Banner Health’s $80.5 million research enterprise delivered measurable breakthroughs to Arizona patients in 2025, advancing a broad portfolio of clinical and translational studies while positioning the state as a national hub for medical innovation. Operating 1,300 studies across neuroscience, cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics, Banner researchers generated significant progress in cardiology and neurological care while expanding Arizona’s access to life-saving treatments years before they reach the broader market.
Key milestones underscore the scope and impact. Banner pioneered the first FDA-approved device for severe mitral annular calcification, a heart valve condition affecting up to 30% of elderly Americans that previously required open-heart surgery. The health system enrolled more NIH All of Us Research Program participants than any site nationally, bringing in 89,000 participants from Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming—including nearly 70% of all pediatric participants nationwide. Banner also launched a $74.5 million NIH-funded study in Colombia testing combination medications to prevent Alzheimer’s disease in people at exceptionally high genetic risk, and leads a global trial testing targeted therapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer, named by Nature Medicine as one of “11 Clinical Trials that Will Shape Medicine in 2026.”
Neurodegenerative disease research addresses pressing public health needs. Banner leads a $21.6 million NIH-funded study examining how high blood pressure contributes to brain disease and dementia risk, and co-leads a $15.3 million NIH study to diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy in living patients for the first time using blood biomarkers and brain imaging. In collaboration with University of Arizona partners, Banner developed the first reliable early detection method for ovarian cancer—survival rates jump from 32% to 92% with early detection.
Research output extended far beyond Arizona. In 2025, Banner researchers co-authored 315 scientific publications, conducted 158,470 biomarker tests for collaborators worldwide, and shared 16,389 brain tissue samples with scientific groups in 10 countries. The research enterprise supports 371 high-skilled jobs and attracts tens of millions in federal research dollars to the state annually. Banner’s $80.5 million enterprise contributes to the organization’s $1.1 billion annual community benefit, with every dollar reinvested into advancing medicine and training more than 1,300 medical residents and fellows annually.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.financialcontent.com/article/gnwcq-2026-5-26-banner-health-report-shows-arizona-research-driving-national-medical-innovation