The prestigious fellowship provides tuition, stipend and educational support, enabling Smith to advance his innovative research under the mentorship of Dr. Jamal Lewis, associate professor and BME graduate coordinator in the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering. His project aims to develop a unique drug delivery platform that uses the neurotropic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans to transport therapeutics across the brain’s protective barriers, with the goal of improving treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Read more about BME Ph.D. Candidate Awarded NIH F31 NINDS Fellowship.

In this week’s Tech Tuesday, host of UF Innovate Bethany Gaffey introduces Clinton Smith from Dr. Jamal Lewis’s biomaterials lab at the University of Florida. This lab is repurposing fungi to help deliver pharmaceuticals to the central nervous system, addressing the challenges of treating brain disorders.

“What if we could use fungi to deliver life-changing medicine for brain disorders? We’re here at UF’s Biomedical Engineering Department to learn more. Clinton, tell us more about who you are and what you do,” said Gaffey.