Centers & 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.
On this page:
Vice Chancellor for Research Centers & Institutes
UNC-CH Research Centers & Institutes by Subject Area
Vice Chancellor for Research Centers & Institutes
Carolina Population Center (CPC):
The Carolina Population Center is a community of scholars and professionals collaborating on interdisciplinary research and methods that advance understanding of population issues.
Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research (Sheps):
The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research seeks to improve the health of individuals, families, and populations by understanding the problems, issues and alternatives in the design and delivery of health care services.
Center for Galapagos Studies (CGS):
To address the current challenges facing the Galapagos Islands such as population growth, resource conflict, and economic development, a collaborative partnership has been created between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador. The partnership is designed to foster research, education, and outreach programs in the islands, with the larger goals of advancing conservation efforts in the Galapagos and promoting better understanding of ecologically sensitive and protected areas worldwide.
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP):
The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention addresses pressing health problems by collaborating with communities to conduct research, provide training, and translate research findings into policy and practice. The Center seeks to reduce health disparities through an emphasis on community-engaged research.
Coastal Resilience Center (CRC):
The CRC initiative led by UNC-Chapel Hill will include collaboration with more than a dozen partner universities to address the unique challenges facing communities across the United States that are vulnerable to coastal hazards.
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG):
The FPG Child Development Institute, a multidisciplinary institute at UNC-Chapel Hill, recognizes that every child deserves a safe, healthy, and stimulating childhood. Our work is dedicated to making this a reality for all children.
Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC):
For over 40 years, the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center has conducted interdisciplinary research aimed at reducing deaths, injuries and related societal costs of roadway crashes.
Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science (Odum):
The mission of the Odum Institute parallels that of the University as a whole — teaching, research, and service — but the Institute’s focus is on the social sciences.
Injury Prevention Research Center (IPRC):
The Center’s mission is to build the field of injury prevention and control through a combination of interdisciplinary scholarly approaches to research, intervention, and evaluation as well as through the training of the next generation of researchers and practitioners.
Institute for the Environment (IE):
The Institute for the Environment educates future environmental leaders and engages with the people of North Carolina and the nation to address and solve environmental challenges.
Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS):
The Institute’s mission is to conduct cutting-edge research, train young scientists, provide expertise to governmental agencies and industry, and to promote new knowledge to inform public policy.
Nutrition Research Institute (NRI):
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), located in Kannapolis, NC and part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is leading the development of “individualized nutrition” – understanding why people’s metabolism and nutrition requirements differ from one another.
Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI):
RENCI (RENaissance Computing Institute) develops and deploys advanced technologies to enable research discoveries and practical innovations.
Health
Blood Research Center:
The UNC Blood Research Center (BRC) was established to promote interdisciplinary research in non-malignant blood disorders across UNC.
Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (BCAS):
Our mission is to conduct, coordinate, and promote basic and clinical research on the causes, prevention, and treatment of alcoholism and alcoholic disease.
Carolina Breastfeeding Institute (CGBI):
Our mission is to create an enabling environment, at the community, state, national and global levels, in which every mother is supported to achieve optimal infant and young child feeding and care, and every child achieves its full potential through the best start on life.
Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence (C-CCNE):
C-CCNE focuses on improving cancer disease control and management with exciting new and cutting edge nanotechnologies to enhance treatment and early detection of cancer.
Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD):
The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities is a comprehensive program for services, research, and training relevant to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families., the Carolina Institute provides a continuum of clinical services from complex, interdisciplinary evaluations on-site to more limited and selected clinical services and training in all 100 counties in North Carolina.
Carolina Population Center (CPC):
The Carolina Population Center is a community of scholars and professionals collaborating on interdisciplinary research and methods that advance understanding of population issues.
Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research (Sheps):
The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research seeks to improve the health of individuals, families, and populations by understanding the problems, issues and alternatives in the design and delivery of health care services.
Center for Aging and Health (Division of Geriatric Medicine) (CAH):
From providing patient care to finding ways to bring evidence-based research and training to improving clinical care, our faculty, clinicians, researchers, and educators all work to improve the quality of life for our aging population—that’s why we are the Center for Aging and Health.
Center for AIDS Research (CFAR):
The purpose of the UNC CFAR is to provide infrastructure to support investigation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic using clinical research, behavioral research, research into HIV biology and pathogenesis at the molecular level, and educational outreach.
