June 10, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

I have some extraordinary news to share with you. We've been informed that The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine maintained its first place rank in NIH awards for 2004. Despite the reduced growth of the NIH budget, our School received close to $450M for 991 awards, an increase of $37M over last year.

Why do I say "extraordinary" when this is the 13th straight year that Johns Hopkins has ranked as the top recipient of federal research dollars? Because none of us takes this accomplishment for granted. Each year I am awed at the superb quality of your research and at your leadership in important areas of medicine and science. The NIH ranking is merely testimony to your hard work and commitment to excellence.

Far more important than dollar amounts is the potential of your research to improve the health of people in our community, our nation -- and throughout the world. If you have not yet seen it, I direct your attention to the 2004 Research Highlights section in the new edition of Johns Hopkins Medicine's Facts & Figures brochure. That information also is online at: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/about/highlights.html And these are just a few of the highlights!

If you want more information on the rankings, they are posted at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/award/rank/medttl04.htm
The university-wide rankings are not yet posted but we expect those will show The Johns Hopkins University as #1 as well.
Again, please accept my profound thanks and admiration.

Sincerely,

Edward D. Miller, M.D.
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Dean of the Medical Faculty