Miller School of Medicine Continues Its Rise in NIH Research Grant Rankings

The Miller School of Medicine rose two positions in the national rankings of medical schools based on research grants received from the National Institutes of Health during the 2016 federal fiscal year. The NIH grants are vital for advancing research that leads to a greater understanding of a wide variety of diseases and public health issues.

According to data compiled by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the Miller School rose from No. 41 to No. 39 of 139 schools ranked, with its grant total increasing by slightly more than $13.8 million, or 14 percent, to $111.2 million. That figure is $17.6 million higher than the next Florida medical school on the list, and retains the Miller School’s status as the highest-ranked medical school in the state.

In addition, eight of its departments made rankings gains, including one — Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics — which jumped 16 points among its peers.

Twenty-five faculty members received more than $1 million in funding, with 13 ranked in the top 10 percent in their academic field.

“We are very proud that the Miller School of Medicine continues to climb in the NIH ranks, and that it continues to maintain its position as the top-ranked research medical school in Florida,” said interim Dean Laurence B. Gardner, M.D. “This outcome is entirely the result of the quality and efforts of our researchers.”

This year, five Miller School departments ranked in the top 20 nationally against their peers: Public Health Sciences (up 3 places, to No. 5), Human Genetics (up 16 places, to No. 8), Ophthalmology (maintained rank, at No. 8), Neurosurgery (down 6 places, to No. 10*) and Otolaryngology (up 2 places, to No. 14).

Other departments that moved up were, in order: Radiation Oncology (3 places, to No. 36), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2 places, to No. 41), Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (2 places, to No. 25), Medicine (1 place, to No. 51), and Physiology and Biophysics (1 place, to No. 62).

Twenty-three principal investigators received more than $1 million each, generating $59.891 million, or 54 percent of the Miller School’s total NIH funding.

Margaret A. Pericak-Vance, Ph.D., Director of the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Professor of Human Genetics, and Executive Vice Chair of the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, was the school’s highest NIH-funded researcher, with $9.015 million in awards, which earned her the No. 3 spot in a national field of 641, in the top 0.3 percent of her specialty.

Ralph L. Sacco, M.D., M.S., professor and Chairman of Neurology and Olemberg Family Chair in Neurological Disorders, was the school’s second-highest-funded Miller School researcher, with $6.910 million, making him No. 24* of 756, in the top 3 percent of his specialty.

Complete rankings of schools, departments and researchers are available here.

* Corrected funding figures will raise this ranking by several places