Research worth fighting for

As America's leading Catholic research university, Notre Dame has long been at the forefront of finding answers to the most pressing questions facing our communities.

With our unique mission to be a force for good, Notre Dame researchers are making discoveries that make our nation healthier, safer, and more resilient.

Within this page, readers can find a few recent examples of how federally funded research at the University is generating the life-changing treatments, innovations, and breakthroughs that can improve the lives of all Americans.

Aedes mosquito with patterned black and white body and legs stands on a reddish surface, proboscis extended, and one leg raised against a dark background.

Researchers deconstruct chikungunya outbreaks to improve prediction and vaccine development

Funding from the Department of Defense supported research to better understand outbreaks of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne illness common in tropical and subtropical regions.

Green ultrasound image of a baby inside a speech bubble with quotes around the bubble.

First impressions count:

New research, funded by the NIMH and NSF, reveals that prenatal care greatly influences how parents perceive their babies and relate to them as they grow up.

Bright green, plastic impeller attached to an orange mount inside a clear and metal experimental box. A gloved hand holds the device. Wires and a separate black box are also visible.

Detecting invisible health hazards

Funding from the US Army Research Office and the NIH has enabled Notre Dame researchers to develop a new, small, low-cost device that warns of airborne pathogens.

Diagram of a teal cell with red dots and colorful Y-shaped antibodies connecting to a lavender cell, a purple cell with green Y-shaped receptors, and a cluster of pink cells with gray Y-shaped receptors.

Fighting for veterans with esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer is more common in veterans than in the general population. With funding from the U.S. Defense Health Agency, Notre Dame researchers are discovering new ways to target and treat it.

A welder wearing a protective mask and dark clothing works on a metal container, surrounded by bright sparks and smoke in an industrial setting.

Helping shape the future of work

Research funded by the NSF shows how targeted AI improvements can lead to better products and safer workers.

Side view of a spectrograph with metal machine parts and other complex workings

Expanding our knowledge of the universe

A new instrument, developed with funding from NASA and the NSF, is helping Notre Dame scientists discover new planets, binary star systems, and black holes.

A hand holds a small, circular, white object with a textured, woven pattern. The backdrop is a dark blue surface with a repeating, geometric pattern of concave shapes.

Notre Dame researchers build a better field antenna for U.S. soldiers

Helping the U.S. Army communicate and transmit data more efficiently in the midst of combat

A close up of a human eye with a brown pupil.

“Quiet Eye”: A Notre Dame psychologist identifies the links between a steady gaze and elite performance

Support from the Office of Naval Research is leading to new discoveries about improving attention and driving elite performance.

“As a premier global Catholic research university committed from its founding to being a force for good, our world-class scholars and researchers are studying and finding answers to some of our world's most challenging problems. No matter where you look across our campus, you will find research and learning that drives insights, innovation, and impact for good, as Notre Dame strives to heal, unify, and enlighten a world in need.”
- Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., University President and Professor of Political Science

A group of men and women pose for a photo. A person in the center holds large, gold ceremonial scissors, suggesting a ribbon-cutting ceremony. They stand on a blue carpet in front of a navy backdrop with flags and a banner that says "Naval Surface Warfare Center."

Hypersonic flight research will bring U.S. to forefront of flight and air defense

Federal funding from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for the world's first Large Mach 10 Quiet Wind Tunnel will support research and training for the next generation of hypersonics

A woman presents on 'Prior Work: Detection of Drug-Drug Interaction Patterns to Reduce Opioid Overdose Risks' to a classroom of students. Some students sit at computers, while others watch the presentation.

To prevent opioid misuse in teens and young adults, researchers turn to AI and social media data

As opioid overdoses continue rising, Notre Dame researchers are developing personalized life-saving interventions

An orange and white drone with black propellers flies in a clear blue sky. A person wearing a gray shirt observes the drone.

Intelligent solutions that save lives

Intelligent drones work alongside emergency responders to quickly locate and rescue drowning victims

One of the 8.4m mirrors of the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona.

Powering the search for new planetary systems

With funding from NASA and the NSF, Notre Dame researchers are partnering to build the next generation of tools to explore our galaxy

A student wearing safety glasses and blue gloves uses a scientific instrument emitting a purple plasma beam.

biocomputing fabric made of micropatterned heart muscle and fibroblast networks

The electricity of a beating heart helps design a superior supercomputer

With NSF funding, researchers are creating powerful new biocomputing and biorobotic systems to drive innovations in next-generation computing applications

Close-up of a researcher's gloved hand reaching towards a circular metal rack containing several vials filled with a bright yellow substance. The rack has numerous small holes, and the vials are secured within a designated section.

Outsmarting antibiotic resistance to find a new way to fight MRSA

Funded by the NIH, the innovative approach to treating staph infections could save thousands of lives in the United States each year

A black boy in red sweatshirt leans over a bin of colorful plastic blocks.

Preventing child abuse with proven interventions

With support from the NIH, researchers have developed cost-effective, flexible interventions to give all families a better start

Two scientists in white lab coats and purple gloves work at a biosafety cabinet. The scientist seated wears blue gloves and works with a pipette and petri dish. The standing scientist observes. Various lab equipment and supplies are visible.

Component of keto diet plus immunotherapy may reduce prostate cancer

Adding a pre-ketone supplement may improve outcomes in the treatment of the most common cancer in American men

A woman in a blue shirt and black skirt gestures as she presents to a classroom of students.

Combating the opioid crisis

Using artificial intelligence to dismantle the complex networks that create and traffic deadly opioids

A thin, stretchable bioelectronic device adhered to a wrist, featuring intricate black circuitry patterns on a transparent film.

Making health monitors as easy as a temporary tattoo

Monitoring vital signs and health data through new stretchable materials

“At Notre Dame, our researchers work to serve our nation in countless ways. They are developing innovations like semiconductor chips that are the backbone of our economy. They’re protecting us from emerging infectious diseases and formulating the next generation of wireless technology. They’re ensuring we have artificial intelligence that is safe and trustworthy. They are bringing people together and informing public debates. In these and other ways, they live out our mission to be a ‘powerful means for doing good in this country.’ And the strong partnership we’ve always had with the federal government has been key to this.”
- Jeff Rhoads, Vice President for Research and Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

A zoomed in, microscopic image of a polymicrobial infection in a catheterized bladder showing the colors gold, teal, red, purple and green.

New catheter prevents bacteria growth

NIH-funded project points the way to new catheters that minimize inflammation and prevent infections

Three scientists in white lab coats examine data on a tablet screen in a University of Notre Dame laboratory. The scientist on the left points at the screen with a gloved hand while her colleagues observe. A laboratory device is visible in the bottom left corner.