U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar announced that Dr. Subburaman Mohan, director of the Musculoskeletal Disease Center at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, has received a $1.6 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The grant, which will be awarded over a five-year period, will fund cutting-edge research into the link between obesity-caused illnesses and bone fractures, and will support the development of treatment for these conditions.

The Loma Linda Veterans Association administers the funding for Research & Education, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting scientific and clinical research at VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and serving veterans through medical research.

“This funding will help support further breakthroughs at VA Loma Linda, leading to better health outcomes for our veterans and helping solidify the Inland Empire as a hub for medical research and innovation,” Aguilar said. “I’ve been proud to support funding for NIH grant programs so that we can continue to create these types of opportunities in our region.”

Dr. Mohan said the funding will help his team, identify novel therapeutic approaches for prevention and treatment of fractures in obesity/type 2 diabetes-related conditions, thereby reducing the burden of these chronic diseases both on individuals and on society.

Aguilar serves on the House Appropriations Committee, the committee responsible for funding agencies like NIH, and as vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus.