By Brian McNeill

Four Virginia Commonwealth University researchers traveled to Washington on Sept. 17 to join patients, families and advocates from across the nation at the 14th annual Rally for Medical Research, urging Congress to prioritize and increase funding for the National Institutes of Health.

The researchers met with five congressional offices and conveyed a message to lawmakers and congressional staffers about the importance of NIH funding for biomedical innovation and the country's future STEM workforce.

"Keeping our lab open and fully functional requires constant, predictable support. NIH grants are the lifeblood that powers our daily operations - funding the staff, the specialized technology and the raw materials needed to run experiments. Without that baseline, years of carefully built momentum can disappear overnight," said Priscilla Hwang, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering. "Research funding isn't just about advancing technology or making scientific discoveries; it is a direct investment in human lives. It's the key that turns tragic realities into stories of hope and success"

In addition to Hwang, the VCU delegation included:

• Michael Kiefer, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy in the College of Health Professions.
• Qingguo Xu, D. Phil, a Blick Scholar Professor of Pharmaceutics, and Pharmaceutical Engineering Program in the School of Pharmacy.
• Amy Rector, Ph.D., an anthropology professor in the School of World Studies and associate dean for faculty affairs in the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Rector said she was excited to represent faculty from across the College of Humanities and Sciences who use federal funding, including from the NIH, to conduct impactful and lifesaving research.

"From chemistry, to physics, to life sciences and sustainably, federal funding leads to careers in science, therapeutic discoveries and patents for technologies that will cure cancers and improve health and quality of life," Rector said. "This funding also supports training of bright young VCU students who will be our future doctors and medical professionals. These faculty and their students contribute so much data to solve health problems faced by families across the commonwealth, and federal funding is the fuel for their careers in science and their lifesaving research."

Rector added that the VCU delegation was also advocating for students.

"NIH funding supports faculty who have undergrads and grads in their labs who will be better prepared for a variety of careers," she said. "This research also drives what they teach in their classes, so hundreds of students each year benefit from NIH-funded research."

Alyssa Button, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine, also participated in the Rally for Medical Research, advocating on behalf of the Society for Behavioral Medicine, an organization in which she serves on its policy and advocacy committee.

The rally sought to highlight how federal investments in NIH have fueled breakthroughs in healthcare resulting in increased life expectancy and improved quality of life worldwide, strengthened America's economic competitiveness and national security, and secured U.S. leadership in science and innovation.

According to rally organizers, NIH-supported research generated nearly $95 billion in economic activity and sustained more than 390,000 jobs across the nation in fiscal year 2025. At VCU, researchers received approximately $111.9 million in NIH funding in fiscal 2026.

Carly Katz, VCU's assistant vice president of federal government relations in the Office of the President, said the goal of this year's rally was "to bring the value of NIH-funded research to life by connecting congressional staffers directly with faculty members to learn about the scientific discovery process and human impacts of NIH-funded innovations."