The University of Florida (UF) spent a record $1.33 billion on research during the 2025 fiscal year, marking a 4.5 percent increase over the previous year and includes growth in federal, state, and industry research.
Federal expenditures reached $612.4 million, up 5.4 percent from the prior year, while state-supported research climbed 14.5 percent to $231.9 million. Industry-backed research rose nearly 12 percent to $41.5 million, and funding from nonprofit organizations totaled $60 million. The university also reported $1.25 billion in new research awards, including $818 million from federal agencies, $102 million from the state, and $140 million from philanthropic sources.
Research activity was concentrated in health sciences, agriculture, and engineering. UF Health accounted for nearly half of all spending, led by the College of Medicine with $369.4 million. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences reported $286.5 million in expenditures, and the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering reported $181.6 million, with active projects ranging from robotics and cybersecurity to hurricane resilience and semiconductor development.
“This new record sends an unmistakable signal that the University of Florida’s research enterprise is a rock-solid powerhouse, and the important work our researchers are doing is absolutely vital to the great state of Florida, the nation and the world,” said Mori Hosseini, UF Board of Trustees chair.
Among ongoing initiatives, UF researchers are developing artificial intelligence tools for cancer diagnostics, investigating genetic links to Alzheimer’s disease, testing solutions for citrus greening, and studying advanced materials for spaceflight. The Florida Semiconductor Institute, backed by state and federal funds, is applying simulation technologies to strengthen domestic chip manufacturing.
UF also reported increased activity in technology transfer and commercialization. Faculty submitted 446 invention disclosures in FY2025, up from 369 the prior year, alongside gains in patents, licensing, and startup activity. Since launching its first incubator in 1995, the university estimates its commercialization efforts have generated more than $25 billion in economic impact.
In a separate report, UF announced it raised more than $560 million in new gifts and commitments during the same fiscal year, its second-highest fundraising total on record. The funds supported a range of university priorities, including artificial intelligence infrastructure, cancer and gene therapy research, entrepreneurship, agricultural innovation, and the expansion of civic and classical education.
