Research + Innovation

We Are phenomenal at discovering new knowledge in critical areas.

Energy + Environment.
Artificial Intelligence.
Health + Well-being.
Indigenous Research.
Agriculture + Food.
Social Transformations.

Ever-driven to push the boundaries with some of the most advanced research facilities and resources in the world, helmed by renowned researchers - this is the University of Alberta.

Energy + Environment

Can you set out to energize the world without compromising the earth? At the University of Alberta, we believe we can, and...we are.

Artificial Intelligence

We are one of the world’s leading AI research institutions. And to think it all started with a game of chess.

Health + Well-being

We are at the forefront of an emerging approach to health and wellness that expands on efforts to understand, diagnose and treat disease through advances in technology.

Indigenous Research

We are home to seven academic and affiliated institutes, centres and initiatives dedicated to Indigenous research.

Agriculture + Food

From the land to the lab, we are working on incredible advancements to find ways to produce more food, use less energy, and strike a better balance between our economy and our environment.

Social Transformations

We are exploring what it means to live, learn, work, express ourselves and advance social change through critical, creative and empirical research.

Forward with Purpose: A Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation

2023-2028

This first institutional strategic plan for research and innovation presents a bold new step in defining areas for maximum impact to address the grand challenges of our time.

Read the full plan

Top 4

Research University in Canada

106

Canada Research Chairs

$600M

Annual Research funding

130+

Active spinoffs

Innovation

Research and experimentation lead to new discoveries, knowledge and ideas that drive innovation. We are helping shape the future, improving quality of life, driving the economy and economic diversity and serving the public who help fund that research.

Learn More

Work with us

Supported by transformational partnerships with government, industry and academia, our teams excel at advancing world-leading research and innovation.

Connect with us today and discover the next stage of your innovation journey.

Collaborate with us Commercialize your research

Research News

Science and Technology, Research

Alberta researchers aim to revolutionize animal feed

Gates Foundation backs U of A partnership with startup to turn coal-derived methanol into a more sustainable protein source.

March 10, 2025

Science and Technology

U of A life sciences research gets a $100M lift

New funding from the Alberta government will transform a venerable building into a hub for solving the most urgent problems of our time.

March 04, 2025

Research, Science and Technology

Research could help focus efforts to restore habitat for threatened caribou

Study guides industry and government in deciding where to step in to regrow forest along seismic lines in northern Alberta.

February 06, 2025

Science and Technology, Research, Health And Wellness

U of A, EPCOR team up to launch water research centre

Engineering researchers head up interdisciplinary network aimed at tackling global challenges of supply, demand and infrastructure.

January 22, 2025

Research, Health And Wellness, Science and Technology

Researchers genetically engineer yeast to produce healthy fatty acid

CRISPR-based technique could offer a way to produce more of the valuable fatty acid along with a protein supplement for food.

January 21, 2025

Science and Technology

Video Spotlight: Smart prosthetic connects the digital and the physical

AI-powered “Bento Arm” developed at U of A takes centre stage at international competition.

January 13, 2025

Research, Health And Wellness

How a U of A spinoff company beat the odds to create a new kind of cancer treatment

Twelve years of teamwork brings Pacylex to the brink of Phase 2 human clinical trials — a rare feat in new drug development.

December 09, 2024

Science and Technology, Research

Students spin old clothes into synthetic spider silk — and gold

U of A undergrads from four faculties work together to win medal at the worldwide iGEM competition in Paris.

December 05, 2024

Health And Wellness, Science and Technology, Research

U of A experts rank among world’s most influential researchers

A soil scientist whose work underscores the value of plant biodiversity in soil function is among 10 leading researchers cited most often in their fields.

December 03, 2024

Science and Technology, Society and Culture, Health And Wellness, Research

Can you really collaborate with a robot? This PhD grad is working on it

Adam Parker uses AI to teach a prosthetic device to give real-time feedback to its user as human and machine learn tasks together.

November 22, 2024

Science and Technology

Busting myths with the power of math

Engineering students solve problems based on common urban myths in a course called “Busting Myths with Analysis.”

