StemCell Therapy

The University of California, Davis, set a new record for external research funding in fiscal year 2019-20, receiving $941.2 million in awards, a $94.5 million increase from the previous record set in 2018.

The awards reflect a broad range of critical work, from therapies for pancreatic cancer and disability research to new online learning platforms and tackling issues related to climate change, such as wildfire smoke and the spillover of zoonotic diseases.

This new record validates how UC Davis is sought more than ever to find solutions for the worlds most critical issues, Chancellor Gary S. May said. During these historic times, our collaborative research community is eager to make breakthroughs in health, environmental sustainability, education and so much more.

The largest increases in funding compared to the previous year were in the College of Engineering (up $60 million), Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing (up $40 million) and College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (up $29 million). (Reports are based on the principal investigators school or college.)

UC Davis researchers also applied their unique areas of expertise to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. More than two dozen grants totaling $2.4 million were awarded during fiscal year 2019-20, which ended June 30.

COVID-19 grants have funded multiple clinical trials and the development of novel vaccine strategies, as well as launching new studies on poverty and social distancing, the impact of online learning, community spread and mitigation measures, and predicting potential mutations of the virus, among others.

Our researchers eagerness and ability to quickly respond to the pandemic is a testament to their passion and mission-driven focus to provide critical insight and solutions that help our global community, said Prasant Mohapatra, vice chancellor for research. Right from the onset of the pandemic, we witnessed an inspiring level of collaboration across different areas of expertise, including between the School of Medicine and researchers on the campus in Davis.

In general, the level of research funding associated with cross-disciplinary research units, where experts from different fields of study collaborate on projects, has been one of the fastest growing segments over the last five years climbing 162 percent. One of these units, the California National Primate Research Center, received a $3.8 million award to develop a model to study early Alzheimers disease. Another, the Air Quality Research Center, received $3.75 million for the assessment and mitigation of wildfire-induced air pollution.

The federal government remains the top funder for research at UC Davis, making up half the total awards with a slight increase to $477 million in total grants. Funding from the National Institutes of Health was the highest funder at $251.5 million, with awards from the National Science Foundation totaling $44.7 million and awards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture totaling$39.7 million.

State funding rose slightly to $132 million, with $53.7 million in research funding from the Department of Transportation, $34.5 million from the Department of Food and Agriculture and $22.1 million from the Resources Agency.

UC Davis also saw significant increases from other funders, including a $37.5 million increase in foundation funding for a total of $47.5 million; a $25.7 million increase in other government funding totaling $45.6 million; and an $11 million increase in business funding, which totaled $85.4 million in awards for fiscal year 2019-20.

Where funds are awarded up-front to cover several years, the money is counted in the first year the award was received. Incrementally funded awards are counted as authorized in each year.

Research enabled by this funding not only helps to better understand and solve issues facing our society, but also leads to new innovations, products and startup companies each supporting economic growth. Over the last fiscal year, 15 emerging startups licensed foundational technology developed at UC Davis. Researchers also submitted 141 invention disclosures and were awarded 89 domestic and foreign patents that same year.

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UC Davis Sets Record With $941 Million in Research Funding - UC Davis

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