Artificial intelligence technology aimed at improving brain tumor detection.
Liquid-biopsy biomarkers that could help identify aggressive prostate cancer.
These are just two examples of how researchers across Old Dominion University are developing tools, treatments and technologies designed to improve lives — work that has now earned the University recognition in the inaugural Cure Innovation Index, a new national ranking of the nation’s leading biomedical innovation organizations.
The recently released Cure Innovation Index ranks 306 institutions nationwide following an 18-month study examining their organizational, cultural and research factors that help turn scientific discoveries into improved patient care.
Old Dominion University is recognized in an exclusive group of institutions representing the nation’s best practices in translational research effectiveness and is among the 20 Universities Punching Above Their Weight in Biomedical Innovation for Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University.
“This recognition reflects the extraordinary momentum building at Old Dominion University as we continue expanding our impact in health sciences, biomedical research and innovation,” said Old Dominion University President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. “Through our continued investment in interdisciplinary collaboration, we are strengthening our ability and success in transforming research discoveries into solutions that improve lives throughout Hampton Roads, the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond.”
The University maintains the prestigious R1 Carnegie Classification, placing it among the top 5% of U.S. research institutions, and supports hundreds of active projects spanning fields, including biomedical sciences, engineering, coastal resilience, modeling and simulation, data science and public health with funding from agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of War and Department of Energy.
That research enterprise expanded significantly with the 2024 integration of Eastern Virginia Medical School into Old Dominion University, subsequently creating Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University, which is the largest academic health sciences center in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, it is advancing research across women’s health, oncology, neuroscience, cardiopulmonary and metabolic diseases and healthcare analytics, supported by an expanding translational research infrastructure focused on improving patient outcomes and accelerating innovation.
“The impact of our researchers’ ingenuity, coupled with the University’s long-standing history of being an engine of discovery, drives breakthrough after breakthrough,” said Alfred Abuhamad, MD, executive vice president for health sciences. “Receiving this recognition is a testament to our legacy of, and ongoing commitment to, delivering life changing solutions for the communities we serve.”
The Cure Innovation Index was developed in collaboration with Thomas Sakmar, MD, the Richard M. and Isabel P. Furlaud Professor and head of the Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction at The Rockefeller University. It is rooted in the idea that American research institutions serve as the foundation for scientific innovation that ultimately leads to new cures and advances in human health.
Developed using data from 12 research databases along with surveys and insights from more than 3,000 researchers, institutional leaders and industry experts, the index evaluated institutions across categories, including research capabilities, market translation and entrepreneurial readiness. Unlike traditional rankings based primarily on research expenditures, the Cure Innovation Index also examined faculty engagement, commercialization support, research infrastructure, industry partnerships and institutional culture.
Organizers noted that institutions selected for the index demonstrate evidence-based and sustained health innovation performance. The rankings were designed not only to identify top-performing institutions, but also to provide strategic benchmarking insights that can help universities strengthen commercialization pathways, improve industry connectivity and accelerate outcomes.
“At Old Dominion University, we are intentionally building a research ecosystem that encourages collaboration across disciplines and creates pathways for discoveries to move beyond the laboratory,” said Kenneth Fridley, Ph.D., vice president for research and economic development. “The Cure Innovation Index recognition affirms the work our faculty, clinicians, students and research partners are doing every day to advance innovation that has meaningful impact.”
The Cure Innovation Index also highlights broader national trends shaping biomedical innovation — from commercialization training to industry partnerships — all critical to moving discoveries from bench to bedside, an area where the University continues to expand its impact.