November 06, 2024

Research, Health And Wellness

Eating more protein helps patients with colorectal cancer maintain muscle — or even gain it

Dietary changes alone could help patients preserve crucial muscle mass and improve their quality of life during chemotherapy, study shows.

October 30, 2024

Research, Science and Technology

Soil pH affects growth of destructive fungus in canola

Study suggests producers may need to balance practices to avoid inadvertently trading one crop disease for another.

October 28, 2024

Science and Technology, Health And Wellness, Research

New drug delivery system could revolutionize genetic medicine

U of A-led team overcomes a circulatory roadblock that has prevented gene therapies from reaching their intended targets.

October 23, 2024

Society and Culture, Business, Science and Technology

Investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators

Donor-supported U of A Innovation Fund continues propelling promising startup ventures — including a company putting Alberta at the global forefront of satellite technology.

October 17, 2024

Science and Technology, Health And Wellness, Research, Business, Society and Culture

Newly identified ‘Compound B’ holds promise as a better immune booster against cancer, chronic diseases

Molecular compound activates the immune system more efficiently and effectively than current drugs, say U of A researchers.

September 26, 2024

Society and Culture

Black mentorship drives social change

Placements are developed and crafted by youth to target skills they want to learn.

September 19, 2024

Science and Technology, Health And Wellness, Research

New imaging test could improve how we diagnose and treat lung cancer

Combination of antibody and radioactive isotope allows researchers and clinicians to identify and track tumours more precisely and better monitor how well treatment works.

March 06, 2025

Research, Health And Wellness

Research shows path to easier diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders

Urine testing may offer a quicker, cheaper and less invasive way to diagnose rare but potentially life-threatening diseases.

February 11, 2025

Health And Wellness, Society and Culture

U of A professor turns genetic marker for ‘bubble boy disease’ into music

Innovative mix of technology and music aims to raise awareness of the condition and a groundbreaking treatment.

February 04, 2025

Research, Health And Wellness

Study uncovers disparity between how textbooks and self-advocates discuss autism

Educational materials could be perpetuating outdated perspectives, say researchers.

January 22, 2025

Society and Culture, Health And Wellness, Science and Technology, Business, Research

Smartphone swipes reveal clues to how we make decisions

From corporate hiring to health care, analyzing touchscreen movements could reshape the science of human behaviour.

January 20, 2025

Science and Technology

Video spotlight: Laser and soil scientists team up for a fast field test

Portable device breaks down soil’s essential elements and texture in seconds, offering a faster way to help farmers grow successful crops.

December 11, 2024

Business, Research, Society and Culture, Health And Wellness, Science and Technology

The year in review: 10 stories that inspired us in 2024

From rankings and recycling to health care and AI, the people of the U of A found many ways to shape a better world.

December 09, 2024

Researchers devise a quicker, more efficient way to make life-saving molecules

Improved method for creating nucleoside analogues opens the door to discovering countless treatments for everything from cancer to viral diseases.

December 04, 2024

Science and Technology

U of A innovators recognized with ASTech Awards

Winning research projects showcase excellence in engineering, health tech, energy and environmental sustainability.

November 29, 2024

Science and Technology, Research

Growing grains and legumes in the same fields could be a win-win for crop performance and sustainability

An innovative experiment shows promising results in different growing regions across Alberta.

November 21, 2024

Science and Technology, Research, Business

New research will help beef producers use genetics to reduce methane emissions in cattle

Project aims to make technology easier to adopt on the farm.

November 05, 2024

Society and Culture, Science and Technology

Video Spotlight: Demystifying artificial intelligence by design

Pop-up exhibit gives visitors a hands-on introduction to the basics of technology that is reshaping the world.

October 29, 2024

Research, Science and Technology

U of A engineering researchers lead design and manufacturing of advanced materials for small modular nuclear reactors

Far smaller and cheaper than conventional power plants, next-generation reactors could provide clean energy to rural communities.

October 24, 2024

Health And Wellness, Research

New anti-obesity drug shows promise in preventing heart failure related to Type 2 diabetes

Researcher finds experimental weight loss drug GDF15 improves heart function in mice with diabetes, independent of its weight loss effects.

