The Milton S. Eisenhower Research Center (MERC) conducts basic and applied research that has broad applicability across all APL departments. Staff members identify, explore, and develop new technology areas of potential importance to the Laboratory and its sponsors, and they apply developed expertise to problems of critical importance to various Laboratory programs. The Research Center collaborates with the academic divisions of The Johns Hopkins University including the Whiting School of Engineering and the School of Medicine, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), including Morgan State University and the University of Puerto Rico and with the greater scientific and engineering communities.

Research Center expertise includes system and information sciences; classical and quantum wave scattering; sensor miniaturization; physical, chemical, and biological sensors; propulsion modeling, advanced materials and nanostructures; and cognitive science and engineering.

The Research Center derives program support from outside agencies such as the Office of Naval Research, Army Research Laboratories, U.S. Treasury, National Security Agency, U.S. Air Force R&D, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; from APL Independent Research and Development funds; and from programs managed by other APL departments.