3000
Researchers
Over 3,000 researchers spread across more than 250 centers, institutes, and labs, each one pursuing cures, right here.
Over 3,000 researchers spread across more than 250 centers, institutes, and labs, each one pursuing cures, right here.
Better Care Through Research
A Team Approach
Tackling complex medical problems requires a team approach and everything about URMC—from the size of our scientific faculty, to the way we organize our research programs, to the design of our labs and research buildings—is intended to foster collaboration between scientists from different fields. Teams can bring together the best ideas from a variety of disciplines, whether it's an understanding of basic human biology, a public health expertise, or knowing how to apply data in new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases.
Cancer
Thanks to research, cancer patients have advantages that didn't exist 20 years ago—or in some cases even a few months ago. The Wilmot Cancer Institute at URMC is the only cancer center in the region with a research focus. Our patients have access to clinical studies that match a tumor's unique genomic biomarkers with newer drugs. URMC has one of the oldest and most highly regarded programs in the country to investigate cancer-related side effects and survivorship. All the while, URMC basic scientists are studying how cancer develops, spreads, and the best way to stop it.
Orthopaedics
Keeping bones healthy and strong so people of all ages can move freely and without pain is the goal of researchers at the Center for Musculoskeletal Research (CMSR). For nearly 20 years, CMSR has been one of the top 5 NIH-funded orthopaedic research programs in the country. Its signature approach brings together teams of scientists from many different disciplines, pooling their expertise to yield orthopaedic breakthroughs. CMSR scientists are developing a vaccine to protect bone from antibiotic—resistant staph infection, exploring new ways to engineer tissues to treat bone defects, and offering clinical trials on the latest treatments for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Cardiology
Our researchers have made some of the most important and long-lasting discoveries in the treatment and prevention of cardiac arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, heart failure, and Long QT syndrome, a rare disorder that makes the heart particularly susceptible to arrhythmias. URMC scientists led the landmark study demonstrating that preventive therapy with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or ICD – a device that detects potentially fatal arrhythmias and shocks the heart back into a normal rhythm – significantly reduces the risk of death in heart attack survivors. The finding changed medical guidelines nationwide.
Pediatrics
URMC researchers were among the first to administer lung surfactant to premature infants, proving that the procedure was safe and effective in improving survival rates. Surfactants are now routinely used around the world. Following the invention of the Hib vaccine at URMC, Pediatric researchers used the same technology to develop Prevnar, which guards against pneumococcal bacteria. And researchers here broke ground when studying respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), setting the stage for what we know about the virus today.
Infectious Diseases
Several widely used vaccines that have improved the health of people around the world are rooted in infectious disease research at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Our scientists contributed technology that led to the HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer. Newborns across the globe receive a vaccine that URMC researchers created against Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) that has virtually wiped out one of the leading causes of meningitis in preschoolers. And when you're sick with the flu, it's likely that you'll be treated with an antiviral medication that was tested at URMC.
Neuromedicine
URMC is one of the nation's leading centers for research and care in neurological disorders. The Department of Neurology is ranked 7th in the nation in the amount of research funding it receives from the NIH. Our researchers are innovators in applying new technologies – such as telemedicine and mobile apps – to improve access to care and empower patients. The Medical Center also serves as the hub of several global networks of researchers seeking new treatments for Parkinson's disease, muscular dystrophy, Huntington's disease, and stroke.
Why Give To Research?
Millions of lives have been saved or improved thanks to medical discoveries made by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers:
They are making great strides in developing vaccines to prevent AIDS, new strains of “super flu,” and MRSA infections.
They are working to develop the first drug therapy to prevent osteoarthritis.
They may be close to finding a cure for muscular dystrophy.
And they are leading the nation in clinical trials and new treatments for neurologic diseases like Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
With one of the most powerful university-based super computers in the nation, our researchers are turning big data into knowledge to help revolutionize the way we study, monitor, and treat disease.
When you give, your support goes directly toward helping our researchers make groundbreaking discoveries that can prevent and cure the most challenging diseases we face.
Who They Are And What They Do
Every day University of Rochester researchers advance the frontiers of understanding in the biological sciences and biomedicine. Each one is pursuing cures, right here in Rochester. View a list of all researchers at URMC
Connecting You To Research
Researchers at URMC are among the nation's leaders in designing and running complex clinical studies. The Medical Center is the hub for several international networks of researchers dedicated to finding new treatments in biomedicine. At any given time, there are several hundred clinical research studies underway at URMC, ranging from investigations of experimental drugs to the health impact of lifestyle changes.
With an average of $250 million per year in biomedical research funding (including several departments ranking among the top 10 in NIH funding), 1 million square feet of state-of-the-art research space, and high-end support services and shared resources, we're pursuing cures everyday.
