Biotech & Healthcare
Riverside County is emerging as a center for biotechnology and life sciences innovation, powered by strong research institutions, growing talent pipelines, and a supportive business environment.
In 2024, there were 39 Biotech establishments in Riverside County, California (per covered employment establishment counts), an increase from 16 establishments ten years earlier in 2014. From medical technology and health research to pharmaceuticals and bioengineering, the County is building the foundation for the next generation of biotech growth in Southern California.
UC Riverside is central to this momentum. Its research in genomics, plant and environmental biology, and medical sciences is driving new knowledge while partnering hospitals, startups, and industry groups bring those discoveries to the market. The Life Sciences Incubator at UCR, the first wet lab incubator of its kind in the Inland Empire, is helping early-stage biotech, medtech, and environmental companies grow without leaving the region.
The UCR School of Medicine is another cornerstone of this ecosystem. The idea of educating physicians in Inland Southern California began in 1971 under Chancellor Ivan Hinderaker. That vision led to the creation of the UCR/UCLA Program in Biomedical Sciences in 1974, which allowed students to complete their undergraduate degree and the first two years of medical training at UCR before finishing clinical work at UCLA. The school welcomed its first independent medical class in 2013 and continues to train doctors to serve the region.
David Chen graduate student in Dr. Anupama Dahanukar's lab at the University of California, Riverside
The sector is also flourishing in Southwest Riverside, led by Murrieta Innovation Center.
The life sciences sector is also expanding in Southwest Riverside County, anchored by the Murrieta Innovation Center. In 2022, the U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded the City of Murrieta $2.4 million to upgrade the center with a wet lab, a cleanroom, a dry lab, and renovated workspace, strengthening its role as a hub for science and commercialization. Companies like Murrieta Genomics are already demonstrating the potential of this cluster.
Thanks to its proximity to San Diego, Southwest Riverside County benefits from access to one of the nation’s top biotech markets while offering room to grow and a competitive business environment. Abbott, with operations in Temecula, is one example of a global company advancing medical innovation from within this region.
Together, these institutions and companies are shaping a life sciences corridor that supports research, entrepreneurship, training, and commercialization right here in Riverside County.