By

Sara Dagen

The V Foundation Announces Renewed Research Support for UF’s Dr. Duane Mitchell

During the 16th annual Dick Vitale Gala, the V Foundation for Cancer Research announced that Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute, assistant vice president for research at UF and co-leader of the UF Health Cancer Center’s Cancer Therapeutics & Host Response research program, will receive additional support for his research on brain cancer in children.

Atsena Therapeutics Receives Orphan Drug Designation From the FDA for Novel Gene Therapy To Treat Genetic Eye Disease LCA1

UF startup Atsena Therapeutics, a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on bringing the life-changing power of genetic medicine to reverse or prevent blindness, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation for its investigational gene therapy product for the treatment of GUCY2D-associated Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA1), a genetic eye disease that affects the retina.

UF Researchers Aim to One Day Farm on Mars

UF researchers are playing a part in the future of space agriculture. One of the co-directors of the UF Space Plants Lab said all the research they do has one main goal, to one day grow plants on Mars.

Clearlake Capital and Siris-Backed Constant Contact Agrees To Acquire SharpSpring

Constant Contact, an established leader in online marketing, backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. and Siris Capital, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire UF startup SharpSpring, Inc., a leading cloud-based sales and marketing automation platform, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $240 million including outstanding indebtedness.