Dr. Huazhen Fang from KU’s School of Engineering demonstrates an experiment using a variety of wires and his skills honed through years of experience in KU research opportunities.

KU Research

At KU, we’re determined to power the economy, service our region’s medical needs, and create a beneficial future for all. As one of only 38 public institutions with membership in the Association of American Universities, a group of America’s leading research universities, Jayhawks imagine a better world and make it happen.

Stats 1

$546.1M
in research EXPENDITURES
334
KU invention disclosures in the past five years
Top 60
among U.S. public universities for granted utility patents

Ingenuity to better the world

KU researchers pioneer new paradigms in cancer treatment. Create thousands of jobs every year. Scour ancient Antarctic plant life. Forge actionable paths toward a sustainable future. Whatever the challenge, Jayhawks are there to question, investigate, and solve.

Links

Stats 2

51
active startup companies with more than half based in Kansas
Top 1%
nationwide ranking for the University of Kansas’ Cancer Center
5,595
Kansas jobs supported by research expenditures in FY24
Instructors and students at KU’s Life Span Institute strive to improve the health of individuals and communities through research, service, and outreach.

Bolstering Kansas and powering local communities

The talent of our faculty and students drives our vision for an even stronger and more prosperous Kansas. KU research employs thousands of regional workers and forms the basis for over 50 active startups, more than half of them based in Kansas. Equipped with knowledge and experience earned from a top research institution, Jayhawks leave KU ready to elevate the region’s workforce.

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A student in a lab coat and safety glasses conducts an experiment in one of KU’s cutting-edge research laboratories.

Jayhawk imagination creates innovation  

KU fosters expertise and forward thinking for a variety of commercial endeavors. Sponsoring or collaborating with KU research is a cost-effective investment in your business’s future and gets you access to state-of-the-art facilities, powerful minds, and an energic spirit of service.

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Resources

50
academic programs in the top 50 among public universities —U.S. News & World Report
11
research centers and institutes
40+
core research labs
A collage illustrates locations and avenues for research at KU, including views of the KU Innovation Park exterior and a collective of researchers gathering for a meeting in a conference room.

Enriching the economy

KU Innovation Park connects established companies with KU resources and skills. In collaboration with more than 70 companies, it has created over 675 private sector jobs and $45.1 million in annual payroll. More than 4,000 direct jobs are expected by 2036.

Link

Space to create world-changing ideas

Our research spans cultures, disciplines, centuries, and continents. KU faculty, researchers, and students lead the way with trail-blazing ambition. With five campuses across Kansas, KU takes pride in our status as one of the leading research institutions in the nation.

Resources

A wide range of research with far-reaching outcomes

We deliver on new ways to power the future by researching major challenges facing the world and society.

Development across the lifespan

Advancing educational, social, and behavioral approaches to address developmental challenges

Earth, energy, and environment

Increasing understanding to help sustain the life of our planet and its inhabitants

Human experience in the digital age

Exploring what is gained and lost in the human experience as we find ourselves inundated with new technologies

Molecules and medicines

Advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human disease

Safety and security

Developing new approaches to combat emerging threats and vulnerabilities