UC's Research Surges With $346M In Awards

University of Cincinnati sees 6.6% increase in sponsored research funding, with growth in clinical trials and federal rankings.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The University of Cincinnati reached $346 million in sponsored research awards in fiscal year 2025, up 6.6% from the previous year. Funding for clinical trials at UC also climbed, with $88 million in industry-sponsored awards and $33 million in federally sponsored awards - increases of 30% and 38% over fiscal year 2024. UC's research strength is reflected in its ranking as a Top 50 university in the National Science Foundation's Higher Education Research and Development Survey for 2023-2024.

Why it matters

UC's research enterprise plays a vital role in translating discoveries into real-world impact, delivering world-class care to the region and beyond. The growth in sponsored research awards and clinical trial funding demonstrates UC's commitment to solving problems that matter to the community and advancing evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care.

The details

UC's interim vice president for research, Frank Gerner, PhD, noted that expenditures for UC, which included partners at UC Health, Cincinnati Children's, the Cincinnati VA and the UC Research Institute, were $738 million, nearly the same as the previous fiscal year. The College of Engineering and Applied Science received a record $50.1 million in federal grant awards in the last fiscal year, allowing the college to hire graduate students to work on important research problems. The College of Arts and Sciences also launched the artificial intelligence-focused Center for Explainable, Ethical, and Trustworthy AI in 2025, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

  • In fiscal year 2025, UC reached $346 million in sponsored research awards.
  • In fiscal year 2024, UC had $88 million in industry-sponsored clinical trial awards and $33 million in federally sponsored clinical trial awards.
  • The National Science Foundation's Higher Education Research and Development Survey for 2023-2024 ranked UC as a Top 50 university.

The players

Frank Gerner

UC's interim vice president for research.

Brett Kissela

Senior associate dean for clinical research at the UC College of Medicine and chief of research services at UC Health.

John Weidner

UC Interim Provost and former dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Andre Curtis-Trudel

Director of the Center for Explainable, Ethical, and Trustworthy AI and assistant professor of philosophy at UC.

James Mack

Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UC.

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What they’re saying

“Research at the University of Cincinnati and its affiliates continues to demonstrate growth and impact amid a challenging national landscape for higher education and research. We nearly remained even for expenditures, and a 6.6% increase in sponsored awards is worth celebration.”

— Frank Gerner, UC's interim vice president for research (Mirage News)

“The clinical research done at UC brings lifesaving treatments to market, improving health outcomes locally, nationally and globally. UC investigators continue to lead and participate in major clinical trial initiatives, reinforcing UC's position as a trusted partner in advancing evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care.”

— Brett Kissela, Senior associate dean for clinical research at the UC College of Medicine and chief of research services at UC Health (Mirage News)

“What that money allows us to do is hire graduate students to do research. And they're working on important problems that matter.”

— John Weidner, UC Interim Provost (Mirage News)

“AI impacts all human beings, and it is our responsibility as (humans) to ensure we use it properly.”

— James Mack, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at UC (Mirage News)

“With the support of UC leadership and the Office of Research we were able to present the NEH with a proposal that draws on humanities insights to promote the public good.”

— Andre Curtis-Trudel, Director of the Center for Explainable, Ethical, and Trustworthy AI and assistant professor of philosophy at UC (Mirage News)

What’s next

UC is committed to expanding research that positively impacts the broader university community, supporting faculty and students as they pursue innovative, interdisciplinary work.

The takeaway

UC's research enterprise remains stable, adaptive and focused on its mission as a public-serving urban research university, solving problems that matter to the community and beyond. The growth in sponsored research awards and clinical trial funding demonstrates UC's commitment to translating discoveries into real-world impact and advancing evidence-based medicine and patient-centered care.