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ufresearch.bsky.social
University of Florida Research
@ufresearch.bsky.social
260 followers 190 following 87 posts
Explore how University of Florida researchers' contributions are changing the world.
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ufresearch.bsky.social
Two invasive termite species are spreading rapidly beyond South Florida, threatening buildings statewide. Expanded collaboration between @ifas.ufl.edu researchers and pest control providers has sharpened detection and mapping, revealing an accelerating risk.
Learn more: news.ufl.edu/2026/02/term...
2 figures showing distribution of 2 invasive Coptotermes species in Florida. A) Florida distribution for Coptotermes formosanus as of 2025. B) Number of Florida counties positive for C. formosanus and projection of county statuses over time (see main text for model details). C) Florida distribution for Coptotermes gestroi as of 2025, the “10a” line approximately indicates the USDA plant hardiness 10a zone limits from 1990 and 2023 censuses. D) Number of Florida counties positive for C. formosanus and projection of county statuses over time.
February 5, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
ufifas-ffgs.bsky.social
As the cold temps settle in, @ufifas-ffgs.bsky.social scientists are monitoring effects on fish and fisheries.

www.facebook.com/reel/2373564...
1.8K views · 15 reactions | “It affects the long-term mortality of these fish.” Today on FOX 13 News: As temperatures drop down, fish farms🐟are in survival mode. Working to protect thousands of tropi...
“It affects the long-term mortality of these fish.” Today on FOX 13 News: As temperatures drop down, fish farms🐟are in survival mode. Working to protect thousands of tropical species at Consolidated....
www.facebook.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:59 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Researchers, including Postdoctoral Associate in Soil, Water and Ecosystem Sciences @ifas.ufl.edu, Dinesh Phuya develop improved testing methods that better reflect how plants actually interact with soil.
us.theconversation.com The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · 10d
Phosphorus has been building up in American farmland for decades, far beyond what crops need. Now it’s washing into rivers and lakes, polluting waterways, fueling toxic algal blooms, and threatening drinking water supplies.

buff.ly/48QL3oY
Why too much phosphorus in America’s farmland is polluting the country’s water
Plants need phosphorus, and other nutrients, to grow. But soil tests can’t tell if there’s too much.
theconversation.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:52 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Seashells are external skeletons formed by mollusks and other marine animals through biomineralization. UF paleontologist @michal-kowalewski.bsky.social says these shells—sometimes found by the trillions—offer valuable clues about the creatures that made them. theconversation.com/where-do-sea...
Where do seashells come from?
Seashells are the skeletons of sea creatures – and they’re older than you might think.
theconversation.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:10 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Hurricane Helene exposed and damaged Florida’s ancient Shell Mound, an Indigenous site once used for solstice ceremonies and regional gatherings. @uf-clas.bsky.social archaeologists say its builders’ methods for enduring extreme weather offer valuable lessons for coastal resilience today.
Lessons from shell mound
Centuries before meteorology, Indigenous Floridians built resilience into their world. Researchers are unearthing their wisdom today.
news.ufl.edu
January 22, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
cvoiniciuc.bsky.social
Delighted to share our new insights on the production of mannan fibers. Read the original article @newphyt.bsky.social nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... or the press release blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/hosdept/2026... #PlantScience
Plant enzymes linked to fiber breakdown are shown to support dietary fiber biosynthesis
UF/IFAS reports a new discovery in New Phytologist showing how Golgi-localized enzymes sustain β-mannan biosynthesis in plant cell walls.
blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
January 22, 2026 at 9:35 AM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Scientists at @wertheimufscripps.bsky.social have developed potential diabetes drugs that reprogram insulin‑resistant cells using computer modeling and advanced structural and cell-based techniques.
HiPerGator supercomputer accelerates diabetes drug discovery - UF Health
JUPITER, Fla. — Using a blend of computer modeling, structural and cell-based studies, scientists at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute have designed a group of…
ufhealth.org
January 20, 2026 at 3:37 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Hear from UF Neurologist Michael Okun discuss what we know about why Parkinson’s starts and how it may be associated with genetic mutations, pollution, and other factors. 🎧
scifri.bsky.social Science Friday @scifri.bsky.social · 21d
Some Parkinson’s patients experience sleep disorders and a diminished sense of smell years before motor symptoms appear. Researchers share other early signs of the disease—and efforts to study environmental factors that may contribute to it.
Teasing Apart The Causes And Early Signs Of Parkinson’s
Some Parkinson’s patients may experience strange symptoms, like smell loss and sleep disorders, decades before diagnosis.
buff.ly
January 16, 2026 at 7:20 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Could a COVID-19 vaccine help fight cancer?

