The University of Michigan, renowned for its pioneering contributions in innovation and medical breakthroughs, is launching an ambitious biomedical and bio-innovation institute. Unveiled by President Domenico Grasso during his State of the University address, the institute, dubbed “Unit X,” will merge top-ranked health and engineering schools with a new supercomputing platform. This initiative aims to boost biomedical discovery and draw entrepreneurial talent.
Grasso compared the institute to Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, which was created by U-M graduate Kelly Johnson to innovate during World War II. “Our new institute will carry that same revolutionary spirit forward, advancing health sciences, bio AI, and innovation for the public good,” Grasso stated.
With an initial funding of $250 million over five years, the institute’s launch will be led by Arul Chinnaiyan, S P Hicks Endowed Professor of Pathology, and Joerg Lahann, Wolfgang Pauli Collegiate Professor of Chemical Engineering. Lahann outlined that Unit X will offer resources for the biomedical community, create a new model for venture creation, and attract top-tier researchers to increase entrepreneurial faculty.
“Unit X will be a translational biomedical research institute that completely changes how we transform the many inventions coming out of Michigan and translate them into ventures and medical products,” said Lahann. He emphasized the importance of creating scientific resources and platforms to accelerate research in bioartificial intelligence and automated biological labs to compete globally.
Arul Chinnaiyan noted, “Unit X represents a bold new chapter for Michigan — a place where cutting-edge biology, computation, and engineering will converge to accelerate discoveries into real-world impact.” By integrating AI into precision medicine, the institute aims to generate therapies and data-driven platforms that rival global innovations.
Lahann and Chinnaiyan are initiating the framework for Unit X and plan to gather feedback from the U-M community as development progresses.
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