At LABEST 2026, UCLA points the way to scientific innovation for the future
Scientists, investors, entrepreneurs and industry leaders convened on campus to explore how collaboration can turn life-changing discoveries into solutions
UCLA Newsroom
June 2, 2026
At a time when the worlds of science, medicine and technology seem to be moving faster than ever, UCLA’s Technology Development Group hosted a weeklong summit illustrating how the future of bioscience and medical technology depends not only on breakthrough discoveries but on the crucial work of translating those discoveries into solutions with real-world impact.
LABEST Week 2026 served as a powerful collaborative engine, drawing more than 1,200 local, national and international researchers, clinicians, students, startup founders, investors and industry leaders to campus. Over four days (May 18–21), the summit fostered connections aimed at accelerating the commercialization of academic research and bringing life-changing discoveries to patients and the public.
Woven throughout the week was a message about UCLA’s role as both a research powerhouse and a bridge between academia and industry.
“It is fitting that we are gathered here because universities like UCLA are the main institutions capable of pursuing the kind of bold and ambitious research that leads to national progress,” UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk told attendees during his remarks at the conference’s May 21 Bioscience Day gathering at the Luskin Conference Center. “That pursuit of knowledge provides the foundation for our society’s most transformative developments.”