University of Florida News

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Retinas in newborn mice appear perfectly fine without any help from tiny bits of genetic material called microRNAs except for one thing — the retinas do not work.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida researchers have identified a drug compound that dramatically lowers blood pressure, improves heart function and — in a remarkable finding — prevents damage to the heart and kidneys in rats with persistent hypertension.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tumor cells living in the cross hairs of radiation or chemotherapy may be able to escape death because their self-destruct mechanisms are jammed, say University of Florida scientists writing in a recent issue of Developmental Cell.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Young African-American and Latina girls treat their mothers with greater deference than do whites but their mothers take it harder when tempers flare, according to a new University of Florida study.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Spreading rumors and gossiping may not cause bruises or black eyes, but the psychological consequences of this social type of bullying could linger into early adulthood, a new University of Florida study shows.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Having an MRI exam, an experience many people describe as stressful and uncomfortable, could soon become a bit more pleasant, thanks to the work of a team of University of Florida engineering students.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Most of us have missed a dose of antibiotic or forgotten to take a daily vitamin. But when the stakes are higher — as they are for people with HIV/AIDS — a skipped pill could mean the difference between health and hazard for the entire population. Now, a breath monitoring device developed by scientists at the University of Florida and Xhale Inc. could help prevent the emergence of drug-resistant strains of HIV by monitoring medication adherence in high-risk individuals.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New therapies must target a key protein interaction to destroy aggressive cancer cells’ protective force field, University of Florida scientists reported this week at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting in San Diego.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida researchers have identified a gene variation in heart disease patients who appear especially vulnerable to the physical effects of mental stress — to the point where blood flow to the heart is greatly reduced.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Vividly colorful giant clams officially called tridacnids decorate many an upscale aquarium. But now experts say they boast an exterior beauty that masks an ugly truth: their potential for carrying foreign diseases.