Area health researchers draw millions in grants
Albany Med, RPI and state lab top recipients of U.S. agency’s cash
Research into COVID -19 and other health matters made 2020 a near-record year for the amount of National Institutes of Health research grants coming to the Capital Region, according to a new survey.
Life sciences research in the region received its highest amount of funding in fiscal 2020 at nearly $81.5 million, according to the Center for Economic Growth.
A total of 163 awards went to 16 institutions, including Albany Medical Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and General Electric Co.
The Center for Economic Growth tracked the awards through an NIH database that
lists the federal agency ’s grants.
Research grants in the Capital Region went to a variety of organizations and studies, with some of the largest focusing on research into new varieties of COVID -19 testing as well as profiling lung function for those with the disease.
Among the biggest awardees were Albany Medical Center at $12.5 million, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at $12.4 million and the state’s Wadsworth Center at $9.8 million.
COVID -19-related grants included more than $1 million to Albany Molecular Research Inc., a contract research firm, to study chemical synthesis of anti-viral substances.
The NIH also awarded $1.2 million to Wadsworth Center in Menands for researching dried blood spot technologies to enable populationwide serological testing for COVID -19 exposure and immunity.
Citing a need to measure the quantity and quality of antibodies associated with both virus exposure and candidate vaccines, the researchers are advancing the use of dried blood spots in that effort.
GE Research received $99,973 to profile the cell types affected by COVID -19 in the upper and lower respiratory tract.
Researchers are seeking to understand the relation between COVID -19 deaths and the activation of a blood pressure- and fluid-regulating hormone system that impacts blood vessel and immune cell dysfunction.
“During these challenging times, the Capital Region’s Life Sciences Cluster is delivering a much-needed booster shot to our economy. These increasing NIH awards are a testament to the world-class R&D assets we have here as well as the research talent that lives and works here,” said Katie Newcombe, CEG’S chief economic development officer.