For the fifth year in a row, UF’s College of Medicine increased its National Institutes of Health funding.
Funding will be used to support activities directed toward cutting-edge research into human biology and disease, wrote Stephen Sugrue, the College of Medicine’s senior associate dean of research affairs, in an email.
“The results of these research endeavors contribute to dramatic improvements (in) health care,” he said.
The health institute is a medical research agency within the Department of Health and Human Services and is the world’s largest source of medical research funding, he said.
In 2011, the agency awarded UF $72.1 million, and in 2012, the award increased to $83.9 million. UF received $88 million for 2014, despite the institute’s budget decrease, according to a UF Health Shands Hospital press release.
Sugrue said the grant benefits the university and the health and welfare of the world population and that research grant funding has long been a challenge for universities throughout the country.
“The reputation of the university is further enhanced by this remarkable achievement,” Sugrue said.
Ashley Martinez, 23, said that she is excited to see how the College of Medicine will use the grant money.
“I would love for them to help fund future health professionals throughout school,” the family, youth and community sciences senior said. “They can help us by providing scholarships, grants and different research opportunities that we can be a part of.”
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 12/5/2014]
