School of Medicine: Record $327 Million from NIH in FY01

According to newly released figures from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the School of Medicine ranks second in the total monetary value of grants among academic medical centers in the United States. The NIH is the primary funder of biomedical research and training in the nation, and their annual rankings are considered an important barometer of research strength. In the 2001 fiscal year, Penn received 918 research and training grants worth approximately $327 million, up by $57 million from the previous year--a 21% increase.

"Our position on the NIH rankings should stand as further testimony to Penn's national prominence," said Dr. Arthur H. Rubenstein, Dean of the School of Medicine and EVP of Penn's Health System. "NIH awards translate directly into scientific research, physician training, and patient initiatives."

Penn also had more individual departments ranked in the top five than any other leading academic medical center. Radiology (departments of radiology and radiation oncology combined), pathology and laboratory medicine, and dermatology were ranked first. The other departments in the top five are biochemistry and biophysics, genetics, medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, physiology, and psychiatry.

In terms of total NIH research and training awards in fiscal year 2001, the top recipient in the U.S. is Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, followed by Penn's School of Medicine. The remainder of the top ten, in rank order, are the University of California, San Francisco, Washington University School of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Michigan Medical School, University of California, Los Angeles, and Duke University School of Medicine.

The complete list of rankings is on the NIH website at http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/award/rank/medttl.htm