Vanderbilt University School of Medicine ranked fifth in the nation in fiscal year 2024 in total research grant support provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), according to figures compiled by the nonprofit Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research.
The NIH is the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research. VUSM, which received $586 million in direct and indirect NIH grant support in FY24, has been among the top 10 recipients of NIH funding among U.S. medical schools for nine of the past 15 years.
Current funding represents “the extraordinary dedication and groundbreaking research of over 500 NIH-funded researchers,” noted Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President for Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where most of the medical school’s research is conducted.
“This achievement reflects the scientific excellence that defines the Vanderbilt research enterprise,” said VUSM Dean of Basic Sciences John Kuriyan, PhD. “Our researchers are driven by a passion for discovery, from uncovering the molecular mechanisms of disease to developing new therapeutic strategies.”
Eight clinical and three basic science departments at VUSM ranked in the top 10 among medical school departments nationwide in FY24, the Blue Ridge Institute reported.
Three clinical departments ranked first in the nation:
- Medicine – $277 million in NIH grants
- Pediatrics – $80 million
- Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery – $15.8 million
The other clinical departments in the top 10 are:
- Emergency Medicine, second place, $20.2 million
- Urology, fourth place, $4.4 million
- Anesthesiology, fifth place, $11.8 million
- Ophthalmology, seventh place, $12.3 million
- Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, 10th place, $22.9 million
The basic science departments are:
- Cell and Developmental Biology, second place, $22.4 million
- Biochemistry, fourth place, $18.9 million
- Pharmacology, sixth place, $18.7 million
This is the second fiscal year in a row that the Department of Medicine has ranked first in NIH funding, said department chair Jane Freedman, MD, Gladys Parkinson Stahlman Professor of Cardiovascular Research.
“This accomplishment highlights the groundbreaking research being done in the Department of Medicine to understand human diseases across many fields, which is leading to better diagnosis and cures for the people of Tennessee and beyond,” Freedman said.
The Department of Medicine is known internationally for its contributions to cardiovascular and genetic medicine, clinical pharmacology, diabetes, gastroenterology, nephrology, allergy and infectious diseases and other areas.
Similarly, research at the Department of Pediatrics and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has improved health outcomes for infants and children in fields ranging from vaccine development, genetics, neonatology, hematology and oncology to fetal and cardiac surgery and autism spectrum disorder.
“Research in children’s health is so important because the health of children can affect an individual’s health and wellbeing across their entire lifespan,” said the department’s interim chair, William Cooper, MD, MPH, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy.
Medical science is a team effort. “The breadth of research in the Department of Pediatrics speaks to the collaborative opportunities available to our faculty across the entire Vanderbilt enterprise,” Cooper added.
Kuriyan, Mary Geddes Stahlman Chair and University Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Cell and Developmental Biology, agreed. “The sustained and high level of NIH support affirms the impact of our work and the strength of our research community, which thrives on collaboration and bold inquiry,” he said.
Overall, NIH funding at VUSM grew by 11% from FY23 to FY24.
“That is a testament to the momentum and impact of our collaborative research environment,” added Pietenpol, who holds the Brock Family Directorship in Career Development.
“I am especially grateful to our investigators for their innovation and commitment, and to our Office of Sponsored Programs team for their tireless support, expertise and diligence,” she said. “Thanks to these combined efforts, Vanderbilt continues to address some of the most pressing health challenges facing society today.”
The Blue Ridge rankings are derived from NIH year-end composite data for the federal fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2024, available via the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT).
