The Los Angeles and Southern California R&D ecosystem
Los Angeles and Southern California is ranked number 32 of 392 R&D ecosystems in the 311 Institute directory, with 60 labs within about 120 kilometres: 24 research institutes, 15 corporate, 12 university, 7 military and 2 government. Leading organisations include University of California, Riverside, US Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin and NASA, focused on molecular biology, atomic and molecular physics, and optics, plant science and astronomy and astrophysics.
Part of the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory. Compiled by Matthew Griffin. Last updated .
#32world rank
60labs
49organisations
1country
Why these labs matter
AWS Center for Quantum Computing: Amazon's bet on error-corrected quantum computing.
Skunk Works: The model for secretive, fast-moving advanced development.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Leads robotic exploration of the solar system.
California Institute of Technology: Manages NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
All 60 labs
| Lab and organisation | Location | Type and sector | Focus | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aeolis Research (United States)Aeolis Research (United States) | Pasadena, United States | Corporate Space | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Earth-Surface Processes, Atmospheric Science | 2015 |
| AWS Center for Quantum ComputingAmazon | Pasadena, United States | Corporate Technology | Quantum | |
| Amgen R&DAmgen | Thousand Oaks, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Biologics | 1980 |
| Applied Sciences Laboratory (United States)Applied Sciences Laboratory (United States) | Baldwin Park, United States | Corporate Industrials and manufacturing | Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging, Computational Mechanics, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics | 1991 |
| Disney ResearchDisney | Burbank, United States | Corporate Media and entertainment | Robotics, Graphics, XR | 2008 |
| Environmental Systems Research Institute (United States)Environmental Systems Research Institute (United States) | Redlands, United States | Corporate Social sciences and humanities | Geography, Planning and Development, Artificial Intelligence, Ocean Engineering | 1969 |
| HRL Laboratories (United States)HRL Laboratories (United States) | Malibu, United States | Corporate Industrials and manufacturing | Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering | 1940 |
| Helendale radar cross-section facilityLockheed Martin | Helendale, United States | Corporate Aerospace, defence and space | Stealth measurement | |
| Skunk WorksLockheed Martin | Palmdale, United States | Corporate Aerospace, defence and space | Aircraft, Hypersonics, Autonomy | 1943 |
| Tejon Ranch radar test facilityNorthrop Grumman | Tehachapi, United States | Corporate Aerospace, defence and space | Stealth measurement | |
| Rocket LabRocket Lab | Long Beach, United States | Corporate Aerospace, defence and space | Small launch, Spacecraft | 2006 |
| SpaceX HawthorneSpaceX | Hawthorne, United States | Corporate Aerospace, defence and space | Rockets, Satellites | 2002 |
| Statistical Research (United States)Statistical Research (United States) | Redlands, United States | Corporate Basic science | Statistics and Probability, Paleontology, Finance | 1983 |
| Tanner Research (United States)Tanner Research (United States) | Monrovia, United States | Corporate Industrials and manufacturing | Biomedical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics | 1988 |
| Zymo Research Corporation (United States)Zymo Research Corporation (United States) | Irvine, United States | Corporate Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Information Systems and Management, Aging | |
| Armstrong Flight Research CenterNASA | Edwards, United States | Government Aerospace, defence and space | Flight research | 1946 |
| Jet Propulsion LaboratoryNASA | Pasadena, United States | Government Aerospace, defence and space | Space exploration, Robotics | |
| Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare CenterNaval Facilities Engineering Systems Command | Port Hueneme, United States | Military Environment and climate | Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, Biomedical Engineering | 2012 |
| Institute for Creative TechnologiesUniversity of Southern California | Los Angeles, United States | Military Aerospace, defence and space | Simulation, Virtual humans | 1999 |
| Air Force Test CenterUS Air Force | Edwards, United States | Military Aerospace, defence and space | Flight testing | 1933 |
| Aerospace FFRDC (The Aerospace Corporation)US Department of Defense | El Segundo, United States | Military Aerospace, defence and space | Space systems | |
| Arroyo Center (RAND)US Department of Defense | Santa Monica, United States | Military Public policy and analysis | Army policy | |
| National Defense Research Institute (RAND)US Department of Defense | Santa Monica, United States | Military Public policy and analysis | Defence policy | |
| Project Air Force (RAND)US Department of Defense | Santa Monica, United States | Military Public policy and analysis | Air and space policy | |
| Joint Center for Artificial PhotosynthesisCalifornia Institute of Technology | Pasadena, United States | University Chemicals and materials | Materials Chemistry, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Surfaces, Coatings and Films | 2010 |
| W.M. Keck Science CenterClaremont McKenna College | Claremont, United States | University Healthcare and life sciences | Cognitive Neuroscience, Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation, Nuclear and High Energy Physics | 1964 |
| California Institute of TechnologyUniversities in United States | Pasadena, United States | University Multidisciplinary research | Space, Quantum, Chemistry | 1891 |
| Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote SensingUniversity of California, Irvine | Irvine, United States | University Environment and climate | Atmospheric Science, Environmental Engineering, Water Science and Technology | |
| California NanoSystems InstituteUniversity of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, United States | University Chemicals and materials | Structural Biology, Biomaterials, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics | 2000 |
| Alternative Earths Astrobiology CenterUniversity of California, Riverside | Riverside, United States | University Environment and climate | Paleontology, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Science | 2015 |
| Center for Conservation BiologyUniversity of California, Riverside | Riverside, United States | University Environment and climate | Soil Science, Nature and Landscape Conservation, Plant Science | 1997 |
| Center for Plant Cell BiologyUniversity of California, Riverside | Riverside, United States | University Agriculture and food | Plant Science, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology | 2002 |
