In September 2023, the Mid‑South REACH award was made by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a new Research, Evaluation, and Commercialization Hub (REACH) program across four states: Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and Mississippi. 

Led by Vanderbilt University, Mid-South REACH is based on the best practices and experience of previous Hubs: ExCITE and KYNETIC programs. Lead institutions include Vanderbilt University (Tennessee),  University of Louisville (Kentucky), George Mason University (Virginia), and Jackson State University (Mississippi). 

The project represents a significant expansion of the public‑private partnership‑based programs to bring discoveries and biomedical innovations to  commercialization, particularly those related to public health disparities. Mid‑South REACH creates a robust, interstate innovation infrastructure that acts as a distribution strategy of information, awareness campaigns, and funding to the majority of research institutions and community colleges across all four states.

Mid-South REACH

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