University Research Institutes & Centers

CBES is an Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. It creates soft materials inspired by biology to develop artificial materials that manage energy like living systems. This is done through chemical design and synthesis combined with engineering strategies.

CIERA advances astrophysics through interdisciplinary research and education. Its research encompasses black holes and dead stars, exoplanets and the solar system, galaxies and cosmology, gravitational waves and multi-messenger astronomy, life and death of stars, stellar dynamics and stellar populations. 

CRN leads research in regenerative medicine using nanotechnology strategies. It is especially focused on developing regenerative therapies for the brain, spinal cord, and musculoskeletal tissues, among other targets critical for healthy aging. CRN operates the core facilities Analytical bioNanoTechnology Equipment Core (ANTEC) and the Peptide Synthesis Core.

CSCB integrates basic, clinical and translational research on sleep and circadian rhythms into a unified program at Northwestern University. Its goals include advancing research on sleep and circadian rhythms, understanding the impacts of their disruption and developing treatments for them.

CLP is at the forefront of the study of human proteins and their impact on human health and disease. Its faculty study the the changes in proteins that underlie diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders and cancer, creating more sensitive diagnostics to catch disease early, and identifying new targets for drug development and delivery. 

DevSci’s “Healthier, Earlier” mission is to promote robust foundations of health, wellbeing and learning for all children as early as possible for optimal outcomes. Research examines normative infant and child development, congenital pediatric diseases, the effects of diverse cultural contexts, the effects of adverse prenatal contexts, school-based enrichment at different developmental stages and adult disease prevention.

IPR is an interdisciplinary public policy research institute that strives to stimulate and support social science research on significant public policy issues and to disseminate the findings widely—to students, scholars, policymakers and the public. Its research areas range from poverty, race and inequality to methodology and social disparities and health. 

INQUIRE catalyzes convergent research across materials science, chemistry, physics and engineering to drive the next-generation of quantum technologies for quantum communications, network, computing and sensing applications. INQUIRE also serves as a hub for quantum-related activities at Northwestern; it promotes and facilitates partnerships with academic, government and industrial organizations.

ISGMH is the country's first university-wide institute focused exclusively on research to improve the health of the sexual and gender minority (SGM) community. The institute provides interdisciplinary research, training and dissemination of expert knowledge to SGM communities and the wider public, practitioners, scientists and policymakers. 

ISITA facilitates scholarship on the Islamic tradition of learning in Africa the role of Islam in African societies. Institute faculty and Northwestern's unique collection of Arabic manuscripts from West Africa has made ISITA a hub for research and graduate training in the field of Islam in Africa.

IIN brings together exceptional researchers across multiple disciplines to make groundbreaking scientific and technological advances in the field of nanoscience. Its research has applications in transforming the fields of medicine and patient care; identifying energy solutions to decrease dependence on fossil fuels; employing nanomaterials to measure and remediate environmental pollution; and to understand and create even more advanced nanomaterials. 

The NITMB aims to integrate the disciplines of mathematics and biology in order to transform the practice of biological research and to inspire new mathematical discoveries. The NITMB leverages close collaborations between experimentalists and theorists to synergize discovery. The fundamental research done by NITMB will stimulate advances in areas as diverse as the environment, medicine and technology development.

NUANCE integrates Northwestern's complementary analytical instruments and characterization capabilities. It assists and collaborates with researchers in the physical sciences, engineering and interdisciplinary fields. It provides core analytical characterization instrumentation resources, education and outreach for the Northwestern community and beyond. 

NUCATS Institute provides scientists with consultative resources and expertise to accelerate how quickly transformative scientific discoveries make their way from the lab to patients and communities. Through its centers and programs, NUCATS develops, demonstrates and disseminates scalable solutions in clinical and translational science and meet our scientists’ urgent needs.

NU-MRSEC advances materials research, education and outreach via active interdisciplinary collaborations within the Center and with external partners in academia, industry, national laboratories and museums. This mission is realized by two synergistic interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs), an active Seed funding program and commercialization, shared facilities, education and outreach programs. 

NAISE brings together researchers at Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory to create powerful collaborations in fields such as energy, biological and environmental systems, data science and computation, materials, and national security.  NAISE provides students and post-doctoral scholars with unique educational and training opportunities.

The SkAI Institute develops AI tools to help astronomers analyze data from advanced sky surveys. They create AI systems that use physics knowledge to improve data accuracy, speed up simulations and design better instruments and surveys. SkAI brings together more than 100 team members from 25 partner organizations; it encourages collaboration and training for future leaders in AI and astrophysics.

The Trienens Institute develops sustainability solutions through research, innovation and education. Drawing from the fields of engineering and physical sciences, economics and business, public health, law, and communications, its work centers on basic discovery science and the translational impact of this research. The Institute's education component includes course offerings, a one-year professional degree and an undergraduate certificate. 

PAS promotes awareness of, study of, research and application of knowledge from and about Africa across interdisciplinary networks of partners and communities of research and learning on the continent as well as across the diaspora. Its approach to African studies re-centers Africans, African American and other black communities in the scholarship and knowledge production of and from Africa. 

QSIB supports fundamental, applied and translational research on the development of new, bioelectronic technologies, which can integrate into the human body to provide diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical functions. QSIB provides funding and infrastructure to facilitate the development of these technologies across a broad scope of applications, including medicine, rehabilitation, sports and general wellness, and in research on living systems more broadly.

QSI RENU advances regenerative engineering through interdisciplinary research and collaboration. It aims to develop innovative solutions for repairing, restoring, and regenerating tissues and organs. By integrating engineering principles with biological insights, QSI RENU fosters breakthroughs in regenerative medicine and translational research, benefiting patients through novel therapies and technologies.

SILC works to understand and enhance STEM teaching, learning and practice that require reasoning about spatial information. SILC has studied the processes and mechanisms that underlie spatial learning and the factors that influence spatial learning. Projects focus on the early connections between spatial thinking and STEM learning, STEM-related concepts and future science education and career options.