UF Researchers Find Gene Mutation Involved in Cancer Progression
University of Florida researchers have found mutation hot spots in a unique class of proteins that could drive cancer progression. “There are recurrent mutations that are associated with cancer development,” said Jonathan Licht, M.D., director of the UF Health Cancer Center and study co-author. “Many of these mutations inactivate the functions of important proteins that […]
UF-Led Study Offers Insights Into Adoptive Cellular Therapy to Treat Brain Tumor
New research led by UF’s Catherine Flores, Ph.D., and Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., offers insights to brain tumor researchers seeking to understand if certain patients are likely to respond to treatment known as adoptive cellular therapy, a type of immunotherapy in which T cells are infused into a patient to help fight cancer. The study, […]
Six UF Researchers Named 2019 AAAS Fellows
Six researchers from across the University of Florida have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. UF’s new Fellows include three UF/IFAS researchers, Senthold Asseng, a professor with the department of agricultural and biological engineering, Karen Garrett, a professor with the plant pathology […]
Oragenics, Inc. Announces Completion of Enrollment of Its Phase 2 Clinical Trial for AG013 in Oral Mucositis
UF startup and UF Innovate | Sid Martin Biotech graduate company Oragenics, Inc., a leader in the development of new antibiotics against infectious diseases and effective treatments for oral mucositis (OM), announced the completion of enrollment in its ongoing double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial of its lead product candidate, AG013, an easy-to-use oral rinsing […]
New Pumpkin, Calabaza Breeds Make Headway at UF
Pumpkin’s popularity for holiday decor, healthy snacking and recipes during fall and winter months, has given rise to innovative research led by Geoffrey Meru, an assistant professor of vegetable breeding, genetics and genomics at the Tropical Research and Education Center of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The goal is to develop varieties of […]
Study Helps Hepatitis C Patients, Shows Path for Accelerating Research and Potential for Drug Approvals
In a new kind of real-world study, a “pragmatic” clinical trial, UF researchers found that hepatitis C patients who previously did not respond to oral drug therapy were cured by a recently approved drug regimen. The study, published in the journal Gastroenterology’s December issue (available online) showed that the fixed-dose combination of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir, marketed as […]
Curing Mosquitoes, Eliminating Malaria
A new study authored by UF Emerging Pathogens Institute (EPI) researcher Rhoel Dinglasan, Ph.D., and colleagues, twists the narrative in the fight against malaria by treating mosquitoes. His team showed that feeding a known antimalarial drug — intended for humans — to infected Anopheles mosquitoes rendered them unable to transmit malaria parasites to new hosts. […]
Algernon Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on Its Planned Phase II Clinical Trial
UF startup Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc., formerly known as Breathtec Biomedical, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical development company, provided an update to the market on its planned phase II clinical trial and its additional plans for 2020. The company is focused on developing repurposed therapeutic drugs. Drug repurposing (also known as re-profiling, re-tasking or therapeutic switching) […]
DNAtrix Presents Positive Results From Study at the 2019 SNO Annual Meeting
UF startup DNAtrix, a leader in the development of oncolytic viruses for cancer therapy, presented updated safety and efficacy data from the fully-enrolled Phase 2 CAPTIVE / KEYNOTE-192 study of DNX-2401 (tasadenoturev), DNAtrix’s oncolytic adenovirus, followed by pembrolizumab for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. The data demonstrate that the therapy elicits durable clinical activity and has a […]
$6 Million Expansion for Gene Therapy Facility Completed at Alachua’s Progress Park
Local and state officials gathered in Alachua to commemorate a $6 million expansion at Progress Park. Representatives of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., a global science company involved with research and biotechnology product development, presented the company’s expanded gene therapy and viral vector services site. The day included tours of the 95,000-square-foot facility. University of Florida’s […]