A new educational partnership between UCF and the U.S. Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) is creating opportunities for research, student training and workforce development in one of the country 麻豆精品 S檚 most specialized scientific fields. The collaboration strengthens critical scientific capabilities, facilitates the sharing of resources and expertise, helps build the radiochemistry talent pipeline and positions UCF at the forefront of nuclear chemistry research that supports national security missions.

麻豆精品 S淭hrough collaborative research projects and summer internships, UCF students gain hands-on experience working alongside federal scientists and access to AFTAC 麻豆精品 S檚 facilities and instrumentation for research supporting national security missions, 麻豆精品 S� says Vasileios Anagnostopoulos, associate professor of chemistry in the UCF College of Sciences and principal investigator of the partnership.

Only a small number of universities nationwide have established this type of relationship with AFTAC, the Department of the Air Force responsible for monitoring nuclear treaty compliance and detecting nuclear events worldwide.

A Nationally Recognized Program

麻豆精品 S淭he fact that we were invited by AFTAC to be one of their official academic partners says a lot about the recognition of our program and the important role chemistry and radiochemistry play in the national security landscape.”

According to Anagnostopoulos 麻豆精品 S� director of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Fellowship and UCF principal investigator for the multi-institutional NNSA-funded Consortium for Nuclear Forensics 麻豆精品 S� UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 growing reputation in radiochemistry and analytical chemistry helped distinguish the university as a strong academic partner.

The collaboration also reflects UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 broader role in supporting Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 rapidly growing aerospace, defense and national security ecosystem through research, workforce development and federal partnerships.

麻豆精品 S淥ur radiochemistry program is gaining national recognition through multiple research grants and collaborative proposals, 麻豆精品 S� Anagnostopoulos says. 麻豆精品 S淭he fact that we were invited by AFTAC to be one of their official academic partners says a lot about the recognition of our program and the important role chemistry and radiochemistry play in the national security landscape. 麻豆精品 S�

The partnership builds on UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 advanced research infrastructure, including radiochemistry laboratories, mass spectrometry capabilities and materials characterization resources. Together, these facilities enable researchers to analyze complex nuclear materials and conduct detailed characterization studies for national and international security applications.

麻豆精品 S淲e have cutting-edge facilities and instrumentation for sensitive and precise analysis, 麻豆精品 S� Anagnostopoulos says. 麻豆精品 S淭he combination of radiochemistry, advanced analytical capabilities and access to radioactive materials allows us to address complicated real-world problems and provide technical information that can support our federal partners 麻豆精品 S� missions. 麻豆精品 S�

Unique Opportunities for Students

For students, the partnership opens the door to hands-on experiences rarely available in a traditional academic setting.

Through internships and collaborative research projects, students will work alongside multidisciplinary teams of chemists, engineers and scientists while gaining exposure to federal laboratory environments and national security protocols.

Few universities nationwide offer students direct pathways into operational nuclear security environments, making the partnership a unique training opportunity for UCF students interested in chemistry, national security and federal science careers.

麻豆精品 S淏eyond the technical training, they gain exposure to mission-focused work, interdisciplinary collaboration and communication skills that are essential in federal and defense environments, 麻豆精品 S� Anagnostopoulos says.

Building the Future Workforce

The agreement also addresses a national need for trained experts in radiochemistry and nuclear chemistry, highly specialized disciplines offered at only a limited number of institutions nationwide, Anagnostopoulos says.

As federal agencies and national laboratories work to strengthen expertise in nuclear security, treaty monitoring and advanced nuclear technologies, partnerships like this help ensure a pipeline of future highly skilled scientists is ready to contribute.

麻豆精品 S淭his partnership helps prepare the next generation of scientists while keeping the country at the forefront of nuclear security and global safety, 麻豆精品 S� Anagnostopoulos says.

As the collaboration grows, it 麻豆精品 S檚 expected to expand opportunities for faculty, researchers, and students in other fields, such as big data analytics and cybersecurity, while further establishing UCF as a hub for radiochemistry, defense-related chemistry, and national security research.

The study, led by UCF , identifies hydrazinoacetic acid as a key building block in the production of N-nitroglycine, a rare compound that offers new insight into how living systems carry out sophisticated chemical processes.These processes could be used to create safer and more efficient chemical reactions across manufacturing, healthcare and more. The research has been accepted for publication in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology and was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Graham Laboratory at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Zdilla Laboratory at Temple University.

麻豆精品 S淓nzymes 麻豆精品 S� or bacteria, more broadly 麻豆精品 S� are capable of generating many interesting types of molecules, including ones we would think are explosive, 麻豆精品 S� Caranto says. 麻豆精品 S淲e don 麻豆精品 S檛 know why they 麻豆精品 S檙e making them, but it 麻豆精品 S檚 fairly interesting that they do. 麻豆精品 S�

While compounds like nitramines are often associated with industrial and energetic applications, their role in biology remains poorly understood. By identifying hydrazinoacetic acid as a key precursor to N-nitroglycine, the team begins to explain how bacteria construct these unusual nitrogen-rich molecules 麻豆精品 S� and what those pathways may tell scientists about chemistry in living systems.

