The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute

02/19/2026

On Gator Nation Giving Day, your support fuels discovery and mentorship at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology.

Fellowships empower graduate students to focus on groundbreaking research without financial stress while training the next generation of scientists. Kuang-Ting (Tony) Kuo, a doctoral candidate in the lab of Scientific Director Patrick Griffin, Ph.D., spent his final year mentoring a local high school Kenan Fellow, Shivangi Saxena, while completing his own research.

“The mentorship was beneficial for both of us,” Kuo said. “I felt it was important that Shivangi learned the why behind each experiment.”

Gifts to fellowship programs create opportunities for students at every stage: strengthening mentorship, advancing discovery and shaping the future of human health.

Support the next generation of scientists this Gator Giving Day by making a donation by Thursday, 2/19 at 11:59 PM.

https://givingday.ufl.edu/pages/wertheim-uf-scripps-institute

02/13/2026

Could PTSD be treated at the molecular level?

Courtney Miller, Ph.D., and her team at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute investigate the role of molecular motors called myosins. They find these tiny cellular motors play a role in many diseases and conditions, including cancer, addiction and even the brain changes seen in post-traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD. At The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Miller and her team are developing potential medications for all of these conditions.

From PTSD to cancer, their discoveries are helping decode how memory, stress and cell motor movement intertwine, and offering new hope for a group of conditions with few options.

Learn how Miller's foundational research could lead to safer, smarter therapies:
https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/the-machinery-of-disease-scientist-invents-a-molecular-wrench-that-thwarts-cancer/

02/11/2026

Congratulations to the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County for hosting another outstanding Quarterly Luncheon, this one highlighting Palm Beach County's growing place as Wall Street South, a hub for investment banking, finance and wealth management.

We were honored to serve as the event's presenting sponsor, introducing new members of our community to the world-class research happening in Jupiter at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, part of UF Health.

During the program, Patrick Griffin, Ph.D., Scientific Director and Professor at the institute, shared exciting news about a new investigational therapy for glioblastoma developed in collaboration with colleagues and spun out into Jupiter-based biotech company, Myosin Therapeutics. The drug candidate, MT-125, recently received fast-track status and orphan drug designation from the FDA, a promising step forward in treating this aggressive form of brain cancer.

Our scientists are working every day to build a healthier future for Palm Beach County at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology.

02/10/2026

Despite the winter chill, competition heated up on the links during the Bruce A. Rendina Memorial Golf Tournament, hosted by the Rendina Family Foundation on Friday, Jan. 30, at The Park in West Palm Beach.

The tournament raised an impressive $125,000 in support of cancer research at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. Seventeen scientists from the institute are members of the UF Health Cancer Institute, where they are advancing safer, more effective treatments for cancer and other serious diseases.

Neuroscientists Courtney Miller, Ph.D., and Gavin Rumbaugh, Ph.D., thanked the Rendina Family Foundation during brief remarks, highlighting how the institute’s research is focused on challenging and underserved conditions, including glioblastoma and autism.

Bruce Rendina, whose life was cut short by glioblastoma, was one of the earliest champions of the institute. Today, his legacy lives on through the support of the Rendina Family Foundation and his son, David Rendina, who serves on the institute’s Ambassador Council. “When philanthropy and science come together, real progress is possible.” David Rendina said.

Thank you to All for One Creations for capturing the day and to all who attended and made this event such a success.

Learn more about the tournament here: https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/2026/02/03/golf-tournament-raises-funds-for-research/

View the full photo album here: https://allforonecreations.pic-time.com/-rendinafoundation/gallery

01/29/2026

Please join us in welcoming Florida Power & Light’s Pamela M. Rauch to the Ambassador Council of The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology.

As vice president of external affairs and economic development for FPL, and an experienced attorney and nonprofit board member, Rauch brings a wealth of experience in community leadership and economic growth to this vital role. Rauch joins a group of 12 local leaders devoted to the betterment of their community and the advancement of the institute’s lifesaving mission of advancing science and science education.

Council members leverage their expertise to amplify the institute’s impact, helping raise awareness and essential funds for the biomedical research and unique STEM educational opportunities taking place at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute.

