CUIMC Rallies on Capitol Hill for Research Funding

On Sept. 18, members of the CUIMC community joined hundreds of physicians, scientists, and patients from more than 40 states to meet legislators on Capitol Hill and advocate for medical research at the annual Rally for Medical Research.

“Educating policymakers about the need to have a robust budget for the NIH is so important,” said Ross Frommer, vice president of government affairs at CUIMC, who helped organize the Columbia contingent, which consisted of 19 students, faculty, and staff from VP&S, the School of Nursing, and the Mailman School of Public Health, as well as colleagues from the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses. It was the largest representation by any one organization at the Rally.

The group met with legislators and staff of the New York congressional delegation and others to stress the importance of NIH funding.

“Medical research represents hope for a better tomorrow for our patients, and the NIH is a critical partner,” said Jay Vyas, MD, PhD, associate dean for academic innovation at VP&S, who also helped organize the trip. “I believe that when we share our personal stories of NIH’s impact on our training, research, and patient care, we can make a difference.”