General Information

Biomedical research at Vanderbilt has long been recognized for its contributions to the advancement of medicine. The School of Medicine claims two Nobel Laureates, Earl W. Sutherland Jr., in 1971, for his discovery of the metabolic regulating compound “cyclic AMP,” and Stanley Cohen, in 1986 for his discovery with a colleague of epidermal growth factor. The Medical School’s reputation for outstanding research is reflected in the amount of federal and private support it receives. Because of the creativity of the faculty, the School of Medicine ranks 15th overall out of 125 medical schools in the receipt of funding from the National Institutes of Health.

From 2001 to 2005 Vanderbilt had a compound annual growth rate of 17.8% in NIH grants, the fastest growing academic medical program in the country. Seven of the School’s departments were ranked in the top ten among comparable medical school departments in receipt of NIH funding in 2005. Support for competitive research grants from all external sources was more than $346 million for the fiscal year 2005-2006. Major translational research initiatives are moving discoveries from the bench to the bedside and will transform health care and health care delivery.

At the School of Nursing, faculty engage in research examining both the quality of life and quality of care provided to individuals, families, communities and populations. Faculty researchers collaborate with investigators from across the Medical Center and University, and with colleagues around the world to conduct scientific investigation in a wide variety of areas, including studies that attempt to decrease disparities in access to health care and disparities in outcomes among populations; improve the quality of life of those suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS; promote healthy behaviors among disadvantaged and underserved populations; reduce smoking; prevent childhood obesity; improve the health of newborns; help patients cope with pain and reduce anxiety; and focus on nursing shortages, increasing the size of nursing workforce. The School prepares future researchers primarily through its Ph.D. and post-doctoral education programs.