Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham hit another milestone this year by winning almost $775 million in research grants and awards, an all-time high and increase of more than 8 percent from last year, according to a press release.

The university has increased its research grants by $247.5 million in the last five years, the release said. In 2021, the National Science Foundation ranked UAB the 44th out of more than 900 institutions that received grant funding, which was the highest ranking for an Alabama university.

UAB ranks in the top five percent of universities in the country for research funding. Agencies including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense have awarded funding to UAB.

“The dramatic growth of our research funding over a decade is a testament to the dedication, talent and ingenuity of our faculty, staff and students all over campus,” said UAB President Ray Watts. “This continued increase in awards further positions us to achieve our ambitious goals for research —and all pillars of our mission — over the next five years.”

UAB researchers have announced major breakthroughs this year that include advances in animal-to-human transplantation and one of the nation’s first uterine transplants.