In Fiscal Year 2023, the University of Hawaiʻi received over $58 million in federal biomedical research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which had a significant impact on the state’s economy. The funding supported 819 local jobs and generated $158 million in economic activity, according to the United for Medical Research 2024 annual report.
The NIH plays a crucial role in supporting researchers by providing employment and resources for research-related goods, services, and materials. The income generated from these opportunities circulates through the economy, creating new economic activity. The report estimated that every $1 of NIH funding generates $2.46 in new economic activity, emphasizing the importance of this funding for research initiatives.
Vassilis L. Syrmos, the University of Hawai‘i Vice President for Research and Innovation, highlighted the significance of the NIH funding in supporting the work of researchers in curing diseases, eliminating cancer, and improving health equity in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. The extramural grants not only support research efforts but also contribute to the state’s economy through research-related expenditures.
In Fiscal Year 2023, Hawaiʻi received $68.7 million in NIH funding, with 85% going to the University of Hawai‘i. The University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine were responsible for the majority of the NIH-funded research projects during that year.
Nationally, NIH funding totaled $37 billion in Fiscal Year 2023, supporting over 400,000 jobs and generating $92.9 billion in new economic activity