The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute

08/13/2026

Our Center for Inflammation Science and Systems Medicine continues to knock it out of the park! Congratulations to Aik Seng Ooi, Ph.D., on receiving a Florida Cancer Innovation Fund grant for his work on providing more treatment options for people diagnosed with hereditary and cell cancer.

Congratulations to five teams of UF Health Cancer Institute researchers who have received Florida Cancer Innovation Fund grants for innovative cancer research projects!

The new projects aim to improve monitoring of prostate cancer; uncover promising new treatments for hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer; harness the power of natural products for new cancer treatments; test whether kava reduces tobacco-associated lung cancer risk; and support a mobile health intervention to reduce fatigue in cancer survivors.

Learn more about the research projects: https://go.ufl.edu/5p88n30

08/10/2026

After eight weeks of hands-on biomedical research, our 2026 Kenan Fellows celebrated the culmination of their summer experience by presenting their work to family, mentors, teachers and friends at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute.

This year’s 14 fellows worked alongside institute scientists on individual research projects, gaining firsthand experience with the scientific process and exploring questions at the forefront of biomedical discovery. At the annual Kenan Fellows Summer Symposium, they shared what they learned through research presentations and a poster session; a milestone that showcased just how far they’ve come this summer.

We’re proud of all our 2026 Kenan Fellows and grateful to the scientists and mentors who guided them along the way. The Kenan Fellows program is part of our Glenn W. Bailey STEM Education and Outreach Programs and is made possible through the generosity of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust and the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.

Congratulations to the 2026 Kenan Fellows! Explore their research and see photos from the symposium here:
https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/2026/08/05/2026-kenan-fellows-present-their-summer-research/

08/03/2026

An important advance from the lab of Thomas Kodadek offers a cost-effective and efficient way to find "molecular glue" hooks, one of which landed an elusive diabetes drug target previously dismissed as "undruggable."

Molecular glues are a subject of much research right now, because they offer a creative way to address incurable diseases. They work by pulling together both the disease-causing drug target and a special cellular tag whose job is to mark unnecessary or toxic materials for recycling in the cell. In theory, this method should allow the cell to rid itself of the disease-driving protein. But a crucial step is finding the right molecular glues that can pull together these elements.

The new publication, in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, offers an innovative method for doing that.

Kudos to co-first authors Jiajun D**g, Ph.D., and Bo Li, Ph.D., who were both postdoctoral researchers in the Kodadek lab in Jupiter, Florida, during the study. UF Innovate UF Health University of Florida

https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/2026/08/03/a-new-method-for-finding-molecular-glues-snags-an-elusive-diabetes-target/

07/21/2026

Mosquitoes are more than just a nuisance. They can spread viruses like Zika and chikungunya, both of which have affected Floridians and currently have no approved antiviral treatments.

New federal grants totaling up to $7.4 million are helping researchers at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute and collaborating institutions accelerate the search for the first antiviral medicines for these mosquito-borne diseases.

Led by medicinal chemist Thomas Bannister, Ph.D., the research builds on years of drug discovery expertise to develop treatments that could help patients before outbreaks spread.

Learn more about this important work:

Federal grants worth up to $7.4 million will boost research on treatments for mosquito-borne viral diseases.

07/10/2026

Mass spectrometry is a powerful scientific tool that helps researchers identify and measure proteins and other large molecules by weighing them with incredible precision, using algorithms to reveal structural details. This enables scientists to find new drug targets, track how cells respond to possible treatments and study biology at the molecular level.

At The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, scientists use advanced mass spectrometry tools every day to tackle some of the toughest challenges in medicine.

And fun fact: Nobel laureate Kurt Wüthrich, who participated in the launch of The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, shared the 2002 Nobel Prize with pioneers in mass spectrometry. Together, their discoveries transformed the way scientists study proteins.

Wüthrich's groundbreaking work established nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as a powerful method for determining the 3D structures of proteins. Today, NMR and mass spectrometry provide complementary insights into protein structure.

The Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute provides expert mass spectrometry services to scientists in Florida and beyond. These experts are available to collaborate with researchers and life science companies any time.

Learn more about the core here:
https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/cores-and-technologies/mass-spectrometry-and-proteomics/

07/09/2026

Welcome, 2026 Kenan Fellows!

Fourteen exceptional high school students from The School District of Palm Beach County and Martin County School District have joined us this summer at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute in Jupiter, Florida, for an immersive research internship.

Chosen from more than 250 applicants, this year's fellows will spend eight weeks working alongside our scientists, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students. They'll gain hands-on experience in biomedical research, learning advanced laboratory techniques, experimental design, data analysis and scientific communication while contributing to projects that advance human health. This opportunity is made possible through the generosity of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust and the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.

Congratulations to the 2026 cohort! We're excited to watch these aspiring scientists grow throughout the summer.

Learn more about this year's Kenan Fellows:
https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/2026/07/06/top-local-high-school-students-selected-for-the-wertheim-uf-scripps-institutes-kenan-fellows-program/

Please help us congratulate students from:
Martin County High School
Jupiter Community High School
A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
Oxbridge Academy
The Benjamin School
South Fork High School
American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus
Suncoast Community High School

07/03/2026

HIV infections continue to spread both globally and in the United States, with an estimated 3,500 new infections acquired every day world-wide, adding to the more than 40 million people living with HIV.

Mauricio Martins, Ph.D., is developing approaches to provide long-lasting protection against HIV, including gene therapy strategies and a promising approach that could provide newborns from infection after a single treatment.

Please join us in congratulating Martins on his promotion to associate professor with tenure! We thank him for his commitment to creating a healthier world, one without HIV.

06/30/2026

A frequent cause of death during the COVID-19 pandemic was ARDS, or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Doctors have few options when this dangerous inflammatory cascade begins. New clinical trial data show an experimental antibody may improve outcomes.
It was developed by Joe G.N. Garcia, M.D., who is based at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. Read more.
https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/2026/06/30/ards-patients-improve-with-experimental-treatment/

06/05/2026

They say the is everywhere, and this week, for two intensive days, the gators brought the swamp to The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute in Jupiter.
We were thrilled to host the University of Florida Alumni Association Board of Directors for their 2026 summer meeting.
More than 40 people came from near and as far away as Mexico City, Los Angeles and Annapolis, Maryland, to learn about our scientists’ research, and discover how collaborations across the UF system are bringing hope to longstanding medical challenges like Alzheimer’s, cancer, viral diseases, ALS, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and more.
The UFAA board members heard talks from Matthew Disney, Ph.D., and Courtney Miller, Ph.D., as well as UF Innovate's Director of Ventures Jackson Streeter, M.D., who made the case for a UF venture fund to seed new UF-linked startup companies. Then the board members toured the institute’s unique robotic drug discovery system, saw its natural products collection and met a student working to find a better way to treat HIV infections.
UFAA President Rebecca Brock passed the torch to President-Elect Gordon Glover, and left with a snazzy thank you gift for her incredible service to the organization – a custom purse festooned with gators. Thank you, Rebecca, and thank you, UFAA!

06/04/2026

We love seeing our interns go on to launch great science careers!

Congratulations to former intern Kaiya Pringle, who was selected to participate in the US HIV Cure Academy this spring. Pringle has been working at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute with Associate Professor Mauricio Martins, Ph.D., on gene therapy approaches to HIV, through the NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program. Previously, she interned with Associate Professor Laura Solt, Ph.D., through our Summer Undergraduate Research Program.

Next for Pringle? She’s been accepted into Emory University’s immunology program. Helping launch great science careers is a key part of our mission, so we’re thrilled to see Kaiya’s success!

If you'd like to learn more about the educational opportunities at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, visit our website: https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/education/

National Institutes of Health (NIH)