Why It Matters

Understanding how bacteria produce nitrogen-rich compounds could have implications across multiple fields, from industrial chemistry to medicine. Traditional methods for synthesizing these compounds often require energy-intensive processes or hazardous materials. Biological systems, by contrast, operate under milder conditions and could offer a blueprint for alternative production methods.

麻豆精品 S淐urrently, the way these compounds are made requires a lot of very corrosive, hazardous and environmentally detrimental materials, having a bacterium make it instead would present a lot of advantages in terms of eliminating waste. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Jonathan Caranto, associate professor of chemistry, UCF College of Sciences

麻豆精品 S淐urrently, the way these compounds are made requires a lot of very corrosive, hazardous and environmentally detrimental materials, 麻豆精品 S� Caranto says. 麻豆精品 S淗aving a bacterium make it instead would present a lot of advantages in terms of eliminating waste. 麻豆精品 S�

At the same time, the discovery opens new avenues for studying how these molecules function in biological systems, including potential applications in drug development and enzyme engineering.

Uncovering Nature 麻豆精品 S檚 Hidden Chemistry

At the center of the discovery is hydrazinoacetic acid, a small but highly reactive molecule that functions as a precursor, or starting material, in the bacterial synthesis of N-nitroglycine. By identifying its role, researchers were able to map a previously unknown biosynthetic pathway, showing insight into how bacteria construct these compounds. For postdoctoral scholar Ben Rathman, the discovery highlights how much remains unknown about these molecules.

麻豆精品 S淭he biological role of these compounds is not really well understood, 麻豆精品 S� Rathman says. 麻豆精品 S淲e have a lot to learn from nature, and that 麻豆精品 S檚 where my interest in the project lies. 麻豆精品 S�

That uncertainty is central to the work. While these compounds have been studied in synthetic contexts for decades, their presence in biology raises new questions about how and why organisms produce them.

A Paradox in Biology

Part of what makes the finding compelling is the tension between how these molecules are typically understood and how they behave in living systems.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 one of those things where, at first, you might say this shouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 be a biomolecule, 麻豆精品 S� chemistry doctoral student Gabriel Padilla 麻豆精品 S�17 says. 麻豆精品 S淭hese types of functional groups are usually associated with energetics, but here they 麻豆精品 S檙e produced by living systems. 麻豆精品 S�

Rather than behaving like traditional energetic materials, the compounds studied do not detonate under normal conditions. Instead, they appear to exist as stable intermediates within biological systems, suggesting they may serve entirely different functions.聽 In addition, most hydrazines are regarded as highly toxic.

For Caranto, this reflects a broader theme in the research.

麻豆精品 S淥ne insight from our work is that life is pretty remarkable in how it can safely and productively use molecules that would otherwise be toxic, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

For the team, the work represents an early step in a much larger effort to understand the role these compounds play in nature.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e really interested in why bacteria make these nitramines, 麻豆精品 S� Caranto says. 麻豆精品 S淭his is the first step on a much longer road toward understanding that. 麻豆精品 S�

Work in the Caranto and Graham labs was supported by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) projects WP24-4206 and WP2332, respectively. Work of the Caranto lab was also supported by the National Institutes of Health (R35GM147515).Work from the Zdilla lab was supported by an NSF (CHE-2215854). and the Office of Naval Research (N00014-22-1-2266).

At UCF, researchers are developing a new approach inspired by squids, octopuses and other cephalopods, one that doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 wait for targets to arrive, but actively reaches out to capture them. Led by , a professor in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 , the work introduces a DNA-based system designed to capture target molecules more efficiently by extending into the surrounding solution.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of the biggest challenges in biosensing is something surprisingly simple: molecules take time to move, 麻豆精品 S� Kolpashchikov says. 麻豆精品 S淚magine trying to catch fish in a huge lake with a tiny net, most fish will never come close enough to be caught. Traditional sensors work the same way: they passively wait for target molecules (analytes) to randomly bump into them. 麻豆精品 S�

The project, supported by a $272,000 award from the U.S. National Science Foundation, reframes how biosensors operate, shifting from passive detection toward active engagement.

Targeting Molecules Through DNA

Conventional biosensors rely on diffusion, meaning target molecules must randomly move through a solution before encountering a sensing surface. This process, known as mass transport limitation, can slow detection and limit performance in time-sensitive applications.

Kolpashchikov 麻豆精品 S檚 approach addresses this constraint by incorporating nanostructures composed of DNA strands that extend outward from the sensor. These flexible extensions function like molecular tentacles, weakly interacting with passing targets and increasing the likelihood that they will be captured.

Rather than waiting for signals to arrive, the system draws them closer.

Speeding Detection

The speed at which a sensor can detect its target is often as important as detection sensitivity and specificity. In contexts such as medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring and food safety, delays can reduce reliability or limit usefulness altogether.

By increasing the rate at which target molecules are gathered and concentrated near the sensing surface, the DNA cephalopod approach may enable faster, more responsive detection systems, particularly in applications that depend on real-time or near-real-time analysis.

麻豆精品 S淪low sensors can miss short-lived biological signals, allow samples to degrade, and delay responses to threats, 麻豆精品 S� Kolpashchikov says, 麻豆精品 S淔aster detection reduces costs (less time, fewer reagents), improves accuracy, and enables real-time monitoring 麻豆精品 S� something essential for healthcare, environmental safety, and biosecurity. 麻豆精品 S�

DNA as Structure and Sensor

The system uses DNA not only as a recognition element but also as a structural material. Engineered strands extend from the sensor into the surrounding environment, forming a dynamic interface that interacts with nearby molecules.

