The University of Central Florida brings innovation and solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems through research and the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge and avenues for progress.
Thu Jul 23
For frogs dying of the invasive chytridiomycosis disease, the leading cause of amphibian deaths worldwide, the genes responsible for protecting them may actually be leading to their demise, according to a new study published today in the journal Molecular Ecology by University of Central Florida and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) researchers. The lowland leopard frog,…
Tue Jul 21
One of the biggest pharma companies in the world will use a nanoparticle technology developed at UCF in hopes of coming up with new blood cancer treatments. In May, a cell-based cancer immunotherapy that utilizes a nanoparticle developed at UCF to stimulate a patient’s natural cancer-killing cells, headed to Phase II clinical trial. College of Medicine…
Tue Jul 21
Researchers have discovered, for the first time, how frogs use the chemical responsible for the color of bile and bruises for their own camouflage coloring. The mechanism the frogs use to turn what is essentially a waste product into a part of their protection is detailed in a new study published this month in the…
Thu Jul 16
In a new paper “Mini-LED, Micro-LED and OLED displays: present status and future perspectives” published in Light: Science & Application, a team of scientists, led by Professor Shin-Tson Wu from the College of Optics and Photonics, conducted a comprehensive analysis of the performance of emerging display technologies used in smartphones, tablets, desktop monitors, TVs and more. The article…
Wed Jul 15
AUniversity of Central Florida researcher has received a $2.5 million U.S. Department of Defense grant to continue his research to conceal and manipulate the energy that materials emit. The work has implications in creating nighttime camouflage that conceals objects from infrared vision, as well as in methods for anticounterfeiting, tagging and energy management. “Any material…
Tue Jul 14
UCF planetary scientist Adrienne Dove has received a $200,000 NASA grant to continue her team’s asteroid research. UCF planetary scientist Adrienne Dove and a team of students have teamed up with NASA’s Johnson Space Center to examine data on an asteroid experiment years in the making. The work is funded by a recently announced $200,000…
Wed Jul 8
The National Science Foundation’s Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has proven itself instrumental in another major astronomical discovery. An international team of scientists, led by the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom, found an asymmetrical double neutron star system using the facility’s powerful radio telescope. This type of star system is believed to…
Tue Jul 7
NASA has awarded Alexander Sacco a Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology grant to use satellites to help track sea turtle yearlings in the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of 62 awards made nationwide. “It’s not what you would typically think of when you hear âNASA grant,’ ” says Alexander Sacco,…
Mon Jul 6
Subith Vasu, UCF associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, was recently awarded the prestigious Director’s Fellowship from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, one of just 12 researchers nationally to earn the 2020 research grant. Vasu, an expert in spectroscopy and optical diagnostics, was awarded $250,000 by the Department of Defense to continue his…
Mon Jul 6
The University of Central Florida has launched 11 new graduate programs in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The programs, which begin in the Fall 2020 semester, offer candidates a short series of courses that were specifically woven together to provide useful tools when facing COVID-19 related-challenges. The certificates, tracks and special topics courses cover…
Wed Jul 1
AUniversity of Central Florida researcher is developing new technology to make sure people are getting the food they think they’re eating. The work is funded by a recent $490,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant to create an easy-to-use and highly sensitive device to detect…
Tue Jun 30
An inexpensive, natural countermeasure to curb the devastating economic and ecological impacts of Florida red tide is now under study at UCF. The study focuses on spraying a clay solution to sink the cells (flocculate) of Karenia brevis (known commonly as Florida red tide) to the bottom sediments. Florida red tide is the algae responsible for vacation…
Thu Jun 25
Artificial Intelligence and Big Data fields could help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges in medicine, space and the environment among other areas. Researchers can tap into $175,000 worth of seed money for COVID-19 projects thanks to the Office of Research, several UCF colleges and UCF’s new Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Initiative announced…
Wed Jun 24
The Department of Energy has awarded UCF physicist and assistant professor Li Fang a career grant of $785,000. The award is part of the DOE’s Office of Science’s Early Career Research Program, which recognizes researchers for their promising work, early on in their careers. This year, only 76 awards were made to scientists at private and public…
Wed Jun 24
Assistant Professor Kristy Lewis’ research focuses on ecological modeling, which means she uses math and to understand complex ecological processes and predict how eco systems may change over time. Her research is funded by organizations such as the National Academy of Sciences, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. When COVID-19 shut down the nation in…
Tue Jun 23
Groups like the Men’s Health Initiative, co-founded by Health Sciences Associate Professor Michael J. Rovito, help men build a better understanding of wellness through education and events In 1948, the World Health Organization defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Often,…
Tue Jun 23
Today, UCF announced its plans to restart Human Subject Research (HSR) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office of Research announced a phased approach to restarting research in May, but HSR was not allowed to restart then because this kind of research often requires close contact and presents additional risks. The task force that came up with…
Mon Jun 22
Artificial Intelligence and Big Data fields could help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges in medicine, space and the environment among other areas. UCF launched its new Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Initiative today and charged engineering and computer science Assistant Professor Ivan Garibay with leading the effort. The initiative is the result of…
Fri Jun 19
The heart-mapping project shows thousands of neurons in clusters that help control heartbeat and blood circulation. Ateam of UCF College of Medicine scientists has helped develop a virtual 3D heart that shows the body’s neurons and their connection to the heart – a tool they hope will help develop better life-saving therapies for cardiac disease. …
Wed Jun 17
With many in-person services halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, correctional agencies responsible for probation and parole have had to find new ways to help ensure people are receiving the help they need while also maintaining public safety. These agencies, which traditionally rely on face-to-face interaction, serve some 6 million Americans by helping them find…