top of page

UVA
RESEARCH
IMPACTS
OUR WORLD.

EVERY DAY.

We share a commitment to IMPACTFUL RESEARCH
that creates a BETTER FUTURE for us all. 

As a leading Virginia research university, we are proud to share these inspiring stories that reflect our dedication to innovation and excellence in research. Explore our collection and learn more about the people and discoveries making a difference in our world today and laying the groundwork for future innovations.

Explore our collection of research stories below.

Photo of Kristen Anderson, the person featured in this story, standing in her lab in a white lab coat.

School of Medicine

Kristin Anderson is motivated by her own experience surviving breast cancer. Now an immunologist, she leads research to design new therapies for tumors that resist current treatments, hoping to give more patients the same second chance she received.

Photo of David Graham, the person featured in this story, standing in the School of Data Science lobby.

School of Data Science

Early in his career, Daniel Graham saw how vulnerabilities in software could translate into real-world consequences. In response, he focuses on quality assurance and on how to build digital and physical systems we can trust.

Photo of Chris Kuenze, the person featured in this story, standing next to a woman walking on a treadmill.

School of Education & Human Development

Chris Kuenze is committed to helping athletes recover not just physically, but mentally. Drawing on his own experience with a knee injury, he studies how fear and anxiety after ACL surgery affect long-term activity—and designs interventions that restore confidence alongside strength.

Photo of Kelsey Johnson, the person featured in this story, standing outside.

College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

Kelsey Johnson is driven by a deep curiosity about the universe’s most fundamental processes. By analyzing how extreme star clusters, known as super star clusters form, she hopes to gain insights about the physical conditions of the early universe. 

Photo of Liheng Cai, the person featured in this story, standing in his lab showing another person a piece of equipment.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Liheng Cai is motivated by a vision of repairing and regenerating human organs. His work pioneering 3D bioprinting and designing ultrasoft, cell-friendly polymers aims to create tissue-like structures that can transform medicine—from artificial transplants to targeted drug delivery for lung diseases.

Photo of Harald Sontheimer, the person featured in this story, standing in his lab in a white lab coat.

School of Medicine

Harald Sontheimer hopes to pave the way for treatments that help Alzheimer's patients remember the people they love by uncovering how the breakdown of protective “nets” around neurons erases social recognition.

More UVA Research News

New, Noninvasive Options Show Promise for Treating Substance Use

UVA Health researchers are exploring noninvasive neuromodulation techniques, focused ultrasound and vagus nerve stimulation, to treat substance use disorder and reduce cravings.

New Karsh Institute Study Informs Debate Over Virginia's Election Calendar

The team, including experts in law, political science, and survey research, explored whether the Commonwealth should align its elections with the federal calendar.

The AI Race is Moving
to Space

When you think about data centers, outer space might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But for major tech companies and aerospace firms, space may be the next frontier. With popular opinion of data centers declining amid rising concerns, deploying data centers in orbit is becoming closer to reality. 

UVA Research Video Backgrounds_edited.jpg
Asset 11.png

Want to learn more about UVA Research? 

UVA Research Impact Delivered Direct to Your Inbox

bottom of page