These extensions do not bind targets permanently at first. Instead, they weakly capture and release them, effectively increasing the local concentration of target molecules near the sensor 麻豆精品 S檚 core detection region. This process improves detection efficiency without requiring additional mechanical or chemical input.

By designing DNA nanostructures that actively interact with nearby molecules, the system creates a sensing environment that is more responsive and efficient.

麻豆精品 S淒NA is uniquely suited for building nanoscale machines, 麻豆精品 S� Kolpashchikov says. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 programmable, predictable and relatively inexpensive. 麻豆精品 S�

In this system, DNA strands self-assemble into a structure resembling a microscopic octopus, what the team calls聽 a 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S楧NA cephalopod. 麻豆精品 S�. 麻豆精品 S� A central sensor is surrounded by long, flexible 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S榯entacles 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� that extend into the solution. Each tentacle carries weak binding sites that briefly capture target molecules and pass them along from one site to the next, guiding them toward the center, where the sensor binds them more strongly and triggers detection.

Applications Across Fields

The improved speed and sensitivity of this approach expand the potential use of biosensors across multiple domains.

Possible applications include rapid detection of harmful bacteria in water and food systems, early-stage diagnosis through identification of DNA or RNA biomarkers, and forensic analysis requiring precise detection of biological material

By enabling sensors to detect smaller quantities of target molecules more quickly, the technology may support more timely and accurate decision-making in both clinical and field settings.

麻豆精品 S淭he potential applications are broad: rapid disease diagnostics, including early cancer detection, and real-time monitoring of pathogens in water and food. Perhaps most exciting is that this is a general strategy. The same 麻豆精品 S榯entacle 麻豆精品 S� concept could be applied for detection of proteins and small biological molecules. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Dmitry Kolpashchikov, professor of chemistry, UCF College of Sciences

麻豆精品 S淭his approach could dramatically improve how we detect biological molecules, 麻豆精品 S� Kolpashchikov says. 麻豆精品 S淭he potential applications are broad: rapid disease diagnostics, including early cancer detection, real-time monitoring of pathogens in water and food. Perhaps most exciting is that this is a general strategy. The same 麻豆精品 S榯entacle 麻豆精品 S� concept could be applied for detection of proteins and small biological molecules. 麻豆精品 S�

A New Method of Rapid Analyte Detection

As with many emerging technologies, translating laboratory advances into real-world systems presents challenges. Performance in complex environments, where multiple substances interact simultaneously, remains an area for further study.

Scaling the technology and integrating it into existing diagnostic platforms will also be critical steps in determining its broader applicability.

Rather than treating biosensing as a passive process governed by chance encounters, Kolpashchikov 麻豆精品 S檚 work suggests a different model, one in which sensors actively engage with their environment, reaching into the surrounding space to capture what drifts.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. 2555933. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.

UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Sciences and its National Center for Forensic Science (NCFS) are at the heart of the real science behind the real-life cases, along with the larger field that goes beyond criminal justice.

Why This Research Matters

Now, thanks to the work of UCF researchers, the field of forensic science around the world is receiving a massive boost of knowledge through the release of the 麻豆精品 S渇antastic four 麻豆精品 S� chemical standards; the four, hard biomaterials 麻豆精品 S� nails, hair, bones and teeth 麻豆精品 S� that provide a consistent and critical reference point for forensic anthropology and toxicology work.

麻豆精品 S淭he creation of these standards is important because every aspect 麻豆精品 S� especially in toxicology 麻豆精品 S� is helpful to quantify data when looking at these biomaterials in the field, 麻豆精品 S� says Matthieu Baudelet, an associate professor of chemistry at UCF affiliated with NCFS. 麻豆精品 S淵ou have a sample you want to mimic and now there is a reference with these 麻豆精品 S榝antastic four 麻豆精品 S� that you can use for analysis. We can help crime labs around the world to be more precise, avoiding wrong decisions when looking at evidence. 麻豆精品 S�

Baudelet undertook the work of creating these standards in 2018 because he says it was a complex puzzle to solve and the work was necessary for improvements in forensic science.

麻豆精品 S淎t the time, no one was working on this and we dared to find the answer and fill this scientific need in the field, 麻豆精品 S� Baudelet says. 麻豆精品 S淔orensic science is important today because there is always a need for answering questions on a number of topics. In our case, the research revolves around anthropology and toxicology. In forensic anthropology, work is often about solving crimes, but there’s also work in parallel to repatriate fallen soldiers from previous wars. 麻豆精品 S�

Baudelet says that the new chemical standards will open doors to solve issues in toxicology or biomedical applications; for instance, the burgeoning market for hair analysis, which needs these standards.

How Laser Technology Is Shaping Forensic Science

Baudelet has led the development of these new standards through his work at NCFS. His background is in physics, optics and spectroscopy, and he 麻豆精品 S檚 found that interdisciplinary collaboration has helped move the field forward.

麻豆精品 S淟aser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) are widely accepted techniques for direct sampling of biological materials for elemental analysis, with increasing applications being reported over the recent years, 麻豆精品 S� according to a study by Baudelet and his former postdoctoral scholar, Mauro Martinez, that was published in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.

