The Miller School's Department of Pediatrics enjoyed a 14.4 percent improvement in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants from fiscal year 2007 to fiscal year 2008, according to the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI).

By contrast, during that same time span children's hospital and pediatric departments of medical schools nationwide registered only a 1.9 percent increase in total NIH appropriations awarded.

Our Department of Pediatrics managed to post two consecutive years of appreciable NIH research grant upticks, having recorded a 20.3 percent increase from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2007.

Regarding NIH training grants, Pediatrics registered a 26.9 percent increase from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2008.

Pediatrics did best in NIH fellowship awards, where it was ranked 17th among medical school pediatrics departments.

"Our Department of Pediatrics is gratified to note that NIH funding to our department has been on the rise," says Steven E. Lipshultz, M.D., chairman of pediatrics and the associate executive dean for child health. "We improved eight places in national rankings as a result of these improvements, from 34th in 2006, to 28th in 2007, and up to 26th in 2008 ranking of NIH awards to pediatrics departments of medical schools, excluding contracts.

"These numbers include only a small segment of our NIH funding, and also do not represent the total scope of our federal funding from other agencies," Lipshultz says. "With the award of the other new NIH grants, we anticipate that the ranking for fiscal year 2009 will be improved beyond our 2008 ranking.

"I would like to thank our collaborators across the University and at other institutions that have helped make our rise in NIH funding possible."