University of Alabama Birmingham’s (UAB) research funding has now reached top ten status among public universities after a 20% fiscal year 2014 increase from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The school received $225 million dollars in FY 2014, up from $188 million in FY 2013.
Some of UAB's professional schools rank in the top ten as well. The School of Dentistry is second among dental schools, and the School of Public health ranks ninth. Other UAB schools are seeing significant funding increases as well. The School of Nursing's funding increased 160%, which has the school close to the top 30 in NIH funding.
“Garnering research support at this level furthers our goal of becoming the preferred academic medical center of the 21st century,” says Selwyn Vickers, MD, senior vice president for Medicine and dean of the School of Medicine at UAB. “This vital funding helps us grow our footprint in the fields of genomics, personalized medicine and other key areas and, in turn, provide unparalleled care to patients throughout our state and region.”
Key areas of funding growth include three newly formed research institutes in genomic medicine, personalized medicine, and information sciences. The school claims construction of a new Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building, planned as part of a larger Research and Academic Crescent, could help secure an estimated $48 million in additional NIH funding that could create upward of 580 new jobs and have an economic impact of $100 million on the Birmingham area.
Source: TechAlabama.com
