College of Pharmacy Ranks No. 12 Nationally in NIH Research Funding

The College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center achieved remarkable research success in 2024, ranking 12th nationally among colleges of pharmacy receiving grants from the National Institutes of Health.

This prestigious recognition highlights the college's leadership and excellence in pharmaceutical research, drug discovery, and the development of innovative solutions to today's health care challenges. As a premier institution in the field, the college continues to drive impactful advancements that improve patient care and public health.

The UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy has established itself as a leader in drug discovery and pharmaceutical sciences in recent years. In 2010, it received approximately $3 million from the NIH, ranking 34th nationally. Thanks to a dedicated effort by faculty, students, and staff to enhance its research funding, the college's NIH grants increased to $19 million in 2024 to secure the No. 12 ranking. Since 2020, it has consistently ranked among the top 15.

"The continued high ranking in NIH funding among schools of pharmacy is validation of the excellence in research of the college's faculty and their cutting-edge scientific quest to improve human health," said Bernd Meibohm, PhD, chair of the College of Pharmacy's Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. "It puts the UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy among the nation's leading academic institutions in pharmaceutical research."

The College of Pharmacy demonstrates extensive research expertise across various domains, including drug discovery, molecular mechanisms of disease, pharmacometrics, and drug delivery systems. The researchers' efforts focus on developing innovative, safer, and more effective treatments for diseases such as cancer, neurological, metabolic, and infectious conditions, translating laboratory findings into clinical solutions. The college is also home to a national leader in fungal pathogen research, housed in the Center for Pediatric Experimental Therapeutics, and has faculty members at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.