Our Research

BU research crosses disciplines, defies convention, and transcends borders.

We’re not just making an impact, we’re transforming the world. For the better. As a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), an invitation-only group of 71 of North America’s most prestigious research universities, BU is committed to leading breakthroughs in everything from African studies to zebra fish genetics.

Featured Research

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Doctor examines brain MRI scans closely for medical diagnosis in a hospital environment

Accolades

$9M Grant Awarded to BU Co-Led Research to Advance Understanding and Early Detection of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common cause of brain bleeds in older adults and […]

Accolades

Fast Company Names Boston University–Designed Sound Shield a “World Changing Idea”

Technology could make air conditioners, airplanes, and data centers quieter

Boston University researcher Cara Lewis works with a study participant at the Human Adaptation Lab

Biomedical Engineering

Would Better Hip Care for Young Female Athletes Prevent Pain and Surgery Later in Life?

Most research into athletes’ hips only studies boys and men. With prevention and better training […]

Image of deep sea with light from surface filtering in

Environment & Ecology

In His New Book, The Dark Frontier, BU Biologist Explores the Deep Sea—and Provides a Warning on Its Future

Jeffrey Marlow combines journalism, historical narrative, and policy work to illuminate the ocean’s depths before […]

Women in Florida protesting COVID shutdowns

Public Policy

How Do Social Movements Emerge—and Why Do Some Radicalize?

New book, Protests and Radicalization in the Digital Age: The Reopen Movement, explores protest and […]

Computer Science

Boston University Joins National Science Foundation Institute Pushing Frontiers of Physics and AI

AI Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions includes MIT, Harvard, and other leading local […]

PhD student Pranav Sultania accepts the Anthony Janetos Climate Action Prize on behalf of his team from Janetos’ widow Valerie Gamache and BU’s Dennis Carlberg,

Accolades

Squid-Inspired Lab Technology Wins Student Team a Boston University Climate Award

Anthony Janetos Climate Action Prize given to project that makes lab fluid pumps greener, quieter, […]

Research Stories

We Can Predict Space Weather. What If We Could Also Stop It?

Solar flares and geomagnetic storms can kill satellites and mess with GPS. A BU researcher […]

Facts & Figures

The significant breadth and depth of our research capabilities. At a glance.

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AAU

1 of 71 members of the Association of American Universities

200 +

companies developing and selling products based on BU discoveries

65.8 %

of federal funding is from the National Institutes of Health (FY25)

$ 574.25 M

total research awards in FY25

7,609

publications in 2024

Featured Researchers

Many of our researchers have risen to the very pinnacle of their fields. You just have to meet them.

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Natalia Escobar-Pemberthy
Program Manager, Clean Energy and Environment Legacy Transition (CELT) Initiative, Institute for Global Sustainability
Robert A. Davey
Director, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) Professor of Microbiology, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
M. Patricia Fabian
Associate Director, Institute for Global Sustainability Professor, Environmental Health
Ji-Xin Cheng
Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering
Emily Ryan
Associate Director, Institute for Global Sustainability Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering
John T. Ngo
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Ayse K. Coskun
Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development, College of Engineering Director, Center for Information and Systems Engineering Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering
Jonathan Buonocore
Assistant Professor, Environmental Health Core Faculty, Institute for Global Sustainability
M. Selim Ünlü
Distinguished Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering
Cutler J. Cleveland
Associate Director, Institute for Global Sustainability Professor, Earth & Environment
Jörg Werner
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering
Brian Walsh
Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Mark Grinstaff
William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor, Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry
Adrian Whitty
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Xuezhou (Jack) Zhang
Assistant Professor, Computing & Data Sciences

Student Research

We don’t just support student research, we fund it through our Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). With the guidance of faculty advisors, students can get involved in groundbreaking research from their very first year at BU. See how.

Learn More

Annual Report

What do our researchers accomplish in 365 days? Even more than you may think.

Read our annual report

BU research crosses disciplines, defies convention, and transcends borders.

Featured Research

$9M Grant Awarded to BU Co-Led Research to Advance Understanding and Early Detection of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy

Fast Company Names Boston University–Designed Sound Shield a “World Changing Idea”

Would Better Hip Care for Young Female Athletes Prevent Pain and Surgery Later in Life?

In His New Book, The Dark Frontier, BU Biologist Explores the Deep Sea—and Provides a Warning on Its Future

How Do Social Movements Emerge—and Why Do Some Radicalize?

Boston University Joins National Science Foundation Institute Pushing Frontiers of Physics and AI

Squid-Inspired Lab Technology Wins Student Team a Boston University Climate Award

We Can Predict Space Weather. What If We Could Also Stop It?

Facts & Figures

Featured Researchers

Natalia Escobar-Pemberthy

Robert A. Davey

M. Patricia Fabian

Ji-Xin Cheng

Emily Ryan

John T. Ngo

Ayse K. Coskun

Jonathan Buonocore

M. Selim Ünlü

Cutler J. Cleveland

Jörg Werner

Brian Walsh

Mark Grinstaff

Adrian Whitty

Xuezhou (Jack) Zhang

Student Research

Annual Report

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