LIBS is an analytical and versatile technique that utilizes a high-energy laser pulse to generate a plasma, which emits light, on the surface of a sample to help identify the elemental composition of the material. These laser-based techniques have provided opportunities for two doctoral students working alongside Baudelet on these standards to see better results.

麻豆精品 S淭he portability of LIBS makes it useful worldwide, 麻豆精品 S� says Kristen Livingston, who graduates this fall with her doctoral degree in chemistry. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檝e traveled with the portable laser instrument to Romania and Hawaii and had the opportunity to work with bones and other skeletal remains in a variety of environments. The new standards and technology have the potential to make a global impact. 麻豆精品 S�

Details about the new references have been published in Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy and the Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry.

麻豆精品 S淗aving a reference material is important because you can compare new measurements to a known measurement, which facilitates a reliable outcome, especially in forensic science, 麻豆精品 S� Livingston says. 麻豆精品 S淵ou need trustworthy and reliable data to compare new measurements back to a known measurement. 麻豆精品 S�

Applying Science to Justice

Kaitlyn Bonilla 麻豆精品 S�20 麻豆精品 S�24MS, a chemistry alum and doctoral student graduating this fall, has worked on developing the chemical standard for hair samples. Her passion for forensic science began in high school watching one of her favorite television shows, Law & Order.

麻豆精品 S淎 lot of people learn about forensics through TV shows and I was no different, 麻豆精品 S� Bonilla says. 麻豆精品 S淚 wanted to be the next Olivia Benson [an NYPD officer from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]. I initially wanted to be a detective. I was interested in science and math and after taking a forensics class in high school, I thought, why don’t I apply science to the law? 麻豆精品 S�

As an undergraduate student at UCF, she took a course in microscopy and learned about hair as a biologic material in forensic science.

麻豆精品 S淗air as a matrix is so interesting because it provides a chronological record with its growth, 麻豆精品 S� Bonilla says. 麻豆精品 S淎s hair grows, information grows along a hair strand. Using lasers, we can see that record of information.聽It 麻豆精品 S檚 been exciting to learn more about it. 麻豆精品 S�

Bonilla says she is the first scientist in her family, and her studies have been supported through a National Institute of Justice fellowship, one of only eight UCF students selected since the fellowship 麻豆精品 S檚 inception in 2000.

麻豆精品 S淭hanks to this NIJ fellowship, I have been able to attend conferences and share my work, as well as conduct my studies in toxicology analysis, 麻豆精品 S� Bonilla says.

Decoding Bones Through Chemistry

Baudelet 麻豆精品 S檚 other graduate student working on the 麻豆精品 S渇antastic four 麻豆精品 S� chemical standards is Kristen Livingston, who was similarly interested in forensic science watching it on TV.

麻豆精品 S淚 watched NCIS and admired Abby [a chief forensic scientist] on the show, 麻豆精品 S� says Livingston. 麻豆精品 S淚 appreciated the work that happened on those shows and how it made an impact on the community and in the justice system. 麻豆精品 S�

She says that her interest in forensic science intersected with her English class during her senior year in high school.

麻豆精品 S淲e had to write a paper about a topic we were passionate about and I wrote about The Innocence Project and how DNA is used to exonerate innocent individuals from prison sentences, 麻豆精品 S� Livingston says. 麻豆精品 S淭hese sentences may have resulted from improper forensic practices, so I wanted to improve the field of forensic science. 麻豆精品 S�

She says the work she 麻豆精品 S檚 doing is important because applying chemistry to forensic anthropology provides another level of information about bones.

麻豆精品 S淭ypically, forensic anthropologists study the physical bone 麻豆精品 S� the shape or morphology 麻豆精品 S� and they can get answers from the bones themselves. But chemically, there’s another world of information, 麻豆精品 S� says Livingston. 麻豆精品 S淏ones are an important matrix to study; if you think about tissues left behind when individuals die, bones last the longest. They can give you a lot of information about the individual they belonged to. 麻豆精品 S�

Livingston says she 麻豆精品 S檚 not the first chemist in my family; her father inspired her as well.

麻豆精品 S淢y father worked in the field of nuclear chemistry and I grew up seeing his passion and love for this process, 麻豆精品 S� says Livingston. 麻豆精品 S淏eing able to have these conversations with him about my research and being able to bond with him over his love for chemistry, has meant a lot to me. 麻豆精品 S�

Funder Information
This project was supported by Award No. AWD00005982, awarded by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

Researcher Credentials
Matthieu Baudelet joined UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Chemistry and the National Center for Forensic Science in 2015. His work focuses on developing lased-based spectroscopic techniques for forensic applications, including the analysis of tire skid marks, pollen, and anthropological remains. He also leads efforts to create matrix-matched biomaterial standards for LIBS and LA-ICP-MS to improve quantitative analysis in forensic and biomedical research. Originally from France, Baudelet earned his Ph.D. in Laser and Spectroscopy from the University of Lyon.

That 麻豆精品 S檚 why infectious disease experts and chemists at the UCF College of Medicine and College of Sciences were recently awarded a $537,619 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create a low cost, accurate test that detects Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV at the same time.

