CCNY is a 2026 Cure Most Innovative Institution.
The City College of New York ranks #162 among the top 243 universities in the United States for its ability to translate scientific discovery into real-world healthcare impact. The Index also recognizes CCNY as a Leading HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution).
The Index also places The City College #135 for market translation, #150 for entrepreneurial readiness and #217 for research capabilities.
The Cure Innovation Index is the first national, data-driven platform designed to assess how effectively U.S. biomedical research institutions convert discovery into therapies, companies, and measurable health outcomes. The inaugural 2026 Index evaluates 303 leading institutions—spanning all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico—selected from more than 6,000 nationwide.
“This ranking highlights our commitment to scientific research that makes people’s lives better. We work on problems that make a difference in the world,” said Dr. Tony Liss, CCNY Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
“Recognition of The City College of New York in the Cure Innovation Index reflects its leadership in translating scientific discovery into real-world impact,” said Seema Kumar, CEO of Cure. “While traditional measures emphasize funding, publications, or patents, the Index sets a new standard by evaluating the full set of capabilities required to move innovation from concept to cure.”
The U.S. biomedical research ecosystem—anchored by academic institutions—has long been a global engine of innovation, driving the development of life-saving therapies and generating significant economic impact. Yet institutional performance has historically been measured by inputs and outputs, rather than by the ability to consistently translate discovery into impact.
Driving Translational Performance
The Index evaluates institutions across 25 indicators within three core domains: research capabilities, entrepreneurial readiness, and market translation. Together, these dimensions capture the structural, cultural, and operational factors that enable institutions to move breakthroughs beyond the lab and into real-world application.
CCNY demonstrated strong performance across these domains, reflecting its ability to consistently advance innovations into therapies, companies, and measurable health outcomes.
About the Cure Innovation Index
Led by Cure, the Index was developed in collaboration with a multidisciplinary group of experts across academia, industry, and government, with analytical support from Deerfield Intelligence, a division of Deerfield Management Company.
The methodology integrates validated data from more than a dozen federal and commercial sources, complemented by proprietary inputs from surveys of more than 3,000 researchers and industry leaders, as well as institutional audits assessing infrastructure, technology transfer capabilities, and translational programs.
About Cure
Cure is the premier healthcare innovation ecosystem that provides knowledge, infrastructure and tools to accelerate progress toward cures. Headquartered in New York City, Cure convenes all key stakeholders for innovation across its physical and digital community. The campus houses flagship event venues and is home to healthcare organizations from idea stage to public companies. Cure members gain access to premium opportunities and curated connections. In 2026, The Cure Innovation Index was published, providing unmatched visibility into how research institutions translate breakthrough science into real-world health impact. Innovate with Cure at wewillcure.com.
About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. Education research organization Degree Choices ranks CCNY #1 nationally among universities for economic return on investment. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Lightcast puts at $3.2 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers, and society. At City College, more than 16,500 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity, and scholarship. In 2023, CCNY launched its most expansive fundraising campaign ever. The campaign, titled “Doing Remarkable Things Together,” seeks to bring the College’s Foundation to more than $1 billion in total assets in support of the College's mission. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic, and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.
Jay Mwamba
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