Our Vision and Mission
4-CYTE’s mission is to transform scientific discoveries to improve health while educating
the next generation of innovators and clinicians.
We are committed to developing breakthrough therapeutics, advancing biomedical science, and preparing future leaders to deliver compassionate care in the Jesuit spirit of service and social justice.
Why Now?
Despite rapid advances in science, many patients still await cures – neurological disorders have become the leading cause of disability worldwide. The 4-CYTE Collaborative tackles such challenges with urgency and determination. Every program is geared toward one question: How can we deliver impact faster? By blending academic freedom with corporate efficiency, 4-CYTE de-risks new technologies and speeds up validation of promising therapies. This means fresh ideas get tested, refined, and readied for real-world use more quickly than conventional paths allow. Ultimately, 4-CYTE stands as a call to action: an invitation for partners, funders, and innovators to join in bridging the gap from bench to bedside.
Founding Story & Inspiration
The 4-CYTE Collaborative was born from vision and urgency. In the face of mounting health crises – from addiction to depression to spinal cord injury – leaders in Marquette’s Department of Biomedical Sciences recognized that the traditional approach to innovation was too slow and fragmented. Breakthroughs in university labs often languished before reaching patients, a gap that frustrated scientists and failed those in need.
Dr. David Baker, Chair of Biomedical Sciences, witnessed this problem firsthand. A successful neuroscientist and
co-founder of a biotech startup, he saw an opportunity to reimagine the innovation pipeline. What if a university department could do it all: fundamental research and applied development, education and entrepreneurship? Inspired by Marquette’s Jesuit calling to apply knowledge in service to others, Baker envisioned a new model that could enhance the translation of basic science discoveries into novel therapeutic strategies.
Our Divisions
at a Glance
From the beginning, 4-CYTE was designed as four interconnected sites – research, translation, education, and community – each reinforcing the others. This comprehensive structure allows 4-CYTE to support all phases of R&D beginning with basic research and culminating in technology creation just as Bell Labs did decades ago, but with a distinct mission-driven twist. Rather than chasing short-term ROI, 4-CYTE focuses on projects with the greatest societal impact, ensuring that the most pressing health needs guide our work.
The Collaboratory
4-CYTE’s cutting-edge research engine, designed to push the boundaries of biomedical sciences. It brings together Marquette’s scientists in a highly collaborative, tech-enabled environment that accelerates biomedical discovery by applying a corporate-like workflow of efficiency and moonshot project capabilities to academic research.
The BioBridge Therapeutics
The translational arm of 4-CYTE – our internal biotech incubator that carries discoveries across the perilous “valley of death” between academia and the clinic. In BioBridge, promising research findings don’t sit idle; they are nurtured, developed, and propelled toward therapies.
The Academy
4-CYTE’s educational pillar, devoted to forming the next generation of leaders in science and innovation. True to Marquette’s Jesuit tradition of educating the whole person and fostering leadership in service to others, The Academy provides students and trainees with unparalleled hands-on learning experiences.
xChange
At the center of 4-CYTE’s engagement with the world beyond campus.It is our bridge to patients, families, and the broader community. In line with the Jesuit mission to serve others and promote social justice, this pillar ensures that the voices of the community shape our science, and that the benefits of our work reach those who need them most.
From the start, 4-CYTE was designed as four interconnected sites – research, translation, education, and community – each reinforcing the others. This comprehensive structure allows 4-CYTE to support all phases of R&D beginning with basic research and culminating in technology creation just as Bell Labs did, but with a distinct mission-driven twist. Rather than chase short-term ROI, 4-CYTE focuses on projects with the greatest societal impact, ensuring that the most pressing health needs guide our work.
© 2035 by 4-CYTE.
Schroeder Complex
Marquette University
560 N 16th St
Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA