UNC Research Home
Facts & Figures
| 6th | in the US for federal research among universities. |
| $1.15 billion |
in research activity annually. |
| 12th | largest US research university in research volume & annual expenditures. |
Our Mission
Cures and treatments for disease. New technologies. New industries for North Carolina and the world. At Carolina, we tackle tough challenges with multidisciplinary teams of top scientists and students whose diverse perspectives deliver creative, unprecedented solutions. As one of America’s top research universities, we conduct roughly $1 billion in research annually. We provide dedicated service to our sponsors and unprecedented opportunities for graduate students, postdocs and undergraduates.
— Terry Magnuson, UNC Vice Chancellor for Research
Strategic Research Priorities
By fostering and supporting collaborative, interdisciplinary teams, UNC Research is accelerating new discoveries and solutions to emerging challenges in these areas:
Brain
Cancer
Data Science
Environment
Infectious Disease
Opportunity, Well-Being, and Culture
Precision Health and Society
Stories Powered by UNC Research
Levees Improved by UNC Researcher Succeed Against Hurricane Ida
On Sunday August 29th, Hurricane Ida made landfall in New Orleans as a Category 4 hurricane, but thanks to the work of UNC researcher Rick Luettich and others, the levees held and water damage was greatly minimized.
Carolina Research in the News | Earlier News Stories…
Undermining Education Improvements
Ethan Hutt, a UNC School of Education professor, wrote a piece arguing quantifying school performance has historically undermined the improvements America’s education system needs. He referenced his own research on public accountability in school systems in the Washington Post article.
Encouraging Interdisciplinary Research
The department of earth, marine, and environmental sciences deconstructs the barriers between disciplines to encourage collaborative research on coastal erosion, salt marshes and storm resilience, flooding, climate change’s impact on fisheries, and more.
Startups Deliver Economic Boost to Pandemic Recovery
A new analysis by Innovate Carolina shows that in 2021 UNC-affiliated startups have generated more than $14 billion in revenue and created more than 12,000 jobs across North Carolina.