The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $21 million grant to support biomedical research at several academic institutions in Rhode Island.
“Renewing this grant for another five years is great news for Rhode Island and great news for our researchers and scientists, who are advancing medical breakthroughs and developing new treatment options that help prevent and treat diseases like diabetes and rare forms of cancers,” said Senator Jack Reed (D.R.I.), a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, who has been a longtime champion of RI-INBRE. “This federal funding will help usher in new, innovative medical research projects while providing the tools needed to train the next generation of biomedical professionals right here in the Ocean State.”
The funding will strengthen the state’s ability to expand innovation in the field of biomedical research, according to an announcement from the office of U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D.R.I.) on Wednesday.
The funding will be used to acquire new equipment, expand workforce development training programs, and recruit the next generation of biomedical researchers and scientists, according to the announcement. The RI-INBRE program, which has been funded by the NIH since 2001 with over $81 million in previous grants, will expand statewide research capacity in the biomedical sciences, including research in cancer, neuroscience, and environmental health sciences.
“Rhode Island’s public and private institutions of higher education are on the leading edge of biomedical research and innovation,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D.R.I.). “This federal funding will help keep the Ocean State at the forefront and help prepare the next generation of talent for well-paying jobs in the life sciences industry.”
“We must invest in medical research and treatments that will enable Rhode Islanders to live fuller and healthier lives,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.). “This federal funding will go toward training the next generation of biomedical scientists and developing treatments that will improve the quality of life for patients and potentially save lives.”
“Rhode Island has a long history of investing in cutting-edge innovation — it is what sets our institutions of higher learning apart as leaders in the biomedical field,” said Congressman Gabe Amo (D-R.I.). “Federal funding is vital for ongoing research endeavors and our growing biomedical workforce in Rhode Island. This five-year, $21 million grant by the National Institutes of Health will support researchers in the Ocean State working to transform the way that we diagnose and treat rare diseases and illnesses.”
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
