SE Nebraska News

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has announced the advancement of $5 million for Nebraska's research institutions. This funding is aimed at supporting bioeconomy, biomedical, and water quality research efforts through the Senate Appropriations Committee. The funds are part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act, which is pending consideration on the Senate Floor.

"Nebraska’s research institutions are the backbone of the future bioeconomy, conservation, and biomedical research workforce. This funding not only fuels groundbreaking research – it strengthens local economies by supporting the contractors and businesses that make this work possible. I’m proud to advance this investment in Nebraska’s innovative research ecosystem and ensure that our institutions have the resources they need to succeed," Fischer stated.

The projects benefiting from this funding include:

1. Growing Nebraska’s Bioeconomy: This project involves purchasing equipment and developing space to design, build, test, model, and validate products that enhance Nebraska's bioeconomy. It will support applications in biomedical research, agriculture, and biosecurity at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with an allocation of $1 million.

2. Instrumentation for Advanced Water Research: Equipment upgrades at the Water Sciences Laboratory and Conservation and Survey Division at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will support water quality research with a focus on groundwater as a drinking water source affected by environmental variables and agricultural production. This project also receives $1 million.

3. Scientific Instrumentation for Biomedical Research: At the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), this initiative aims to modernize and expand comparative biomedical research training infrastructure to meet growing demands from students pursuing healthcare careers. The project is allocated $3 million.