The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research has published its fiscal year 2025 rankings of U.S. institutions and departments in National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funding—and we have incredible news to share.
Our department has climbed to #4 among all NIH-funded anesthesiology departments in the nation, a significant leap from #6 in 2024 and #15 in 2023. This upward trajectory is a testament to the outstanding research culture our faculty, teams, and staff have built together. Equally exciting, we surpassed $17 million in NIH funding in 2025, a new departmental record that more than eclipses last year's high of $10 million. It is worth noting that our funding reflects anesthesiology-specific research; unlike many peer departments, we do not incorporate critical care medicine research into these totals, making this achievement all the more meaningful.
We are also proud to recognize two of our own among the top 10 NIH-funded anesthesiology investigators in the country: Benedict Alter, MD, PhD, with approximately $5.1 million in funding, and Senthil Sadhasivam, MD, MPH, MBA, FASA, with over $3.3 million. Notably, Drs. Alter and Sadhasivam were the only two top 10 anesthesiologist/pain physician scientists in 2025. Their individual accomplishments reflect the caliber of science happening across our department every day.
We commend and thank all the investigators in our department who continued to pursue and secure new grant funding in 2025. This includes Keith M. Vogt, MD, PhD, FASA, who earned a new R01 award, and Ajay D. Wasan, MD, MSc, MA, who received a new UG3 with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as well as an R33 award. Their achievements reflect the persistence, creativity, and collaborative spirit that define our research community.
None of this would be possible without the dedication of our research faculty, their teams, and our administrative staff. Their commitment to advancing science and improving patient care is what drives recognition like this. As we look ahead to 2026, we carry this momentum forward with ambition and gratitude.
From the BLUE RIDGE INSTITUTE for MEDICAL RESEARCH as compiled by Robert Roskoski Jr. and Tristram G. Parslow
| Rank | Name | Anesthesiology |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ST LOUIS | $30,583,287 |
| 2 | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR | $20,814,360 |
| 3 | DUKE UNIVERSITY | $18,060,254 |
| 4 | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH | $17,234,079 |
| 5 | STANFORD UNIVERSITY | $16,968,595 |
| 6 | VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY | $11,571,266 |
| 7 | JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | $8,519,058 |
| 8 | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO | $7,139,352 |
| 9 | COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES | $7,108,024 |
| 10 | UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM | $6,775,477 |