Scintillon Institute

What Scintillon Institute does

Scintillon Institute (legal name: The Scintillon Research Institute) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit biomedical research institute founded in 2012 in San Diego, California, and currently the 5th largest biomedical research institute in the city with 19 core and affiliated professors. The institute operates across three buildings on Nancy Ridge Drive, anchored by state-of-the-art core facilities — including cryo-EM, flow cytometry, an imaging center (Zeiss epifluorescence, Leica SP8 confocal, Biotek Cytation, Celigo), an OLAW-certified vivarium, and a 3D printing core — which it makes available to internal investigators, external non-profits, and for-profit collaborators at published recharge rates. Faculty research spans aging biology, neuroscience, HIV, cancer, hearing loss, cryo-EM, and iPSC-based disease modeling, with proprietary platforms including ImAge (a Nature Aging–published single-cell imaging biomarker of biological age), MIEL (machine-learning classification of epigenetic landscapes), a 3D BBB/CNS microfluidic neuroimmune-vascular model, CAR-microglia for multiple sclerosis (patent pending), a selective CDK2 inhibitor (AZD5438) for cisplatin-induced hearing loss, and an EcSTH redox metabolism tool.

The institute operates a hybrid business model: it draws the majority of its operating revenue from federal and California research grants (NIH, NINDS, NIMH, NIGMS, CIRM, NAM), supplemented by philanthropic donations from individuals and foundations supporting both research programs and the SURE high school summer internship, Post Doc Biotech Training, and SAPEP faculty-entry programs. Through its SI-START incubator, Scintillon provides class-A lab space, shared equipment, mentorship, and SBIR/STTR grant-writing support to roughly a dozen biotech startups — including current residents Pomelo Biosciences, Ting Therapeutics, Cellarcus Biosciences, Defined Bioscience, Narwhal Bio, Acres Biosciences, and Bespoke Bioworks — in exchange for SAFE-note-style equity and lab rental fees. Alumni exits include Mesa Biotech (acquired by Thermo Fisher for $550M in 2021) and Allegro 3D (acquired by Cellink/BICO in 2022). Pomelo Biosciences also operates a small consumer line (PEP+ STRYDE sports creams, PEP+ BEAM oral care) sold direct-to-consumer via its own websites, Shopify, TikTok Shop, and Amazon, with planned box-retail expansion.

Name

Scintillon Institute

Legal name

The Scintillon Research Institute

Website

https://scintillon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scintillon Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit biomedical research institute in San Diego, founded in 2012, operating cryo-EM, imaging, and vivarium core facilities, an SI-START biotech incubator, and faculty research programs in aging, neuroscience, and disease modeling.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAGAI

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

SECONDARYEDAMABAC

STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science Programs

SECONDARYBPAGAKAI

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Biomedical research services
• Biotech incubator programs
• Cryo-EM imaging services
• Flow cytometry services
• Academic research institute

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal and State Research Grants: The institute earns federal (NIH, NINDS, NIMH, NIGMS) and California (CIRM) research grants at significant levels to fund its research programs.
2. Philanthropy and Donations: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, Scintillon relies on charitable donations from individuals, families, and foundations to support research programs, the SURE education program, and capital needs.
3. SI-START Incubator Program: The incubator generates revenue through SAFE note-inspired share compensation from resident startups, as well as rental of lab space and shared equipment to biotech companies.
4. Core Facilities Services: The institute operates core facilities (flow cytometry, vivarium, imaging center) providing fee-for-service access to external investigators and companies, with published recharge rate schedules.
5. Consumer Biotech Products: Incubator companies such as Pomelo Biosciences generate revenue through direct-to-consumer sales of peptide-based products (PEP+ STRYDE sports cream, PEP+ BEAM oral care) via e-commerce, Amazon, and retail.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scintillon Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) biomedical research institute that conducts translational research in aging, neuroscience, infectious disease, and cancer while operating shared core facilities (cryo-EM imaging, flow cytometry, vivarium) for internal and external investigators. It runs the SI-START biotech startup incubator providing lab space, equipment, mentorship, and grant-writing support, and operates the SURE summer research program for high school and college students. Revenue is generated primarily through federal/state research grants (NIH, CIRM), philanthropic donations, and fee-for-service access to its core research infrastructure.

