Dear Colleagues,
As 2024 comes to an end, I write to appreciate the collective effort we have all made to advance UCSF's research mission and to reflect on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Every day, I am awestruck by the excellence and dedication of our research faculty, staff, and trainees. I see it in the work-in-progress conferences I attend, the stochastic conversations I have with researchers walking around campus, and the impact of UCSF's research output on human health and health policy.
As detailed in the Office of Research's inaugural Annual Report, UCSF received almost $3 billion in research funding for fiscal year 2024, leading the nation in NIH funding across all four of our professional schools. Looking back on my 20-year research career at UCSF, I am so deeply grateful for my partnerships with fellow scientists and research administrators who make everything possible – and everything better. I hope you all have similar reflections. UCSF's "special sauce" really is its people, and its collaborative, collective spirit. Thank you for all you do to make UCSF exceptional.
Across the Office of Research, our 2024 accomplishments include:
- Launching the Clinical Trial Excellence Campaign to support a more efficient study activation process,
- Developing the structure for the Facility for Advanced Computing to support high quality compute resources, and
- Hosting a town hall in collaboration with our Graduate Dean Nicquet Blake on strategies to support our research workforce and trainees.
Many of you have contacted me recently with concerns about the future of biomedical research funding, in particular how the NIH and other federal research agencies may be impacted by the new administration and Congress. I want to share my perspective.
In my role as vice chancellor, I work directly with federal policymakers to educate, advocate, and collaborate on advancing the biomedical research mission. In addition, UCSF has a dedicated team of federal policy experts in Washington and San Francisco to support UCSF's strategic research priorities. Together, UCSF's federal policy team and I are working with key partners at our sister institutions, the UC Office of the President, and national organizations like the Association of American Medical Colleges and Council on Governmental Relations to develop policy positions and plan for various scenarios. We are prepared.
There is a lot of attention right now on biomedical research funding and policy; it is hard not to get caught up in the hypotheticals and sound bites. At times like this, I look to history to provide grounding, and to actions, not words, to provide guidance. Recent history suggests that Republican leadership in Congress is beneficial to the NIH, with an average annual increase in NIH funding of 6.2% under Republican leadership compared to 2.7% under Democratic leadership over the last 25 years. Critically, both sides of the aisle support biomedical research and our continued advocacy with our partners will help ensure that support continues under the next Congress. Recent history also suggests that Congress largely ignores inadequate and harmful NIH budget proposals, whether they originate from a Democratic or Republican White House. It is Congress that controls the federal budget and Congress has reliably prioritized the NIH. Recent Congressional actions suggest that NIH reauthorization will be a focus of attention for the next Congress, with both the Senate and House releasing draft proposals in the last year. UCSF is closely connected to this process and meets with the leadership of both Congressional authorization committees to advise and advocate. I am confident that any NIH reauthorization will involve thoughtful, deliberate, and public debate with UCSF centrally engaged.
In every crisis there is opportunity. While I am not sure I would call our current situation a crisis, there is no denying the scrutiny and challenge to come. I am sure, however, that we in the biomedical research community will have tremendous opportunity in the coming year to address some of our most critical NIH funding challenges. I will have more to say about this opportunity early in the new year. In the interim, I hope that this letter provides you with an appreciation of the remarkable work that we do here together and comfort that UCSF is prepared and engaged in the activities of the federal government.
My best wishes to all of you and your loved ones for peace and happiness this holiday season and I look forward to our important work in 2025.
Yours,
Hal
Harold R. Collard, MD, MS
Vice Chancellor for Research
Professor of Medicine and Health Policy