Center for Bioethics:
The Center for Bioethics facilitates research, education and consultation on ethical issues in biomedical research and health care. The center is sponsored by the School of Medicine and includes faculty from, and partnerships with, programs across the University and the UNC Health system.
Center for Bioinformatics:
The staff at the Center for Bioinformatics promote the use of computational tools for molecular biology, genetics, protein chemistry, and biochemistry research at the University of North Carolina.
Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility (CEHS):
The Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility in the UNC-Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health promotes state-of-the-art research on environmental health and translates that Center research to help reduce the burden of environmentally related disease.
Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology (CEMALB):
The Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology (CEMALB) is broadly concerned with environmental impacts on human health and on cardiopulmonary health in particular.
Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders (FGIDC):
Our mission is to advance the biopsychosocial understanding and treatment of functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders through an integrated approach to patient care, research, training and education.
Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease (CGIBD):
The mission of the CGIBD is to promote and enhance multidisciplinary digestive disease research.
Center for Genomics and Society:
The Center for Genomics and Society aims to: conduct integrated research on ELSI issues raised by large-scale genomic studies; use ELSI expertise to inform genomic research and policy; provide training, education and outreach, particularly focused on underrepresented minorities, to foster continued ELSI research on large-scale genomics that is informed by diverse perspectives.
Center for Health Equity Research (CHER):
The mission of the Center for Health Equity Research is to authentically partner with communities for innovative health equity research, practice and education.
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP):
The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention addresses pressing health problems by collaborating with communities to conduct research, provide training, and translate research findings into policy and practice. The Center seeks to reduce health disparities through an emphasis on community-engaged research.
Center for Heart and Vascular Care:
Our center encompasses all clinical care of patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Center for Human Movement Science:
The Center for Human Movement Science studies three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data and muscle activities of human movements through statistical analyses or biomechanical modeling as well as the interactions between neuromuscular controls of human movements and a variety of external environments.
Center for Innovation in Health Disparities Research:
Through their research, faculty seek to understand and eliminate health disparities in those populations that bear the greatest burden of illness: the poor, African Americans, Latinos, and those living in rural areas
Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery:
The Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery was created with the mission of bringing dedicated medicinal chemistry expertise to bear on biological targets of therapeutic relevance under investigation by UNC faculty.
Center for Maternal and Infant Health (CMIH):
Our goal is to improve the health of North Carolina’s women and infants.
Center for Medication Optimization through Practice and Policy:
Delivering high-value, effective therapies and clinical services continues to be a transcending challenge confronting the U.S. health-care system. The Center for Medication Optimization through Practice and Policy at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy strives to offer a solution to this problem.
Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery (CNDD):
Our focus in the CNDD is to safely and effectively translate new drug and imaging discoveries into clinical trials using nanotechnology with the goal to improve human health.
Center for Research on Chronic Illness (CRCI):
Faculty are known for their strong programs of research on the prevention and management of chronic illness.
Center for Structural Biology (CSB):
The Center for Structural Biology is an integrated platform of expertise, education, and infrastructure for making structural biology available as a tool to the general researcher.
Center for the Study of Retired Athletes (CSRA):
The Center for the Study of Retired Athletes at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) is investigating the spectrum of physical and mental challenges that retired athletes face.
Center for Women’s Health Research (CWHR):
The Center for Women’s Health Research at UNC is dedicated to learning more about diseases, disorders, and conditions that affect women only, women predominately, and women differently than men.
Center for Women’s Mood Disorders:
The UNC Center for Women’s Mood Disorders offers both clinical and research programs to address the needs of women with reproductive mood disorders.
Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center (CSCC):
The mission of the CSCC is to improve public health by coordinating important health research, developing innovative research methodology, and providing practical training in the application of research methods.
Cystic Fibrosis/Pulmonary Research and Treatment Center:
The Pulmonary Division encompasses the care and treatment of persons with lung diseases, basic and clinical research into the causes and treatment of these diseases and advanced education of pulmonary physicians and scientists.
Dental Research Center:
The School of Dentistry’s faculty, students, research fellows, and visiting scholars generate new knowledge in the basic, applied and clinical sciences, as well as in the areas of health services, health policy and health education.
Ear and Hearing Center (EHC):
Improving hearing health for patients of all ages.
Gene Therapy Center (GTC):
The University of North Carolina School of Medicine created the Gene Therapy Center in 1996 with the goal of merging molecular genetics research with healthcare delivery. The Gene Therapy Center provides important resources to academic investigators through two core facilities created to support preclinical and clinical gene therapy studies.
Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC):
For over 40 years, the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center has conducted interdisciplinary research aimed at reducing deaths, injuries and related societal costs of roadway crashes.
Injury Prevention Research Center (IPRC):
The Center’s mission is to build the field of injury prevention and control through a combination of interdisciplinary scholarly approaches to research, intervention, and evaluation as well as through the training of the next generation of researchers and practitioners.
Institute for Convergent Science:
The UNC Institute for Convergent Science builds and supports imaginative teams with disciplined practices in spaces designed for collaboration. Through creative partnerships and our “Ready, Set, Go” innovation framework, we help move ideas from basic research into transformative applications.
Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases:
The Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases is a pan-university institute focused on global health research, teaching, and service in three target regions: Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Institute for Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy (IPIT):
Our Vision is to revolutionize medical practice by creating a new structure to generate and implement new systems for optimal therapy selection for individual patients.
Kidney Center (UNCKC):
The mission of the UNC Kidney Center is to reduce the burden of chronic kidney disease through discovery about the pathophysiology and therapeutics of the disease; through the development and assessment of educational programs about kidney disease for North Carolinians and their primary care physicians and by providing physicians and citizens access to information about the causes and treatments of kidney disease.
Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC):
The center brings together some of the most exceptional physicians and scientists in the country to investigate and improve the prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer.
McAllister Heart Institute (MHI):
The mission of the UNC McAllister Heart Institute is to provide a world class environment for basic, preclinical, and applied cardiovascular research.
N.C. Children’s Center for Clinical Excellence (CCE):
N.C. Children’s Center for Clinical Excellence aims to build a sustainable quality improvement (QI) infrastructure at N.C. Children’s Hospital. We provide experiential learning for faculty, staff, and trainees by integrating QI projects and training in our inpatient, outpatient, and community settings.
National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Center (NCCSI):
The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research collects and disseminates death and permanent disability sports injury data that involve brain and/or spinal cord injuries.
NC Translational & Clinical Sciences Institute (TraCS):
The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute at UNC-CH is one of 60 medical research institutions working together as a national consortium to improve the way biomedical research is conducted across the country.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center: Developmental Neuroimaging Laboratory (NDRC):
The Developmental Neuroimaging Laboratory provides consultation and support for all these stages of design and implementation of neuroimaging studies, and provides access to well-established methods for the acquisition and analysis of MR data in the context of the EKSIDDRC projects involving these assessments.
Neuroscience Center (UNCNC):
Our mission is to promote neuroscience research at UNC-Chapel Hill with an emphasis on developmental, genetic, and disease-related processes.
North Carolina AIDS Training and Education Center:
Our primary mission is to meet the training needs of health care providers in North Carolina who diagnose and manage patients with HIV, with a special focus on minority and minority-serving providers, rural providers, and providers working in Ryan White-funded programs.
North Carolina Area Health Educators Centers Program (AHEC):
The mission of the North Carolina AHEC Program is to meet the state’s health and health workforce needs by providing educational programs in partnership with academic institutions, health care agencies, and other organizations committed to improving the health of the people of North Carolina.
North Carolina Institute for Public Health (NCIPH):
Our mission is making a healthier North Carolina by improving public health practice, through four strategic priorities–workforce development, accreditation and quality improvement, public health preparedness, and healthy environments.
North Carolina Oral Health Institute:
The School of Dentistry’s faculty, students, research fellows, and visiting scholars generate new knowledge in the basic, applied and clinical sciences, as well as in the areas of health services, health policy and health education.
Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC):
The UNC Nutrition Obesity Research Center is one of 12 centers in the country funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases that is specifically designed to provide support and expertise to scientists studying the role of nutrition and obesity in public health.
Nutrition Obesity Research Center: Animal Metabolism and Phenotyping Core (NORC):
The Animal Metabolism Phenotyping Core provides access to state of the art phenotyping techinques for metabolism and energy balance in mouse models of nutrition and disease.
Nutrition Obesity Research Center: Clinical Research Services (NORC):
The Clinical Concierge provides assistance to (a) investigators with little or no clinical research experience and (b) for studies that may or may not have funding or a protocol in place.
Nutrition Obesity Research Center: Communication for Health Applications and Intervention (CHAI) (Nutrition Behavioral Intervention) Core (CHAI):
The CHAI Core provides service to research projects that are developing interventions aimed at promoting health and disease prevention. We provide expertise in the areas of web development, survey design, database development, graphic design, gaming, and the facilitation of focus groups and usability testing.
Nutrition Research Institute (NRI):
The UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), located in Kannapolis, NC and part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is leading the development of “individualized nutrition” – understanding why people’s metabolism and nutrition requirements differ from one another.
Systems-Proteomics Center (Sysprot):
The Systems-Proteomics Core Facility provides the following services: 2D-Gel Electrophoresis, 2D-Differential in Gel Electrophoresis, Maldi-MS Tissue Imaging, Protein Network Analysis, Neuroproteomics, Protein arrays, Experimental design for systems proteomics, and analysis of post-translational modifications.
Thurston Arthritis Research Center (TARC):
Our mission is to investigate the causes, consequences and treatments of arthritis and autoimmune diseases, and to reduce their impact on patients, their families and society.
Water Institute:
The vision of the Water Institute at UNC is to bring together individuals and institutions from diverse disciplines and sectors and empower them to work together to solve the most critical global issues in water and health.
Education
Asian American Center (AAC):
The Asian American Center’s mission is to cultivate a critical understanding of Asian American peoples, cultures, and histories.
Carolina Breastfeeding Institute (CGBI):
Our mission is to create an enabling environment, at the community, state, national and global levels, in which every mother is supported to achieve optimal infant and young child feeding and care, and every child achieves its full potential through the best start on life.
Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD):
The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities is a comprehensive program for services, research, and training relevant to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families., the Carolina Institute provides a continuum of clinical services from complex, interdisciplinary evaluations on-site to more limited and selected clinical services and training in all 100 counties in North Carolina.
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP):
The UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention addresses pressing health problems by collaborating with communities to conduct research, provide training, and translate research findings into policy and practice. The Center seeks to reduce health disparities through an emphasis on community-engaged research.
Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER):
The Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) helps students, educators and companies develop the tools to build critical trust and business across boundaries.
Center for Maternal and Infant Health (CMIH):
Our goal is to improve the health of North Carolina’s women and infants.
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG):
The FPG Child Development Institute, a multidisciplinary institute at UNC-Chapel Hill, recognizes that every child deserves a safe, healthy, and stimulating childhood. Our work is dedicated to making this a reality for all children.
Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science (Odum):
The mission of the Odum Institute parallels that of the University as a whole — teaching, research, and service — but the Institute’s focus is on the social sciences.
Institute for the Environment (IE):
The Institute for the Environment educates future environmental leaders and engages with the people of North Carolina and the nation to address and solve environmental challenges.
National Research Center on Rural Education Support (NRCRES):
NRCRES has conducted a focused program of research that addresses significant problems in rural education.
North Carolina AIDS Training and Education Center:
Our primary mission is to meet the training needs of health care providers in North Carolina who diagnose and manage patients with HIV, with a special focus on minority and minority-serving providers, rural providers, and providers working in Ryan White-funded programs.
North Carolina Area Health Educators Centers Program (AHEC):
The mission of the North Carolina AHEC Program is to meet the state’s health and health workforce needs by providing educational programs in partnership with academic institutions, health care agencies, and other organizations committed to improving the health of the people of North Carolina.
Parr Center for Ethics:
The Parr Center is an embodiment of the University’s commitment to ethics. Our aim is to promote ethical development by providing the necessary resources — theoretical development, empirical knowledge, and discussion opportunities — to explore and advance our understanding of ethical issues.
Triangle Institute for Security Studies (TISS):
TISS, a consortium of Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and NCSU, was founded in 1958. Its mission is to promote interdisciplinary cooperation among faculty, graduate students, and the public. Its objective is to advance research and education in the field of national and international security.
Business
Center for Decision Research (C4DR):
The UNC Behavioral Lab was founded in 2005 to help support and promote research on judgment and decision making, as well as other work related to individual, group and organizational phenomena.
Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER):
The Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) helps students, educators and companies develop the tools to build critical trust and business across boundaries.
Environmental Finance Center (EFC):
The EFC at UNC is dedicated to enhancing the ability of governments to provide environmental programs and services in fair, effective and financially sustainable ways.
Institute for Private Capital:
The Institute for Private Capital improves public understanding of the role of private capital in the global economy. Academic and industry experts work together to generate new knowledge about private capital markets based on objective academic research.
Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise:
The Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise is a research and consulting organization based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
NC Translational & Clinical Sciences Institute (TraCS):
The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute at UNC-CH is one of 60 medical research institutions working together as a national consortium to improve the way biomedical research is conducted across the country.
Technology
Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence (C-CCNE):
C-CCNE focuses on improving cancer disease control and management with exciting new and cutting edge nanotechnologies to enhance treatment and early detection of cancer.
Center for Bioinformatics:
The staff at the Center for Bioinformatics promote the use of computational tools for molecular biology, genetics, protein chemistry, and biochemistry research at the University of North Carolina.
Center for Innovation in Health Disparities Research:
Through their research, faculty seek to understand and eliminate health disparities in those populations that bear the greatest burden of illness: the poor, African Americans, Latinos, and those living in rural areas
Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery (CNDD):
Our focus in the CNDD is to safely and effectively translate new drug and imaging discoveries into clinical trials using nanotechnology with the goal to improve human health.
Global Social Development Innovations:
GSDI’s mission is to create innovative interventions, build knowledge, produce evidence, and, in collaboration with local stakeholders, shape policy towards the well-being of marginalized populations globally.
Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC):
For over 40 years, the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center has conducted interdisciplinary research aimed at reducing deaths, injuries and related societal costs of roadway crashes.
Institute for Convergent Science:
The UNC Institute for Convergent Science builds and supports imaginative teams with disciplined practices in spaces designed for collaboration. Through creative partnerships and our “Ready, Set, Go” innovation framework, we help move ideas from basic research into transformative applications.
NC Translational & Clinical Sciences Institute (TraCS):
The North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute at UNC-CH is one of 60 medical research institutions working together as a national consortium to improve the way biomedical research is conducted across the country.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center: Developmental Neuroimaging Laboratory (NDRC):
The Developmental Neuroimaging Laboratory provides consultation and support for all these stages of design and implementation of neuroimaging studies, and provides access to well-established methods for the acquisition and analysis of MR data in the context of the EKSIDDRC projects involving these assessments.
North Carolina Center for Nanoscale Materials (NCCNM):
The research activities in the center are directed towards understanding the fundamental science of nanoscale materials and utilizing their unique properties for commerical applications.
Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI):
RENCI (RENaissance Computing Institute) develops and deploys advanced technologies to enable research discoveries and practical innovations.
Solar Energy Research Center (SERC):
SERC, the UNC Solar Energy Research Center is positioning the University to be a leader in formulating a sustainable energy future. Our current research focus is on solar fuels by artificial photosynthesis and next-generation organic and hybrid photovoltaics.
Social/Humanities
African Studies Center (ASC):
The staff and programs of the African Studies Center work to provide the University and the people of North Carolina with a campus hub for interdisciplinary inquiry and communication on Africa, including the sponsorship of a wide variety of activities that bring together interested faculty and students from a large number of academic disciplines, focusing on the interconnected issues of democratization, development, health, and gender.
American Indian Center (AIC):
The mission of the American Indian Center is to bridge the richness of North Carolina’s American Indian cultures with the strengths of Carolina’s research, education, and teaching.
Ancient World Mapping Center (AWMC):
The Ancient World Mapping Center promotes cartography, historical geography and geographic information science as essential disciplines within the field of ancient studies through innovative and collaborative research, teaching, and community outreach activities.
Asian American Center (AAC):
The Asian American Center’s mission is to cultivate a critical understanding of Asian American peoples, cultures, and histories.
Carolina Asia Center (CAC):
The CAC has three core activities: cutting-edge research; innovative teaching; and the development of strategic partnerships. The CAC works with partner organizations to coordinate Carolina’s broad Asian studies agenda, facilitating multidisciplinary approaches to Asian Studies, embedding Asian languages and area studies in the curriculum, and enhancing the Carolina student’s experience of Asia.
Carolina Center for Jewish Studies (CCJS):
The Carolina Center for Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill unites the general public, students and faculty from various academic disciplines who share a common passion for a deeper understanding of Jewish history, culture and thought.
Carolina Population Center (CPC):
The Carolina Population Center is a community of scholars and professionals collaborating on interdisciplinary research and methods that advance understanding of population issues.
Center for European Studies (CES):
Our mission is to advance understanding of the social, political, and economic events that shape contemporary Europe, in particular the European integration project.
Center for Genomics and Society:
The Center for Genomics and Society aims to: conduct integrated research on ELSI issues raised by large-scale genomic studies; use ELSI expertise to inform genomic research and policy; provide training, education and outreach, particularly focused on underrepresented minorities, to foster continued ELSI research on large-scale genomics that is informed by diverse perspectives.
Center for Integrating Research and Action (CIRA):
Collaborations for Integrating Research and Action (CIRA) at the University of North Carolina –Chapel Hill is an initiative bringing together university-based researchers with community-based leaders to collaborate on producing research/action projects to advance sustainable development and community well-being and social justice in North Carolina and beyond.
Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies (CMEIS):
The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies promotes understanding of the Middle East through teaching, research, and community outreach.
Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies (CSEEES):
The Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies (CSEEES) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill fosters a comprehensive knowledge of the histories, cultures, languages and institutions of this important and rapidly changing region.
Center for the Study of the American South (CSAS):
The Center for the Study of the American South extends the historic role of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as the world’s premier institution for research, teaching, and public dialogue on the history, culture, and contemporary experience of the southern United States.
Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS):
The Center’s mission is to promote and support within UNC-Chapel Hill, high-quality basic and applied research on urban, regional and rural planning and policy issues.
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG):
The FPG Child Development Institute, a multidisciplinary institute at UNC-Chapel Hill, recognizes that every child deserves a safe, healthy, and stimulating childhood. Our work is dedicated to making this a reality for all children.
Global Social Development Innovations:
GSDI’s mission is to create innovative interventions, build knowledge, produce evidence, and, in collaboration with local stakeholders, shape policy towards the well-being of marginalized populations globally.
Howard W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science (Odum):
The mission of the Odum Institute parallels that of the University as a whole — teaching, research, and service — but the Institute’s focus is on the social sciences.
Institute for the Arts and Humanities (IAH):
The IAH funds individual and collaborative research, showcases faculty work, develops faculty leaders and teachers, and facilitates the formation of collaborative, interdisciplinary communities that promote intellectual exchange.
Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA):
The Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge of the Latin American experience in the Western Hemisphere.
Institute of African-American Research (IAAR):
The Institute of African American Research serves to facilitate, support, and promote research being done by scholars of African American Studies in every discipline.
North Carolina Center for South Asia Studies (NCCSAS):
The NCCSAS seeks to promote research and teaching in the languages and cultures of South Asia in the constituent universities of the Triangle South Asia Consortium and the region.
Parr Center for Ethics:
The Parr Center is an embodiment of the University’s commitment to ethics. Our aim is to promote ethical development by providing the necessary resources — theoretical development, empirical knowledge, and discussion opportunities — to explore and advance our understanding of ethical issues.
Triangle Institute for Security Studies (TISS):
TISS, a consortium of Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and NCSU, was founded in 1958. Its mission is to promote interdisciplinary cooperation among faculty, graduate students, and the public. Its objective is to advance research and education in the field of national and international security.
Environment
Carolina Population Center (CPC):
The Carolina Population Center is a community of scholars and professionals collaborating on interdisciplinary research and methods that advance understanding of population issues.
Center for Climate, Energy, Environment, and Economics (CE3):
The UNC School of Law Center for Climate, Energy, Environment and Economics (CE3) exists to provide advanced student education and policy and legal examination of issues surrounding the law of climate, energy, environment, and economic development, with particular attention to the intersection of these issues.
Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology (CEMALB):
The Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology (CEMALB) is broadly concerned with environmental impacts on human health and on cardiopulmonary health in particular.
Center for Galapagos Studies (CGS):
To address the current challenges facing the Galapagos Islands such as population growth, resource conflict, and economic development, a collaborative partnership has been created between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador. The partnership is designed to foster research, education, and outreach programs in the islands, with the larger goals of advancing conservation efforts in the Galapagos and promoting better understanding of ecologically sensitive and protected areas worldwide.
Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS):
The Center’s mission is to promote and support within UNC-Chapel Hill, high-quality basic and applied research on urban, regional and rural planning and policy issues.
Coastal Resilience Center (CRC):
The CRC initiative led by UNC-Chapel Hill will include collaboration with more than a dozen partner universities to address the unique challenges facing communities across the United States that are vulnerable to coastal hazards.
Environmental Finance Center (EFC):
The EFC at UNC is dedicated to enhancing the ability of governments to provide environmental programs and services in fair, effective and financially sustainable ways.
Institute for Convergent Science:
The UNC Institute for Convergent Science builds and supports imaginative teams with disciplined practices in spaces designed for collaboration. Through creative partnerships and our “Ready, Set, Go” innovation framework, we help move ideas from basic research into transformative applications.
Institute for the Environment (IE):
The Institute for the Environment educates future environmental leaders and engages with the people of North Carolina and the nation to address and solve environmental challenges.
Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS):
The Institute’s mission is to conduct cutting-edge research, train young scientists, provide expertise to governmental agencies and industry, and to promote new knowledge to inform public policy.
Solar Energy Research Center (SERC):
SERC, the UNC Solar Energy Research Center is positioning the University to be a leader in formulating a sustainable energy future. Our current research focus is on solar fuels by artificial photosynthesis and next-generation organic and hybrid photovoltaics.
Water Institute:
The vision of the Water Institute at UNC is to bring together individuals and institutions from diverse disciplines and sectors and empower them to work together to solve the most critical global issues in water and health.
International
African Studies Center (ASC):
The staff and programs of the African Studies Center work to provide the University and the people of North Carolina with a campus hub for interdisciplinary inquiry and communication on Africa, including the sponsorship of a wide variety of activities that bring together interested faculty and students from a large number of academic disciplines, focusing on the interconnected issues of democratization, development, health, and gender.
Carolina Asia Center (CAC):
The CAC has three core activities: cutting-edge research; innovative teaching; and the development of strategic partnerships. The CAC works with partner organizations to coordinate Carolina’s broad Asian studies agenda, facilitating multidisciplinary approaches to Asian Studies, embedding Asian languages and area studies in the curriculum, and enhancing the Carolina student’s experience of Asia.
Carolina Breastfeeding Institute (CGBI):
Our mission is to create an enabling environment, at the community, state, national and global levels, in which every mother is supported to achieve optimal infant and young child feeding and care, and every child achieves its full potential through the best start on life.
Center for European Studies (CES):
Our mission is to advance understanding of the social, political, and economic events that shape contemporary Europe, in particular the European integration project.
Center for Galapagos Studies (CGS):
To address the current challenges facing the Galapagos Islands such as population growth, resource conflict, and economic development, a collaborative partnership has been created between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador. The partnership is designed to foster research, education, and outreach programs in the islands, with the larger goals of advancing conservation efforts in the Galapagos and promoting better understanding of ecologically sensitive and protected areas worldwide.
Center for Global Initiatives (CGI):
The Center for Global Initiatives is a catalyst for the innovative work of faculty and students at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. It is entrepreneurial and nimble in its approach to fostering initiatives that deepen knowledge and understanding of our complex world.
Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER):
The Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) helps students, educators and companies develop the tools to build critical trust and business across boundaries.
Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies (CMEIS):
The Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies promotes understanding of the Middle East through teaching, research, and community outreach.
Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies (CSEEES):
The Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies (CSEEES) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill fosters a comprehensive knowledge of the histories, cultures, languages and institutions of this important and rapidly changing region.
Global Research Institute (GRI):
The Global Research Institute focuses on research areas in which UNC-Chapel Hill already has significant strengths as a way both to advance knowledge in these areas and to help attract world-renowned scholars to Chapel Hill.
Global Social Development Innovations:
GSDI’s mission is to create innovative interventions, build knowledge, produce evidence, and, in collaboration with local stakeholders, shape policy towards the well-being of marginalized populations globally.
Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases:
The Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases is a pan-university institute focused on global health research, teaching, and service in three target regions: Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA):
The Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge of the Latin American experience in the Western Hemisphere.
North Carolina Center for South Asia Studies (NCCSAS):
The NCCSAS seeks to promote research and teaching in the languages and cultures of South Asia in the constituent universities of the Triangle South Asia Consortium and the region.
Triangle Institute for Security Studies (TISS):
TISS, a consortium of Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and NCSU, was founded in 1958. Its mission is to promote interdisciplinary cooperation among faculty, graduate students, and the public. Its objective is to advance research and education in the field of national and international security.
Transportation & Infrastructure
Center for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS):
The Center’s mission is to promote and support within UNC-Chapel Hill, high-quality basic and applied research on urban, regional and rural planning and policy issues.
Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC):
For over 40 years, the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center has conducted interdisciplinary research aimed at reducing deaths, injuries and related societal costs of roadway crashes.