For the third year in a row, the Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM) at the Yale School of Medicine ranked first in the nation in research dollars awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2023, as tabulated by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. The 2023 total, $21,377,272 (Up over $4 mil from last year) is the result of a wide scope of research spanning the entire lifespan from pediatric to geriatric acute illness and injury. Projects range from injury prevention in low- and middle-income countries, improving quality of emergency medicine (EM) patient care, treating substance use disorders, using healthcare simulation technology to address workplace violence, and spearheading a program for inner-city high school students.
“With nearly one in six NIH dollars in EM research going to Yale, we are very proud of all of our faculty, research staff, and grant team who helped make this possible,” said department Chair, Dr. Arjun Venkatesh, MD, MBA, MPH. “is not only an outstanding accomplishment, but a demonstration of our commitment to our mission to advance the science and practice of emergency medicine care as we continue to push the envelope and advocate for our patients and communities”.
The department is also proud to announce that Gail D’Onofrio, MD, MS, the Albert E. Kent Professor of Emergency Medicine, once again ranked first as the highest NIH-funded EM investigator. Internationally known for her work in alcohol and other substance use disorders, D’Onofrio is lead investigator with Dr. Fiellin of Medicine for one of the largest NIDA Clinical Trial Network’s trial, Emergency Department-INitiated bupreNOrphine and VAlidaTIOn Network Trial (ED-INNOVATION) (NIH-HEAL Initiative), a randomized clinical trial in 31 ED sites throughout the U.S. comparing standard sublingual buprenorphine versus an extended release 7-day injectable formation in engaging patients in addiction treatment. She is also PI of the New England Consortium Node for NIDA’s Clinical Trials Network, PI of a NIDA K12 with Dr. Patrick O’Connor of Medicine, establishing the Yale Drug Use, Addiction and HIV Research Scholars (Yale-DAHRS) program, a mentored career development program with focused training in prevention and treatment of drug use, addiction, and HIV prevention in general medical setting, and Hub MPI with Dr. Kevin Sheth of Neurology, of the NHLBI-NINDS funded SIREN network (Yale-METRO) that conducts large phase III clinical trials in emergency and critical care.
Emergency medicine research at Yale has unparalleled depth and breadth of expertise, but what really sets us apart is the collaborative environment of discovery, learning, and growth.
Ted Melnick, MD, MHS
DEM faculty, Drs. Ted Melnick, Kathryn Hawk, Hani Mowafi, Arjun Venkatesh, Ambrose Wong, Leigh Evans, and Rebekah Heckmann were also top funded EM investigators in the national ranking. According to DEM Section Chief for Research, Ted Melnick, MD, MHS, “Emergency medicine research at Yale has unparalleled depth and breadth of expertise, but what really sets us apart is the collaborative environment of discovery, learning, and growth.”
Several former Yale residents, fellows, and faculty were also highlighted on the list as evidence of the generations of research networks spreading nationally from New Haven.