Any suggestions for a project management software that is user friendly and preferably research oriented?

If you are new to project management software, perhaps you can explore Windows / GUI based project management software like Ms Project, HPE Project & Portfolio Management, IBM Rational Portfolio Manager etc. which can be more user friendly if you are familiar with Ms Office etc.  Most of the project management software are delivering almost the similar stuff like time, cost, resource management that are applicable to a research project.

Thank you for your responses Bartosz and Han Ping. I'm interested in finding something where many partners can participate in the management of the project. But I will certainly check out the options you suggested. Thanks again!

If not mistaken, I remembered Ms Project, HPE PPM & IBM RPM all have server edition that allow multiple groups of people to use the same software or same / certain files remotely & concurrently for better project teams collaboration.  You can find out more from the following links.  Wishing you all the best.

https://products.office.com/en-us/project/enterprise-project-server

https://saas.hpe.com/en-us/software/ppm-it-project-portfolio-management

http://www-03.ibm.com/software/products/en/portfolio

I'd go for a web based one. Try Asana, it is good and allows decent collaboration.