Patient uses virtual reality headset as part of physical therapy.

UMMC Research: Discoveries for a healthier tomorrow.
A researcher prepares a cell-culture plate in a biosafety hood

UMMC Research: Discovering tomorrow’s cures today.

A researcher uses a pipet to conduct an experiment at a lab bench
Illustration of a cell and interconnected neurons

Multidisciplinary care for the brain, mind and neurological system.

Main Content

UMMC Research

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is leading the way in discoveries that improve the lives and communities of Mississippians and beyond.

Our faculty rank among the nation’s best in productivity for every dollar invested in our research programs, along with conducting world-renowned studies in heart disease, hypertension, neurocognitive disorders, perinatal diseases and the simulation of human physiology.

Our work is supported by more than $110 million in sponsored programs funds each year, and is conducted in the departments of six schools, 30 research centers and institutes, UMMC’s seven hospitals, statewide clinics and telehealth sites throughout our state and the world.

We’re working together to move promising research to the clinic quickly in our goal to “a healthier Mississippi.”

Featured News

Smiling with a $10 million gift from the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation are, from left, Dr. Rod Rocconi, Ergon Chair for Cancer Research and CCRI director; Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs; Stephen Sims, president of the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation; Mary Catherine Blackwell, secretary of the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation; John Lewis, treasurer of the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation; and Dr. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for health affairs.

UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute announces public phase of $125M campaign

Monday, March 30, 2026

A vision years in the making is moving closer to reality. UMMC has reached $100 million toward its $125 million goal to build a new Cancer Center and Research Institute, a milestone made possible by generous early supporters such as the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation, which announced a $10 million gift at a news conference today. Read More

Dr. Caesar Alshibli, clinical research manager in the UMMC Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, helped broker cooperation between the U.S. military and Iraqi civilians while working as a surgical resident in war-torn Iraq in 2003.

Front and Center: Dr. Caesar Alshibli

Monday, March 16, 2026

Dr. Caesar Alshibli fled his homeland after militias hunted him for negotiating with U.S. troops during the Second Iraq War. His courage, resilience and second chances landed him at UMMC to rebuild his life and fulfill his purpose as a researcher. Read More

Latest News

The long-term commitment of Dr. Caroline Compretta, assistant vice chancellor for research, to health equity, community partnerships and research has landed her in the top echelon of academic achievers.

Compretta earns 2026 SEC Faculty Achievement Award

Published on Monday, March 9, 2026

 More than half of Mississippi adults are affected by intimate partner violence, including 700,000 women and 530,000 men, according to the Mississippi Violence Experiences Survey. UMMC researchers collaborated on the survey with Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute.

Solutions to violence in Mississippi evident in UMMC research efforts

Published on Monday, February 9, 2026

 Dr. Michael R. Garrett, has served as chair of the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology since 2023, with some research focused on cancer and genomics.

70 Years of Research: Celebrating the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at UMMC

Published on Monday, January 26, 2026

 Dr. Babbette LaMarca, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, works alongside Dr. Nathan Campbell, a PhD student in experimental therapeutics and pharmacology when this photo was taken in 2024, and now an instructor in the department, to continue a legacy of research that began 70 years ago.

70 Years of Pharmacology: Past, Present, Future

Published on Tuesday, January 20, 2026

 Regular cervical cancer screening is essential for early detection and prevention, health experts say, and HPV vaccination can protect against the virus that causes most cervical cancers.

UMMC research leads to updated HPV clinical guidelines

Published on Monday, January 12, 2026

 Research by Dr. Keli Xu into the origins of a type of pancreatic cancer could lead to better biomarkers and treatments.

CCRI research seeking to unlock mysteries of pancreatic cancer with $1.8M NCI grant

Published on Monday, December 8, 2025

 Dr. Lee Bidwell, right, associate vice chancellor for research, congratulates platinum medallion winners Dr. Gailen Marshall, R. Faser Triplett Chair of Allergy and Immunology and Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor, and Dr. Lei Zhang, professor and associate dean for research and scholarship in School of Nursing, Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor and Harriet G. Williamson Endowed Chair of Population Health Nursing.

OAVCR Excellence Awards honor 2025 research accomplishments

Published on Monday, November 17, 2025

Leadership

The University of Mississippi Medical Center's dynamic and growing research enterprise is led by Lee Bidwell, PhD, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research.

Lee Bidwell, PhD, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research
Shukla Faruque, left, a researcher in UMMC's Biobank, takes a blood sample from a participant in a COVID-19 research study, in UMMC's Clinical Research and Trials Unit.

Clinical Trials

Clinical studies help bridge research and patient care by evaluating therapies, drugs and diagnostic tools to drive discoveries into clinical practice. Our researchers invite you to join them in their quest to improve the health of Mississippians by becoming a UMMC Research Partner.

Participate
group of residents

Research Administration

Our research administration teams help facilitate basic, clinical and population-based research at UMMC. Whether you are preparing a grant application, executing your project or filing a patent, these teams can help you navigate through the rules and regulations of the research process.

Offices
Dr. Shou-Ching Tang, who heads the UMMC Cancer Institute's Phase 1 clinical trials program, handles some of the documentation while his patient receives the infusion of a new drug he hopes will halt his cancer.

Centers and Institutes

UMMC’s centers and institutes strive to create a healthier Mississippi. By gathering together scientists and physicians who share a drive to answer questions about the same diseases, research becomes more powerful, collaborations grow stronger and larger-scale projects become possible.

Overview