UCSD - University of California - San Diego

04/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/03/2026 10:16

UC San Diego School of Medicine Ranked No. 4 Nationally for NIH Funding Among Public Institutions

Published Date

April 03, 2026

Article Content

Key Takeaways

  • In 2025, UC San Diego School of Medicine received more than $425 million in NIH funding, ranking it No. 4 among public medical schools and No. 14 overall in the nation.
  • Six departments ranked in the top 10, with the Department of Neurosciences taking the top spot for the seventh consecutive year.

Despite a challenging year for federal funding, University of California San Diego School of Medicine remains nationally competitive for NIH awards, as reported by the 2025 Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR) rankings. The medical school received more than $425 million in NIH grants during the 2025 fiscal year, positioning it at No. 4 among public institutions and No. 14 overall nationwide.

"Funding from the NIH fuels world-class science, the discovery of novel therapies and the training of the next generation of biomedical innovators," said Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences John M. Carethers, MD.

"Our rankings among the nation's top medical schools is a testament to the extraordinary impact of our research community," said Barbara Jung, MD, associate vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine. "I am so proud of the faculty, staff and students who continue to push the boundaries of medical science and champion human health to improve patient care every day."

UC San Diego School of Medicine departments ranked in the top 10 nationwide

Departments at UC San Diego's School of Medicine ranking in the nation's top 10:

  • No. 1 Neurosciences (NIH funding: $40.28 million)
  • No. 2 Dermatology (NIH funding: $8.54 million)
  • No. 3 Pharmacology (NIH funding: $24.31 million)
  • No. 4 Pediatrics (NIH funding: $56.68 million)
  • No. 5 Psychiatry (NIH funding: $59.17 million)
  • No. 6 Family Medicine (NIH funding: $5.74 million)

"The 2025 BRIMR rankings placing the Department of Neurosciences at the very top of NIH funding for the seventh consecutive year is a testament to the vibrant enthusiasm for brain science and neurological care we have at this young, exciting, and entrepreneurial-minded institution," said Jim Brewer, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Neurosciences at the School of Medicine.

The department continues to distinguish itself thanks to an innovative, multidisciplinary research ecosystem combining expertise from basic science, clinical practice, engineering, and computational biology to tackle complex neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease. The department's commitment to neuroscience education creates a pipeline of skilled investigators who contribute to the department's research output.

Another six departments at the School of Medicine ranked in the top 20: Ophthalmology (No. 12), Medicine (No. 13), Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (No. 13), Pathology (No. 17), Radiology (No. 18), and Orthopedics (No. 20).

Top 5 NIH-funded principal investigators

Davey Smith

Davey Smith, MD, is a professor of medicine and the Florence Seeley Riford Chair in AIDS Research at the School of Medicine, assistant vice chancellor for Clinical and Translational Research and director of the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute. Smith was awarded $15,775,317 to continue his work in clinical and translational sciences and his research related to the study and cure of infectious diseases, such as HIV and COVID-19.

Christina Chambers

Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, is a distinguished professor, vice chair for clinical research and chief of the Division of Environmental Science and Health in the Department of Pediatrics at the School of Medicine. She also directs the Center for Better Beginnings. She was awarded $13,216,334 to coordinate a nationwide study on child development from prenatal life through age 10 and to study the impact of environmental exposures during pregnancy and lactation on maternal and child health.

Trey Ideker

Trey Ideker, PhD, is a professor of medicine in the Division of Human Genomics and Precision Medicine at the School of Medicine and an adjunct professor of bioengineering and computer science at Jacobs School of Engineering. Ideker was awarded $11,710,881 through an NCI Center for Cancer Systems Biology, an ARPA-H Center for Digital Tumors, and the NIH Bridge2AI program to decode the complex molecular networks underlying human disease, including cancer.

Don Cleveland

Don Cleveland, PhD, is a professor of cellular and molecular medicine at the School of Medicine. Cleveland was awarded $8,685,726 to study how catastrophic chromosome-shattering events are triggered in cancer cells.

Neil Chi

Neil Chi, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine and director of the UC San Diego Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic and Cardiac Tissue Harvest and Biorepository Core at the School of Medicine. He was awarded $6,690,432 to investigate the molecular mechanisms and developmental pathways that drive cardiovascular diseases - from heart failure and arrhythmias to congenital defects.

Three University of California schools rank in top 15 nationwide

The University of California system has three medical schools ranked among the top 15 in the U.S. In addition to UC San Diego at No. 14, UC San Francisco tops the list at No. 1, and UCLA ranks No. 15.

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