Mizzou roaring with momentum after record $553 million in research expenditures

Driven by a commitment to innovation and discovery, the University of Missouri conducted $553 million in research in the 2025 fiscal year, setting an all-time record and marking 12 straight years of growth.

This figure represents a 133% increase since 2013 and symbolizes Mizzou’s reputation as one of the fastest-growing research institutions in the Association of American Universities — a prestigious group of leading research universities.

“Mizzou’s incredible research momentum reflects our community’s total dedication to achieving excellence,” University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. “Our faculty are leaders in their fields, and their research drives innovations that make a difference for those we serve while advancing our state’s workforce and economy.”

Those numbers represent the work and innovation at Mizzou that are driving real-world impact across the Show-Me State and worldwide. From strengthening Missouri’s agriculture industry to advancing precision medicine, Mizzou researchers are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to improve the health and well-being of Missourians and people around the world.

For example, Mizzou’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture is working on multiple fronts to support farmers in making their farms more resilient. The center’s Virtual Fence Grazing Program is expanding the use of GPS-enabled cattle collars, which will save Missouri farmers time and effort. Rob Myers, the center’s director, is also ambitiously working to double the acreage of cover crops — plants that enrich soil — in the U.S. to 40 million acres by 2030 with a $10 million grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Another recent discovery in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources could lead to more resilient crops. With funding from the National Science Foundation, Curators’ Distinguished Professor Ron Mitter and his team found that soybean plants cool their most vulnerable parts, flowers and pods, through targeted water release during heat and drought. The finding opens new pathways for breeding crops that can survive extreme weather conditions.

Mizzou’s research efforts are laser-focused on improving the lives of Missourians and patients across the country, as well.

In the pursuit of targeted cancer treatments, Mizzou’s Barry Edwards, an associate professor in the School of Medicine, created a tiny antibody designed to seek out and attach to a protein commonly found in cancerous tumors. He then added a radioactive tag to the antibody, allowing it to light up in a medical scan. That would ultimately allow physicians to determine which patients are most likely to benefit from targeted cancer treatments.

Elsewhere on campus, biochemist Zachary Berndsen and physicist Keith Cassidy have used cryo-electron microscopes in the Roy Blunt Next Gen Precision Health building to discover the structure of a protein called ApoB100, which could serve as a target for new drugs to treat heart disease and high cholesterol.

"Behind every research breakthrough is a team of faculty, students, grant writers and support staff working together within world-class facilities,” Thomas Spencer, vice chancellor for research, said. “With $553 million in research expenditures, Mizzou and our federal, state and industry partners are delivering on a shared investment in solutions that benefit Missourians every day.”

To fuel the future of energy across the nation, Mizzou researchers are targeting Missouri mines to extract rare earth elements known as critical materials. With a $2.8 million grant from the Department of Energy, the Mizzou team is helping the U.S. become less reliant on foreign imports of critical materials, which power electronics, vehicles and modern energy systems. If Missouri were to become a leading supplier of these rare earth elements, the Show-Me State would be at the center of the nation’s technological future.

Perhaps nothing will define the future more than artificial intelligence. That’s why Mizzou scientists are harnessing the power of AI across campus.

One team in the College of Engineering is leveraging AI to assess the safety of computer chips used in thousands of products such as laptops, smartphones and medical devices. These researchers recently created a way for AI to scan computer chip designs to spot hidden threats that can leak sensitive data. The new AI-driven method detects malicious lines of code with 97% accuracy, making it more efficient for companies across the global computer chip supply chain to catch problems before they become security risks.

“Mizzou’s world-renowned faculty are pushing the boundaries of discovery and producing real-world impact with their research in areas such as cancer treatment and prevention, sustainable energy, technology and much more,” Matthew Martens, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, said. “These record-setting numbers prove our institution’s commitment to research excellence, improving the lives of Missourians and beyond." 

Read the Division of Research, Innovation and Impact's 2025 Annual Report.