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Research

Saint Louis University is home to pursuits and discoveries that span the entire academic spectrum. Our research addresses big questions and emerging issues around the globe, from food security to chronic pain to the human spirit.

Since its establishment in 2018, the SLU Research Institute has been dedicated to building an ambitious culture of discovery and innovation at Saint Louis University. Central to our aspiration to become a preeminent Jesuit research university is recognizing and celebrating our most talented researchers. See Our Research Institute Fellows or View Our Annual Impact Report

Dan Hoft, M.D., Ph.D., supervises sample analysis in the Center for Vaccine Development at SLU

Vaccine Development

SLU is an internationally recognized leader in vaccine research and development. The University’s Center for Vaccine Development, home to one of only 10 federally funded Vaccine Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs) in the country, is leading efforts to protect the global population against highly infectious diseases, such as influenza and COVID-19. 

Learn More About SLU's Vaccine Research
A student works with a drone in the Remote Sensing Lab at SLU

Geospatial Science & Technology

St. Louis is emerging as a national hub for geospatial science and technology, a multi-billion dollar industry, and SLU researchers are helping lead the charge. SLU is home to the Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI), a first-of-its-kind institution that brings together eight leading research institutions to collaborate on research into geospatial technology. SLU's geospatial experts are working across disciplines to better understand how location impacts various complex issues, from food security to public health to economic inequity.

Learn More about SLU's Geospatial Research
A student studies a manuscript in Pius Library

Humanities

The humanities are the connective thread between everything we do at SLU. Informed by the University's Jesuit mission, SLU researchers and scholars in the humanities are investigating what it means to build a better world, exploring how humanity is changing in today's hyper-connected society, and more.

Learn More about the Humanities at SLU
A student studies a sample under the microscope in a pain management lab

Addiction & Opioids

The opioid crisis is one of the most devastating health crises of the 21st century. This epidemic sits at the intersection between addiction, pain management and the criminal justice system, making it a worthy challenge for SLU's interdisciplinary approach to research.

Learn More About SLU's Research in Addiction & Opioids
A biology student studies a plant in one of the University's greenhouses

Food

Researchers at SLU are taking an interdisciplinary approach to examine one of life's most essential resources: food. This research brings together experts from a wide range of fields, including biology, health sciences, the humanities, and geospatial science. SLU researchers are developing new partnerships with organizations such as the Danforth Plant Science Center to answer the question: how can we equitably feed the world today and tomorrow?

Learn more about SLU's Food Research
A scientists studies a sample in a lab

Drug Discovery and Development

Over the past several years, drug development has moved away from the old model in which drug discovery was largely handled by major pharmaceutical companies and toward a new model where universities are better equipped to handle this work. Researchers at SLU are seizing on this momentum. The Institute for Drug and Biotherapeutic Innovation (SLU-IDBI) is bringing together researchers to develop new drug treatments focusing on rare and neglected diseases.

Learn more about Drug Discovery at SLU