The Department of Medicine receives more than $130 million in federal research grants each year to fund the basic, clinical and translational research activities of our faculty. (See the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, where the Department is fourth for internal medicine departments).
Faculty seeking to improve their funding proposals, and find research collaborators to partner on proposals, are supported by the Department's Research Development Council.
To learn more about external grant funding to our faculty, view individual profile pages in the Faculty directory.
Scholars@Duke also provides a way to search the grant awards to Duke faculty.
Internal funding opportunities
The Department of Medicine provides these programs for faculty and fellows to receive internal funding for their research and/or career development.
Chair's Research Award
Each year, the Department of Medicine provides resources through the Chair’s Research Award to fund junior investigators in the Department of Medicine who are making the transition to becoming independent scientists and planning for their first extramural funding.
Full details, and a list of past recipients, are on the Chair's Research Award page.
Research Recognition Award
Each year, the Department of Medicine recognizes specific achievements and levels of activity in the Department's research programs. This awards program was formerly known as the Research Incentive program.
Department of Medicine Career Bridge (K) Funding
The Department's Career Development (K) Bridge Funding Program provides support to junior faculty and fellows during the gap between fellowship and attainment of a career development award.
Full details are posted on the Career Development (K) Bridge Funding Program page.
School of Medicine Bridge Funding
Faculty are encouraged to apply for the School of Medicine Bridge Funding Program, which offers financial support for investigators who who were unsuccessful with a first submission of a competitive renewal of an independent investigator award (NIH R01 or NSF equivalent) or a program project grant.
Full details are on the School of Medicine Bridge Funding page.
MedBlue Incubator Inc.
MedBlue Incubator is a for-profit entity founded by and initially capitalized by the Duke University School of Medicine departments of Surgery, Pathology and Anesthesiology, and that now includes the Duke departments of Medicine, Neurosurgery and Orthopedics. Its mission is to identify and assist in the development of promising ideas, discoveries, innovations, and/or technologies from the faculty that have commercial potential. Selected projects receive seed funding, assistance with SBIR and other grant applications, collaborations with corporate entities, formation of spin-out companies and eventual liquidity events.
Physician-Scientist Strong Start Awards Program
This endowment-funded awards program in the School of Medicine is designed to support investigators after their first faculty appointment, and before promotion to the rank of Associate Professor. Strong Start awards will be granted in a competitive application process based on scientific merit and academic potential. Learn more.
External funding opportunities
There are many ways to search for funding programs and mechanisms beyond Duke University.
Duke's Office of Research Support has launched an extensive, online database of funding opportunities as a resource for the entire Duke University research community. The database is searchable by discipline, eligibility, sponsor and more.
Find the Research Funding database at https://researchfunding.duke.edu/.