2. Knowledge Base: Expanding Research Facilities 

As American preeminence in science, medicine, and technology is challenged globally, UAB is playing a leading role in keeping the United States—and Alabama—on the cutting edge of research and development. UAB is 31st nationally among universities in federal research funding and 21st in funding from the National Institutes of Health. In 2009, UAB attracted a record $489 million in external research funding, including some $50 million in “stimulus funding” from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). That represented 86 percent of all such funds coming in to the state of Alabama, and put UAB 17th nationally in terms of ARRA funding received by research universities.

With the Shelby Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building as an anchor, the Master Plan envisions a multiblock science complex stretching to the south and west that will consolidate and expand research efforts at UAB (see illustration above and overview here). The complex will include two new biomedical research buildings; major additions and expansions of the schools of Nursing and Health Professions; an academic research building to serve the School of Public Health; and a new bioinformatics, computer science, and forensics facility.