| Center for Robotics and Intelligent SystemsUniversity of California, Riverside | Riverside, United States | University Technology | Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, Signal Processing, Biomedical Engineering | 1996 |
| Citrus Research Center and Agricultural Experiment StationUniversity of California, Riverside | Riverside, United States | University Agriculture and food | Insect Science, Plant Science, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics | 1907 |
| Institute for Integrative Genome BiologyUniversity of California, Riverside | Riverside, United States | University Agriculture and food | Plant Science, Molecular Biology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | 2000 |
| Statewide Air Pollution Research CenterUniversity of California, Riverside | Riverside, United States | University Environment and climate | Atmospheric Science, Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes, Plant Science | 1961 |
| Ablon Skin Institute and Research CenterAblon Skin Institute and Research Center | Manhattan Beach, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Dermatology, Neurology, Urology | 2008 |
| American Institute of ResearchAmerican Institute of Research | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Social sciences and humanities | Management Science and Operations Research, Information Systems and Management, Education | 2008 |
| Center for Cancer and AgingCenter for Cancer and Aging | Duarte, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Geriatrics and Gerontology, Oncology, Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine | 2006 |
| Beckman Research InstituteCity Of Hope National Medical Center | Duarte, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Immunology, Molecular Biology, Oncology | 1983 |
| Collaborative Neuroscience NetworkCollaborative Neuroscience Network | Long Beach, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Psychiatry and Mental health, Pharmacology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | 2000 |
| CombiMatrixCombiMatrix | Irvine, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Genetics, Molecular Biology, Electrical and Electronic Engineering | 1995 |
| Doheny Eye InstituteDoheny Eye Institute | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Ophthalmology, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging, Molecular Biology | 1947 |
| Ellison Medical InstituteEllison Medical Institute | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Oncology, Cell Biology, Cancer Research | |
| Getty Conservation InstituteGetty Conservation Institute | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Social sciences and humanities | Archeology, Earth-Surface Processes, Conservation | 1985 |
| Instructional Research GroupInstructional Research Group | Los Alamitos, United States | Research institute Social sciences and humanities | Statistics and Probability, Education, Applied Mathematics | 2005 |
| Kavli Nanoscience InstituteKavli Nanoscience Institute | Pasadena, United States | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Artificial Intelligence | 2003 |
| LIGO Scientific CollaborationLIGO Scientific Collaboration | Pasadena, United States | Research institute Space | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Ocean Engineering, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics | 2002 |
| Los Angeles Clinical TrialsLos Angeles Clinical Trials | Burbank, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Physiology, Epidemiology, Molecular Biology | |
| Lotus Clinical ResearchLotus Clinical Research | Pasadena, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Surgery, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Physiology | 2001 |
| M.C. Gill Composites CenterM.C. Gill Composites Center | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Industrials and manufacturing | Mechanical Engineering, Mechanics of Materials, General Materials Science | 1995 |
| Mendez National Institute of TransplantationMendez National Institute of Transplantation | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Transplantation, Surgery, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health | 1989 |
| Oak Crest Institute of ScienceOak Crest Institute of Science | Monrovia, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Infectious Diseases, Pharmaceutical Science, Virology | 1998 |
| Pharmacology Research InstitutePharmacology Research Institute | Los Alamitos, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Pharmacology, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | 1975 |
| Saban Research InstituteSaban Research Institute | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Molecular Biology, Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine, Surgery | 1992 |
| Terasaki FoundationTerasaki Foundation | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Transplantation, Surgery, Molecular Medicine | |
| TMT ObservatoryTMT Observatory | Pasadena, United States | Research institute Basic science | Instrumentation, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Astronomy and Astrophysics | 2003 |
| Center for the Study of Healthcare Provider BehaviorVeterans Health Administration | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | General Health Professions, Health Information Management, Economics and Econometrics | |
| Vital ResearchVital Research | Los Angeles, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, General Health Professions, Oncology | 1982 |
| Wallace LaboratoriesWallace Laboratories | El Segundo, United States | Research institute Healthcare and life sciences | Physiology, Pharmacology, Toxicology |
Countries
Organisations
- Amazon
- NASA
- Universities in United States
- University of California, Riverside
- US Air Force
- US Department of Defense
Other leading ecosystems
- Paris and Saclay
- Beijing and Tianjin
- Washington DC and Maryland
- Greater Tokyo and Tsukuba
- Moscow
- Grenoble
- London and the Golden Triangle
- Greater Bay Area (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong)
- Shanghai and Suzhou
- Provence (ITER and Cadarache)
- Silicon Valley and the Bay Area
- Singapore
- Zurich, Basel and Aargau
- Randstad (Amsterdam, Delft, Leiden)
- Stuttgart and Karlsruhe
Questions and answers
How big is the Los Angeles and Southern California R&D ecosystem?
It has 60 labs from 49 organisations, ranking number 32 worldwide in the 311 Institute Global R&D Labs Directory.
Which organisations have labs in Los Angeles and Southern California?
They include University of California, Riverside, US Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin and NASA.
What does the Los Angeles and Southern California ecosystem specialise in?
Its main focus areas are molecular biology, atomic and molecular physics, and optics, plant science and astronomy and astrophysics.
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