Loyola Research Funding Jumps 34%

MAYWOOD, Ill. -- The amount of competitive extramural research funding directly received by Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing increased 34 percent in fiscal year 2010 to $47.3 million. When research support at the adjacent Hines VA Hospital is included, the combined amount totals $64.7 million. The majority of Loyola's outside funding, $30.9 million, came from the National Institutes of Health. This amount is 60 percent higher than the NIH funding Loyola received in fiscal year 2009. (Loyola's fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.) NIH awards in fiscal year 2010 included $6.7 million in federal stimulus money, including $2.7 million for enhancing research computing facilities. So far in calendar years 2009 and 2010, faculty at Stritch School of Medicine and Niehoff School of Nursing have published more than 450 peer-reviewed papers in biomedical, nursing and health-care journals. "Despite these very difficult financial times, our faculty have been able to achieve an impressive growth in extramural funding and continued commitment to our graduate training programs," said Richard Kennedy, PhD, vice president for Health Sciences Research. "We are on track to meet our target of increasing research funding by 50 percent -- along with a concomitant growth in research training -- over the next five years."