Our Story

Founded in Birmingham in 1941, Southern Research is a non-profit scientific research organization that employs 250 scientists and professional staff. In its 80-year legacy of moving science, the organization has helped shape modern cancer treatment practices, including developing seven FDA-approved cancer drugs and testing more than half of active chemotherapies in the United States. Southern Research has conducted more than $30 million in coronavirus research over the past two years, including collaborations on a COVID-19 vaccine currently in clinical trials, conducting thousands of PCR tests and refining the underlying chemistry of critical treatments. The organization is the highest NIH-funded non-academic research center in Alabama and has a $150 million annual economic impact.