The Department of Medical Social Sciences Leads as the No.2 Department in the Feinberg School of Medicine for Research Funding in 2024

November 29, 2024

Investigators at the Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine secured $55.3 million dollars in research funding and awards during the 2023-24 fiscal year. The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research offers a comprehensive assessment of NIH funding across departments and universities nationally. Among the notable highlights of this year's rankings is the continued outstanding performance of the Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) in collaboration with the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, which, together, were recognized as the leading public health departments in a medical school as measured by NIH funding, a position held since 2015.

More than 7 percent of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s $742.2 million dollars in research funding was generated by the Department of Medical Social Sciences, second only to the Department of Medicine.

Recent published breakthroughs from MSS investigators included identifying that neural mechanisms may serve a therapeutic target for depression; a cancer drug trial that provided lessons for the future; and implementation of an evidence-based secure firearm storage program to reduce firearm injury and mortality.

“The increase in funding to support our work applying the social sciences in pursuit of achieving equity, innovation, and impact in health over the last decade has been truly remarkable to see,” said Rinad Beidas, PhD, Ralph Seal Paffenbarger Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Social Sciences. We are very grateful to our funders for supporting our work, to the FSM research administrators who work tirelessly to support our pre-and post-award endeavors, and to Northwestern’s Office of Sponsored Research for their partnership.