Rep. Moore Announces $3.9M In Recovery Act Funds for Medical Research In Milwaukee

October 15, 2009 -- (Washington, DC) -- Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) today announced that three Milwaukee research facilities will receive a combined $3,940,596 in Recovery Act dollars to fund cutting-edge medical research in the Milwaukee area.

The grants are provided through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Marquette University will receive $2,003,655 to fund nine research projects, the BloodCenter of Wisconsin will receive $1,123,553 to fund five projects and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will receive $813,388 to fund four projects.

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“This funding to our local research institutions will benefit the Milwaukee area by attracting high-tech businesses interested in cutting-edge medical and biological research,” Congresswoman Moore said. “During these economic times it is vital that we do all we can to make our area competitive in a global economy.”

Rep. Moore helped pass the Economic Recovery Act in February to create jobs, bolster the country’s infrastructure and improve the health of the economy.

Within the district, the NIH grants will be used to fund medical research endeavors that will study addiction treatment, digestion, and the causes of nerve damage. Specific projects will attempt to understand the brain function that underlies addiction, gain insight on how bodies heal bleeding injuries, create new design new models for below-the-knee prostheses, and provide guidelines for the use of medications to improve movement in people with spinal cord injuries.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided funds for a number of programs through the Department of Health and Human Services. Since the act took effect in February, HHS has distributed more of its available funds than any other federal agency. Recovery programs through HHS have been focused on improving and preserving community health care services, children and community supportive services, health information technology, and scientific research. Grants for scientific research have been used to fund construction of educational and research facilities, and to pay for groundbreaking scientific studies that will have widely applicable benefits.

“Overall these funds support biomedical research and created or retained five full-time equivalent positions,” said Gilbert C. White, BloodCenter of Wisconsin's Executive Vice President of Research. “The results of these projects are far reaching and will likely touch many lives through the medical discoveries. We are very proud that research of this type is being done here in Wisconsin at the Blood Research Institute.”

Source: Congresswoman Gwen Moore