Phoenix, May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Banner Health’s $80.5 million research enterprise delivered breakthrough treatments to Arizona patients in 2025 while advancing wide-ranging therapies toward FDA approval, according to the organization’s annual Milestones in Research report released today. Operating 1,300 clinical and translational studies across neuroscience, cardiology, oncology and orthopedics, Banner is positioning Arizona as a national hub for medical innovation while giving local families early access to life-saving treatments years before they reach the broader market.
“We are deeply committed to advancing patient care through the power of clinical research,” said Corey Casper, MD, MPH, Banner’s chief research officer. “Every day, our research efforts propel the most promising medical innovations from the laboratory directly to the bedside, helping deliver better treatments and pioneering new prevention strategies that empower people to live longer, healthier lives. We’re expediting breakthrough therapies to Arizona families, often years before they become widely available, while fostering innovation that directly benefits the communities we serve.”
Banner’s research enterprise is built on strategic partnerships, anchored by its foundational collaboration with the University of Arizona, the academic backbone of Banner’s integrated health system. This core academic medicine partnership, along with Banner’s collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center and relationships with institutions such as Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University and Arizona State University, amplifies Banner’s research impact globally.
Banner Research encompasses Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center research operations, and clinical research programs across Banner Health’s 33 hospitals. Supported by 371 team members, this integrated research enterprise spans neuroscience, oncology, cardiology, orthopedics and nearly every major disease area. 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, demonstrating how Banner’s research enterprise drives medical discovery far beyond Arizona.
2025 research milestones include:
- Pioneered 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.
- Enrolled more NIH All of Us Research Program participants than any site nationally since the program’s inception – 89,000+ from Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming, including nearly 70% of all pediatric participants nationwide, through our integrated academic partnership with the University of Arizona.
- Launched landmark $74.5 million NIH-funded study in Colombia to test whether combination medications can prevent Alzheimer’s disease in people at exceptionally high genetic risk.
- Leading Arizona in 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.”
- Leading landmark $21.6 million NIH-funded study exploring how high blood pressure contributes to brain disease and dementia risk.
- Co-leading $15.3 million NIH study to diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in living patients for the first time using blood biomarkers and brain imaging.
- Developed in collaboration with our University of Arizona academic partners, the first reliable early detection method for ovarian cancer — survival rates jump from 32% to 92% with early detection.
- Operating one of the few facilities worldwide where biomarker blood tests for brain diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia are developed and engineered for large-scale deployment.
- Developed new methods to reach solid tumors and deliver targeted therapies at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, making cancers more responsive to immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
Banner Research’s impact extends beyond patient care to Arizona’s economy. The enterprise supports 371 high-skilled jobs, attracts tens of millions in federal research dollars to the state annually, and positions Arizona as a destination for medical talent and innovation. Through partnerships with the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and leading national institutions, Banner is building Arizona’s reputation as a hub for medical breakthroughs while training the next generation of researchers and clinicians.
“Banner’s research enterprise represents a strategic investment in Arizona’s future,” said Amy Perry, president and chief executive officer of Banner Health. “By creating high-skilled jobs, attracting federal research dollars to our state, and ensuring our communities benefit from medical breakthroughs first, we’re strengthening Arizona’s economy, training the next generation of medical professionals, and delivering measurable value to all the communities we serve. This is what it means to be a mission-driven health system — reinvesting every dollar into advancing care and driving innovations that make life better for patients and families everywhere.”
Banner Research’s $80.5 million enterprise contributes to the organization’s $1.1 billion annual community benefit, with every dollar reinvested into advancing medicine, training more than 1,300 medical residents and fellows annually, and positioning Arizona as a national leader in medical innovation.
The full Milestones in Research report is available online.
About Banner Health
Banner Health’s mission is to make health care easier, so life can be better. As one of the nation’s largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems, we are pioneering a sustainable care model that prioritizes prevention, manages chronic disease, and reduces health spending – succeeding when patients stay healthy, not when they get sick. We operate 33 hospitals and more than 400 sites across six states, delivering seamless care from primary to quaternary medicine, including health insurance, physician networks, world-renowned specialty services, and behavioral health. Accountable to the communities we serve, we reinvest every dollar into advancing care, research, and facilities, providing more than $1 billion each year in community benefit. Through our partnership with the University of Arizona, we drive clinical discoveries across more than 800 trials and train more than 1,300 residents and fellows annually. Headquartered in Arizona, we serve Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming. Our hospitals are consistently ranked among Arizona’s top-performing by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com/about.
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