Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) in California, United States, has been awarded an $US8 million federal grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the construction of a new, state-of-the-art cellular therapy research facility where advanced treatments will be developed to help patients fight cancer.

The 6,200-square-foot laboratory and cleanroom infrastructure will serve as a regional hub for developing advanced treatments to help patients fight cancer and other complex diseases.

Issued through the highly competitive, peer-reviewed NIH C06 Biomedical Research Facilities Program, the grant represents LLUH’s largest infrastructure grant from the NIH to date. The project will also be supported by substantial institutional investment from LLUH.

The new facility will house dedicated research teams focused on researching, developing, and manufacturing advanced therapeutic agents. Key areas of development will include CAR T/NK cells and T-regulatory cells, gene therapy, and regenerative medicine. These innovative modalities will target conditions ranging from cancers and sickle cell disease to various hematological, neurological, and immune disorders, accelerating the transition of discoveries from the lab directly to clinical application.

“This funding is extremely important in helping to bring new clinical trials and new discoveries to patients in our region,” said Travis Losey, MD, vice president for Research Affairs at LLUH. “This is a validation of the work being done here at Loma Linda University Health that’s being favorably recognized by reviewers at a national level.”

As the only academic center facility of its kind in the area, the new lab will be instrumental in providing advanced cellular therapies to the local population. It will strengthen LLUH’s capacity to advance cellular therapies from bench to bedside. Beyond patient care, the facility is designed to expand LLUH's research infrastructure and footprint, and foster vital collaboration among regional academic, healthcare, and industry partners. 

LLUH representatives said the construction of the cellular therapy lab aligns with one of LLUH’s major institutional goals: achieving designation as a National Cancer Institute cancer center. Mark Reeves, MD, PhD, director of Loma Linda University Cancer Center, has led research teams in developing plans for future designation, while Eric Schilt, vice president for Campus Development, has collaborated with leadership to design spaces to serve these teams.

This new grant award arrives within one year of a $US9 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The state grant funds the Center of Excellence for Cell, Gene, and Regenerative Medicine in the Inland Empire and Desert region, which will be housed inside the new facility. This center is headed by Hisham Abdel-Azim, MD, MS, division chief of Transplant and Cell Therapy/Hematological Malignancies, whom Losey said has been instrumental in leading research for advanced therapies.

“This is synergistic—building a research lab facility to be used in conjunction with the research program that’s receiving funding from the state,” Dr. Losey said. “Things are coming together.”

The original article was published on the Loma Linda University news site.