School of Medicine

Research | School of Medicine

Translating discovery into utility

Owen McCarty, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is featured in this OHSU Innovates video, describing the department's progress in bringing lab discoveries to patients.

Who we are and what we do

two researchers share their findings

We are a vibrant community pursuing some of the biggest questions in health and  biomedical science. How can the brain better heal itself? How can we detect cancer earlier? How can vulnerable populations better access health care?

More than 3,500 faculty, postdoctoral fellows, research staff, residents/fellows and graduate and M.D. students conduct research in the school. We answer fundamental questions about how our body works. We unravel the mysteries of disease. We develop new treatments and therapies. We analyze how health systems and our everyday environment impact health.

researcher in lab, doing pipetting

We investigate today for a better tomorrow. Our scientists attract $384 million in research funding, and our studies appear in top journals. We comprise the largest portion of OHSU’s research portfolio.

But the measure of our success is the difference we make in people's lives, from our fellow Oregonians to people around the world. To do that, the school works with colleagues across the university and around the world to create an intellectually rich and collegial environment where researchers can do their best work.

We invite you to discover research in the School of Medicine.

Why we're different

Our work with

  • Oregon State University
  • Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  • Portland State University
  • University of Oregon
  • VA Portland Health Care System

and others fuel biomedical discovery in the Northwest. View strategic alliances.

For example, OHSU partnered with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to become one of three national centers established by the National Institutes of Health in cryo-electron microscopy. Researchers in the Pacific Northwest Center for Cryo-EM on the OHSU campus will study cells at the atomic level using four new powerful microscopes and train scientists nationwide.

The school has prioritized support to sustain the work of physician scientists at OHSU and attract more. The Physician-Scientist Program is a comprehensive approach that provides support across the professional continuum, helping departments and units create robust start-up packages and support the work of junior scientists to reach the level of independent funding.

The School of Medicine’s more than 360 graduate students are an integral part of the research enterprise. View graduate programs.

They train in the latest methods and contribute in significant ways to research projects as they pursue their Ph.D. and master’s degrees. Top Ph.D. students receive highly competitive ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation financial awards.

Research at OHSU

Contact the School of Medicine

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