R01s in Neurosurgery: Characterizing the Current Landscape of NIH Funding for Neurosurgeon-Scientists

Noah L A Nawabi; Parker Dhillon; Thomas Gomes; Henry C Ross; Jenna Vroman; David I Nawabi; Rohan Jha; Aaron Miller; Brian F Saway; Ben A Strickland

doi:10.1227/neu.0000000000003849

R01s in Neurosurgery: Characterizing the Current Landscape of NIH Funding for Neurosurgeon-Scientists

Neurosurgery. 2025 Nov 13. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000003849. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
² Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.

PMID: 41230975
DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000003849

Abstract

Background and objectives: The number and total amount of NIH grants, particularly R01 awards, are key metrics of success in academic neurosurgery. Current trends in R01 acquisition for neurosurgeons, along with factors predictive of high-level funding acquisition, have not been well described. This study sought to characterize the current landscape of NIH funding for neurosurgeon-scientists.

Methods: Faculty with MD credentials at accredited neurosurgery institutions were identified through the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and institutional websites. NIH RePORTER was then queried to identify neurosurgeons with active R01 funding. Current institution, residency program and graduation year, and grant-specific data including number, focus, and total funding amount of R01s were identified for R01-holding neurosurgeons. The relationship between the training background and the institutional research environment with R01 attainment was explored.

Results: A total of 173 neurosurgeon-scientists (of 267 queried for grants) with R01 funding were identified, collectively holding 374 R01 grants. The mean number of R01s per neurosurgeon was 2.1 (SD = 1.7). Fifty (29%) neurosurgeons were primary investigators (PIs) in ≥2 R01-funded studies. The most common research focuses were neuro-oncology (n = 113, 30%), basic and systems neuroscience (n = 90, 24%), cerebrovascular/stroke (n = 72, 19%), and functional/epilepsy (n = 49, 13%). The average time from residency completion to the first PI R01 award was 9.7 years (SD = 5.8), compared with 14.5 years (SD 9.5) for the first Co-PI study. Three institutions (all ranked in the top 10 Doximity research rankings) graduated ≥10 neurosurgeons who currently hold ≥2 R01s. Of the top-10 R01-funded neurosurgeons, 8 trained at current top-10 research output programs, whereas only 4 currently practice at such institutions. Among these 10 neurosurgeons, the mean time to first R01 was 6.9 years.

Conclusion: Only a small subset of practicing neurosurgeons currently hold R01 funding. Training, rather than practicing, in high-research-output environments appears to be more predictive of NIH R01 funding success among neurosurgeons.

Keywords: Brain tumor; Funding; Neuro-oncology; R01 grants; Surgeon-scientist.