Medical School Tops Research Funding in 2024

Feinberg principal investigators secured $742.2 million dollars in research funding and awards during the 2023-24 fiscal year, a five percent increase over the previous year, and the largest amount in the school’s history. As with last year, more than 70 percent of Northwestern University’s $1 billion in research funding was generated by Feinberg.

This funding supports research projects that advance basic science, clinical research and translational developments. In the last academic year, Feinberg faculty members published 323 research articles in the most prominent and prestigious journals, an increase of 251 percent from 2011.

Recent published breakthroughs from Feinberg investigators included discovering cellular defects in lupus and how to reverse them; developing new devices to capture sounds of the body to monitor health; uncovering immune genes in the blood of Alzheimer’s patients to be epigenetically altered; and identifying a new therapeutic target for pediatric brain cancer.

“It’s incredible to see our continued growth in funding,” said Rex Chisholm, PhD, vice dean for scientific affairs and graduate education and the Adam and Richard T. Lind Professor of Medical Genetics. “Year after year, I believe it speaks to the dedication of our scientific community at Feinberg. The research they are doing attracts these grants and allows us to expand and transform our research enterprise.”

“We are fortunate to be part of a remarkable community dedicated to advancing scientific progress and transforming human health,” said Eric G. Neilson, MD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean. “I am grateful for all our faculty, staff, trainees and students passionately pursuing research in their fields for the betterment of all humankind and contributing to another record-breaking funding year.”

Roughly 25 percent of awarded funds were allocated towards basic science department funding and 75 percent towards clinical department funding. Of the total, $461 million was awarded from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Individual grant awards included 89 individual research fellowships (F awards), 74 career development awards (K awards) and 35 training grants (T awards).

Over the last 11 years, Feinberg’s NIH portfolio has grown by 122 percent, from $208 million to $461 million this year. Additionally, a total of 58 patents and 4 new start-up companies were established within the last fiscal year alone.