Research at South Carolina
Research is a learning tool of the highest order at the University of South Carolina. Discovery allows us to illuminate history, contextualize the present, and help plan for what’s to come.
Scientific research, scholarship and creative activity abound throughout USC. That focused presence within nearly all colleges, departments and campuses of the state’s flagship university is one reason Carnegie Foundation has designated South Carolina as an institution of very high research activity.
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Future focused.
USC is home to interdisciplinary expert research teams that are exploring solutions to five scientific and societal challenges facing South Carolina. Their discoveries can have wider implications — benefitting any state grappling with these significant scientific and societal challenges.
Research Institutes
Research Spotlights
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Clinic offers hope to individuals with communication disorders
In South Carolina, 97 percent of newborn infants are screened for hearing ability — and 3.1 percent do not pass. At the Arnold School of Public Health, there’s a clinic that can help.
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Renewed grants, funding growth solidify College of Pharmacy's research leadership
The College of Pharmacy, driven by faculty like Jun Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., and Hippokratis Kiaris, continues to lead in pharmaceutical research with $13 million in sponsored awards in 2024, a 67% increase from last year. Zhu’s groundbreaking work on HIV-related cognitive care recently earned a $3.8 million NIH grant, while Kiaris’ COBRE Center has facilitated over $50 million in research funding. Their efforts contribute to USC’s record $309 million in research funding, solidifying its reputation for global health impact.
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USC-led center spurs scientific improvements to catalyst preparation
One-third of the world’s GDP depends on chemical catalysts, and an industry-university research center led by USC is helping its members better understand how those chemical reaction boosters can be tweaked for peak efficiency.
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USC scientists deploy artificial intelligence, digital twin models to build new resources for medical care
A team of USC scientists is using a $3.4 million grant to develop new technology for personalized medical treatment and more accurate medical diagnoses. USC faculty members from medicine, chemistry and mathematics are leading various aspects of the five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
Let's build a better world.
The resources of the University of South Carolina are poised to address local and global challenges. We work with public and private collaborators to provide our researchers with the resources and infrastructure they need to make a difference.
Partnership Opportunities