The researchers are working to repurpose an existing electrochemical biosensor and apply that technology to quickly identify the viruses at the RNA level and quantify viral loads in resource-limited settings.

There is a worldwide need for such a test, as more than 300 million people live with the two forms of hepatitis and more than 40 million live with HIV, World Health Organization data shows. Access to faster and easy-to-use testing can reduce the spread of both viruses and help patients catch hepatitis earlier, reducing their risks of developing liver failure, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Simultaneous testing also has potential to remove barriers to patient care and help doctors better refine treatment plans.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 very important to detect those viruses in the same sample because those viruses share the same route of transmission and it increases the chance that the same person may get multiple viruses, 麻豆精品 S� says Yulia Gerasimova, an associate professor of chemistry working on this project. to know how to tailor the treatment for patients depending on if they have a co-infection or not. 麻豆精品 S�

Quicker Results, Healthier Patients

Current diagnostics for both viruses require a blood test and analysis by a clinic or hospital lab. For that reason, testing is difficult in remote and resource-limited areas of the world, where getting results can take months.

During that time, undiagnosed patients get sicker and the disease may spread.

麻豆精品 S淚 think the goal is to have something that’s accessible worldwide 麻豆精品 S� regardless of the environment, 麻豆精品 S� says College of Medicine researcher Daniel Ram, an assistant professor of infectious disease who is working on the project. 麻豆精品 S淗aving the capacity to detect multiple viruses at once really has potential to benefit everyone. 麻豆精品 S�

Ram recalls growing up in Guyana where his mother was the director of a national clinic that could not process such patient samples on site.

麻豆精品 S淚n order to quantify viruses and patient samples, we would have to ship the samples out to Miami or sometimes Trinidad and Tobago, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淒uring shipping, those samples degraded and the possibility for failure is high. In the meantime, doctors didn 麻豆精品 S檛 know how to best treat the patients. 麻豆精品 S�

The researchers hope to reshape patient care by creating a more accessible and affordable diagnostic that can be used at low resource settings, says Karin Chumbimuni-Torres associate professor of chemistry and project lead.

The Science Behind New Tests

Instead of the current blood test that measures the body 麻豆精品 S檚 immune response to each virus and the distinct viral load of each virus, the UCF researchers want to repurpose an existing electrochemical biosensor and apply that technology to quickly identify both viruses at the RNA level. They envision that collected samples, such as blood, can be screened with the sensor.

Chumbimuni-Torres developed similar technology to detect dengue fever and the Zika virus, and her preliminary positive results allowed her to receive the NIH grant for hepatitis and HIV.

The HIV virus often mutates so the UCF scientists programed their sensor to detect any strain of the disease.

麻豆精品 S淭his is key, 麻豆精品 S� Chumbimuni-Torres says. 麻豆精品 S淗IV can mutate a lot so we made a technique that can detect any of the mutations. 麻豆精品 S�

Because the biosensors conduct genetic testing on the viruses, the scientists can target all the different genetic sequences of both viruses.

麻豆精品 S淲e want to quantify the virus so doctors can know how to treat patients, 麻豆精品 S� Chumbimuni-Torres says.

Through this research, the team hopes to develop the technology that would work regardless of the source of viral genomes, Gerasimova says.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e using something called isothermal amplification to amplify viral nucleic acids for them to be detected with virus-specific probes, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭his project is more or less exploratory and we 麻豆精品 S檙e developing and fine tuning our technique along the way. 麻豆精品 S�

麻豆精品 S淲e want to be test whether or not the sensors can detect certain amounts of virus and how that would relate to how that may manifest in patients, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淔or this round of experimentation, we need to validate with cell cultures and having different quantified amounts of the viruses. Knowing how many viral particles it 麻豆精品 S檚 able to detect will allow us to move forward in assessing a patient cohort. 麻豆精品 S�

As their research progresses, Ram says he sees the potential for the test to greatly improve the lives of patients worldwide

麻豆精品 S淭his technology has immediate benefit if we can show it to work effectively in detecting multiple viruses, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

Researchers 麻豆精品 S� Credentials:

Chumbimuni-Torres is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at UCF. She earned her master 麻豆精品 S檚 and doctoral degrees at the University of Campinas, S茫o Paulo, Brazil. After graduating, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University and the University of California, San Diego. During that time, she also worked at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. Before joining UCF, she served as a research associate at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research interests focus on understanding, characterizing and developing chemical sensors for biological applications such as analyzing microRNAs, RNA and DNA. Her group is also interested in studying the interactions at the interface of biomolecules and nanomaterials.

Gerasimova is an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, where she leads the Nucleic Acid Function and Diagnostics Laboratory. She earned her doctoral degree in bioorganic chemistry from the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Russia. Gerasimova joined UCF in 2010 as a postdoctoral researcher and transitioned to a faculty role in Fall 2016.

Ram is an assistant professor of medicine at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. His lab studies the role of infection and disease on the modulation of splicing, leading to dysfunctional immune responses.聽 Ram earned his doctoral degree in immunology at Tufts University in 2016, then trained as a postdoctoral research fellow for four years at the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston. He subsequently served as an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School prior to joining UCF in 2023.

Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles released by cells that can carry information which contain proteins, DNA and other molecules from the cells that created them. They serve as messengers giving a view of what 麻豆精品 S檚 happening inside the body, which makes them promising tools for early, noninvasive disease detection.

