The University of Louisville (also known as U of L) is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is mandated by the Kentucky General Assembly to be a "Preeminent Metropolitan Research University". U of L enrolls students from 118 of 120 Kentucky counties, all 50 U.S. states, and 116 countries around the world.

The University of Louisville Health Sciences Center is among the most innovative medical research centers in the United States, as evidenced by the development of the first 100 percent effective vaccine against cervical cancer in 2006, the first fully self-contained artificial heart transplant the first successful hand transplant, and the development of the Pap smear test. U of L is also credited with the first civilian ambulance, the nation's first accident services, now known as an emergency room (ER), and one of the first blood banks in the US.

Since 1999, U of L has made the largest gains of any university in National Institutes of Health research ranking, with its NIH funding increasing 277 percent and its rank increasing 30 places. As of 2006 among public U.S. universities, the melanoma clinic ranks third, the neurology research program fourth, and the spinal cord research program 10th in NIH funding.

U of L is also known for its successful athletics program. Since 2000 the Cardinals are the only NCAA team to win a BCS bowl game, appear in the men's basketball Final Four, College Baseball World Series, and win a national championship in Track and Field.