INDIANAPOLIS — The National Institutes of Health invested more than $230 million into Indiana University School of Medicine research in fiscal year 2025, fueling the determined pursuit of new treatments, therapies and cures for diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. IU finished the year as the 15th highest-funded public medical school in the country.
According to data from a report by United for Medical Research, every $1 million in NIH funding awarded to Indiana researchers in 2024 created nearly 10 jobs. This income and other associated expenses generated $2.69 million in economic activity in the state. Estimating for 2025 based on that data, the IU School of Medicine's 2025 NIH funding is responsible for creating about 2,287 jobs and an estimated $627 million in annual economic activity in Indiana — more than half of the estimated total $1.09 billion in economic activity generated in Indiana from all NIH funding in the state.
"These NIH funding results reflect the deep commitment of our faculty, staff and trainees to discovery and innovation," said Jay L. Hess, MD, PhD, MHSA, dean of the IU School of Medicine and executive vice president for university clinical affairs at IU. "We will continue our work to advance knowledge, improve health and serve our communities through research excellence, funded by the NIH, other federal agencies, private foundations and industry."
The rankings were compiled by the Blue Ridge Institute, a nonprofit organization that measures NIH funding.
In addition to IU School of Medicine’s strong overall showing, seven of its departments ranked in the top 25 for NIH funding:
- The Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics ranked No. 4.
- The Department of Pediatrics ranked No. 6.
- The Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery ranked No. 12.
- The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation ranked No. 18.
- The Department of Dermatology ranked No. 22.
- The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ranked No. 24.
- The Department of Urology ranked No. 25.
"Our success with NIH funding is a direct result of a collaborative culture that prioritizes team science and interdisciplinary partnership," said Tatiana Foroud, PhD, Executive Associate Dean for Research Affairs at IU School of Medicine. "Investigators across departments and centers are working together to tackle complex health challenges, and this collective approach allows us to accelerate discovery and translate research into meaningful outcomes for patients and families."
The NIH is the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research. The federal fiscal year ran from Oct. 1, 2024 until Sept. 30, 2025.
About the Indiana University School of Medicine
The IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to leading medical research and rich campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations consistently recognized for livability. According to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the IU School of Medicine ranks No. 15 in 2025 National Institutes of Health funding among all public medical schools in the country.
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