This post was written by Hatchet Staff Writer Rachel Barker

The GW medical school was awarded a multi-million dollar grant Wednesday from the National Institutes of Health to aid research in neglected diseases, according to a University news release.

The $15 million grant will go towards rebuilding laboratories for neglected diseases and infections that affect poverty stricken areas, said Distinguished Research Professor Dr. Peter Hotez.

The new laboratories will be able to better support research for the development of new vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for “neglected infections of poverty” (NIoPs) “in poor developing countries, especially for children, who are the most vulnerable to these diseases,” according to a press release.

“It’ll allow us to bring in more faculty recruitments and have more space to expand our research mandate,” Hotez said.

According to Hotez, the funds will be used for renovations in Ross Hall.

“The NIH funds for this initiative will transform biomedical research and enable us to expand critical areas of much-needed clinical care and policy work in the field of NIoPS and NDS,” said University Provost and Vice President for Health Affairs John Williams.