“These new rankings reflect our continued national leadership in life-saving research breakthroughs,” said Susan Murin, dean of the UC Davis School of Medicine. “From our BrainGate clinical trial of the most accurate brain-computer interface of its kind that translates brain signals into speech, to our development of the world’s first stem cell treatment for spina bifida during fetal surgery, our school’s research community is making discoveries that are transforming lives. Support for biomedical research has never been more important — lives depend upon it.”
Surgeon-scientist Diana Farmer, the PI of the CuRe clinical trial, performs fetal surgery on a developing baby still in the womb.
UC Davis School of Medicine departments in the Top 20
This year, eight School of Medicine departments ranked in the top 20 nationally in their respective fields, with two in the top 10. They included:
The top three departments in terms of overall NIH funding were Neurology ($35 million), Public Health Sciences ($28.4 million) and Internal Medicine ($25 million).
Public Health Sciences’ total and ranking are very notable. The Department now ranks the highest in NIH funding among all the other similar programs at the UC campuses.
UC Davis School of Medicine is a hub for medical and health research.
Top NIH-funded principal investigators and centers
This fiscal year, 271 principal investigators (PIs) were awarded 405 NIH grants. The following is a list of the top 10 PIs in terms of NIH funding.
For the second year in a row, Rachel Whitmer, a professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, is the PI with the highest NIH funding at UC Davis. With a total of around $13.7 million, she also retains the top ranking for NIH-funded investigators in Public Health Sciences nationwide. Whitmer, who co-directs the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), studies age-related dementia, cognitive impairment and brain pathology among different ethnic groups.
Alexander Borowsky, a professor and director of Molecular Diagnostics in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, was awarded $3.11 million for his research on California partnerships for personalized nutrition.
Among the top 10 PIs, the following direct world-class centers and programs at UC Davis Health:
“At a time when NIH support for biomedical research is more vital than ever, we celebrate another exceptional year for UC Davis School of Medicine in terms of NIH funding,” said Kim E. Barrett, vice dean for research and distinguished professor of physiology and membrane biology. “While NIH is by no means the only funder of our research, it is the largest single source. It is critical to the vitality of our research mission and our quest for cures for conditions that cause great suffering. This translation of our work is about to get a major boost as we move many research programs into Aggie Square.”
Aggie Square is a first-of-its-kind innovation district on the UC Davis Sacramento campus.
Aggie Square is a first-of-its-kind innovation district on the UC Davis Sacramento campus. At Aggie Square, UC Davis researchers and students, industry partners, entrepreneurs and the community will work side-by-side to accelerate ideas and bring them into the world. It will open its first buildings in May.
Once completed, the district is expected to double the School of Medicine’s Sacramento campus research space. Aggie Square will feature life sciences labs, housing, offices, academic space and community amenities. It is also expected to generate about $500 million in regional economic output and support 3,200 jobs annually when all phases are fully built.
UC Davis School of Medicine The UC Davis School of Medicine is among the nation's leading medical schools, recognized for its research and primary-care programs. The school offers fully accredited master's degree programs in public health and in informatics, and its combined M.D.-Ph.D. program is training the next generation of physician-scientists to conduct high-impact research and translate discoveries into better clinical care. Along with being a recognized leader in medical research, the school is committed to serving underserved communities and advancing rural health. For more information, visit UC Davis School of Medicine at medschool.ucdavis.edu.
