Fueling research, scholarship, and innovation 

The Office of the Vice President for Research provides resources and support to researchers, scholars, and creators to forge new frontiers of discovery. Through strategic initiatives, administrative and compliance infrastructure, and core facilities, the unit facilitates a thriving campus culture of collaboration, creativity, and innovation.

The OVPR organization includes six regulatory compliance offices, eight research centers, four core research facilities, research development and communications teams, the UI Research Foundation, and the State Hygienic Laboratory.

iowa research enterprise

Students working on a whiteboard

Supporting researchers and scholars

Providing central support for identifying and winning external funds, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, sharing research with public audiences, celebrating a wide range of research and scholarly accomplishments, and securing critical seed funding

UI Pharmaceuticals Labs

Ensuring regulatory compliance and safety

Ensuring campus-wide compliance with rules and regulations governing research integrity, human and animal subject welfare, conflicts of interest, and the use of potentially harmful agents 

College of Pharmacy faculty researching in the Nejadnik Lab

Managing core facilities

Administering centralized facilities for scientific research—microscopy, fermentation, mass spectrometry, and more

College of Engineering student researcher

Protecting intellectual property

Through its UI Research Foundation, the office helps protect, develop, and bring to market discoveries and inventions derived from UI research, including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and other products

Dare to Discover banner students at celebration event

Expanding undergraduate research

Promoting undergraduate involvement in the research enterprise by facilitating the mentorship of students and providing platforms for students to explore research communication

OSA Advisory Council

Engaging with the public

Serving the state as the public health laboratory; sharing archaeological research with the public; fostering interdisciplinary and policy-minded research; and providing services with broad community impact

Key facts about Iowa research

$ 594M

in FY22 R&D Expenditures

2400 +

active sponsored research projects

1 in 3

UI undergraduates participate in research

Why Iowa?