Support our Research

Scientific research is expensive. While we write proposals and are receiving federal grant funding to support our research, receiving funding is a competitive process (currently fewer than 8 out of every 100 grants receives funding from the government). Importantly, most federal funding mechanisms are not set up to support "high-risk, high-reward" ideas or brand-new projects.

Why is research so expensive?
• Research requires many people, including scientists, consultants, study coordinators, and administrative support, to do the work.
• Research requires equipment, like microscopes, freezers, centrifuges, incubators, and biosafety cabinets, to safely do experiments and store precious samples.
• Research requires consumable supplies like antibodies, chemicals, dishes to culture cells, and media to feed cells, that must be replenished regularly to continue doing experiments.
• Research requires physical space, electricity, plumbing, waste disposal, and other infrastructure to keep the lab in operation.
• Cutting-edge technologies we use for our experiments produce large amounts of data, which researchers must pay to store.
• Shared resource labs (in other words, "core" labs with large equipment and services that the institution provides for all researchers) bring costs down, but researchers are billed hourly rates for equipment use and technical support.

How can you help?
• Reach out to your local and federal representatives. Tell them you support increased, robust and sustained funding for scientific research.
• Donate to foundations that fund research for causes you are passionate about.
• Donate directly to support the research in our lab. Does a project spark your interest and you want to move it forward? Let us know and we’ll thank you in the acknowledgements section of our manuscript!

Donations can be made directly to the Walsh lab by including "Ken Walsh Lab" in the "in honor of" section through the following link:

https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/20649/donations/new?designation=robertmbernecardiovascularresearchcenter14220&

We thank you for your generous support!

If you would prefer to make your gift in person or discuss other giving opportunities, please contact Paul Orange at 434-243-9442 or via email at orange@virginia.edu.

All gifts are tax deductible. Our Tax ID is 23-7173411.