Research that improves lives

The KU Life Span Institute is a network of more than 450 KU scientists, staff and students. Our discoveries help improve the health and development of people in Kansas, across the nation, and around the world.

Featured News

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KU Professor Sean Smith Receives Prestigious 2026 David Rose UDL Research Award

Life Span Institute-affiliated research honored by national organization for his leadership and research in advancing better access to learning through universal design.

A woman with brown skin wearing a blue shirt breastfeeds her baby while laying down next to them

Project to develop digital eating-disorder intervention tailored to experiences of Black postpartum individuals

KU research addresses the critical need for accessible eating-disorder treatment during the postpartum period, when changes in body image, eating habits and caregiving demands can increase risk for disordered eating.

A doctor holds a tablet up to a female patient wearing a headscarf

$50K Grant Funds New Screening and Support Initiative in Cancer Care for Alcohol Use

A project with Cofrin Logan Center researchers aims to improve screening and care through the development of a consistent method to ask head and neck cancer patients about their use of alcohol.

A man wearing a yellow shirt looks at a cigarette while laying down

KU research award will help develop pain and nicotine intervention for cancer survivors

Cancer survivors are often excluded from smoking cessation studies, even though survivors managing chronic pain are significantly more likely to use nicotine than the general population.

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Our Commitment

Explore how our researchers, staff and students come together to solve problems affecting the health of children, families and communities.

Helping People Thrive

Our Work

Learn about the research of more than 130 investigators working on dozens of projects spanning education, self-determination, disability policy, neuroscience, behavior, language, child development and more.

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Our Economic Impact

An economic analysis indicates the KU Life Span Institute had an estimated $30 million impact on the Kansas economy

A look at the numbers

Research at a Glance

$46M

external funding in FY25

489

investigators, staff and students

70+

years of improving human health and development

Ranked #1 Worldwide

Life Span Institute science and scholarship fuels the university's No. 1 rank worldwide in Developmental Disability research over the prior five years.

ScholarGPS Ranks KU No. 1

Stories of Our Impact

Read about the impact of Life Span Institute research on individuals and communities in Kansas and beyond.

Explore the Life Span Institute

People

More than 400 investigators, staff and students are part of the KU Life Span Institute. Find individual staff and connect with our research centers.

Impact

View stories about the impact of our research, grant news, and discoveries from the fields of education, addiction, autism spectrum disorder, community health and more.

News

For researchers

Connect with services that support researchers including study design, grant development, award support, and video and web production.

Services

Support the Life Span Institute

We invite you to help drive our mission to discover, develop and deliver approaches to improve the health and development of people in Kansas, throughout the region and beyond.

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Research Opportunities

Our investigators pursue science that has the potential to change people’s lives. They often depend on volunteers to partner as participants in research. We are thankful to the many infants, children, and adults who support our commitment to impact the lives of people in Kansas and beyond.

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