News

Nearly 50 VCU faculty honored for their research and teaching

Aug. 20, 2026

The 2026 NIRA and PEIA awardees elevate VCU’s reputation and the student learning experience.

Madison Bivins (left), a rising sophomore at Old Dominion University, and her mentor, Alexandra DeJong Lempke, Ph.D., examine an ultrasound reading together. (Photo by Christopher Richmond)

Ultrasounds, glowing molecules and the brain: A summer in VCU's research labs

Aug. 19, 2026

Through the Honors Summer Undergraduate Research Program, students from VCU, Old Dominion University and Virginia State University spend nine weeks immersed in scientific research.

The CoStar Center for Arts and Innovation is under construction at the intersection of Broad and Belvidere streets. The center’s opening is planned for spring 2028.

What’s under construction at VCU?

Aug. 13, 2026

A roundup of major construction and renovation projects that are underway or currently being planned.

Students navigate a geriatrics-themed escape room set up in VCU’s School of Nursing that mimics a home visit after a patient has been discharged from the hospital for a fall. (Contributed photo)

VCU geriatrics-themed escape room trains health sciences students

Aug. 4, 2026

Teams representing multiple health professions decipher clues and devise post-hospital plans for an older adult who has endured one of aging’s biggest risks: suffering a fall.

VCU fuels new and emerging research endeavors and cross-campus collaboration with 2026 Quest Fund awards

July 28, 2026

These competitive internal grants empower faculty to launch pilot studies, restart research programs and drive transdisciplinary discoveries.

Vamsi Yadavalli, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Engineering, has turned his expertise developing biosensors from biological materials toward cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. (Photo by John Battiston)

Rapid cortisol test, aerial vehicle tech and water tanks are among VCU faculty research projects receiving new awards

July 10, 2026

Six initiatives are selected in the Commercialization Fund’s latest round of funding that helps bring campus innovation to the marketplace.

The Altria Center for Research and Technology, a 450,000-square-foot facility adjacent to VCU’s academic medical center campus, features state-of-the-art research and academic space. (Allen Jones, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

Virginia authorizes funding for VCU to purchase Altria Center for Research and Technology

June 29, 2026

The 450,000-square-foot center will replace outdated facilities and accelerate VCU's groundbreaking research and cutting-edge health sciences programs.

State approves funding for VCU to construct School of Dentistry building and acquire Altria Center for Research and Technology

June 29, 2026

‘These facilities represent a shared strategic commitment to advancing Virginia's health and innovation economy,’ said VCU President Michael Rao.

Hooding and Diploma Ceremony speaker to VCU Pharmacy Class of 2026: 'Readiness is not a feeling. It's a decision.'

May 22, 2026

At Hooding & Diploma Ceremony, graduating Class of 2026 reflects on persistence, resilience and how vital it is to keep swimming.

Charles McGill’s AI models allow pharmaceutical manufacturing researchers to explore a vast universe of chemical options, from new solvents to optimized temperature settings. (College of Engineering)

How machine learning is redefining pharmaceutical manufacturing

May 20, 2026

Charles McGill is among the faculty leading innovation at VCU, using machine learning and AI to explore a vast universe of chemical possibilities.