Multimillion-dollar grant to further life sciences research

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a multimillion-dollar grant to further life sciences research at the University of Kansas and throughout Kansas. It is the largest grant ever awarded to a Kansas university.

The five-year, $18 million grant has been awarded to Joan Hunt, principal investigator and senior associate dean for research and graduate education at the KU School of Medicine in Kansas City, Kan.

The Kansas IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (K-INBRE) grant will continue the work started by $8.2 million in Kansas Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (K-BRIN) grants, first awarded to Hunt in 2001. These grants helped to establish a cooperative intercampus biomedical research program at nine campuses throughout Kansas.

"K-BRIN and K-INBRE grants help us develop life sciences researchers in Kansas, foster communication among researchers throughout the state, attract and keep the brightest students and faculty, and strengthen our investment in Kansas biomedical research initiatives," Hunt said.

Recipients include the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., KU in Lawrence, Kansas State University in Manhattan, and Wichita State University, all of which award doctorates in biological sciences, and undergraduate programs at Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Pittsburg State University and Washburn University in Topeka.

"Sharing state-of-the-art technology and experimental strategies as well as increasing training opportunities will strengthen Kansas universities' capacity to conduct competitive, leading-edge biomedical research and the ability of our researchers to win federal grants," Hunt added.