As a major national research institution, the Medical College of Wisconsin received nearly $123 million in external support, including $94.3 million from the National Institutes of Health, for research and training during fiscal year 2003-2004. Of that, the Department of Physiology received $15.5 million in NIH support, placing it 4th among the nation's physiology programs for funding. In addition, in 2004, the NIH ranked the Medical College 42nd among the nation's medical schools for NIH research funding, placing the College in the top 33%. The faculty's achievements are not only measured in their funding success, but also their contribution to research discoveries in all areas of medicine. During fiscal year 2003-2004, College faculty directed or collaborated on more than 1,500 research studies. In addition, College faculty and students submitted 54 invention disclosures and filed 26 U.S. patent applications for commercialization products. Trainees are given the opportunity to select their Ph.D. advisor from this wide array of successful investigators in the basic science departments at the Medical College of Wisconsin. These departments include:
This variety provides trainees with a broad spectrum of potential research laboratories to choose the one that will be the most ideal match to their own interests. In addition to the basic science departments, many basic scientists have appointments in one of the several centers on campus that are focused on specific research questions pertinent to understanding human disease: