The National Science Foundation (NSF) granted the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, a Development Award through the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program. [NSF Award Number: 2305699]

This program aims to boost the United States’ innovation capacity by investing in promising areas of national interest across the country. By funding Regional Innovation Engines, the NSF will leverage and cultivate emerging technologies to tackle large-scale societal and economic challenges.

NSF Development Award

Advancing Biopharmaceutical Technologies and Manufacturing Practices (PR)

A major challenge currently facing the U.S. is currently the supply chain ecosystem needed to deliver essential medicines and new product to address seasonal and unforeseen health crises. Discovery and scaling must progress together to meet these challenges.

Puerto Rico has building blocks and key collaborators to quickly revamp the global supply chain for medicines to make it more stable, reliable and demand based as part of a sustainable National Security strategy.

Expected Outcomes and broader impacts

The Engine is expected to immediately have a measurable impact on the economy, increase the number of jobs, and workforce training strategies to propel Puerto Rico to be the largest – and most agile biopharma hub in the US.

In addition, the Engine will also include enhanced clinical trials, providing drug developers with coordinated access to Hispanic populations.

The key to Puerto Rico’s success in the mobilization of all the individual efforts and filling the gaps to focus on a successful initiative that can simultaneously address national security for the U.S.

NSF Engine Development Partners

  • PR5G Zone
  • INDUNIV (Industry University Research Center)
  • Bright Path Laboratories, Inc.
  • University of New Mexico, ISTEC, Inc. (Ibero-American Science and Technology Education Consortium)
  • Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce
  • NIIMBL (National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals)
  • NIPTE (National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology & Education)
  • University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, CMaT (Cell Manufacturing Technologies)
  • University of Puerto Rico, Molecular Sciences Research Center
  • Columbia University, Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

For more information, contact:

David L. Gulley, PhD
Executive Director, Technology Transfer Office
[email protected]