About

About UNC Research

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the 9th largest research university in the United States, ranking 11th in the nation for federal research expenditures. More than 150 Carolina faculty are members of the National Academies and other prestigious learned societies. A highly collaborative culture among researchers of all disciplines drives our $1.55 billion in annual research activity.

2,402

projects directly addressing the needs of N.C. residents

11,000+

N.C. employees supported by Carolina research

5,700+

participants actively enrolled in clinical trials

See More of Our Impact

OVCR:
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research

Leadership Staff Directory

Driving Research, Accelerating Discovery and Translation

The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research oversees, develops, and supports UNC Research, Carolina’s research enterprise. The office sets strategic priorities for research, manages proposals and awards, provides research infrastructure, identifies funding opportunities, develops research teams and partnerships, and oversees regulatory compliance, science and security, and ethics.

Research for a Better Tomorrow

By leveraging our existing research strengths and prioritizing investments in four key areas, we will grow Carolina’s research activity to $2 billion by 2034

Applying AI to Benefit
and Save Lives

Preventing and Curing Diseases

Accelerating Environmental
and Renewable Solutions

Optimizing Brain Health
and Well-being

Building Healthy
and Resilient Communities

Research Roadmap
multiple images. One image shows a researcher pipetting, another shows students gathering around a research demonstration, and the last one is a researcher holding up a slide of samples.
Two researchers smile at substance in a vial.

OVCR Research Centers and Institutes

A thriving research center or institute is a powerful force for new ideas and beneficial change. At UNC-Chapel Hill, these units work on some of the biggest, most pressing societal issues through cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Faculty members affiliated with research centers and institutes typically retain their appointments in discipline-based departments, continuing to teach students and mentor graduate students. The ability of research centers and institutes to address real-world problems in a comprehensive manner attracts external funding and helps North Carolina compete for economic development opportunities.

Browse all centers