October 21, 2024

Business, Health And Wellness, Science and Technology, Research

Lab2Market Validate program bridges gap from tech innovations to commercially viable products

Eighteen grad students will explore the market potential of their inventions as a step towards turning them into useful products that meet customer needs.

October 15, 2024

Society and Culture, Science and Technology, Business

Prince Takamado Japan Centre: forging cultural bonds for more than two decades

Through research collaborations, language programs and student exchanges, the centre has been an “essential partner” for the U of A, Alberta and Canada.

September 25, 2024

Health And Wellness, Research

Study offers hope of a new treatment for rare endometrial cancer

Drug used for heart disease could have an anti-cancer role after unexpected findings.

September 16, 2024

Science and Technology, Research

Computing science professor wins ‘Nobel Prize in computing’

Richard Sutton is co-recipient of the 2024 A.M. Turing Award for his work as one of the founders of reinforcement learning.

March 05, 2025

Research, Science and Technology, Business

From skydiving to seedlings: GoPro finds new use in forestry

Using action cameras to track tree growth could save time and money for low-tech nurseries.

February 10, 2025

Society and Culture

Video Spotlight: Indigenous learners delve into archaeology

New micro-course teaches students to identify and investigate cultural artifacts, helping to keep them on First Nations land.

January 29, 2025

Research, Business, Society and Culture, Science and Technology, Health And Wellness

U of A ranked in the Top 100 worldwide in five subjects

Excellence in a broad array of disciplines shows in Times Higher Education’s latest ranking.

January 22, 2025

Science and Technology

Video Spotlight: The chemical engineering of coffee

Course explores the science behind the perfect brew — and pits students against one of Canada’s best baristas.

January 15, 2025

Science and Technology, Health And Wellness, Research, Society and Culture, Business

The promise of the psychedelic revolution

U of A expert says psychoactive drugs could be “the most dramatic treatment breakthrough in mental health for decades.”

December 10, 2024

Science and Technology

Defying gravity: Aspiring astronaut recognized as a role model for women in STEM

Engineering grad Makenna Kuzyk receives the Order of the White Rose from Polytechnique Montréal in memory of 14 women who lost their lives 35 years ago.

December 06, 2024

Research, Science and Technology

3D printability of pea protein shapes up with plasma treatment

Innovation strengthens potential for using the low-cost, nutritious protein source in food products.

December 03, 2024

Society and Culture, Science and Technology, Business

Management grad is bullish about his business potential

After fleeing Ukraine, Arsenii Litus found the friends and financial support he needed to thrive at the U of A’s Augustana Campus.

November 26, 2024

Science and Technology, Society and Culture, Research, Health And Wellness

Leading nutrition expert aims to help women tip the scales in their favour against cancer

Carla Prado is one of 11 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs at the U of A.

November 14, 2024

Health And Wellness, Research, Science and Technology

Researchers simplify digital reconstruction of bones

Streamlined process yields accurate, accessible and cost-effective 3D models for studying anatomy and biomechanics.

October 31, 2024

Science and Technology, Research

Deep learning methods lose their ability to learn over time

Researchers propose a new algorithm that continually introduces new neurons into artificial neural networks so they become lifelong learners.

October 29, 2024

Research, Health And Wellness

AI scribe could help emergency docs save time and improve patient care

U of A project to pilot the AI note-taking tool in three Alberta emergency departments.

October 23, 2024

Health And Wellness, Society and Culture, Business, Science and Technology

Maclean’s rankings highlight U of A excellence in nursing, education

Five programs ranked among the finest in Canada, showcasing expertise in a range of fields.

October 18, 2024

Health And Wellness, Science and Technology, Society and Culture, Business

Influential global ranking places U of A in top six per cent worldwide

University excels in an increasingly competitive international field of nearly 2,100 institutions, also rising to tie for fourth in Canada.

October 09, 2024

Research, Society and Culture

Research relationality: new project focuses on how a key Indigenous concept can address challenges

Program will build capacity and relationships needed to conduct Indigenous research, develop new theories based on Indigenous relational practices and then share that knowledge.

September 23, 2024