Product overview

Scintillon Institute is a non-profit biomedical research institute offering core facility services (imaging, flow cytometry, vivarium) and an incubator program (SI-START) for biotech startups. Its faculty conducts research in aging, neuroscience, infectious diseases, and cancer. The institute's incubator companies develop commercial products including PEP+ STRYDE (peptide-based sports creams) and PEP+ BEAM (oral care products) from Pomelo Biosciences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flow Cytometry Core Services Fee-for-service quantitative fluorescence analysis (up to 13 colors), bead-based assays, cell-based assays, small particle analysis, and viability/toxicity assays using Beckman Coulter Cytoflex equipment. Available to internal investigators, not-for-profit collaborators, and for-profit companies under a published recharge rate schedule.
• Scintillon Imaging Center State-of-the-art microscopy services including Zeiss epifluorescence microscope, Leica SP8 confocal microscope, Biotek Cytation plate reader with spinning disk confocal, and Celigo Imaging Cytometer. Available on a recharge-rate basis to internal investigators, non-profit collaborators, and for-profit companies.
• Vivarium Services OLAW-certified animal facility housing murine research species with surgical suite and rodent behavioral core, offering colony management and technical procedures. Provides pathogen-free animal research services to internal and external investigators.
• SI-START Incubator Program Biotech startup incubator offering flexible lab space (bench and office), shared capital equipment access, mentorship, SBIR/STTR grant-writing support, business management experience, VC pitch opportunities, and educational seminars to life science startups in the San Diego area. Generates revenue through SAFE note-inspired share compensation and lab/equipment rentals.
• SURE Summer Research Program Intensive four-week summer research experience pairing top San Diego high school and college students with Scintillon faculty for hands-on biomedical laboratory work, with morning lectures and afternoon mentored lab sessions. Running for 8+ years.
• 3D Blood-Brain Barrier/CNS Microfluidic Platform Proprietary 3D microfluidic platform integrating brain endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and peripheral immune cells for studying neuroimmune-vascular communication. Combines high-resolution imaging, multi-omic profiling, and AI analytics for preclinical drug testing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mesa Biotech, incubated at SI-START, acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific for $550 million in 2021
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered major sponsor, sponsor, co-pi collaboration, co-author collaboration, keynote speaker, co-development, minor and distribution partner.

