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University of Florida

University of Florida research spending reaches record $1.34 billion in fiscal year 2026


University of Florida faculty conducted a record $1.34 billion in research in fiscal year 2026, advancing discoveries in medicine, agriculture, engineering, space and many other fields.

“University of Florida researchers continue to address some of society's most important challenges while creating new opportunities for innovation and economic growth,” said UF President Stuart Bell, Ph.D. “This record level of research activity reflects both the quality of our people and the confidence that funding agencies, industry partners and the State of Florida place in their work.”

The research spending figures are estimates based on UF's response to the National Science Foundation's annual Higher Education Research and Development, or HERD, Survey, the national standard for comparing university research activity, which will be finalized early next year. They reflect spending during the fiscal year that ended June 30.

Total research expenditures increased $6.5 million, or 0.5%, over last year. Spending on federally funded projects totaled $586.2 million, a decrease of 4.3% from FY2025. Research supported by state and local governments increased 5.8% to $245.4 million, while industry-funded research rose 10.5% to $45.8 million. UF's institutional investment in research increased 9% to $306.4 million. Research expenditures supported by nonprofit organizations totaled $56.9 million, a decrease of 5.7% from the previous year.

“UF researchers continue to receive funding to tackle challenges that matter to Florida, the nation and the world,” said David Norton, Ph.D., UF’s vice president for research. “While the research funding landscape continues to evolve, growth in state support and industry partnerships helped sustain another record year of research activity.”

Public and private agencies typically award multi-year funding to the university based on competitive proposals submitted by researchers. UF researchers secured $1.09 billion in new federal awards during FY2026 which will translate into expenditures for salaries, construction, equipment and supplies, and other expenses over the life of the award.

Here are some significant new research projects funded during FY2026:

  • The National Institutes of Health awarded $43 million to UF and Florida State University to sustain and expand their collaborative Clinical and Translational Science Award hub. The award will help accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into clinical practice, strengthen workforce development and improve health outcomes for communities across Florida and beyond.
  • A $7.5 million grant from the Florida Department of Health is supporting the development and implementation of Gator MOMitor, a smartphone app developed by College of Medicine researchers to help new mothers monitor and report postpartum complications including high blood pressure, depression, diabetes-related concerns and infection. The tool enables earlier intervention by health care providers and seeks to improve maternal health outcomes during the critical weeks following childbirth.
  • A $3.5 million award from the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium, a nonprofit partnership that works with the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command -- is supporting researchers from the College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Public Health and Health Professions as they develop new methods to identify and monitor dengue fever, yellow fever and other emerging viruses.
  • A $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Science researchers is supporting the development of new strategies to combat laurel wilt disease and improve the resilience of Florida's $100 million avocado industry.
  • Backed by a $3 million National Science Foundation award, UF researchers are combining living cells with solid-state materials to create next-generation biosensors capable of detecting pathogens and environmental contaminants in real time. The technology could have applications in environmental monitoring, health care and national security.

Nearly half of UF's research expenditures were concentrated in the biomedical sciences. The College of Medicine in Gainesville and Jacksonville conducted $368 million in research, while the College of Pharmacy reported $38.5 million, the College of Public Health and Health Professions $36 million, the College of Veterinary Medicine $35.5 million, the College of Dentistry $22.1 million and the College of Nursing $4.6 million. The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute accounted for another $92.8 million in research expenditures.

UF/IFAS recorded $302.8 million in research expenditures during FY2026. Headquartered on UF's Gainesville campus and with research and education centers throughout the state, UF/IFAS researchers provide innovations in agriculture, natural resources, food systems and environmental sustainability.

Researchers in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering conducted $181.1 million in research on topics such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, resilience and advanced manufacturing. Faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recorded $64.1 million in expenditures, much of it in areas of basic research like physics, chemistry, biology and astronomy that underpin advances in medicine, engineering and agriculture.

Research expenditures totaled $58.7 million across other UF colleges, including the College of Education, College of Health and Human Performance, College of Design, Construction and Planning, Florida Museum of Natural History, Warrington College of Business, College of Journalism and Communications, Levin College of Law and College of the Arts.

UF Innovate reported a record 463 invention disclosures, filed 500 patent applications, secured 162 issued patents, completed 320 licensing agreements and launched 12 startup companies. These metrics place UF among the nation's top-performing universities in moving discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace and creating new companies, products and economic opportunities.

“Research funding fuels discovery, and discovery fuels innovation,” Norton said. “The strong commercialization results we saw in 2026 reflect the quality of the research being conducted across the University of Florida and our commitment to translating new knowledge into products, companies and solutions that benefit society.”