Johns Hopkins showcases federally funded research on Capitol Hill

As project administrator for the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit, Christopher Sulmonte spends a lot of time thinking about infectious diseases. The state-of-the-art facility specializes in treating patients suffering from Ebola, smallpox, SARS, COVID-19, and other life-threatening, highly contagious illnesses. The unit is also part of the Johns Hopkins Special Pathogens Center, which prepares for, monitors, and responds to emerging outbreaks through a combination of clinical care, research, and education.

"A lot of our role is focused on how we can best support health care workers to be ready for what comes next," Sulmonte said. "One thing that's been incredibly important for us over the last decade has been a focus on how we can support not just our own facilities, but emergency departments throughout the country."

Sulmonte explained all this to elected members of Congress and their staff at this year's Hopkins on the Hill event, hosted in the House of Representatives's Rayburn Office Building on Wednesday, June 11. He described how his team's work literally saves lives, creating better outcomes for both patients and health care workers across America. He also discussed how federal funding, specifically support from the the Department of Health and Human Services, plays a key role in making this possible.

"The funding is incredibly important," Sulmonte said. "Not only does it position us ... to admit and treat these patients within Johns Hopkins, but also to provide support and education to facilities across the United States so that when a patient walks through their door, they know what to do. We're really just as much a resource to those facilities as a clinician institution to us."

The Biocontainment Unit was one of 20 projects that were highlighted at this year's Hopkins on the Hill research showcase. Attendees, including U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, watched as a surgical robot removed a "tumor" from a fake kidney. Others donned VR headsets to see a life-sized model of the Dragonfly octocopter, set to explore Saturn's largest moon, Titan, beginning in 2034. Experts discussed how artificial intelligence is improving stethoscopes, ADHD diagnoses, and first responder robots. They highlighted improvements in safe firearm storage, transplant organ preservation, and education for rural children.

All of these projects receive federal funding.

As America's first research university, Johns Hopkins has long been on the cutting edge of science, explained Johns Hopkins Provost Ray Jayawardhana.

"Hopkins on the Hill showcases the extraordinary impact research universities have on the nation by driving discovery and innovation in service of the public good," he said. "Johns Hopkins is enormously proud that our researchers continue to break new ground so that the Americans can lead healthier, safer, and more rewarding lives."

Image caption: U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume chats with JHU President Ron Daniels

Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University

Added Vice Provost for Research Denis Wirtz: "Hopkins has been the nation's leader in federally funded university research for the past 45 years. In that time, our researchers have made significant advancements in medicine, public health, artificial intelligence, education, space exploration, and more. They have saved countless lives, strengthened the American economy, and expanded our understanding of the universe. But without federal investment into research, tomorrow's scientific and medical discoveries are at risk."

Kristen Reek, director of federal strategy for Johns Hopkins, said events like Hopkins on the Hill are crucial because they allow policymakers to directly see the impact of their funding.

"Federal investment means better lives for you [and] your community," Reek said. "One of the presenters here today is doing blood tests for cancer. That was unthinkable 10 years ago—we were just starting to hear rumblings of it. But this basic investment has paid off. ... It's stories like that where people really take away how this could impact them, their loved ones, their future kids, their grandparents, their neighbors."

Reek also noted how research strengthens the economy—Johns Hopkins had a $16.8 billion economic impact during the 2022 fiscal year, accounting directly and indirectly for more than 100,000 jobs. One study found that, in addition to enabling medical breakthroughs, every NIH dollar invested into research generates about $2.56 in economic activity.

"We really hope the members and their staff take away that this compact between universities and the government is working," Reek said. "It's what other countries in the world hope to emulate. We are the shining example of how federal investment, university innovation, and the best and brightest talent really make a difference and propel our economy, propel our people, and propel this country into the next 10, 20, 30, 50, 150 years."