Rutgers Research and Innovation Annual Impact Report
2026
Research Excellence. Innovation Leadership. Worldwide Impact.
Solving Real-World Challenges
Enhancing lives, strengthening communities, and shaping a better world for all.
Rutgers researchers use a principle in nature to create plastics that self-destruct at programmed speeds, offering a solution to global plastic waste. The key to the discovery was how the researchers arranged components of the plastic’s chemical structure so they were in the perfect position to start breaking down when triggered.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, has granted Tonix Pharmaceutical exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize PW507, a novel class of compounds created by researchers at Rutgers with the potential to transform pain management and reduce the opioid epidemic.
Scientists at Rutgers Health have discovered that a simple blood test could diagnose asthma and determine its severity, a breakthrough that could transform how the disease is identified and monitored.
A new partnership between Rutgers University–Camden and National AI Campus is bringing together faculty, researchers, and students in a collaborative consortium focused on advancing artificial intelligence (AI) in research and higher education.
Rutgers researchers use advanced neuroimaging to explore how abnormalities in the eye's blood vessels may indicate early brain changes linked to dementia and exploring whether microvascular abnormalities in the white of the eye can signal early neurodegenerative changes associated with age-related cognitive decline.
An innovative current collector concept developed a decade ago by Rutgers School of Engineering professor Glenn Amatucci and his team could help make batteries safer around the world. The technology developed makes batteries lighter, potentially smaller, and safer, all of which are critical.
Researchers at Rutgers University-Newark have answered a question by many in New Jersey and nationwide: Why is the rent so damned high? That’s the title of a report that explores the sharp rise of housing costs in recent years, increasing 30 percent between 2021 and 2023.
Wildfire smoke is no longer confined to distant regions. It is increasingly affecting communities throughout the United States, raising urgent questions about air quality, public health and long-term risk. Rutgers researchers are studying how wildfire smoke affects the body and how to reduce its impact.
After losing family members to chronic conditions, including his father, Ilker Hacihaliloglu decided something needed to be done to ensure that preventable diseases are discovered early rather than too late. His innovation, developed at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, became the company PONS, which seeks to give families "the precious gift of time."
in Research Grants and Sponsored Programs
Licensing Revenue
Research Awards
Rutgers researchers share the challenges they are tackling and the impact they aim to achieve.
There is power in the small. When most people hear “virus,” they think of disease or something to fear. Yet just as the discovery of the gut microbiome revealed that many bacteria are vital to human health, scientists like Kay Bidle are uncovering surprising roles for ocean viruses. Far from simply causing disease, these microscopic organisms recycle nutrients, support marine food webs, and drive processes that help sustain the oceans and life on our Blue Planet.
Lab coats. Instruments. Data sets. Rigorous, methodical processes. These are the images that often come to mind when we think of researchers. But researchers like Kwangwon Lee, a Rutgers-Camden biology professor who leads the U-RISE research training program and the Institute for Empowering Equitable Education in STEM (E3-STEM), are also mentors and champions for student success. His journey offers a powerful reminder that a university's impact extends far beyond the laboratory.
Empathy. Joy. Creativity based on listening without judgment and without letting ego take over. Discovery. Mentorship. These principles guide Stefon Harris, Grammy-nominated jazz vibraphonist, creative technologist, and associate professor of music at Rutgers-Newark. As director of the Harmony Lab and co-director of Express Newark, Harris explores how music, technology, and human connection can deepen learning, and strengthen communities. In this conversation, he reflects on his work and passion for music.
Purposeful research, innovating to improve lives.
Meet the Changemakers
Extraordinary researchers, visionary innovators, dedicated changemakers whose work is redefining what’s possible. Across the university and far beyond its campuses, they are advancing discovery, driving economic growth, improving lives, and creating lasting impact throughout New Jersey and around the world.
Meet More Changemakers
Powering Progress
Rutgers remains at the forefront of innovation, advancing ideas, making discoveries, and developing technologies that address challenges both locally and globally. Across Rutgers Health, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, and Rutgers-New Brunswick, researchers are united and committed to improving lives and shaping a better future for all.
Autonomous Artificial Intelligence
Engineers Develop Autonomous Artificial Intelligence that Transforms Resilience and Discovery in Manufacturing
Examining Cancer Genomic Data
Rutgers Develops New Tool for Examining Cancer Genomic Data that Could Improve Treatment
Advance Sustainable Transport
Rutgers Launches Hydrogen Truck Pilot to Advance Sustainable Transport
Pathways from Research to High-Impact Companies
Rutgers and ILSE Partner to Expand Pathways from Research to High-Impact Companies
AI Time-Saving Legal Tool
AI Class Sparks Intern’s Time-Saving Legal Tool for Fortune 500 Company
Civic Tech to Bridge the Digital Divide
When City Workers Pick Up Their Phones, Underserved Neighborhoods Benefit
Discover how Rutgers Research is Making a Difference
Highlighting all four Chancellor led units (CLUs) to Rutgers' research ecosystem—explore more impact stories from across the university.
Spotlight on Success
