Research and Innovation
As one of the three prongs of the UAMS mission statement, research plays an important role at Arkansas’ only health sciences university. The UAMS Division of Research and Innovation supports the efforts of UAMS researchers across the state. Two other important components of the UAMS research mission are the Translation Research Institute, which provides services and resources to ensure the swift translation of research into health care advances, and Bioventures, LLC, the technology transfer office of UAMS, which is responsible for managing the intellectual property generated at the university.
In Fiscal Year 2024, UAMS researchers received more than $173 million in extramural funding. When you add in the grants received by UAMS researchers at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute and the Central Arkansas Veteran’s Healthcare System, the number increases to $233.6 million. From 2019 to 2023, total research funding at UAMS increased 86%.
UAMS Total Research Award Dollars
The Division of Research and Innovation, led by Vice Chancellor Dan Voth, Ph.D., consists of more than 90 personnel who collectively support over 300 highly productive faculty and their research programs in many areas of biomedical research.
The division provides support for researchers in grant and manuscript preparation, grant management, funding information services, animal care and use, human subjects research, and FDA-related clinical trials. It also fosters entrepreneurial and intellectual property pursuits. Through these services, the division supports the efforts of multiple institutes and centers, including the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the Translational Research Institute, the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, the Institute for Community Health Innovation and Arkansas Children’s Research Institute. In addition, the division supports multiple COBRE-funded centers and fosters collaboration with the Central Arkansas Veteran’s Healthcare System.
The specific services housed in the division are:
- Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Institutional Review Board
- Office of Research and Regulatory Affairs
- Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
- Office of Research Information Systems
- Office of Scientific Communication
- BioVentures LLC
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
Additionally, the division hosts several research showcases each year to celebrate research successes and promote collaboration. These showcases foster interactions between faculty and trainees in diverse areas of science, while advancing translational research by providing an environment where clinical and basic scientists can exchange ideas.
The division also represents the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, providing guidance on the scientific endeavors of the institute and funding to expand and enhance research programs in each college at UAMS. Furthermore, the division supports the development of the next generation of researchers through Student Research Day and the Postdoc Academy.
In 2022, the National Institutes of Health awarded UAMS $7.9 million to expand its infectious disease research capacity. As such, the division has been heavily involved in research renovation projects in 2024 that will continue into 2025.
UAMS Translational Research Institute
The Translational Research Institute is a cornerstone of research innovation at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), supported in 2024 by three NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) totaling $31.7 million from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). This prestigious award places UAMS among an elite group of approximately 60 institutions nationwide committed to translating scientific discoveries into tangible health solutions.
Research focuses on high-priority health challenges common in Arkansas, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, pain management, substance abuse, mental health across the lifespan. The institute prioritizes addressing health disparities and enhancing access to care for rural and underserved populations in Arkansas. The Translational Research Institute provides the full suite of regulatory, financial and clinical research coordination services that researchers need to conduct all non-cancer clinical trials at UAMS.
Training Programs:
TRI is a wonderful resource for young investigators, offering support in the form of training programs. Those programs include:
- K12 Mentored Research Career Development Program: A five-year, $3.78 million initiative providing early-career researchers with two years of intensive training, mentorship and funding to launch their careers in translational science.
- T32 Health Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program: A five-year, $952,975 program teaching postdoctoral fellows how to commercialize discoveries through a unique partnership with the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and BioVentures LLC at UAMS.
Institutional Strength:
Led by Laura James, M.D., the Translational Research Institute promotes and supports research that is both groundbreaking and responsive to the health needs of Arkansans. The institute also collaborates with partners such as the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, the University of Arkansas and its sister institutions. These partnerships strengthen the institute’s capacity to integrate research into clinical care statewide.
Over the next seven years, the Translational Research Institute will expand its focus on health equity, rural health and multisite clinical trials, aiming to improve referral patterns, access to care and health outcomes for all Arkansans.
As U.S. Sen. John Boozman noted, the CTSA award underscores UAMS’ position as a leader in innovative science, contributing to the well-being of Arkansas and the nation. This recognition enables UAMS to attract top talent, secure additional funding and elevate its research enterprise to new heights.
BioVentures
BioVentures LLC, led by Eric Peterson, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology supports commercialization and entrepreneurship to develop transformative new therapeutics, clinical innovations and health technology stemming from discoveries made by UAMS researchers.
The technology transfer office for UAMS, BioVentures is a team of faculty and staff with expertise in intellectual property, entrepreneurship, economic development and licensing. BioVentures provides a unique bridge connecting UAMS inventors with economic development professionals, potential investors, health care industry contacts, and business and technical experts.
By facilitating the translational journey from discovery to marketplace, BioVentures accelerates the many meaningful advancements made at UAMS to directly impact patients, enhance UAMS’ research mission and bolster the Arkansas economy.