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Feb. 27, 2026

Twenty-three VCU health sciences schools and departments rank in top 50 for NIH research funding among public institutions

An additional 12 units ranked in the top 25 among public institutions in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research’s 2025 rankings.

(Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

By Madeline Reinsel

Twelve of Virginia Commonwealth University’s health sciences schools and departments rank in the top 25 for National Institutes of Health research funding in their fields among public institutions, according to new rankings for fiscal year 2025 from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. Overall, six VCU health sciences schools/colleges and 17 departments placed in the top 50 among public institutions.

The institute is an independent, nonprofit organization that compiles annual rankings of NIH research funding to individual researchers and academic institutions.

In fiscal 2025, VCU received $568 million in sponsored research funding – well on its way to the university’s new goal of $1 billion – and was recently ranked 46th in research funding by the National Science Foundation among public institutions.

“Securing a top-tier position in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, the primary national benchmark for NIH funding, reflects VCU’s unwavering commitment to life-changing research and clinical innovation,” said P. Srirama Rao, Ph.D., vice president for research and innovation. “This milestone is more than just a number; it represents the competitive success of our faculty in securing the federal grants that drive breakthroughs. It is the tireless pursuit of knowledge by our faculty and students to solve the most pressing health challenges of our time. I am incredibly proud of our research community for fostering an environment where curiosity consistently leads to breakthrough solutions.”

VCU’s Department of Neurology climbed seven spots in the rankings to enter the top 25, and the Department of Family Medicine maintained its spot in the top 10. The schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy all climbed in the rankings in fiscal 2025, driven by significant increases in NIH funding.

“VCU’s Blue Ridge rankings are a testament to the rigor and quality of the research our faculty conduct every day,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health. “By consistently winning these prestigious NIH grants, our teams are proving that VCU is a national leader in solving complex health challenges. We translate these federal investments into lifesaving clinical breakthroughs that help us provide the best quality care for our patients. Our rankings validate what we already know: VCU remains at the forefront of medical discovery.”

Here are VCU’s schools and departments (and their ranking) in the top 50 for NIH research funding among public institutions in the Blue Ridge compilation for fiscal 2025:

School of Dentistry (7)

Department of Family Medicine (8)

Department of Human and Molecular Genetics (12)

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (14)

Department of Psychiatry (14)

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (17)

School of Pharmacy (20)

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (21)

School of Nursing (22)

Department of Emergency Medicine (23)

Department of Neurology (23)

College of Health Professions (23)