell growth characteristic of cancer to determine what goes wrong and how the process can be altered. They then work to quickly translate those findings into treatment and prevention strategies. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has designated the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center as one of the nation’s 45 comprehensive cancer centers, a select group of institutions providing leadership in cancer treatment, research, prevention and education.

The USC Roski Eye Institute provides exceptional care for every type of eye condition. Learn about our cutting-edge care and research.

The USC/UKRO Kidney Research Center conducts basic, translational and clinical research into kidney diseases in the United States. KRC’s mission is to promote innovative clinical research that significantly contributes to advances that improve the health of people living with kidney disease.

The USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic is one of nine Alpha Clinics (ACs) funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) at top medical centers in California. With its AC network partners, the USC+CHLA Alpha Clinic engages patients, clinicians, researchers, community providers and community members in clinical research, education and outreach to accelerate the development and delivery of regenerative medicine treatments to patients from all backgrounds.

The Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute (ZNI), established in 2003, is an integral part of a broader USC neuroscience initiative promoting collaboration between researchers from diverse disciplines. Scientists at the institute reach across boundaries to embrace methods and techniques from other fields of study, identifying new approaches to examine nervous system function so we may all better understand the underlying causes of neurological and psychiatric disorders.