Bacon Announces More Than $82 Million in HHS Grant Funding for UNMC

Bacon Announces More Than $82 Million in HHS Grant Funding for UNMC Funding Supports 151 Awards and Actions Across Biomedical Research, Cancer, Infectious Disease and Other Health Priorities Washington, D.C. – Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) announced today that the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) has received notification of 151 grant awards and funding actions from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services totaling $82,459,790 so far in 2026. The announcement follows an appreciation breakfast hosted last week by UNMC and University of Nebraska System leaders to recognize Bacon's support for the university throughout his tenure in Congress. UNMC Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, praised Bacon's longstanding partnership with the university, while other leaders highlighted his support for infectious disease preparedness, military medicine and federal research partnerships. The funding includes approximately $23.8 million for newly awarded projects and approximately $58.6 million in renewed, continued, extended and supplemental support for ongoing research and health programs. “UNMC has earned its reputation as one of the nation’s premier medical research, infectious disease and biocontainment institutions,” said Rep. Bacon. “From pioneering cancer treatments and organ transplants to responding to Ebola, COVID and other public health threats, the team and leadership at UNMC have repeatedly proven they are among the very best in the world. Most recently, UNMC and Nebraska Medicine safely monitored 18 Americans exposed to a rare hantavirus strain, concluding the operation with zero confirmed cases. This more than $82 million investment will strengthen groundbreaking work in cancer, infectious disease, neuroscience, behavioral health and other critical areas, expand our public health capabilities and help prepare the next generation of health professionals. Nebraska is grateful to be home to this powerhouse of research and health care excellence, and we will continue working to ensure UNMC has the support needed to remain a national leader and improve lives in Nebraska and across the country.” “The hard work of our faculty, staff and students has paid off with strong growth in almost every aspect of our research enterprise,” said Ken Bayles, PhD, UNMC Vice Chancellor for Research. “This growth is a testament to UNMC’s efforts to conduct research that leads to new life-saving cures, diagnostic tools, and treatment strategies – all of which help people in Nebraska and beyond. We appreciate Rep. Don Bacon, Sen. Deb Fischer, and the Nebraska federal delegation’s support of UNMC -- it is now up to us to deliver.” The awards and funding actions are broadly divided into the following areas: • $23,568,436 for biomedical science, research infrastructure and technology, including general biomedical research and training, research infrastructure, environmental health research, pharmacology and physiology, cross-NIH research support and medical technology development. • $21,174,867 for clinical care, public health, workforce and community programs, including nursing, cardiovascular and lung disease, child health, vision, musculoskeletal and health-disparities research, as well as workforce training, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, public health preparedness, injury prevention and community health programs. • $17,192,799 for brain, aging and behavioral health research, including neuroscience, neurological disorders, aging, mental health, drug-use and addiction research and alcohol research. • $13,858,224 for cancer research, including cancer treatment, biology, prevention, detection and diagnosis. • $6,665,464 for infectious disease and immunology research, including infectious disease, allergy, immunology and transplantation research. New awards provide funding for newly selected projects or programs. Continued and renewed awards provide additional years of support for existing multiyear projects, including grants that have undergone competitive renewal. Extensions and supplemental awards provide additional time, resources or funding for previously approved programs. The funding was awarded through agencies within HHS, including the National Institutes of Health, the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Photos and additional information about the appreciation breakfast are available through UNMC's coverage of the event . ###