“I couldn’t be prouder of our outstanding faculty researchers who, in a challenging funding environment, have gone above and beyond in submitting a record number of successful grant proposals," said School of Medicine DeanSusan Murin. "It is a testament to their commitment to science, to UC Davis and to our patients.”
Twelve departments in the Top 20
This year, 12 School of Medicine departments ranked in the top 20 nationally in their respective fields, two of which are in the top 10. They include:
The top three departments in overall NIH funding were Neurology (nearly $38 million), Public Health Sciences ($30.8 million) and Internal Medicine ($26.3 million). All UC Davis basic science departments ranked in the top 20 nationally.
Professor Kit Lam is testing “smart” nanotechnology that could transform cancer treatment by delivering drugs directly into tumors while sparing healthy tissue.
Top NIH-funded principal investigators and centers
This fiscal year, 262 principal investigators (PIs) were awarded 383 NIH grants. The following is a list of the top 10 PIs for NIH funding.
For the third year in a row, professorRachel Whitmeris the PI with the largest NIH funding at UC Davis and in public health sciences nationwide, with a total of about $13.4 million. She co-directsthe Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center(ADRC), studies age-related dementia, cognitive impairment and brain pathology among different ethnic groups.
Peter James’ $5.1 million NIH grant explores environmental exposures and brain health. James is an associate professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and director of Center for Occupational and Environmental Health.
Cynthia Schumannis the PI on $3.2 million in NIH grants to study changes in primate brain development after prenatal immune challenge, and brain aging across the lifespan in neurodevelopmental disorders. Schumann is a professor of neuroscience and faculty affiliated with theUC Davis MIND Institute. She is the director of the Brain Endowment for Autism Research Sciences (BEARS) and Brain Endowment for Mental Health (BEMH).
Rebecca Schmidt, professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and the MIND Institute, is the PI for grants totaling $3.1 million. She leads BUILDS MARBLES, a longitudinal study of pregnant women who have an autistic child, and prenatal environment and child health (PEACH) study in ECHO. She also studies the molecular and neurodevelopmental changes linked to prenatal wildfire exposures.
Four PIs manage grants that support leading UC Davis centers and programs:
Aggie Square, a first-of-its-kind innovation district on the UC Davis Sacramento campus, is home to many School of Medicine research labs.
“I’m delighted to see the School of Medicine continue its advance in the Blue Ridge rankings. I am particularly proud of the record number of our departments who are now in the top 20 for their respective disciplines,” saidKim E. Barrett, vice dean for research and distinguished professor ofphysiology and membrane biology. “This year also includes funding for a record number (32) ofNIH K awardsmade to early career researchers. This validates our investments in programs designed to grow new PI’s from within our own ranks and helps to secure our future success.”
In May 2025,Aggie Squareopened as a first-of-its-kind innovation district on the UC Davis Sacramento campus. The district brings together UC Davis researchers and students, industry partners, entrepreneurs and the community to work side-by-side to accelerate ideas and bring them into the world. It is home to many School of Medicine research labs.
Learn about some of the impactful federally-funded research that drives innovationfrom labs to lives.
