The UAB Department of Surgery has placed nationally as the 10th leading surgical institution for NIH funding in this year’s Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research report, with over $13.7 million awarded to faculty and researchers in 2022.

Totals for the department’s research funding increased by 57 percent since 2021, allowing the department to climb eight spots in the comprehensive ranking.

“This achievement is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of the Department of Surgery scientists, trainees, and staff, who continue to do outstanding science,” says UAB Cardiovascular Surgical Research Endowed Chair and Vice Chair of Basic Research Dr. James George. “This includes the administrative staff who help them procure the funding to continually push the science forward. UAB Surgery continues to do world-class research with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient health and quality of life.”

Over the course of the last 5 years, the Department of Surgery has consecutively ranked in the top 25 institutions in the Blue Ridge report and has steadily increased its NIH grant awards by more than $8 million.

“Research is a core foundation of the Department of Surgery and this achievement reflects the strong culture, training, and performance of our teams,” says Gastrointestinal Surgery Division Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., F.A.C.S. Endowed Chair and Vice Chair of Health Services Research Dr. Daniel Chu. “From basic science and health services research to clinical trials and educational work, our research is engaging, diverse, and impactful. While making the top 10 is exciting, I know our teams find the most meaning from using research to improve patient care, to eliminate disparities, and to push science forward.”

UAB collectively received more than $332 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health in 2022.