Led by principal investigator Kiminobu Sugaya, professor and head of the neuroscience division at the College of Medicine, and Qun Huo, professor and graduate program director in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Sciences, the team created a streamlined alternative. Their new method uses basic lab tools to collect and concentrate exosomes from cell samples in under an hour. The findings were recently published in the American Chemical Society 麻豆精品 S檚 Applied Bio Materials journal.

麻豆精品 S淥ur method eliminates the need for ultracentrifugation, precipitation kits or affinity-based labeling, 麻豆精品 S� Huo says. 麻豆精品 S淚nstead, we use a size-selective filtration and direct optical analysis technique that can isolate and characterize exosomes within a single step. This not only reduces the processing time significantly 麻豆精品 S攆rom hours to minutes 麻豆精品 S攂ut also minimizes sample loss and experimental variability. 麻豆精品 S�

With this form of characterization, the researchers add specific antibodies, which are proteins that bind to target disease-related proteins on the exosomes. If the antibodies find a match, the exosomes cluster, causing a measurable increase in size. This change can be quickly detected using dynamic light scattering (DLS), a light-based measurement technique.

麻豆精品 S淲e chose DLS not only for its ability to measure particle size distribution rapidly and non-destructively, but also for its sensitivity in detecting molecular interactions, 麻豆精品 S� Huo says. 麻豆精品 S淭he resulting change in hydrodynamic size, as measured by DLS, serves as a direct indicator of antigen-antibody interaction. 麻豆精品 S�

Hannah Ambrosius, a chemistry doctoral student, worked closely on the study as part of her thesis and shares that she quickly recognized the potential beyond just speeding up the isolation process.

麻豆精品 S淕iven that exosomes contain specific biomarkers that can be used for disease detection, like cancer, it’s imperative that the exosome is efficiently isolated and purified before further analysis, 麻豆精品 S� Ambrosius says. 麻豆精品 S淲ith this protocol, we’ve moved on to human samples and have made some very interesting discoveries that we’re excited to soon share with the research community. 麻豆精品 S�

The researchers tested the method on exosomes from three types of cells: human embryotic kidney cells, genetically modified cells with green fluorescent protein and brain cancer stem cells from a patient with glioblastoma. In all three cases, the method successfully isolated the exosomes and identified their surface proteins with great reliability.

麻豆精品 S淲hile exosome research is often associated with neurodegenerative diseases, the original purpose of this project was to develop a diagnostic tool for glioblastoma 麻豆精品 S攐ne of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant brain tumors, 麻豆精品 S� Sugaya says. 麻豆精品 S淥ur method offers a rapid, non-invasive way to detect glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) by analyzing surface markers on exosomes, which reflect tumor-specific antigens. 麻豆精品 S�

Sugaya says this technique is part of an ongoing effort to not only improve diagnosis but also advance new approaches to treatments.

麻豆精品 S淭his diagnostic platform complements a novel therapeutic strategy we recently developed: an exosome-based drug delivery system that delivers non-nucleic-acid medicines directly to GBM cells, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭his approach has shown strong potential as a curative therapy, and the diagnostic system we created will also serve as a valuable tool for monitoring treatment response and disease progression. 麻豆精品 S�

The researchers on the team across the two colleges agree that interdisciplinary collaboration was key to achieving results.

麻豆精品 S淐ollaboration allowed us to integrate biological insight with technological innovation, 麻豆精品 S� Huo says. 麻豆精品 S淭he synergy enabled us to optimize both the design and function of the isolation platform. 麻豆精品 S�

Ambrosius says as a student researcher, the collaboration opened valuable doors.

麻豆精品 S淔rom the perspective of a graduate student, it’s interesting to learn that the research field isn’t always about how much you know, but also who you know, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淧rogress is nothing short of a team effort. 麻豆精品 S�

About the Researchers

Sugaya has dedicated over 40 years to neuroscience research focused on Alzheimer 麻豆精品 S檚 disease, with an emphasis on stem cells for the last 26 years. He moved to the U.S. after receiving his Ph.D. from the Science University of Tokyo in 1988. He joined UCF as a professor in 2004. His cancer research began in 2010 when he discovered stemness gene expressions, the self-renewing and differentiating property that allows cancer stem cells to grow and spread. He has become recognized as an expert in the field of exosome research and recently received Florida Innovation Funding from the State Department of Health for his studies.

Huo 麻豆精品 S檚 current research focuses on the development of new analytical and diagnostic technologies to address the health issues of humans, animals and agriculture. Huo received her bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in polymer science from the University of Science and Technology of China in 1991, master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in chemistry from Sun Yatsen University in 1994 and Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Miami in 1999. Her laboratory has developed a rapid blood test to measure the immune health of humans and animals. She collaborates extensively with biomedical scientists, medical doctors, animal scientists, veterinarians and plant scientists to develop innovative solutions for practical and challenging problems.

Mangroves are crucial because they naturally protect coastal shores from storm damage and serve as vital wildlife habitats around the world.

Scientists at the University of Central Florida are working to preserve mangroves in Florida and across the world from an increasingly prevalent disease-causing variety of fungi that lies dormant but become active when the tree is exposed to stressors such as temperature fluctuation, pests or other diseases.

