Pheronym Receives Grant to Achieve Commercialization Milestones
UF Innovate | The Hub and UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech alum Pheronym, an ag-biotech pest control company, received a $25,000 grant from Agstart to help reach commercialization milestones which the COVID-19 health crisis had forced to postpone or cancel. Pheronym is a pioneer in the use of nematode pheromones to control both beneficial and plant-parasitic nematodes, or […]
Is This Mushroom Safe? Expert Fields More Concerned Calls During Pandemic
For mushroom identification expert Matt Smith, spring is usually a slow time of year. “Mushrooms are less common during the spring in Florida, so this time of year I hardly have anyone contacting me about someone having eaten a mushroom that might be poisonous. But since everyone started staying home because of COVID-19, I’ve been […]
Grit Drives Display Technology Expert to Advance the Field of Nanotechnology
For one researcher in the Florida High Tech Corridor, grit has always been the difference-maker. Courage to try something new and determination to be successful are what led Alexandre “Alex” Titov into the field of nanotechnology, where he remains motivated to make a significant impact in The Corridor region and beyond. Alex was introduced to nanotechnology while […]
Could Rapid Home-Based Coronavirus Tests Become Reality?
Piyush Jain, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and a member of UF Health Cancer Center, developed an inexpensive home-based rapid testing kit that can detect the coronavirus without needing to go to the hospital. “My research group recently engineered a sensitive CRISPR-based technology, that we named CRISPR-ENHANCE, and used it to create a rapid […]
Quicker Reviews, Designated Funding Speeds COVID-19 Research Efforts at UF Health
Amid the worst public health emergency in a lifetime, UF Health leaders have taken steps to speed novel coronavirus research, recognizing the urgent need to provide answers and options to the communities they serve. There are two key components of this effort: IRB retooled its approval process for coronavirus trials, and the UF Clinical and Translational […]
UF Mobilizes Campus, Exactech Expertise to Make Vital COVID-19 Nasal Swabs
When University of Florida Health needed a massive supply of nasal swabs for expanded COVID-19 testing, the solution was right on campus and just across town. It came from Forrest J. Masters, Ph.D., P.E., a professor and the associate dean for research and facilities at UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. Working with the 3D printing lab […]
TearClear Appoints Dr. Amir Shojaei Chief Development Officer
UF startup and UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech resident client TearClear, a global ophthalmic pharmaceutical company, has announced the appointment of Amir Shojaei, Pharm.D., Ph.D., as chief development officer, a major step towards planning and executing multiple clinical development and registration programs. Over his 23-year career, Dr. Shojaei has focused on the clinical development, […]
Industrial Hemp Pilot Project Research Expands to On-Farm Trials
As the UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project moves into its second year, on-farm research trials begin with commercial growers across the state. Twenty farms across twelve Florida counties were selected for the UF/IFAS on-farm trials. These farms are in different agricultural regions to provide a variety of conditions to study the growth and success of […]
Dr. David Shulkin Named to SmartSteward Board of Directors
UF Innovate | The Hub resident client SmartSteward, Inc., a digital health company focused on advanced infection control and antibiotic stewardship software for skilled nursing facilities, is pleased to announce the members of its Board of Directors and the addition of Dr. David Shulkin, the ninth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The Board will guide the company’s efforts towards […]
Global Survey Supports Link Between COVID-19 and Loss of Smell and Taste
A new massive crowdsourced survey of COVID-19 patients from around the world provides the greatest evidence to date of a link between COVID-19 and the loss of smell, taste and chemesthesis — or sensitivity to chemicals such as those in chili peppers. The findings may have implications for prioritizing the limited supply of COVID-19 tests. […]