UMass Chan Medical School has been selected to partner with a new federal research agency that aims to accelerate breakthroughs in conquering intractable diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) was launched in September with a $2.5 billion budget through fiscal year 2025. Headquartered in the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C., ARPA-H operates regional hubs: the Investor Catalyst Hub in Cambridge, a patient-experience hub in Dallas, and the Stakeholder and Operations hub in the National Capital Region. ARPA-H is modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which has funded advances in biomedical and technical research and is credited with developing the network communications basis for the internet.
As a member of the Investor Catalyst Hub and Spoke Consortium, UMass Chan will enjoy the following benefits:
- Eligibility to apply for funding to support Investor Catalyst activities, projects, immersive experiences and initiatives.
- Flexible contracting vehicles, resulting in award execution significantly faster than traditional government contracts.
- Networking opportunities with consortium members, government and other strategic stakeholders at annual membership meetings, conferences, and forums.
- Opportunity to provide feedback and input into ARPA-H challenge areas, problem identification and priorities.
- Opportunity to access and contribute to an open library of resources and public goods that draw on the insights from ARPANET-H nationwide health innovation network activities.
“We are fortunate to be a part of the University of Massachusetts system, home to a broad-reaching network of academic expertise that spans the entire commonwealth,” said Chancellor Michael F. Collins. “In addition, UMass Chan brings a unique combination of health systems research assets through our partnerships with UMass Memorial at our main campus in Worcester; Baystate Health at our UMass Chan-Baystate regional campus in Springfield; Lahey Hospital & Medical Center at our UMass Chan-Lahey regional campus in Burlington; and a burgeoning partnership with the Veterans Administration Health systems in Central and Western Massachusetts and Bedford. The unique expertise of our faculty members in biomedical science, translational research and business development make us an ideal member of the consortium.”
Member organizations were selected based on their ability to act with urgency in response to immediate health demands and deliver solutions to disparate communities in every state and tribal nation. UMass Chan has played major roles in similar health technology jump-start initiatives: the National Institutes of Health’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) program, which led to the rapid development of point-of-care technologies including at-home antigen tests during the COVID-19 pandemic; and the recently renewed grant with UMass Lowell for the Center for Advancing Point of Care Technologies.
“We look forward to partnering with our colleagues as we strive to fulfill our mission to advance the health and wellness of our diverse communities throughout Massachusetts and across the world by leading and innovating in education, research, health care delivery and public service,” said Terence R. Flotte, MD, the Celia and Isaac Haidak Professor, executive deputy chancellor, provost and dean of the T.H. Chan School of Medicine.
For more information about the Investor Catalyst Hub, visit investorcatalysthub.org/.
