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Breaking a research record: MUSC tops $200M in funds As pocketbooks for local communities, individuals and the federal government tighten, and competition for research dollars intensifies, MUSC continues to race down the road of discovery for new treatments, procedures and cures thanks to record-breaking research funding.   Despite fewer federal dollars for research, MUSC announced Aug. 6 that research-related funding is at an all-time high of $202,082,662 for fiscal year 2008, with $101,177,121 of that amount received from prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants and awards. The new numbers represent a growth of approximately $9 million in total research funding from fiscal year 2007. NIH funding increased by $8 million from 2007 to 2008.   “The sustained increase in NIH funding at MUSC during the last three years is particularly noteworthy because of the flat or declining budget at the federal level, and serves as a solid indicator of the quality of programs as all NIH research proposals are peer-reviewed and rigorously evaluated,” said Stephen M. Lanier, Ph.D., associate provost for research and pharmacology professor.   “These achievements reflect the sustained effort of many talented faculty, fellows and students, and also MUSC leadership, state support, increasing program connectivity across the region, and the many dedicated people in our research support units,” said John Raymond, M.D., vice president of academic affairs and provost.   While local and state economies struggle with signs of a downturn, MUSC’s research growth positively impacts the economy as new faculty and staff move to the area and new jobs become available. Lanier said a recent announcement of a planned “new company laboratory incubator” through a partnership with the South Carolina Research Authority, the City of Charleston and MUSC “serves as another platform for the area’s growth in life sciences as new companies and licensing agreements spring forth from MUSC technology and research.”   MUSC President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., added that “The important mechanism for continued research growth at MUSC is the state’s Centers of Economic Excellence program (CoEE) and the South Carolina Research Infrastructure Act allows the university to recruit the best scientists to South Carolina and create university-based research centers in areas that also will help grow South Carolina’s economy and create jobs.”   MUSC has 12 endowed chairs recruited through the CoEE, and three new centers approved for funding later this year.   With funds from the South Carolina Research Infrastructure Act, MUSC will break ground this fall on a 100,000 square foot drug discovery building dedicated to interdisciplinary research themes. Adjacent to this building will be another 90,000 square foot research building for programs in cancer genomics and to serve as a home for the S.C. Bioengineering Alliance with faculty and students from MUSC, USC and Clemson. Continued growth will also stem from growing programs in MUSC Neurosciences, Hollings Cancer Center, Ashley River tower and faculty recruitment through the CoEE program. Friday, Aug. 8, 2008 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.