Discover What’s New at the Institute

The experts at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, part of the University of Florida, collaborate with leading thinkers to tackle the toughest challenges in medicine, and search for new treatments.

POWERFUL Collaborations

Exceptional Scientists, Groundbreaking Discoveries

"We pursue a vital purpose, addressing humanity's unmet medical needs through research and education."

Joseph Jablonski, research assistant, goes over experiment protocols with Susana Valente, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute. They have invented a way to lock HIV in its dormant state, long-term.

NEWS

historic gift

‘A Launchpad for Science’

The largest individual gift in UF history will name The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology and launch a public-private partnership that will drive the future of biomedical research and innovation.

Herbert Wertheim, benefactor of UF Scripps

Muscular Dystrophy and ALS

Research Spotlight: Chemist targets RNA to attack incurable disease from a new direction

A trailblazing scientist targets ALS, myotonic dystrophy, Parkinson’s, metastatic breast cancer, viral diseases and more by attacking key RNA, preventing disease-causing genes from being expressed.

Matthew Disney shows a diagram of his RIBOTAC work.

COVID-19

University of Florida research spending at record $1.33 billion for FY2025

 The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute accounted for $101.2 million in research spending. “This new record sends an unmistakable signal that the University of Florida’s research enterprise is a rock-solid powerhouse, and the important work our researchers are doing is absolutely vital to the great state of Florida, the nation and the world,” said Mori Hosseini, UF Board of Trustees chair. 

Glass vials on a chemistry bench

Dedicated to research excellence

External Advisory Board Convenes

Eight highly respected biomedical research and education leaders have joined the External Advisory Board of The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, bringing their significant expertise in academia, industry and government to institute leaders.

Patrick Griffin, Ph.D.; Courtney Miller, Ph.D., and Theodore Kamenecka, Ph.D., discuss their work as they walk through Miller's lab at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute.

Drug discovery resources

Unique Resources for Finding New Medicines

Explore our unique resources and expertise, which are powering major discoveries that address a world of unmet medical needs.

Cancer spheroids

outstanding results

Stand-Out Faculty Productivity Draws Accolades

One in five of our faculty holds a prestigious R35 Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Institutes of Health.

Gavin Rumbaugh, Ph.D.

RESEARCH

Cancer innovation

Antibody-Cancer Drug Combo Vanquishes Lymphoma

A cancer-killing compound found in soil microbes, combined with a cancer-seeking antibody, shows promise against an aggressive type of lymphoma.

The natural products collection at Scripps Research contains hundreds of thousands of organisms available for study.

ADDICTION

Opioid Users May Benefit From Relapse Prevention Strategy

New research raises the possibility that a wider group of people in recovery from substance use disorders may benefit from a relapse-prevention compound designed by Courtney Miller, Ph.D., director of academic affairs and professor.

courtney miller

neuroscience

Scientists Discover How Fear Conditions the Brain

A specialized RNA with a memorable acronym, SLAMR, plays a role in fear conditioning, according to a discovery from scientists led by Sathya Puthanveettil, Ph.D.

Neuroscientist Sathya Puthanveettil, Ph.D., of The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, joins postdoctoral researcher Jena Wingfield, Ph.D., in the lab. They discovered a new long noncoding RNA that directs neurons to build connections during fear conditioning.

CANCER AND IMMUNITY

Scientists find possible master switch for programming cancer immunotherapy

During tumor growth, a type of specialized white blood cells called CD8+ T cells rapidly multiply within the spleen and lymph nodes and acquire the ability to kill diseased cells. Finding the factors that cause T cells to function beyond the lymphoid system and in sites of infection or cancer has proven a tough challenge, but it’s essential for developing cancer-fighting immunotherapy strategies.

Pipkin

HIGH-THROUGHPUT SCREENING

High-throughput molecular screening

High-Throughput screening is a drug-discovery process widely used in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry. It leverages automation to quickly assay the biological or biochemical activity of a large number of drug-like compounds for the discovery of novel small molecule ligands against receptors, enzymes, ion-channels and other pharmacological targets.

Spicer

BREAST CANCER

Taking aim at breast cancer from a different angle

“Cancer patients whose tumor growth is boosted by hormones such as estrogen and progesterone need more options. We’re taking a different approach, looking at the structure of the hormones’ interacting molecules as potential targets to silence cancer’s growth signal.” — Patrick Griffin, PhD, Scientific Director and Professor, UF Scripps Department of Molecular Medicine

Griffin
Cancer spheroids

LATEST News

Innovations and Discoveries

Click here to keep up with the latest science from UF Scripps.