The Office of Research and Scholarship
At UNE, you’ll enjoy remarkable opportunities to engage in faculty-led research — even as an undergraduate. There’s no better way to gain hands-on experience and enrich your education.
Research activity at UNE is coordinated through the Office of Research and Scholarship. We help faculty with funding logistics, training, and infrastructure needs while promoting cross-disciplinary and community partnerships; we help students find research opportunities; and we help government and industry partners connect with UNE researchers.
Check out our blog to see the latest exciting research developments
Leadership
The Office of Research and Scholarship oversees research strategy and operations, encompassing the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Office of Research Integrity, the UNE HIPAA Office, and the Fulbright Scholar Program. These offices provide administrative services and compliance oversight to ensure the highest level of ethical standards.
An Inclusive and Innovative Research Culture
We create an inclusive and welcoming scholarly environment where diverse students, faculty, and professional staff are encouraged and supported in their scholarly endeavors.
Since 2018, UNE has been listed by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R2 Doctoral University with High Research Activity.
UNE is ranked #1 in NIH funding with $4 million in new NIH funding in 2022, more than any other college or university in Maine.
The only university in Maine with two NIH-funded Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE): Center for Pain Research (Est. 2012) and Center for Cell Signaling Research (Est. 2024).
In 2023, 30 UNE research and scholarship projects were awarded a total of $18,420,554 in extramural funding.
Two NIH-funded research core facilities on the Biddeford Campus focusing on Animal Behavior and Histology/Imaging.
46% of UNE undergraduates work with faculty on research projects
Current Research
Developing Treatments for Corneal Pain
Look closer at the research Ian D. Meng, Ph.D., director of the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, performs with the help of UNE students. The Meng lab focuses on studying ocular pain by mapping out corneal nerves.
