“The program connects graduate students with opportunities to lead educational events, present research and mentor students ranging from high school to undergraduate levels,” said Dietmar Siemann, Ph.D., associate director for education and training at the UF Health Cancer Institute. “The ambassadors are an essential component of all of our student and community outreach activities. They engage personally and naturally to demonstrate the exciting possibilities of science in ways that make younger students feel at ease.”

Read more about Ambassadors Program Empowers UF Graduate Students To Mentor Future Cancer Researchers.

When man’s best friend develops cancer, veterinarians often use human medications to treat them, because dogs and humans share deep biological similarities. This creates an opportunity for both species to help each other, through comparative studies, said Elizabeth Maxwell, DVM, a surgical oncologist at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville.

Maxwell has teamed up with the robotic drug discovery group at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology on studies of the aggressive skin cancer melanoma, and a type of bone cancer that’s rare in humans, but more common in dogs, called osteosarcoma.

Read more about Dogs and Humans Help Cancer Drug Discovery.

It is a fast-evolving science powered by massive amounts of data, artificial intelligence and everyday people who contribute information as citizen scientists. That is where Levente Juhász has made his mark, drawing attention not only from academic peers but also from industry professionals from companies such as Meta seeking his expertise. Now, as an assistant professor of geospatial analytics at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), his pioneering work has earned him international recognition as the recipient of the 2026 Young Investigator Award.

Read more about Researcher’s Pioneering Work in AI and Mapping Earns International Young Investigator Award.

“It’s somewhat understudied,” said Esquivel. The research is asking why bees keep returning and even nesting, despite regular field work and pest treatments. These crops don’t rely on bees to set seed, so the bees’ continued presence raises more questions for farmers and researchers. 

Read more about New Research Asks Why Do Bees Return to Southern Crops That Don’t Need Pollination?

IMPACT DUCHENNE and the ongoing Phase 1/2 INSPIRE DUCHENNE clinical trials are components of an integrated, multi-trial clinical development program designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a single intravenous dose of SGT-003 in individuals living with Duchenne.

Read more about Solid Biosciences Doses First Participant in Phase 3 IMPACT DUCHENNE Clinical Trial Evaluating SGT-003 in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

What does it feel like to leave Earth behind while carrying the weight of years of research into orbit? A new documentary airing on PBS brings viewers closer than ever to that question through the story of one University of Florida scientist.

Produced by UF, the video follows space biologist Rob Ferl, Ph.D., during his 2024 flight to space aboard a Blue Origin rocket. While the mission itself drew widespread attention, the documentary focuses on what the public rarely sees, including years of research, coordination and preparation leading up to launch.

Read more about From Lab To Launch: UF Documentary Captures Rob Ferl’s 2024 Spaceflight Journey.

A University of Florida study has made a key discovery in understanding a disease that for over a century has plagued the white button mushroom — a nutrient-dense vegetable that is valued for its versatility and health benefits.

As an economically important specialty crop, it is often highlighted as a practical example of the “food is medicine” concept by showing how the kitchen staple commonly used in appetizers, salads and everyday foods can support healthy diets.

However, bacterial blotch, a persistent disease in the United States that reduces yield, shortens shelf life and lowers marketability of the white button mushroom, continues to challenge growers by causing brown or yellow blemishes that make mushrooms unsellable. In some cases, the symptoms do not appear until the mushrooms have reached grocery stores or consumers’ homes.

Read more about DNA Analyses Uncover What Is Hiding Under the Cap Plaguing the White Button Mushroom Industry.

That is the power of environmental DNA, or eDNA, as revealed in new research led by University of Florida biologist David Duffy, Ph.D., which traced the DNA harbored by the Avoca River from its origin in the Wicklow Mountains to where it spills into the Irish Sea.

Read more about How River DNA Can Track Fish, Frogs, Fungi and Human Feces — All at Once.

Gopal Manukonda, Early Arthritis Detection

In this week’s Tech Tuesday, UF Innovate spotlights University of Florida research that created an AI-powered tool for the early detection and severity prediction of knee osteoarthritis (OA).

The system allows users to upload an existing X-ray image, which is then analyzed to determine whether knee osteoarthritis is present and, if so, how severe it is. Gopal Manukonda explains how this technology supports early diagnosis, helping identify the condition before symptoms become severe and enabling more timely care and management.

Read more about University of Florida Researcher Develops AI Tool for Early Knee Osteoarthritis Detection.

The intrusions force dark, murky river water back into the normally clear springs that push fresh water out. The reversed flow results in cloudy conditions that, when coupled with other problems like low oxygen levels and declining submerged aquatic vegetation, can exacerbate algae blooms that have long been blamed primarily on nitrate levels.

Read more about New Research Reveals Repeated Flooding Is Altering a Key Florida Natural Resource.