Research
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Investing in the Future: NIH Funding Powers Breakthroughs for Children at UCSF

Transformative research in child health at the UC San Francisco Department of Pediatrics continues to receive substantial funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reaching a record level in 2024. With more than $33 million in NIH grants, the department has doubled its funding since 2018, reflecting significant growth in its research portfolio and impact on pediatric medicine.

For the second consecutive year, the UCSF Department of Pediatrics has earned a distinguished 12th-place national ranking for NIH funding among pediatric departments, per the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, a nonprofit organization that provides annual rankings for research institutions, medical schools, and individual departments based on NIH awards and grants.

The UCSF Department of Pediatrics had 7 PIs receive more than $1 million in NIH funding.

“This achievement underscores the robust nature of our research enterprise and its impact on the broader medical community. We are a talented and mission-oriented collective of researchers driving innovation and advancing pediatric medicine to benefit all children,” said Raphael Hirsch, MD, Chair of the UCSF Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.

With 64 faculty members serving as primary investigators on NIH awards, research in the department extends from basic, translational, and clinical research to health services research and quality improvement projects. Projects granted new NIH funding in 2024 include generating novel treatments for childhood sarcoma, improving the recovery for children after a bone marrow transplant, and tracking pathogen transmission among hospitalized newborns.

“As our department expands, our more senior faculty members have dedicated their time and expertise to fostering the development of our early-career investigators. Their mentorship ensures that our research programs continue to break new ground and transform the lives of children, both now and in the future,” said Hirsch.

"Achieving this level of impact requires the sustained dedication and expertise of our teams. Our staff, faculty, and trainees work collaboratively to develop and implement evidence-based initiatives that address critical challenges in pediatric health. I am proud to be part of a team so deeply committed to advancing the quality of care for children,” said Hirsch.

Support for the UCSF Department of Pediatrics helps accelerate groundbreaking research and innovate children's health.