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WWU secures $3.1 million NIH grant to expand biomedical research opportunities for students

The grant will support two staff positions, pilot projects and research equipment

by Mikayla King

WWU Communications

(From left) Jackie Rose, P. Clint Spiegel, Lindsey Frallic, David Patrick and James Vyvyan are a part of the Viking Biomedical Research Initiative, which recently acquired a $3.1 million grant to support biomedical research opportunities at Western.

WWU has been awarded a $3.1 million National Institutes of Health grant to expand biomedical student research opportunities on campus. 

The funding will allow WWU to acquire biomedical research equipment and fund pilot projects focused on gathering preliminary results to enhance the likelihood of securing additional biomedical research grants. 

While Western already offers some biomedical research opportunities to students on campus, the grant will greatly expand WWU’s capability to support and create new opportunities. Funds will support the Viking Biomedical Research Initiative, an association of faculty whose research is relevant to the biomedical field. 

The five-year grant will also support two new staff positions to shepherd NIH proposals through the development, pre-award and post-award phases.  

The grant was secured through the NIH’s Biomedical Research Environment & Sponsored Programs Administration Development (BRE-SPAD) program, which supports resource-limited institutions to conduct research, enhance their research environments and increase sponsored program administration capacity. 

Professor of Chemistry P. Clint Spiegel, Professor of Psychology Jackie Rose, Professor of Chemistry James Vyvyan and Dean of the Graduate School David Patrick led the grant team. 

“This award is an exciting opportunity to build a robust biomedical research infrastructure here at Western,” Spiegel said. “It is also an acknowledgement that we have impactful faculty scholars and resourceful students; both serve as a strong foundation for transformational growth at our institution.” 

This grant continues to expand Western’s nationally recognized model of placing undergraduate students in research labs, Vice Provost of Research David Patrick said.  

“When it comes to educating scientists and engineers, few experiences come close to providing the inspiration and rigorous training that comes from studying under a Western faculty mentor on an NIH-level research project,” he said.  “That's why we're so excited about this opportunity.”