The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology

It may sound strange, that our brains have multiple systems for forgetting, and that forgetting is necessary for brain health. But that's exactly what professor Ronald L Davis has discovered since he founded the neurocience department here. Read more about the fascinating science of forgetting. https://lnkd.in/e5-TiShA University of Florida UF Health

Thoroughly enjoyed a coffee and conversation with Sharron Cox talking about what we're up to Myosin Therapeutics Inc. and life as woman in biotech  

Storm update: The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute will return to normal operations on Friday, October 11.

The institute will close on Wednesday, October 9, and Thursday, October 10, except for essential personnel, due to the approach of Hurricane Milton.  Further information is available at https://lnkd.in/eBUdx4A6.

BREAKING NEWS The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet has today decided to award the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. This year’s Nobel Prize honours two scientists for their discovery of a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated. The information stored within our chromosomes can be likened to an instruction manual for all cells in our body. Every cell contains the same chromosomes, so every cell contains exactly the same set of genes and exactly the same set of instructions. Yet, different cell types, such as muscle and nerve cells, have very distinct characteristics. How do these differences arise? The answer lies in gene regulation, which allows each cell to select only the relevant instructions. This ensures that only the correct set of genes is active in each cell type. This year’s medicine laureates Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were interested in how different cell types develop. They discovered microRNA, a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation. Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans. It is now known that the human genome codes for over one thousand microRNAs. Their surprising discovery revealed an entirely new dimension to gene regulation. MicroRNAs are proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function.

A study commissioned by the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, Inc. found that the health care/life sciences sector has become the #1 category for jobs in #PalmBeach County, #Florida, employing nearly 100,000 people at an average salary of more than $74,000 a year. We're proud to work with the BDB to help cultivate Florida's knowledge economy, as we advance human health through biomedical research, drug discovery and clinical studies, and provide outstanding educational opportunities to inspire and train the next generation of scientists.

Alzheimer’s is personal for me. I think of my dad and his impact on my life all the time. That’s one of the reasons I’m excited about the investments we’re making to accelerate Alzheimer’s R&D, particularly by enabling more data sharing and global collaboration among researchers. Recently, our partners at the Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative surveyed Alzheimer’s researchers at AAIC24 to learn what they’re most excited about—and what they view as the greatest barriers to progress. Their responses were interesting. Researchers are excited about the potential for new therapeutics and diagnostic tools, including blood-based biomarkers. They believe we need to break down barriers to data access, data sharing, and global research collaboration across academia, research agencies, and pharmaceutical companies to continue to drive and accelerate breakthroughs. I agree.   The potential for AI and machine learning to speed up Alzheimer’s research is also something that excites me. In the next couple months, the ADDI will be launching applications for a fellowship cohort with this exact focus. I’m eager to see how all these efforts will help us make even more progress and eventually find a cure. 

The institute’s postdoctoral researchers make us proud every day. They drive discoveries through their inventiveness, diligence, and collaborative spirit. As teachers and mentors, they impart a passion for discovery and excellence, leaving an indelible impact on the students and interns who come here to launch their own science careers. Thank you to everyone who made 2024 Postdoc Appreciation Week at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology in Jupiter, Florida, a memorable one. The ice cream social, the career development workshops, the dog petting—and don’t forget boot camp—it all made for a fun and rewarding week. #NPAW2024 National Postdoctoral Association

Important insights about virally caused chronic inflammation and immune activation have just been published from the lab of our own Professor Susana Valente, Ph.D.. Current anti-retroviral treatment regimens for HIV infection have a shortcoming; they do not eliminate chronic immune activation, even in well-suppressed people living with HIV. Evidence suggests strategies that block HIV transcription could be an important addition to current therapies, for HIV and possibly for some other virally induced autoimmune conditions. See link below for the paper, which was just published in Nature Microbiology. Dr. Valente chairs the Immunology & Microbiology department The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology in Jupiter, Florida, part of UF Health and University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute UF Innovate #HIV #autoimmune #MS #inflammation #AicardiGoutières #Alzheimers She is also a member of the HOPE Collaboratory.

We were delighted to host 30 life science business leaders from the United Kingdom last week and tell them about the institute’s unique research and expertise, which support important life science projects both within and outside of our institute.  The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute helps cultivate Florida’s #lifescience industry by providing affordable access to 12 crucial scientific core services. These include #genomics, #proteomics, #NMR, #bioinformatics, cryo-electron #microscopy, and more. (Contact Core Director Gogce Ceren Crynen, Ph.D., for information.) Unique #drug_discovery assets including high-throughput robotic screening, compound libraries, medicinal chemistry, and #DMPK labs, are also accessible to outside groups. Crucially, we help build Florida’s scientific workforce through our top-ranked graduate program and our #internship programs.   Thank you to Florida’s Department of Commerce, Secretary, J. Alex Kelly; Department of Elder Affairs Secretary, Michelle Branham; international commerce agency SelectFlorida; Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, Inc. President and CEO, Kelly Smallridge; JFK Medical Center CEO Melby Gina; Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and BioFlorida, Inc. for joining us to learn about all the ways we help grow #lifescience in #Florida.   And thank you to the British Consulate General Miami , and UK Business and Trade – North America for your visit.  We hope you enjoyed presentations from our own Luiz Pedro Carvalho, Ph.D.; Patrick Griffin, Ph.D.; and the High Throughput Molecular Screening and Natural Product Discovery Center teams. Cheerio! Hope to see you back in Palm Beach County soon. UF Innovate | Accelerate UF Health University of Florida @