Representatives from the Gates Foundation recently visited The Lundquist Institute (TLI) to learn more about research and innovation efforts underway across the organization, including projects currently supported by the Foundation. The visit provided an opportunity for TLI investigators and leadership to showcase research on some of the world’s most pressing health challenges, as well as the unique ecosystem of discovery, clinical research, translation, and entrepreneurship on TLI’s campus.
Among the presentations were updates from two TLI investigators whose work has received support from the Gates Foundation.
Frans Walther, MD, PhD, shared progress on the development of synthetic lung surfactants to treat infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), a leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. Supported by a Gates Foundation grant, the project seeks to expand access to life-saving surfactant therapy for premature infants, particularly in resource-limited settings. Current research is focused on evaluating surfactant formulations and delivery approaches to identify optimal candidates for future clinical development.
Harry Rossiter, PhD presented work on the TB Smart Mask, a wearable diagnostic platform developed in collaboration with Caltech that is designed to rapidly detect tuberculosis through a patient’s breath. This Gates Foundation-supported technology has the potential to be a low-cost, point-of-care diagnostic tool that identifies TB-specific biomarkers within minutes rather than days, addressing a critical need in regions where access to traditional testing remains limited.
Additional research presentations highlighted the breadth of scientific activity underway at TLI. Michelle Matter, PhD, discussed her research on peripartum cardiomyopathy, a serious pregnancy-associated heart condition that contributes to maternal morbidity and mortality and remains an important challenge in women’s health worldwide. Ashraf Ibrahim, PhD, provided an overview of ongoing efforts to develop new vaccines for the prevention and treatment of life-threatening infectious diseases, including Candida.
Visitors also received an overview of ongoing and planned campus developments from philanthropist Richard Lundquist, whose leadership and support have helped shape the Institute’s continued growth. The discussion featured updates on the expanding innovation ecosystem at TLI – including plans for future Tech Park development – which will further strengthen opportunities for research, entrepreneurship, and collaboration across the campus.
“The visit was an opportunity to showcase the remarkable work taking place at The Lundquist Institute and demonstrate the dedication of our investigators to advancing solutions that improve lives,” said Richard Lundquist. “We are grateful for the Gates Foundation’s support of important research programs at TLI and for the opportunity to share the progress being made by our scientific teams.”
The Lundquist Institute is a leading nonprofit biomedical research organization affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and partnered with Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. With more than 150 principal investigators conducting hundreds of studies and clinical trials each year, TLI is dedicated to translating scientific discoveries into innovations that improve human health.