UCSF Tops Public Universities in NIH Research Funding in 2023

UC San Francisco received the most funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of any public university in 2023, driving one of the most diverse portfolios of scientific research in the nation.

It is the 17th year in a row that UCSF has earned this distinction among public institutions.

“Support from the NIH enables our researchers to test their boldest ideas for advancing science, medicine and health, and it is vital for training the next generation of innovators,” said UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS. “This is a testament to our impact from bench to bedside: from the fundamentals of biology to neurodegeneration, cancer and infectious disease.”

UCSF’s total funding of $789,196,651 ranked second among all public and private U.S. universities, after Johns Hopkins University. Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., which administers research contracts for the National Cancer Institute’s Frederick National Laboratory, was the largest recipient overall, receiving $866 million.

The funds are spread across 1,484 grants to trainees, research staff and faculty in the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing, as well as the Graduate Division. They support a wide array of research, from basic and translational sciences to social and population health, as well as education.

UCSF’s Schools of Dentistry, Medicine and Pharmacy were first among their national peers, and the School of Nursing was first among public nursing schools and third overall.

The School of Medicine received $700 million in funding. The School of Pharmacy, the top school in its field for 44 years, received $37 million. The School of Dentistry received $27 million. And the School of Nursing received $19 million.

These public research funds lay a foundation for a healthier future for everyone.”

The Graduate Division received more than $32 million in training grants, the largest amount given to a public institution, and the third highest overall. These funds support the division’s 20 science and social science doctoral programs, 13 science and health master’s programs, two professional doctorates, and over 1,000 post-doctoral scholars.

Combined with UCSF’s Discovery Fellows Program, these NIH grants ensure that all first- and second-year basic and biomedical science PhD students at UCSF receive full financial support.

“These public research funds lay a foundation for a healthier future for everyone,” said Catherine Lucey, MD, executive vice chancellor and provost at UCSF. “NIH funding bolsters everything from the discoveries occurring right now in UCSF laboratories to educational programs for our trainees who will face tomorrow’s biomedical challenges.”