WASHINGTON, D.C.- The largest grant ever awarded to Mississippi by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was implemented recently in a five-year, $19.5 million investment for clinical research in the state.
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran announced the grant with the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, Jeffery Vitter, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, LouAnn Woodward.
“I am pleased that the National Institutes of Heath has confidence in the University of Mississippi Medical Center and its potential to advance medical research. The enhanced capability to conduct clinical trials and research will broaden Mississippi’s contributions to finding cures and treatments that can benefit the public,” said Cochran.
The NIH will provide roughly $3.5 million annually for five years to UMMC. The money from the initiative will go towards what is called “Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research.” This grant will allow UMMC to grow it’s infrastructure and training that is necessary for clinical research.
“We are honored by this NIH investment to substantially enhance our capacity and success in translating research discoveries and innovations to better health outcomes,” Dr. Vitter said. “We are grateful to Senator Cochran and the NIH for accelerating our pace toward our goal of a healthier Mississippi, and congratulate our research team at our medical center campus for winning this significant award.”
The resources include additional funding for IDeA, which is designed to support biomedical research in states with historically limited access to federal research grants. In 2015 the NIH invested more than $47.9 million in grants to the University of Mississippi and other institutions in Mississippi.
