Current trends in the allocation of National Institute of Health funding of brain tumor research.

BACKGROUND

The National Institute of Health (NIH) provides a sizable annual budget toward brain tumor research. However, funding allocation for specific pathologies remains poorly described. We aimed to characterize the current landscape of NIH funding toward brain tumors as a function of pathology.

METHODS

NIHRePORTER was queried to identify studies focused on glioblastoma, pediatric glioma, oligodendroglioma, brain metastasis, meningioma, pituitary adenoma, and vestibular schwannoma, from 2000 to 2023. Studies with R, U, and P funding mechanisms were included. Data were compiled and assessed according to pathology.

RESULTS

Across these 7 tumors, 3320 unique studies with R, U, or P funding mechanisms were identified from 2000 to 2023. These were conducted across 480 unique institutions. The sum of funds allocated to all studies was $1 607 662 631. Glioblastoma commanded the largest portion of funds, representing 54% of R mechanisms, 55% of R01-funded studies, 48% of U mechanisms, and 49% of P mechanisms, and accounted for 51% ($813 556 423) of total funding. Brain metastasis was the second most-funded tumor, representing 31% of all R mechanisms, 31% of all R01-funded studies, 26% of all U mechanisms, and 28% of all P mechanisms, and accounted for 29% ($472 715 745) of funding. The remaining 14% of R mechanisms, 26% of U mechanisms, and 23% of P mechanisms focused on the remaining pathologies, and accounted for 20% ($321 390 463) of funding.

CONCLUSIONS

The current landscape of NIH funding for brain tumor research indicates that awarded mechanisms prioritize malignant intra-axial malignancies. Despite their prevalence, skull base neoplasia is far less represented in NIH-funded studies.