UF McKnight Brain Institute

An MBI research team made a preclinical discovery paving the way to test immune-modulating medicines as a potential tool to break the cycle of methamphetamine addiction.

The findings were published today in the journal Science Signaling @science.org

Learn more: bit.ly/3YufUpU

Turning questions into cures UF M.D.-Ph.D. student Cali Love helps transform brain cancer treatment

In the lab of MBI researcher Dr. Catherine Flores, M.D.-Ph.D. student Cali Love is developing targeted therapies for glioblastoma and presented her work at multiple international conferences throughout the fall.

A collage of scientists working in research labs.

On #GivingTuesday, please join our mission to make your brain and mind healthier. Research is the only way to discover the ways we can all thrive. Will you make a gift today? bit.ly/MBI-GivingTuesday

Portrait of Dr. Matthew Gentry

Congrats to MBI researcher Dr. Matthew Gentry, who received a $100,000 @oxfordharrington.bsky.social 2025 Rare Disease Scholar Award. Gentry is developing a therapeutic for Lafora disease, a recessive neurodegenerative disorder that causes childhood dementia.

Read more: bit.ly/4igtgza

A $100,000 gift from the Alzheimer’s Research Foundation will drive innovation and support early-career researchers in the field through the MBI’s Gator NeuroScholars program.

Read more about this generous gift: bit.ly/3LLGrw4

YouTube video by UF Health Barbara Smith named Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida 2025 Rising S

Congratulations to MBI researcher Dr. Barbara Smith, named a 2025 Rising Star by the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida. She studies breathing rehabilitation in people at risk for mechanical ventilator dependence.

Learn more: bit.ly/49MB3T7

A new study led by MBI researcher Dr. Aliyah Snyder finds that current tools for evaluating traumatic brain injuries in menopausal women may overlook how hormone changes affect recovery.

Learn more: bit.ly/4hLKtAt

Congrats to Dr. Leah Reznikov, MBI Gator NeuroScholar Dr. Pedro Trevizan Bau and team on their study's selection by @apspublications.bsky.social as a top recent article in physiological research. The study uncovers new potential targets for asthma therapy.

Learn more: bit.ly/3Jyflry

Congrats to MBI researcher Dr. Eric Wang, the UF Innovate Innovator of the Year for his work in neuromuscular & neurological diseases, as well as RNA biology.

Dr. Christine Schmidt's team was also honored as a recipient of the Innovation Fund.

Read more: bit.ly/43epsbE

Boo! Medical experts describe fear’s effects UF College of Medicine experts weigh in on how fear affects the mind and body

Is a healthy dose of fear normal as we approach the spookiest night of the year? How does fear affect the brain and body? MBI researchers Drs. Carol Mathews and Joseph McNamara weigh in.

Congratulations to Drs. Adithya Gopinath and Zachary Sorrentino for winning 2025 Toffler Trust Scholars Awards for researchers whose early-stage projects hold potential to drive meaningful scientific breakthroughs.

Learn more: bit.ly/3X4w3BM

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines could unlock the next revolution in cancer treatment – new research The researchers found that mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines could potentially help patients whose tumors don’t respond well to traditional immunotherapy.

The COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccines developed during the pandemic could spark the immune system to fight cancer, according to new research published in @nature.com. Christiano Marconi, a researcher in MBI investigator Dr. Elias Sayour’s lab, explains in @us.theconversation.com.

Study finds COVID-19 mRNA vaccine sparks immune response to fight cancer » McKnight Brain Institute » University of Florida News release by Michelle Jaffee; video by Kyle Walker; photos by Jackie Hart Patients with advanced lung or skin cancer who received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy d...

Patients with advanced lung or skin cancer who received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy drugs lived significantly longer than those who did not get the vaccine, MBI researchers at the University of Florida have found.

Yes, ADHD diagnoses are rising, but that doesn’t mean it’s overdiagnosed ADHD symptoms occur on a continuum and can fluctuate dramatically based on life circumstances such as transitions to middle school, stress levels and even sleep.

Rising ADHD diagnoses don't mean the condition is overdiagnosed, says MBI researcher and UF psychiatry chair Dr. Carol Mathews, co-author of a new article in @us.theconversation.com exploring the issue.

