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](/research/research-institute/-img/in-focus--6.png)
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.
![A student works with a drone in the Remote Sensing Lab at SLU](/research/research-institute/-img/in-focus--2.png)
Geospatial Science & Technology
![A student studies a manuscript in Pius Library](/research/research-institute/-img/in-focus--3.png)
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.
![A student studies a sample under the microscope in a pain management lab](/research/research-institute/-img/in-focus--4.png)
![A biology student studies a plant in one of the University's greenhouses](/research/research-institute/-img/in-focus--5.png)
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?
![A scientists studies a sample in a lab](/research/research-institute/-img/in-focus--1.png)
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.