The successful development of scientific and innovative activities of the Ural State Medical University (USMU) is determined by the choice of priority areas of science and the integration of all resources (human, material, intellectual) to generate new ideas, create and introduce new technologies. The department teams, employees of the central scientific research laboratory (CSRL), the preventive medical office and the clinical base for the specialized departments of the dental faculty (dental clinic USMU), representatives of the scientific society of young scientists and students (NOMUS) and others scientific workers are involved in the organization and conduct of scientific research .

The university develops over 40 scientific directions and scientific schools. The Ural scientific schools were formed in the 30th and 40th of the twentieth century. These are scientific schools in internal medicine, surgery, hygiene, pediatrics, pathophysiology and neurosurgery. The formation of scientific schools in the areas of pharmacy, dentistry and others is being successfully carried out. Scientific schools embody the best traditions of the university such as the continuity of the knowledge and experience of their teachers by young people. The most fully presented scientific directions in USMU are obstetrics and gynecology, biological sciences, cardiology, psychiatry, pediatrics, infectious diseases, nervous diseases, oncology, dentistry, neurosurgery, anesthesiology and resuscitation, pulmonology, cardiovascular surgery, pathological physiology, toxicology, forensic medicine, clinical laboratory diagnostics.

The functions of the general university scientific-methodical, experimental-clinical and educational center for carrying out work in the main scientific areas of the university are performed by the central scientific research laboratory (CSRL) of USMU. At present, the structure of the Central Scientific Research Laboratory includes: the Department of molecular and cellular technologies with a radioisotope laboratory, Department of Biomedical Physics and Engineering, Department of General Pathology with Histological Laboratory, Department of Intrauterine Programming of Diseases and Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics.

The Scientific Society of Young Scientists and Students (NOMUS) is actively functioning to develop the scientific potential of young people at USMU and to continue the traditions of leading scientific schools. Students and young scientists participate in the events of the Foundation for Assistance to Small Forms of Enterprises in the Scientific and Technical Sphere, that determine the winners of the federal grant program «Participant of the Youth Scientific and Innovative Competition» («U.M.N.I.K») and «START».

Every year an internal competition «Scientists of Ural State Medical University - to the Urals Health Care» is held, which is also important in attracting the younger generation of researchers to scientific activities. Annually the University organizes more than 35 scientific, scientific -practical, educational and methodological events (congresses, forums, scientific and practical conferences at various levels).

Scientific staff of USMU regularly publish articles in periodicals included in the list of the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science, as well as in foreign peer-reviewed journals. The publication activity of the university is presented in the indexed citation system Web of Science, Scopus, RSCI. The University has periodicals and non-periodicals. USMU is the founder of the journals «Bulletin of the Ural Medical Academic Science», «Ural Medical Journal», «Problems of Dentistry», «Bulletin of the Ural State Medical University».

The main directions of innovation activities are work with small innovative enterprises (SMEs) and work with innovative ideas, projects, personnel, organization of grant support for innovative projects. University is co-founder of small innovative enterprises: InUral-M LLC, Innomedtsentr LLC, Ural Biomedical Company LLC, Innovator LLC.

Scientific and innovative achievements of the University are annually recognized at scientific and practical events and competitions.

Councils have been created for the defense of dissertations for the degree of candidate of medical sciences and for the degree of doctor of medical sciences in 11 scientific specialties: «surgery», «anesthesiology and resuscitation», «internal diseases», «cardiology», «pediatrics», «nervous diseases», «pathological physiology», «dentistry», «hygiene», «occupational medicine», «obstetrics and gynecology».

USMU is the curator of the Ural Scientific and Educational Consortium of Biomedicine, Pharmacy and Medical Engineering.

USMU is the coordinator of the Ural Scientific and Educational Medical Cluster (UNOMK) of the Ministry of Health of Russia.

The high scientific potential of the university, the traditions of scientific schools, successes in the organization of the healthcare industry, the development and implementation of new technologies in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases contribute to the further development of research and innovation activities of the university, which ensures a high quality of training.