UF & @mdanderson.bsky.social researchers found mRNA vaccines may boost immunotherapy, improving survival in advanced lung cancer & melanoma. Learn more in the upcoming Spring 2026 Explore magazine. Stay tuned!
A Cancer Vaccine?
University of Florida researchers get promising results using a COVID-19 vaccine on immunotherapy patients.
www.floridatrend.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
floridamuseum.bsky.social
“We had to go on a rescue mission and get as many fossils out as possible, and we got a lot of them,” Lazaro said.
Story:
www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/pale...

A friendly competition between colleagues revealed an unusual story about hutias, giant barn owls & burrowing bees in a Caribbean cave.
Paleontologists find first bee nest fossils made inside fossilized bones
Key points  Paleontologists working in a cave on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola have discovered the first known instance of ancient bees nesting inside preexisting fossil cavities. Burrowing ...
www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu
January 13, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
ufgeog.bsky.social
“Heat waves actually kill more people in the U.S. than hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or any other form of extreme weather,” explains David Keellings in UF's Ytori magazine news.clas.ufl.edu/floridas-sil...
Florida’s silent storm
David Keellings and his research team developed a framework called the Heat Severity and Coverage Index to measure heat waves.
news.clas.ufl.edu
January 12, 2026 at 6:59 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
After Nicolás Maduro’s Jan. 5 removal, Delcy Rodríguez became Venezuela's interim president amid instability. @beccahanson.bsky.social notes in @us.theconversation.com that power is divided between civilian and military factions, while "colectivos", gangs, and guerrilla groups hold major influence.
A photo of Interim Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez, left, smiles at Venezuelan Defense Minister Padrino Lopez during a commemoration of Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2023.
January 7, 2026 at 8:52 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Mosquitoes in central Florida were found to feed on 86 different animal species, capturing almost the full range of local vertebrate biodiversity and demonstrating their value as a tool for wildlife monitoring.
Lawrence Reeves and student Sarah Kroening collecting mosquitos for research at the River Styx Preserve near Micanopy, Florida.
December 22, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
rarediseaseadvisor.bsky.social
Larry Luxner, senior correspondent, interviews Barry Byrne, MD, PhD, an expert on #PompeDisease, director of the @ufresearch.bsky.social Powell Gene Therapy Center, and Chief Medical Advisor to the @mda.org

🎙️ Listen to the podcast here: https://bit.ly/494CQlK

#RareDisease #MedSky #GeneTherapy
An Interview With Dr. Barry Byrne, Director of the UF Powell Gene Therapy Center
Barry Byrne, MD, PhD, is an expert on Pompe disease and chief medical advisor to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
bit.ly
December 10, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
ufifas-ffgs.bsky.social
What can we expect to find at the bottom of UF's notable sinkhole lake, and how deep does it go? These and other questions are set to be answered.

blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/ffgs/2025/12...
How Deep is Your Lake: FFGS and Measutronics team up to explore the depths of Lake Mize - School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
The project started as many seem to do among curious people — hanging out and discussing unanswered questions. In this circumstance, that meant an opportunity to check out an oft-shared tale that Lake...
blogs.ifas.ufl.edu
December 8, 2025 at 2:54 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
“The fact that this bacterium can intentionally suspend its metabolism makes survival on spacecraft surfaces or during deep-space cruise more plausible than previously assumed.” — Nils Averesch, assistant professor in UF’s Dept. of Microbiology and Cell Science and Astraeus Space Institute member.
A photo of Nils Averesch stands with his arms crossed in a laboratory, wearing a blue t-shirt. The background features shelves filled with laboratory glassware and equipment, indicating an active scientific environment. Various containers and tools are organized on the workspace in front of him.
December 3, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
floridamuseum.bsky.social
Scientists used a World War II-era statistical method on hundreds of museum specimens to determine whether extinct species were predominantly aquatic or terrestrial, clearing up some ongoing debates in paleontology.

