OVERVIEW
San Diego Biomedical Research Institute (SDBRI) partners with Ballad Research Institute (Ballad) to enable SDBRI investigators to test new ideas before embarking on a full-scale research project. Whereas projects at SDBRI are funded primarily by grants from the National Institutes of Health, projects at Ballad are funded primarily by grants from research foundations. Both SDBRI and Ballad also receive funds from private donations.

RESESARCH
Principal investigators at SDBRI have co-appointments at Ballad. Ballad supports the early development of projects related to type 1 and type 2 diabetes, cancer, HIV vaccine development, HIV-associated neurological disorders, multiple sclerosis, SLE, obesity and cachexia. These might include pilot studies, innovative “high risk high impact” projects, or proof of concept studies. Ballad provides investigators embarking on early development projects with the necessary laboratory and office space as well as access to equipment and facilities in a similar way that “Incubators” provide resources for start-up companies. Successful projects graduate with funding from the National Institutes of Health to SDBRI.

HISTORY
Ballad was founded by Dr. Joanna Davies (CEO) in July 2013. It is housed within San Diego Biomedical Research Institute (SDBRI) space and has access to all SDBRI equipment and facilities.

Learn more by visiting the Ballad website: www.balladresearch.org