The disease does not yet have an official name, but it is being referred to by scientists as 麻豆精品 S淢angrove CNP. 麻豆精品 S� It is caused by a group of fungal pathogens, including Curvularia, Neopestalotiopsis, and Pestalotiopsis, that causes yellowing and spots, and gradually weaken the mangrove until it ultimately dies.

Melissa Deinys, a UCF undergraduate researcher, and Jorge Pereira, a UCF graduate research assistant, are working to help turn the tide by developing and testing a promising nutritional cocktail comprised of nanoparticles to strengthen mangroves and counter the pathogens. The work is through UCF professor Swadeshmukul Santra 麻豆精品 S檚 (MISA) center at UCF, which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agricultural recognized Center of Excellence.

Mangrove CNP in Florida was first identified as causing mangrove die-offs by Deinys in 2019 in Miami through her work with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Later, the Marine Resources Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Indian River Lagoon, verified and cited her efforts.

Deinys and collaborators with the MRC and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden have determined that about 80% of the mangroves they had sampled have tested positive for at least one of the fungal pathogen species. She says they have sampled over 130 mangroves between the Indian River Lagoon and Miami mangrove populations.

The researchers are treating the mangroves by soaking them in a nutrient solution called 麻豆精品 S淢ag Sun 麻豆精品 S� (MgSuN), which is comprised of magnesium and sulfur nanoparticles. The mixture is a refinement of a previous graduate student 麻豆精品 S檚 formula that destroyed bacteria on tomatoes, Pereira says.

麻豆精品 S淭he reason why we choose magnesium is because it is more environmentally friendly, and plants need a lot of magnesium, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚 combined our magnesium formulation with a sodium polysulfide. Sulfur is one of those elements that is ubiquitous in the environment, and the idea is that you can combine both to actually enhance the anti-microbial capacity for both bacteria and fungi and you also supply key nutrients to the plants so that they can grow greener and leafier. 麻豆精品 S�

During lab tests, the researchers say they observed growth inhibition of up to 95% when treated with MgSuN at varying concentrations compared to the untreated control.

The formula acts as a sort of antibiotic and multivitamin, and it has shown great potential in bolstering the health of infected mangroves at nurseries across Florida, Pereira says.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e done some experiments, and we have tested both in vitro and in plants, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e working with the nurseries, and we 麻豆精品 S檝e seen it does kill the pathogens with no detrimental effects to the mangroves while kickstarting their health. They look great after treatment. 麻豆精品 S�

Deinys is continuing her work with the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, MRC and nurseries across Florida while staying the course on her path to graduation and furthering her research at UCF.

She began studying the fungal pathogens in 2018 in Miami prior to being enrolled at UCF and has seen the mangroves become increasingly affected by the pathogens 麻豆精品 S� opportunistic nature.

麻豆精品 S淏ack at the botanical gardens where I started, I would see the plants have these pathogens but not to a detrimental effect where we now see these organisms collapsing, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淎 mangrove nursery [The Marine Resources Council] had reached out to us, and they told us they had an insect infestation and then the whole population got wiped out by the pathogen. We 麻豆精品 S檙e also getting reports from places like Tampa that say areas that have more runoff are having more pathogen-related deterioration compared to 10 years ago. 麻豆精品 S�

The fungi have been well-documented for some time, but volatile temperature changes, frequent storms and other increasing stressors open the door to the fungi taking a hold of the mangroves, Deinys says.

麻豆精品 S淭hey 麻豆精品 S檙e called opportunistic, and they 麻豆精品 S檙e called that for a reason, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淭hey see a change in the plant and that 麻豆精品 S檚 when they start to take effect. 麻豆精品 S�

How the pathogens are acquired is something that remains unclear, Deinys says. Researchers hypothesize it may be introduced through water, wind or insects, but further studies are needed to determine how it is acquired since it poses threat to mangrove health.

麻豆精品 S淵ou have to study all possibilities to determine what is the vector, 麻豆精品 S� Deinys says. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e seen papers and literature in other countries that have shown these pathogens for a long time. It 麻豆精品 S檚 been difficult because there is a disconnect in mangrove communities because we 麻豆精品 S檙e worlds apart and with different languages. 麻豆精品 S�

The MgSuN nutrient solution is a treatment, but not a cure, Deinys says. There still are ample stressors that should be managed and mitigated, such as human-caused habitat destruction, in addition to treating the pathogens.

麻豆精品 S淚 think there 麻豆精品 S檚 a big restoration effort to repopulate mangroves, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淏ut first we need to look at the health of these mangroves and the health of the ecosystem before we determine what more we should do. We 麻豆精品 S檙e working with mangrove nurseries to see if we can together develop solutions. 麻豆精品 S�

Maintaining and restoring mangroves is an essential component of ecological stewardship, and it 麻豆精品 S檚 a passion that Deinys hopes to continue throughout her career.

麻豆精品 S淚 started this project my freshman year, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 didn 麻豆精品 S檛 want to leave what I was doing, and I came here with a mission. I met with Dr. Santra, our PI, and he wanted to help. He gave me a lot of freedom, and I 麻豆精品 S檓 really grateful. 麻豆精品 S�

Deinys says that her research at UCF has been incredibly gratifying.