Story: www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/from...

Study:
doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...
a person is bending over to measure a large, flat section of fossil bones with a long caliper ruler in a bright room lined with metal cabinets
December 1, 2025 at 9:08 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Ever walk up and down the beach and wonder how old the seashells you have in your pockets are?

@floridamuseum.bsky.social paleontologist Michal Kowalewski uses seashells as historical records to study habitats and ecological stability.
us.theconversation.com The Conversation U.S. @us.theconversation.com · Nov 10
Researchers examining Florida's Nature Coast found something rare and wonderful: seagrass meadows that have thrived for centuries, offering a blueprint for what successful coastal conservation can look like. #GoodNews buff.ly/R8M0MCW
Seashells from centuries ago show that seagrass meadows on Florida’s Nature Coast are thriving
Scientists are using mollusk shells to evaluate the health of Florida’s seagrass ecosystems.
buff.ly
November 17, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
floridamuseum.bsky.social
Scientists discover telephone-cord-like optic nerves in chameleons, which were overlooked by Aristotle, Newton, and everyone else, until now...

Story:
www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/scie...

Study:
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
six frames of the same pale green chameleon from the front show its bulbous eyes facing in many different directions a digital scan of a lizard skull with a large triangular fin at the top nearly the same size as he skull itself and highlighted in purple are several blobs and tubes that seem to gather behind where the eye is and run off down the jaw and back towards the spine
November 10, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
uf-clas.bsky.social
🌎 Big news for atmospheric and Earth science!

UF has joined the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a leading consortium shaping the future of climate and atmospheric research.

🔗 news.clas.ufl.edu/uf-joins-prestigious-ucar-consortium-to-advance-atmospheric-and-earth-science-research
UF joins prestigious UCAR Consortium to advance atmospheric and earth science research
UF has been accepted as a member of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a premier consortium that unites top-tier institutions in atmospheric and Earth system sciences.
news.clas.ufl.edu
November 6, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Reposted by University of Florida Research
floridamuseum.bsky.social
Scientists and conservationists are racing to rebuild sustainable oyster populations, something that Indigenous communities were able to steward for millennia. 🦪 Archaeologists are looking in ancient middens for more data:
www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/when...

Study: doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...
two scientists are in conversation seated at a work table with shells in their hands and in a pile in front of them in front of metal cabinets in a storage room of some kind
November 4, 2025 at 8:40 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Congratulations to Vice President for Research David Norton on receiving the Pioneer Award from the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, honoring his leadership in advancing Florida’s innovation through research, collaboration, and educational excellence.
A celebratory graphic recognizing David P. Norton, Ph.D., as a Pioneer Award recipient in the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame. The image features his professional portrait and highlights his role as Vice President for Research at the University of Florida. Text includes details on expanded technology transfer activities and research expenditures.
November 3, 2025 at 3:30 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
Ever heard of a ghost shark? 👻🦈 They’re not spirits or sharks, but @uf-clas.bsky.social Evolution Developmental Biologist, @garethjfraser.bsky.social says they could be key in unlocking some mysteries of human dentistry.
October 31, 2025 at 2:32 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
As wildfires grow wilder, the University of Florida, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Utah are developing AI-based models to simulate human behavior during wildfire evacuations, aiming to improve safety and planning.
Multi-university AI research may revolutionize wildfire evacuation
As wildfires grow wilder, the University of Florida and two other universities are developing large language models to make evacuations safer and more efficient.
news.ufl.edu
October 23, 2025 at 3:27 PM
ufresearch.bsky.social
"The building itself is going to be a living-learning lab.” When Chimay Anumba became dean of The University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning in 2016, he saw the urgent need for a new, collaborative space for students.
A portrait photo of Chimay Anumba wearing a hard hat standing confidently on a construction site, holding a smartphone. He is wearing a blazer, white collared shirt and the background features construction materials and equipment.
October 21, 2025 at 4:03 PM