With $443 Million, UC Hits Record Research Total

CINCINNATI—The University of Cincinnati and its affiliates topped $443 million in research funding for fiscal year 2010—a rise of more than $65 million over last year’s total.

Vice President for Research Sandra Degen, PhD, presented 2010 data to the UC community Tuesday, Oct. 19. She credits much of this year’s increase to funds awarded from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), but said that the university still saw a slight increase even if stimulus dollars were excluded from the total.

While UC’s research total is inclusive of its research affiliates, UC alone, with $284 million (stimulus included), experienced a 19 percent increase for 2010.The university received more than $44 million in ARRA dollars.

During her presentation, Degen highlighted the university’s new strategic plan, UC2019►, which includes goals for the research enterprise under the category of discovery.

"The Office of Research is aligning our planning with the goals set forth by UC2019,” says Degen. "We will be developing strategies for creating partnerships that will result in increased funds for research from a variety of sources.”

Much of UC’s research funding currently comes from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the major supporter of biomedical research. UC’s College of Medicine—which receives much of its funding from the NIH—brought in $169 million in 2010.

Degen emphasizes the need broaden the university’s research portfolio by creating new partnerships with industry. In 2010, UC received more than $15 million from industry partners.

To continue to encourage industry partnership and collaboration, the Office of Research in 2010 launched a reorganization of its technology transfer office. Led by Dorothy Air, PhD, the newly formed Office of Entrepreneurial Affairs and Technology Commercialization will take a much more integrated approach to entrepreneurial activity at UC, focusing on seeking the best commercialization pathway for faculty technologies. The team will employ a much more collaborative approach with external partners such as BIOSTART, Hamilton County Business Center and CincyTechUSA.

"Also key to our success will be to continue to reward faculty for their efforts at commercialization and to encourage students at the undergraduate level to get involved in research so that we can continue to increase the opportunities available.”

In 2010, UC became a charter member of the National Academy of Inventors and inducted 123 patent-holding faculty into the academy locally. The Office of Research also began a monthly recognition program for undergraduate student researchers.

UC is designated a "very high research activity” university by the Carnegie Commission and is listed by the National Science Foundation as No. 25 among public institutions for federal research expenditures.

Affiliates included in UC’s research-dollar total are Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Shriners Hospitals for Children–Cincinnati and clinical trials at UC Health University of Cincinnati Physicians, the private-practice group for clinical faculty members at the College of Medicine.

Learn more about UC research.

Watch the 2010 Virtual Research Tour: Student Research with Real–World Results