For the third consecutive year, the Duke Department of Surgery ranks #1 among U.S. medical school surgery departments in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as reported by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR).
Duke Surgery received more than $47.3 million in NIH funding in 2023. The Duke School of Medicine ranks #7 in NIH funding among U.S. academic medical institutions.
“The research that our investigators are conducting is vitally important to the advancement of surgical excellence,” says Shelley Hwang, MD, MPH, Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery. “Our phenomenal, robust teams of investigators, surgeon–scientists, research administrators, grant managers, research assistants, and more all work seamlessly to ensure that our research mission continues to be realized every day.”
“This achievement is a testament to the dedication that our researchers and support teams showcase daily,” says Allan D. Kirk, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Surgery. “The funding that our investigators receive is critical for providing answers to some of the world’s most timely and complex scientific questions.
"Duke Surgery continues to revolutionize the importance of marrying scientific progress with excellent clinical care and renown education programs in order to provide solutions in real time, from bench to bedside.”
Additionally, five department faculty ranked in the top ten highest funded principal investigators among surgery departments:
#2: Georgia Tomaras, PhD
Professor in Surgery and Chief, Division of Surgical Sciences
#3: Priyamvada Acharya, MS, PhD
Associate Professor in Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences
#7: Wilton Williams, PhD
Associate Professor in Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences
#9: Stuart Knechtle, MD
Professor of Surgery, Division of Abdominal Transplant Surgery
#10: Kevin Saunders, PhD
Associate Professor in Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences
Learn more about the Duke Surgery research mission.