Congratulations to Dr. Zahra Hasanpour-Segherlou — a postdoc in MBI researcher Dr. Brian Hoh's lab — on receiving a 2025 Brain Aneurysm Foundation grant for her project investigating a new therapeutic strategy to protect the brain after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Learn more: bit.ly/47mvkBV

The MBI community gathered on Fridays in September for a new breakfast seminar series that featured leading University of Florida experts sharing strategies for expanding human-based research using emerging technologies.

Learn more: bit.ly/42i4ubq

The lab of Dr. Alfonso Martin Peña investigates the neural circuits and genetic pathways that link sleep sensitivity to cognitive function, motivated behaviors and the deficits associated with dementias such as Alzheimer's, Lewy body dementia, FTLD and Parkinson's. #MBI_Labs

Using MRI scans analyzed by a machine learning system, MBI researchers found that optimism, good sleep, social support and other healthy habits were associated with slower brain aging, even in people living with chronic pain.

Read more: bit.ly/472dTq2

The MBI has added four new Gator NeuroScholars investigating a wide range of neurological conditions. The postdoctoral fellowship program features a competitive stipend and mentorship opportunities. #PostdocAppreciationWeek.

Learn more about our new Gator NeuroScholars: bit.ly/46dVvu4

Are you an MBI researcher seeking seed or bridge funding to support your latest neuro research project?

The MBI Accelerator Program (now in its second annual funding cycle) will provide up to $50K for up to 8 projects.

Apply by Oct. 20. Learn more 👉 bit.ly/47UdcOk

High-throughput synaptic connectivity mapping using in vivo two-photon holographic optogenetics and compressive sensing - Nature Neuroscience Using two-photon optogenetics, electrical recordings and sparse signal reconstruction, the authors demonstrate in vivo synaptic connectivity mapping in the mouse visual cortex.

In Nature Neuroscience, MBI researcher Dr. Karim Oweiss & collaborators devised a high-tech way to map wiring between neurons in the living brain of mice, w/ broad implications for tracking changes in Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s before behavioral symptoms manifest.

Using AI, MBI researchers show a potential new way to improve medication management in Parkinson’s disease. The Proceedings of Machine Learning Research study details a method to predict medication needs up to two years in advance.

Read our latest Research Snapshot: bit.ly/4phhlUW

Another great turnout for MBI's "Brains & Bagels" today featuring Dr. Stefan Prokop.

Prokop was the second speaker for our "Integrating Model Systems and Human Research" series with his presentation "Neuropathology & the Brain Bank."

Join us next Friday: bit.ly/45EQcUn

Congratulations to MBI researcher Dr. Matthew Farrer, winner of the 2025 Tom Isaacs Award from Cure Parkinson's and the Van Andel Institute. The annual award honors a researcher who has shown the greatest impact on the lives of people with Parkinson’s.

Read more: bit.ly/46ieRNk

A form of early-onset dementia is commonly misdiagnosed as a psychiatric disorder, delaying potential access to clinical trials. A review by UF researchers identifies a fluid biomarker that could supplement exams for faster diagnosis.

Read more: bit.ly/4mgkstD

MBI researchers: Join us at 9 a.m. Friday for Brains & Bagels: our new seminar series featuring discussions over ☕️ & 🥯

Dr. Stefan Prokop will continue a four-part series exploring how investigators can adapt to NIH's new emphasis on human-based research.

RSVP 👉 bit.ly/4lHRCSL

It was a full house for the MBI's first "Brains & Bagels" event featuring Dr. Azra Bihorac.

Bihorac kicked off a four-part series "Integrating Model Systems and Human Research" with her talk "AI in Human-Centered Clinical Research."

Join us next Friday: bit.ly/45EQcUn

This #WorldAlzheimersMonth, BRAIN Center Steering Committee member Dr. Steven DeKosky shares how even mild TBI can impact tau, white matter, and cognition—linking brain injury to Alzheimer’s risk.
🔗 bit.ly/4n73MWg

Congratulations to MBI researchers Drs. Joanna Long & Matthew Sarkisian, winners of 2025 Research Equipment Seed Fund Awards which will strengthen the MBI’s Microscopy Core & Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy facility (AMRIS).

Read more: bit.ly/46ilMr3

September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month.
At the UF BRAIN Center, we advance neuroresilience by supporting research, rehab, and recovery for those impacted by spinal cord and brain injuries.
Join us in raising awareness.
#SCIAwareness #BrainInjury #NeuroResilience #UFBrain