Research
UPMC is closely associated with the University of Pittsburgh, counted among the world’s best universities. Since 1997, the University of Pittsburgh and affiliated faculty have ranked among the top 10 institutions in the United States in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In addition, University of Pittsburgh scientists have contributed to more than 18,000 medical research papers in the past decade, positioning UPMC among the top medical research institutions in the nation.
UPMC’s research portfolio includes some of these recent findings:
October 2007 — Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have identified a new gene responsible for a rare, inherited form of sudden cardiac arrest, known as Brugada syndrome. Identification of this new gene gives hope of shedding light on the more common forms of sudden death in patients with heart attacks and heart failure, and may one day help aid in the development of new, effective therapeutic treatments that will prevent all types of fatal arrhythmias.
August 2007 — Researchers from the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine are leading a worldwide effort to study a treatment for a rare autoimmune disorder called myositis, thanks to a five-year, $8 million contract from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
June 2007 – University of Pittsburgh researchers used cell surface markers and dyes to identify cancer stem cells as well as normal adult stem cells and their progeny in samples obtained from normal lung and lung cancer tissue samples. The researchers identified a very small, rare set of resting cancer stem cells in the lung cancer samples that looked and behaved much like normal adult lung tissue stem cells.
UPMC contributes to the advancement and accessibility of leading-edge health care around the globe by sharing with international partners its integrated care delivery system and world-class clinical and research expertise with international partners to enhance health care globally.
UPMC is sharing its research expertise globally by partnering with the Ri.MED Foundation in Palermo, Italy, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to build and manage the Biotechnology and Biomedical Research Center (BRBC) in Italy. Learn more about Ri.MED, the BRBC, and international research efforts.