NIH radiology research funding rises to $87.9M, but clinician-scientists stay a minority of PIs

NIH diagnostic radiology research funding rose from $39.9M in 2012 to $87.9M in 2025, but clinician-scientists held just under 13% of principal investigator roles in radiology since 2012, an Academic Radiology analysis found.

• Diagnostic radiology led radiation oncology and interventional radiology in funded clinician investigators and total funding every year from 2012 to 2025, though radiation oncology funding grew faster ($14.3M to $67.3M).
• Diagnostic radiologists' share among funded clinicians fell from 66.7% (64 of 96) in 2012 to 47% (108 of 230) in 2025; women rose from 17.2% to 27.8%.
• Authors attribute part of the shift to the NIH salary cap now applying to direct and indirect salaries, which may push institutions toward nonclinical or nonradiologist imaging researchers.

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