Graduate Studies Via the Skaggs Graduate School

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Graduate studies at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology are delivered through two programs, the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, and the University of Florida Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences. Both have distinct application processes.

Laura solt, Ph.D.

Letter from the Associate Dean

Greetings from sunny Jupiter, Florida, where we’re conducting groundbreaking research just a few miles from the beautiful sandy beaches and tropical blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean! Our institute is part of the University of Florida, while graduate education is delivered through two programs, reflecting our history. I am associate dean with the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. Students in the program enjoy the opportunity to work with Nobel laureates and experts based at Scripps Research, while benefitting from being based at one of the nation’s top public research universities. Our students have access to one of the world’s fastest supercomputers, HiPerGator, and one of a dozen scientific core services. This is a collegial, highly collaborative campus where scientists pursue a diverse range of research topics aimed at improving human health and wellbeing. The Skaggs graduate school provides broad foundational training in the biomedical sciences, in an environment that is interdisciplinary and innovative. To learn more, I encourage you to start in our faculty directory. Read about our talented faculty and their cutting-edge research programs. Peruse their most recent studies. Let loose your curiosity, reach out to faculty, and ask questions. With so many recent advances in biochemistry, it is an exciting time to start your career in the biomedical sciences. Read on and envision yourself with us, working at the forefront of this scientific quest of discovery.

Faculty Directory

Important Dates

• October 23 –  Virtual Open House
• December 1 – Application deadline
• December 15 – Three letters of recommendation due
• December to January, 2026 – Interview invitations sent
• February 12 – 14, 2026 – Interview weekend event
• Late February to mid-March, 2026 – Admissions decisions are sent
• April 15, 2026 – Decision day

Program Details

In April 2022, the University of Florida and Scripps Florida completed integration to create a research powerhouse poised to accelerate biomedical discoveries that benefit patients. This integration blends the clinical expertise of a top public university with the creative energies of one of the world’s leading biomedical research organizations. Graduate education here at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology is delivered two ways, in partnership with the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California, and through the University of Florida College of Medicine’s Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.

The Skaggs Graduate School program is ranked ninth in the nation in biological sciences overall—second in organic chemistry, fourth in biochemistry and seventh in chemistry. It offers students here the opportunity to attend classes taught by Nobel laureates; members of the National Academies of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering, and pioneers in RNA drug discovery, natural products chemistry, and neuroscience.

Working at the Jupiter, Florida campus means you will have access to leading biomedical research technologies including cryo-electron microscopy; robotic high-throughput molecular screening, one of the world’s fastest academic supercomputers, including artificial intelligence resources. The campus is also home to one of the world’s largest collections of bacterial natural products, a historic collection on track to become a leading repository of curated bacterial genomes, available for your exploration and discovery.

 Your faculty mentors based at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute share your passion for accomplishing big things. They pursue original research that addresses significant biomedical questions. They excel across multiple fields of basic and translational science, in areas including chemistry, neuroscience, immunology, microbiology, structural biology, drug discovery, information sciences, and enabling technologies. 

The Skaggs graduate school is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Learn more here.

Admission to the Skaggs graduate school is highly competitive, with a 6% acceptance rate as of the 2025 cycle. The student body as of 2025 consisted of 400 students across both campuses: La Jolla, California and Jupiter, Florida.

What Makes Graduate Studies in Jupiter Unique?

We asked current students to tell us what makes the graduate program here in Palm Beach County, Florida special and unique.

Here’s what they told us:

• There’s a tightly coupled relationship among the chemistry, biology and drug discovery experts here that makes every research project a collaborative one. Biomedical research requires this kind of cross-disciplinary thinking.Students enjoy a great quality of life here. The stipend is among the highest of similar programs. The state tax burden is lowest, and there is no city tax.
• You’re digging into research in the lab from day one, with less emphasis on classroom/textbook learning than some other programs.

• Studying on the Florida campus brings unique benefits, such as the ability to tap into the expertise and resources at the neighboring Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience as well as the University of Florida, and its health science center, UF Health.
• As part of UF Health , The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute is connected to ten hospitals and three veterinary hospitals; impressive clinical programs such as UF Health’s Center for Brain Tumor Research and the UF Health Cancer Institute, as well as one of the fastest supercomputers in academia, HiPerGator. All work closely with Wertheim UF Scripps faculty and their graduate students.
• Students enjoy career support and mentoring from the faculty and staff of Scripps Research, including Nobel Laureates, Wolf Prize recipients, National Academy of Science members and job placement services. The career opportunities for our graduates are outstanding. Graduates are sought-after for roles in biotechnology and pharma, academia, government, business and more.

Get to Know the Florida Campus