UNMC sees record growth in NIH research funding

The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s momentum of growth in research funding from the National Institutes of Health soared nearly 112 percent in the last three years, far exceeding expectations.

 

The findings are part of a report that will be presented at the Friday meeting of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

 

The report compares the growth in NIH funding between the fiscal years 2008 and 2010. It found that funding at UNMC grew from $43 million to $91 million, a 112 percent increase. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln also realized significant growth in its research funding during this same time period going from $72 million to $94 million, a 31 percent increase.

 

UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D. said, “I’m proud of the initiative UNMC researchers have taken and that the private sector has been so supportive of our research enterprise. This investment is paying off.”

 

Tom Rosenquist, Ph.D., UNMC’s vice chancellor for research, said that UNMC’s research strategy has been successful although NIH funding has been flat and has lost money against inflation since 2003.

 

“We’ve seen record growth the past two years, and that doesn’t include the stimulus money we received,” he said.

 

During the two years of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the NIH funded $22 million for biomedical research at UNMC. The recovery grants ended in September 2010.

 

The end of the ARRA funds and proposed cuts to the NIH budget, while a concern, won’t dampen UNMC’s research initiative, Dr. Rosenquist said.

 

He pointed to several factors that predict UNMC’s continued success in research funding growth despite a decline in NIH funding:

·         UNMC’s overall funding, that includes NIH and all other sources, continues to grow – now at $115 million, a 15 percent increase from the year before;

·         Between 2000 and 2010, the number of UNMC researchers who received NIH funding grew from 62 to 106 – a 71 percent increase;

·         UNMC’s average grant award has risen from $400,000 in 2003 to $700,000 in 2011; and

·         UNMC continues to excel in cancer research, while achieving high status in new areas.

 

“I don’t know how the NIH budget will be affected during the current round of budget cuts, but I am sure that UNMC scientists will continue to compete successfully, and that our NIH support will continue to grow,” Dr. Rosenquist said. “Our strategy to go after more of the larger NIH grants has been successful so far and promises continuing success.”