Snowe, Collins Announce $928,955 For Biomedical Research At Jackson Lab And Maine Medical Center

U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins (R-Maine) today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institute of Health has awarded grants totaling $928,955 for biomedical research and training at Jackson Laboratory and Maine Medical Center. The funding is being distributed to Maine through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Senators Snowe and Collins worked with a bipartisan group of senators to craft the legislation that became law in February.

"This funding from the Department of Health & Human Services will facilitate advanced cardiovascular, genetic, and neurological research that will benefit the health of all Americans," said Snowe and Collins in a joint statement. "We are pleased that Maine's own Jackson Laboratory and Maine Medical Center are at the forefront of our nation's medical research efforts."

The funding is distributed as follows:

? $435,000 to Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor- This grant will be used for craniofacial gene discovery research.
? $87,000 to Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor- This funding will be used to advance our understanding of the pathogenesis of Rett Syndrome.
? $406,955 to Maine Medical Center- This grant will support a project entitled "Regulation of Endothelial Cell Function by Sprouty" that conducts research of cardiovascular disease.

The Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. The Department includes more than 300 programs, covering a wide spectrum of activities, and administers more grant dollars than all other federal agencies combined.