Indiana has spent decades building one of the most concentrated and globally significant musculoskeletal health sectors in the nation. Now, a major National Science Foundation investment will help the state turn that strength into the next generation of technologies, companies, and patient care.

Indiana is among the 12 regions nationwide selected for the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program. Led by Indiana University, the NSF IMPACT Engine in Indiana will connect orthopedic manufacturers, research universities, health systems, clinicians, data resources, and economic development partners to accelerate musculoskeletal innovation from discovery to market.

The Engine will receive $15 million during its first two years, with the potential to receive up to $160 million from NSF over the next decade as it reaches established milestones.

A national investment in regional strengths

A recent Brookings Institution analysis places Indiana’s selection within a broader shift in how the United States invests in innovation and economic competitiveness.

Established through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program is designed to help regions build internationally competitive technology clusters by connecting research with private industry, talent development, entrepreneurship, and commercialization.

Rather than attempting to create innovation clusters from the ground up, these place-based investments build on regional capabilities that are already established and ready to scale. Brookings identified Indiana among the regions positioned to advance national bioscience and biomanufacturing priorities through this latest round of federal investment.

The state is home to one of the world’s most concentrated orthopedic medical device industries, leading research universities, major health systems, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and a growing network of entrepreneurs and investors. The NSF IMPACT Engine is designed to connect those assets more intentionally, creating clearer pathways from discovery to clinical validation, product development, manufacturing, and adoption.

Building upon a statewide partnership

The NSF IMPACT Engine builds on the Indiana Musculoskeletal Health Partnership for the Advancement of Care and Treatment, or IMPACT. The partnership had already convened more than 170 collaborators across Indiana before the NSF selection.

The coalition includes partners from industry, healthcare, higher education, research, workforce development, and government. Eli Lilly and Company, Zimmer Biomet, OrthoWorx, IU Health, Regenstrief Institute, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, and BioCrossroads are among the organizations involved.

OrthoWorx brings deep connections to the orthopedic industry in Warsaw and Kosciusko County. Its ongoing work in talent development, talent attraction, and innovation will help connect the statewide initiative with one of the world’s most concentrated orthopedic manufacturing communities.

Moving from designation to implementation

Nearly half of Americans live with a chronic musculoskeletal disorder, including conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis. Musculoskeletal injuries and conditions can affect a person’s mobility, ability to work, independence, and overall quality of life.

The NSF IMPACT Engine will bring clinicians, engineers, researchers, and industry partners together to address these challenges. Its work will include artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, biosensors, digital twin technology, clinical validation, commercialization support, and workforce development.

The coalition also plans to develop what is intended to become the world’s largest integrated musculoskeletal dataset. That resource could support the development of new therapies, smarter implants, and faster diagnostic tools.

Over the longer term, the coalition aims to train more than 1,900 workers, launch more than 85 startups, bring at least 30 innovations to market, and generate more than $535 million in economic impact for Indiana. These are stated goals for the initiative, with continued NSF funding dependent on its progress during the first two years.

As a partner in the NSF IMPACT Engine, BioCrossroads will work alongside Indiana University, OrthoWorx, industry leaders, research institutions, health systems, and organizations across the state to support its implementation.

The award gives Indiana an opportunity to build on an industry it already leads, strengthen connections across the state, and bring more musculoskeletal innovations from research to the people who need them.