• Thermo Fisher Scientificmajor sponsorTechnology or IntegrationSponsor of the 6th International Cryo-EM Image Analysis Symposium organized by Scintillon Institute. Previously acquired Mesa Biotech (SI-START alumni company) for $550 million in 2021.
• JEOLmajor sponsorTechnology or IntegrationSponsor of the 6th International Cryo-EM Image Analysis Symposium. JEOL manufactures cryo-EM instrumentation used at Scintillon.
• Agouron InstitutesponsorTechnology or IntegrationSponsor of the 6th International Cryo-EM Image Analysis Symposium.
• MiTeGensponsorTechnology or IntegrationSponsor of the 6th International Cryo-EM Image Analysis Symposium.
• University of California, Riversideco-pi collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-PI Marcus Kaul (PhD) at UC Riverside collaborates with PI Irene Munk Pedersen on NIH/NINDS R01 grant titled 'Harnessing Innate Immunity to Control the Neuroinflammatory HIV Reservoir'.
• Scripps Researchco-pi collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-I Sumit Chanda (PhD) at Scripps Research collaborates with PI Irene Munk Pedersen on NIH/NINDS/NIMH R61/R33 grant for neuro-immune-vascular dynamics preclinical model development.
• UCLAco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with UCLA researchers on the Molecular Cell paper on DNA methyltransferase 1 modulating mitochondrial function through m5C RNA methylation.
• ShanghaiTech Universityco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with ShanghaiTech University researchers on the Molecular Cell paper on DNMT1 and mitochondrial function.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centerco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with researchers Sara Violante and Justin Cross at MSKCC on characterization of NADH reductive stress using LC-MS and development of the EcSTH tool.
• Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School)co-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Russell Goodman (MD, DPhil) at MGH to examine the utility of the EcSTH tool in vivo physiology in mouse liver studies.
• Chan Zuckerberg Initiativekeynote speakerStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Bridget Carragher from Chan Zuckerberg Initiative delivered the keynote at the 6th International Cryo-EM Symposium.
• Dr. Okano (International Society for Stem Cell Research / Japan)keynote speakerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent president of ISSCR and researcher from Japan delivered closing keynote at the inaugural Scintillon Innovators Forum on iPSC research as cell therapy modality and drug screening platform.
• Ting Therapeutics, Inc.co-developmentStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative study led by Dr. Tal Teitz with Ting Therapeutics for evaluation of selective CDK2 inhibitor (AZD5438) as otoprotectant. NIH grants R43/R44DC018463 awarded to Ting Therapeutics and R01DC018850 to Tal Teitz.
• Scripps Researchco-pi collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-institutional study co-led with Dr. Stuart Lipton from Scripps Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center on MEF2C-related autism using patient-derived iPSC models. Supported by NIH, CIRM, and Autism Speaks.
• Translational Genomics Research Instituteco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the MEF2C autism study, contributing data analysis and computational expertise (authors include Agnes Chan, Yongwook Choi, Wei Lin, Nicholas Schork).
• UCLA Medical Schoolco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Riki Kawaguchi and Daniel Geschwind from UCLA Medical School on the MEF2C autism study.
• Baylor College of Medicineco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Pawel Stankiewicz from Baylor College of Medicine on the MEF2C autism study.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UCSD Medical Schoolco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Ivan Garcia-Bassets, Piotr Kozbial, and Michael Rosenfeld from HHMI at UCSD Medical School on the MEF2C autism study.
• Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Instituteco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Shing Fai Chan from Sanford Burnham Prebys on the MEF2C autism study.
• UC San Diego Medical Schoolco-author collaborationStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Dr. Michael Karin (Professor) at UCSD Medical School on PNAS study showing immunotherapy side effects in Parkinson's disease models.
• Allele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticalsco-developmentStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Allele Biotech on SARS-CoV-2 nanoantibody isolation from llamas for rapid antigen detection test kits and therapeutic antibody development against COVID-19 variants.
• Catamaran Resort (Pacific Beach, San Diego)minorOthersBeach-front venue for the inaugural Scintillon Innovators Forum.
• Sekisui Diagnosticsdistribution partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution partnership for Mesa Biotech's Accula rapid flu PCR test (Silaris brand) in the US, prior to Mesa's acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2021.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• J. Craig Venter Institute: Independent non-profit genomics R&D organization with a faculty/grant-driven model and collaborations with national health agencies; comparable independent non-profit research scale.
• Gladstone Institutes: Independent non-profit biomedical research organization affiliated with UCSF, focused on cardiac, neurological, and virological diseases with a faculty/grant model similar to Scintillon.
• Stowers Institute for Medical Research: Independent non-profit biomedical research institute with similar focus on fundamental disease research, core facilities, and grant-based funding; widely cited as a benchmark for high-quality independent research operations.
• La Jolla Institute for Immunology: Independent non-profit research institute in San Diego specializing in immunology, with core services, faculty-driven research, and grant dependence aligned to Scintillon's model.
• Scripps Research Institute: Independent non-profit biomedical research organization headquartered in San Diego with broad R&D programs, core facilities for external investigators, and biotech spin-out activity; directly comparable in mission, location, and operating model to Scintillon.
• Salk Institute for Biological Studies: La Jolla-based non-profit basic-research institute with overlapping focus on aging, neuroscience, and immunology, and a similar faculty/grant-driven model; a closely comparable peer despite operating at significantly larger scale.
• Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute: Independent non-profit San Diego research institute focused on fundamental biology and translational discovery; several Scintillon faculty (e.g., Yung, Terskikh) previously held positions there, making it a directly comparable peer.
• Buck Institute for Research on Aging: Independent non-profit research institute dedicated to aging and age-related disease; directly comparable given Scintillon's Center for Aging Research and ImAge biomarker.

Broad incumbents

• Allen Institute: Larger, well-funded private research organization (founded by Paul Allen) conducting large-scale basic science programs with shared resources; demonstrates the higher-scale variant of Scintillon's non-profit research-institute model.

Regional players

• Calibr (California Institute for Biomedical Research): San Diego-area non-profit translationally focused drug discovery organization affiliated with Scripps Research; comparable in scope of therapeutic pipeline development but with a different operating structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-scintillon-institute
• Xx.com/scintillon

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Scintillon Institute