At the Nexus of Innovation: UC San Diego Hosts FDA Commissioner for Transformative Town Hall

With over $1.7 billion in annual research funding and deep institutional ties to the region’s thriving biotech sector, UC San Diego stands as a cornerstone of innovation. The university was a natural choice to host this critical town hall, a recognition of its dual role as a hub of groundbreaking research and a driver of real-world impact.

“UC San Diego was proud to welcome FDA Commissioner Makary to San Diego,” said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “As a destination public university, we are committed to advancing knowledge, improving health and transforming lives. Our foundational role in San Diego’s life sciences ecosystem reflects our global leadership in research and innovation. We hope the town hall provided the Commissioner with valuable insight as he works to implement his vision for a more responsive and forward-looking FDA.”

UC San Diego’s prominence in the life sciences is unmatched in the region, contributing significantly to a sector that, according to Biocom California’s 2025 Economic Impact Report, supports approximately 120,000 jobs and generates $35.4 billion in economic output in San Diego County. Average salaries for these roles exceed $181,695 annually, underscoring the industry’s role as a catalyst for regional prosperity.

A setting that reflects the mission

The town hall was held at UC San Diego’s Moores Cancer Center (MCC), the only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the region and one of just 57 in the nation. Established in 1978, MCC unites research laboratories, clinical care, prevention and outreach programs, and clinical trials under one roof, exemplifying the university’s commitment to integrated cancer care and translational science.

Brookie Best, Pharm.D., M.A.S., dean of UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, offered welcome remarks at the town hall. “We were honored to host this important conversation at Moores Cancer Center,” she said. “The setting reflects UC San Diego’s core mission to generate and disseminate knowledge and provide high-quality health care. We thank Commissioner Makary for recognizing the role our institution plays in shaping the future of medicine.”

A centerpiece of research and innovation

The morning began with a breakfast reception coordinated by UC San Diego’s Office of Research and Innovation, giving attendees the opportunity to connect with academic leaders and fellow industry peers.

“We were pleased to welcome San Diego’s biotechnology leaders to this special event,” said Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Corinne Peek-Asa, Ph.D. “UC San Diego is proud to be a research powerhouse and a trusted partner to the life sciences community. With hundreds of clinical trials underway and a culture of collaboration, our university supports innovation that directly benefits patients and public health.”

Joining Chancellor Khosla, Best and Peek-Asa, were Barbara Jung, M.D., dean of the UC San Diego School of Medicine, as well as many other campus and health system leaders including Chris Longhurst, M.D., chief medical and digital officer at UC San Diego Health; Nick Macchione, M.P.H., director of San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency and Chief Health Officer at UC San Diego Health; Chuck Daniels, B.S. Pharm., Ph.D. associate dean for professional practice at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and chief pharmacy officer at UC San Diego Health; and Alexander Khalessi, M.D., chair of Neurological Surgery at UC San Diego Health.

During the town hall, FDA representatives listened closely as executives discussed opportunities and obstacles facing the biotech sector, offering a rare and valuable feedback loop for the agency and ideas on how to actualize his vision for the FDA.

Where research changes lives

UC San Diego’s unique position as a research-driven, patient-focused institution was on full display during the event. Breakthroughs developed at the university have transformed care across disciplines. One landmark achievement: UC San Diego neuroscientists helped pioneer a treatment for large-vessel stroke that has since become a global standard of care. Their pivotal clinical trials and translational research contributed to FDA approvals that now help save tens of thousands of lives each year.

And UC San Diego continues to push boundaries; Sanford Stem Cell Institute is pioneering efforts in next-generation cancer therapies by exploring how cancer stem cells behave in space. One key focus is rebecsinib, an FDA-IND cancer drug discovered at UC San Diego and developed by Aspera Biomedicines, which targets a molecular “kill switch” in tumors. Rebecsinib has shown promise against multiple cancer types, including triple-negative breast cancer and leukemia. In a bold step to accelerate its development, scientists recently launched stem cells treated with rebecsinib to the International Space Station. Studying these cells in microgravity may uncover new insights into cancer progression and drug response, paving the way for more precise and potent therapies on Earth. This ambitious space-based experiment exemplifies UC San Diego’s relentless commitment to innovation and its mission to transform how cancer is understood and treated.

A collaborative future

The FDA town hall underscored what many in the room already knew: UC San Diego is not only central to the San Diego life sciences ecosystem — it is one of its key architects. The university trains tomorrow’s biomedical leaders, conducts life-changing clinical research and serves as a bridge between industry, government and patients.

By hosting Makary’s CEO Forum, UC San Diego amplified its core values as a student-centered, research-driven, patient-dedicated and service-oriented university.

This was more than just a meeting. It was a reaffirmation of UC San Diego’s commitment to shaping a healthier, more innovative future — for San Diego, the nation and the world.