The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with approximately $50 million in new funding to support ongoing research, career development and pre-doctoral training.
The CCTS was established at UAB in 2008 and is funded through the Clinical and Translational Sciences Awards (CTSA) from NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The program is one of more than 50 CTSA programs nationwide. The CCTS was created to enhance the translation of fundamental and clinical research into improvements for human health and health care delivery. At UAB, the center cultivates opportunities for research locally, regionally and nationally through partnerships with academic health centers, research institutes and universities.
The new federal funding will come over the course of five years, which perfectly matches UAB’s CCTS just being renewed again for the same period of time. Over the past 11 years, the Birmingham center has secured more than $123 million in federal funding and has granted 62 pilot awards.
Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) made the funding announcement, praising the life-saving work being conducted at UAB.
“NIH’s decision to continue supporting translational science efforts at UAB is a clear indication of the excellent work taking place at CCTS,” Shelby said in a statement. “Advancing biomedical research to find treatments and cures for patients is of the utmost importance, and I am proud UAB is receiving additional funding to further this cause. I look forward to continuing to work with UAB, NIH, and my colleagues to improve medical services in Alabama and throughout the nation.”
Shelby, the powerful chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has long been credited with being a staunch champion of both UAB and the NIH. Experts say he has had an unprecedented impact on higher educational and medical research growth in the Yellowhammer State during his time in office.
“UAB’s CCTS is translating observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of our citizens and our society overall,” Dr. Ray L. Watts, UAB president, stated. “We are proud of the contributions our CCTS and its Partner Network are making to bring more new treatments to more patients more quickly than ever before.”
“As the sole Alabama-based hub in the NCATS-funded CTSA program, the CCTS has been a driving force for scientific innovation and excellence for the past decade,” Robert Kimberly, M.D., CCTS director and senior associate dean for Clinical and Translational Research at the UAB School of Medicine, added. “Through its leadership, as evidenced by an astounding array of research supports and collaborations, the CCTS is transforming the biomedical research environment at UAB and beyond.”
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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