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Saint Louis University Research Institute

A Bold Chapter in SLU’s History

The Saint Louis University Research Institute launched in fall 2018 with the goal of transforming the University into one of the world’s preeminent Jesuit research institutions.

The Research Institute was established following a historic gift from Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield: $50 million to build upon the University’s existing research priorities and accelerate research growth. Since then, the Research Institute has invested millions of dollars into the University’s research infrastructure and placed millions more into the hands of researchers, empowering them to pursue their greatest research ambitions while forging new partnerships on and off campus.

Our Impact

The Research Institute’s investment have paid off: research at the University has grown every year since the Research Institute was established, making SLU one of the fastest-growing Catholic, Jesuit research institutions in the country. In 2025, SLU earned the highly revered “Research 1” designation from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, placing SLU among the top research universities in the United States.

By-the-Numbers

$45M

allocated to SLU researchers and research initiatives

59%

increase in external research expenditures since 2018

54

researchers recruited or retained since 2018

91

Research Institute fellows appointed

In Support of the University’s Mission

The Research Institute supports research and scholarship from across the academic spectrum, with a focus on interdisciplinary research that is informed by the University’s Jesuit mission, aimed at addressing the greatest challenges of today. 

With support from the Research Institute, SLU researchers have examined issues such as the development of new drugs, therapeutics, and medical devices; the preservation and annotation of ancient manuscripts; economic policy and inequity; utilizing geospatial science to improve agricultural efficiency and public health outcomes, and much more.