Carolina’s research impact | UNC-Chapel Hill Alert Carolina! Normal The University is currently operating under normal conditions Tuesday, March 17th, 2026 Carolina is a world-class research university where great ideas turn into outcomes that improve the quality of life for all people. Our work also fuels North Carolina's economy, supporting businesses, meeting community needs and caring for our citizens. We train future leaders with hands-on learning experiential opportunities in labs and field sites across the state and globe. Learn how the University’s research serves North Carolina, the nation and beyond By the numbers UNC research impact No. 9 ranked research university in the nation No. 7 public research university in the nation More than $1 billion attracted to the state's economy each year All 100 NC counties benefit from Carolina's research 3,200 NC businesses supported by UNC Research 2,402 projects directly addressing the needs of NC residents From Alamance to Yancey counties, Carolina’s researchers study specific issues impacting North Carolina residents. We investigate new cancer therapies, develop technologies to address Alzheimer’s disease and research brain injuries in veterans. UNC-Chapel Hill’s research enterprise invests in all communities and provides jobs to North Carolinians. The dedication and passion of our researchers translates into positive impact for the entire Tar Heel State Several University Research Week events will showcase this work. The Research & Discovery Fair on Oct. 22 will feature over 25 research labs and projects from across campus. Learn more about the Fair and other events on the University Research Week website Preventing and curing diseases Accelerating environmental and renewable solutions Optimizing brain health and well-being Building healthy and resilient communities Applying AI to benefit and save lives Assistant professor Antonia Sebastian describes her work in flood modeling and flood hazard research. Pedro Sáenz’s lab is making waves with math, using the behavior of fluids to improve our understanding of quantum particles. Four Carolina experts describe artificial intelligence’s current and future impact on health care, physics and information technology. The UNC School of Medicine’s Grégory Scherrer studies pain-relief alternatives to potentially addictive opioids. This year’s faculty service award winner equips elementary schools with DIY microscopes and mentors Covenant scholars. English faculty members Jordynn Jack and Courtney Rivard examine the effects of PFAS exposure on local people’s lives. Dr. Jeffrey Stringer merged an artificial intelligence app with a portable ultrasound device to improve maternal and child health. Sheryl Zimmerman has transformed Carolina into a national leader in nursing home and assisted living research. Carolina scientists define lab automation and create AI that enables a robot to work beside humans. The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health scientist received the prestigious fellowship for helping prevent drug overdose deaths. The chemist’s trailblazing work on PFAS and upcycling plastics earned him this distinguished $250,000 prize for early-career researchers. These postdoctoral scholars show promise in their research of cancer, diabetes, gut bacteria, brain function and precision medicine. Pedro Sáenz’s lab is making waves with math, using the behavior of fluids to improve our understanding of quantum particles. In her Psychology of Sport Injury Laboratory, undergraduate students can do research that helps athletes recover. At the UNC School of Education’s Translational Adolescent Research Lab, he builds practical tools to support their mental health. Susan Cohen uses drones to give students hands-on experience in cutting-edge environmental research. Madyson Barber: Discovering a new planet Amartya Banerjee: Using AI to design proteins Mia Laws: Determining ACL tear risk John Wilkerson, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences' physics department, discusses the significance of their recent findings and the role neutrinos play in understanding our universe. A recent study from the School of Medicine demonstrated how the state's Health Opportunities Pilot lowered Medicaid costs for members. Cuts to federal research funding worry Kirsten Bryant, assistant professor in the School of Medicine, whose work is leading to treatments to help pancreatic cancer patients live longer Jennifer Platt, adjunct assistant professor at the Gillings School of Global Public Health and co-founder of Tick-Borne Conditions United, discusses the significance of recent reports identifying black-legged ticks as transmitters of red meat allergy. Penny Gordon-Larsen, vice chancellor for research, writes about the proposed cap on federal research funding. F&A costs are shared investments that the federal government makes to ensure our global competitiveness and leadership in science and innovations that save and transform lives, protect and defend our national security, feed our nation, and more. For decades, sustained investment from our state and federal partners has nurtured the rich research ecosystem we benefit from today, Penny Gordon-Larsen writes. Learn more about Carolina research Read more about Carolina’s research efforts in The Well, the University’s newsletter. It sends twice a week over the summer and three times a week during the academic year. UNC Research University Research Week UNC Research Stories Share on Mastodon