R&E Foundation Celebrates A Major Milestone

Satoshi Minoshima, MD, PhD, is the Anne G. Osborn Chair and Professor of the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He is chair of the RSNA Research & Education Foundation Board of Trustees.

Forty years ago, RSNA invested $1 million to establish the R&E Foundation (originally named the R&E Fund). The foresight of the Board of Directors created a legacy of investment in the future of our specialty.

True to the Foundation’s critical mission of Funding Radiology’s Future, the Board of Trustees decided this year to allocate an unprecedented amount—$5.26 million—for grants to ensure a promising future for all medical imaging professionals.

To date, the Foundation has awarded $84 million to nearly 1,700 researchers and educators, supporting over 1,900 grant projects. This funding level would not be possible without the dedicated support of our generous donors. The esteemed researchers and educators receiving this funding are helping to affirm radiology’s pivotal role in health care and enhance patient care globally.

Foundation grants finance essential projects ranging from health disparities research to the development of innovative diagnostic and treatment approaches that can enhance lives worldwide. Foundation grants support radiologists at every stage of their careers. Medical students interested in radiology can secure funding for their initial projects, while seasoned researchers can access protected time and resources through two-year scholar grants, for instance. Acknowledging the significance of diverse perspectives in the field, the Board of Trustees established Underrepresented in Medicine (UIM) grants to provide opportunities for medical students from historically underrepresented groups in medicine to obtain research funds.

Most recently, the Foundation recognized the necessity of promptly addressing critical issues facing our profession.

The Emerging Issues Grant was established to offer funding outside the regular grant-making cycle for urgent matters, such as addressing disparities in healthcare access and issues affecting population health. As the needs of the specialty—and our world—evolve, the R&E Foundation remains adaptable, ensuring continued encouragement for the brightest minds in medicine to pursue their ideas and potentially make groundbreaking discoveries. 

The Foundation manages contributions judiciously, with 94% of donations directed to grant recipients. This investment yields significant returns. A grant from the R&E Foundation frequently serves as a catalyst for additional research funding, making contributions to the Foundation indispensable. Grant recipients often report receiving an average of $60 in additional funding from other grant-making resources, including the National Institutes of Health, for every $1 received from the Foundation.

Will you join me in supporting this important work? Make a gift, encourage your colleagues and mentees to apply for a grant, and contribute to the future of radiology. Grant recipients represent the next generation of innovators and leaders in radiology, ensuring a promising future for our specialty.

I encourage you to explore more about the R&E Foundation’s initiatives at RSNA.org/RE-Foundation.

For More Information

Learn how your donation supports the advancement of the radiologic sciences. 

Read RSNA News stories that highlight R&E Foundation grant-funded research:

• Research Highlights the Sex and Gender Disparities in Acute Ischemic Stroke
• Augmented Reality Can Help Achieve Safer, More Efficient CT-Guided Ablations
• Toward More Minimally Invasive Therapy for Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy