Stimulus grants accelerate U health research
Academic Health Center scientists, physicians, and research centers have attracted $46 million in stimulus grants since the U.S. Recovery Act was approved in February 2009. This funding will accelerate their research to advance science and improve health.
The funding also will create jobs. According to the National Institutes of Health, $1 of research funding multiplies to more than $2 in the economy—through purchasing supplies, hiring staff, and other research expenses.
Stimulus grants distributed by the National Institutes of Health target projects promising results within two years as well as provide support for ongoing research.
Faculty have been awarded stimulus grants in the following areas:
- Diabetes
- Infectious disease and immunology
- Brain science
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular
- Other research
- Infrastructure and equipment
A way to block bone cancer pain
Cancer researcher Alvin J. Beitz was awarded funding to supplement to a federal grant he received to study how bone cancer pain could be blocked at the cellular level. Preliminary research has found that bone cancer pain seems to decrease when two specific proteins that are secreted by bone tumors are absent. Beitz and his collaborators will study in mice how to deactivate these proteins so that pain can be reduced.
This will provide important data that could lead to the development of new drugs to prevent or to reduce the pain of bone cancer. Beitz will use the stimulus funding to replace obsolete laboratory equipment, and to purchase new equipment essential for the success of this research.
Read about more cancer research supported by stimulus grants.
