IU Med School Sets Record For NIH Funding

The grant will also support the creation of a high-end biomedical research center.

The Indiana University School of Medicine set a record for research funding from the National Institutes of Health in 2017. The school’s $135 million in funding, a 13 percent increase over the previous year, makes it one of the top 33 NIH-funded medical schools in the nation.

The 2017 total is also a 40 percent increase over the past four years, according to the school. 

"The dramatic increase we’ve seen in our NIH and other funding is a tribute to our faculty," said Jay Hess, dean of IU School of Medicine. "Through focusing our efforts in key areas of neuroscience, cancer, diabetes, child health and others, thinking creatively and working collaboratively, our faculty is growing our research in areas of critical need, with the ultimate goal of making lives better for patients."

Anthantha Shekhar, executive associate dean for research affairs at IU School of Medicine, says the number of new programs at the school have contributed to the increased funding. The programs help researchers submit better proposals and grant applications, including a mentoring program for junior faculty members.

The school cites a 2011 study from the Association of American Medical Colleges that says for every dollar invested in research at medical schools an teaching hospitals, $2.60 of economic activity occurs.

"NIH funding has multiplier effects," said Shekhar. "It provides direct funds to hire more people to work on different research projects, so it creates jobs. It increases discoveries and potential commercial ideas that have an impact on the local biomedical industry. Increased funding also helps IU School of Medicine become a stronger environment for research, attracting more scientists to come here and develop their own labs and companies."

In all, the IU School of Medicine raised more than $316 million in research funding from all sources in 2017.