Common drug may help HIV medicines work faster and reduce inflammation

JUPITER, Fla. — An FDA‑approved medication called spironolactone, often prescribed as a diuretic, or water pill, for heart and blood pressure conditions, may…

Ambassador Council formed to further high-impact scientific research and educational philanthropy at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute

JUPITER, Fla. — Eleven local leaders dedicated to the betterment of their community have joined The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical…

Marti Latour and Jeff Atwater Ambassador Council 2025

Scientists blaze new path to fighting viral diseases

JUPITER, Fla. — In a quest to develop new antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and other diseases, a collaboration led by scientists at The Wertheim UF Scripps…

A team of scientists led by Matthew Disney, Ph.D., of The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute (center), mapped the druggable pockets (violet, green, red, orange, yellow)of a key RNA from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its frameshift element, and then designed a potential medicine able to prevent viral replication. Collaborators included Arnab Chatterjee of the Skaggs-Calibr Institute for Innovative Medicines (left) and Sumit Chanda, Ph.D., of Scripps Research (right). Illustration by Stacey DeLoye, Cryo-EM model of frameshift RNA by Sandra Kovachka, Ph.D.

Study details how cells power down to overcome viral attack

JUPITER, Fla. — Cells have evolved ingenious ways to defend themselves from viral attack. A recent study from The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute sheds light on…

Skyler Briggs, a graduate student at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, shows a microscopic image of lung cells infected with West Nile virus in the process of shutting down their metabolism. He is first author on a recent paper detailing the process co-authored with his mentor, James Burke, Ph.D. / Stacey DeLoye

Study: Gene therapy may block HIV transmission during breastfeeding

JUPITER, Fla.— Delivering broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 to newborns via gene therapy provided them with multi-year protection from HIV/AIDS…

Antibody-cancer drug combo shows promise against aggressive lymphoma

JUPITER, Fla. — Cancer-hunting antibodies coupled with a natural compound found in soil microbes proved a powerful combination against an aggressive type of…

Research Assistant Professor Dong Yang, Ph.D., incubates the microbe strains to increase the quantities needed for their studies.

Scientists wipe out aggressive brain cancer tumors by targeting cellular ‘motors’

JUPITER, Fla. — A potential treatment for glioblastoma crafted by scientists at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute renders the deadly brain cancer newly…

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Mutations disrupt touch-based learning, study finds

JUPITER, Fla. — You may scarcely notice it, but much of what you do every day requires your brain to engage in perceptual learning. To safely cross an…

Wertheim UF Scripps Institute professor Gavin Rumbaugh, Ph.D. and staff scientist Thomas Vaissiere, Ph.D.

The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, UF Medicinal Chemistry target incurable diseases

JUPITER, Fla. — University of Florida scientists with expertise in drug discovery and chemistry are advancing potential treatments for challenging diseases via…

Groundbreaking canine cancer case highlights precision medicine at UF

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A young French bulldog’s battle with an extremely rare and aggressive cancer has broken new ground in veterinary oncology at the University…

Dr. Leah Ackerman, right, and Dr. Victoria Cicchirillo hold George during one of his treatment sessions at the UF Small Animal Hospital. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Leah Ackerman)

UF scientist’s Parkinson’s work selected for innovative drug development effort

JUPITER, Fla. — People with Parkinson’s need better treatment options, and they need them fast. A California nonprofit, SPARK NS, announced Tuesday that it has…

Wertheim UF Scripps chemist Matthew Disney, Ph.D., explains his approach to targeting RNA with medicines in his Jupiter, Florida office. Photo by Scott Wiseman.

New $7.7 million grant to propel search for drugs for rare brain disorder

JUPITER, Fla. — Children born with a damaged gene needed for healthy brain development, SYNGAP1, experience seizures, sensory processing disorders, difficulty…