Former Florida state senator and CFO Jeff Atwater, the Ambassador Council’s chair, shared his welcome: “We’re honored to add Pamela Rauch to the institute’s Ambassador Council. Her deep roots in Florida’s economic development and community service will be invaluable as we fortify this bridge between the community and the institute’s world-class innovation.”

Florida Power & Light

https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/about-ufscripps/the-wertheim-uf-scripps-ambassador-council/

01/27/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Kodadek on this important grant.

JUPITER, Fla. — The term “molecular glue degraders” may sound like the next K-pop band, but inside the lab of biochemist Thomas Kodadek, Ph.D., scientists are…

01/26/2026

Are you a high school student in Palm Beach or Martin County looking to launch your research career?

Applications are now open for the Kenan Fellows High School Summer Internship in Jupiter, Florida at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology.

This eight-week, full-time program provides an immersive in our research laboratories, thanks to the generosity of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust and the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation.

Students gain hands-on experience in basic research, drug discovery, biotechnology or biomedical engineering while honing their lab, presentation and research skills.

Each student prepares a written scientific abstract, oral presentation and poster to present at an exclusive symposium at the end of the program.

The internship, part of the institute's Glenn W. Bailey STEM Education and Outreach Programs, is open to rising juniors and seniors attending high school in Palm Beach or Martin County. Students should be at least 16 years old and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Participants are paid a stipend of $4,480 for the summer.

The deadline to apply is March 1, including references from two teachers.

Learn more about our and start your application today: https://bit.ly/3Z1Qe4t

01/24/2026

Kendall Nettles, Ph.D., designs hormone-driven therapies that target cancer at the molecular level to help develop safer, more effective medicines at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology.

His research will be featured at Outsmarting Cancer: Lessons from Nature, a free public lecture hosted on our Jupiter, FL campus on Thursday, Feb. 5.

Learn how his team is shaping the future of cancer treatment: https://bit.ly/3YWUmTq

01/23/2026

Are you an undergraduate student looking for a career-launching summer research ?

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) program provides a 10-week, full-time immersive research experience in Jupiter, Florida at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. Participants are matched with faculty mentors and work in state-of-the-art laboratories within the departments of Chemistry, Neuroscience, Immunology & Microbiology, or Molecular Medicine.

The program is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents enrolled in two-year or four-year undergraduate programs. We especially encourage applications from students majoring in one of the four departments listed.

Participants receive a $7,000 stipend, and the program provides housing at a nearby hotel along with partial travel support to Jupiter.

The deadline to submit an application is Feb. 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM (EST), including letters of recommendation.

Learn more about our and start your application here: https://bit.ly/4bg3Dxa

01/13/2026

Every cure begins with understanding.

The future of cancer treatment unfolds in the labs of The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. Here, scientists are discovering hope through science.

Patients with hormone-sensitive cancers have a champion in structural biologist Kendall Nettles, Ph.D. Nettles is learning how hormones in our bodies and the environment affect cancer's growth and spread. His goal is to make safer, more effective medications for cancer patients everywhere.

Meet Nettles and other cancer researchers on Thursday, Feb. 5, for a special lecture, Outsmarting Cancer: Lessons from Nature, to learn how our scientists draw inspiration from nature to create treatments that work with the body, right here in Jupiter, Florida.

Reserve your seat today: wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/institute-news/outsmarting-cancer/

01/09/2026

When new diseases emerge, science must move fast.

At The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, scientists use advanced robotics and biochemistry to unearth potential treatments for a wide range of conditions, including multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease and various cancers.

Led by Timothy Spicer, Ph.D., and Louis Scampavia, Ph.D., the High-Throughput Molecular Screening Center deploys industrial-style robots to screen hundreds of thousands of compounds in a matter of hours.

Learn more about how the institute's experts are inventing tomorrow's treatments for today's incurable diseases: https://bit.ly/49vj7e7

01/08/2026

A group of otherwise effective drugs for Type 2 diabetes called glitazones have black-box warnings from the FDA due to harmful side effects. Scientists from The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute harnessed computational simulations on the University of Florida supercomputer, HiPerGator, to accelerate design of a new generation of related medications engineered to avoid those pitfalls. They are working to move them to the clinic. Read more about their progress here: https://wertheim.scripps.ufl.edu/2026/01/08/hipergator-supercomputer-accelerates-diabetes-drug-discovery/