麻豆精品 S淭here is a sense of community here that I found, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚 joined the lab, and it felt like I found my family and that 麻豆精品 S檚 one of the best things to have come out of this experience. This has been one of my life 麻豆精品 S檚 passions, and I hope I 麻豆精品 S檒l always stay with this project even after. 麻豆精品 S�

Santra is encouraged by the research conducted by Pereira and Deinys, and he is hopeful it continues to bolster mangrove ecosystems.

麻豆精品 S淭he UCF MISA center is dedicated to solving global problems that threaten agricultural sustainability, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲e are excited to have another crop protection tool in our toolbox for protecting mangroves. I see the future of MagSun as a broad-spectrum fungicide, where GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) materials are empowered through nanotechnology. 麻豆精品 S�

Further studies are needed to pinpoint which stressors are affecting the mangroves the most so that scientists can better preserve them, Pereira says.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 very important to understand the stressors, and we need to really address if it 麻豆精品 S檚 a change in temperature, if it 麻豆精品 S檚 runoff or if it 麻豆精品 S檚 an additional pathogen, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚n the meantime, we need to do something to prevent this damage from occurring. 麻豆精品 S�

Researchers 麻豆精品 S� Credentials

Deinys graduated from BioTECH @ Richmond Heights High School, a conservation biology magnet school, where she began her research journey at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and specialized in botany. In Fall 2022, Deinys joined UCF and became a member of the Santra Lab the following spring. She is an undergraduate research assistant working towards her bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in biotechnology.

Pereira graduated from Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de Honduras with a degree in industrial chemistry. He joined Santra 麻豆精品 S檚 lab in 2020 and is currently a graduate research assistant and working toward his doctoral degree in chemistry.

Santra holds a doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. After graduating, he worked at the University of Florida (UF) as a postdoctoral researcher and later as a research assistant professor at the UF Department of Neurological Surgery and Particle Engineering Research Center. In 2005, Santra joined UCF as an assistant professor at the , the and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. He is the director of the UCF Materials Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture center, a USDA-NIFA-recognized Center of Excellence.

Early discovery of debilitating diseases such as cancer or dementia is critical in determining treatment and saving lives.

Associate Professor Xiaohu Xia recently received a $1.3 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his promising nanoparticle research that could drastically improve disease detection accuracy by more than 300-times.

The NIH awards R01 grants to investigators for mature research projects that are hypothesis-driven with strong preliminary data like Xia 麻豆精品 S檚.

麻豆精品 S淚n our preliminary laboratory results, we have demonstrated that our nanoparticle-based artificial enzymes are able to improve the detection sensitivity by about 300 times better than the current assets in the market, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

His research spans four years, and it focuses on enhancing the diagnostic efficacy of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing by using specially tailored nickel-platinum nanoparticles that will bind to specific disease biomarkers 麻豆精品 S� such as proteins and hormones 麻豆精品 S� in bodily fluid samples.

Xia is the sole principal investigator, but he will oversee postdoctoral and graduate students who will assist him.

Although there has been some experimentation with substituting nanoparticles in ELISA testing, there hasn 麻豆精品 S檛 been a monumental advancement in diagnostic sensitivity in decades, and Xia says he aims to make the leap through his nanoparticle research.

麻豆精品 S淓LISA technology is one of the most popular technologies used for screenings of a variety of different diseases, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淔or example, when you go to the doctor 麻豆精品 S檚 office and do your annual physical exam, the bloodwork may use ELISA to detect a variety of different biomarkers. But to breakthrough this technology, you have to completely replace the natural enzyme with something else. 麻豆精品 S�

The switch from using traditional peroxidase found in horseradish root to artificial enzyme 麻豆精品 S渕imics 麻豆精品 S� comprised of nanoparticles could result in numerous benefits, the researcher says. Xia says the nanoparticles are significantly more stable and active, which could mean more reliable and accurate ELISA test results.

麻豆精品 S淚n commercial technology, people are using natural enzymes that are extracted from plants, 麻豆精品 S� Xia says. 麻豆精品 S淚n our technology, we 麻豆精品 S檙e going to replace the natural enzyme with our artificial enzymes which are made of metal nanoparticles. The artificial enzymes are much more efficient than natural enzymes so that means were going to have a stronger color signal which can substantially improve the detection sensitivity of this technology. 麻豆精品 S�

In this study, Xia endeavors to build and maximize the nanoparticles 麻豆精品 S� capabilities while demonstrating and confirming their efficacy in clinical use by testing different disease biomarkers in human blood samples. He says he plans to fine-tune the structure of the nanoparticles to engineer the most optimal artificial enzymes for diagnostics.

It will be the first time his nanoparticles will interact with clinical samples, Xia says.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e going to further improve the sensitivity by using the unique nanoparticles and to use two cancers for demonstration, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淚n this project, we propose to detect prostate cancer and colorectal cancer in the early stages in blood. With our new technology, we hope to achieve early diagnosis of these cancers. 麻豆精品 S�

The nanoparticles will serve as enhanced artificial 麻豆精品 S渕imics 麻豆精品 S� of conventional enzymes to bond and react in a way that will show color when combined with bioreceptors, such as antibodies, if the target disease biomarkers are present.

When a biomarker is detected, the test generates a visible color output that can be used to quantify its concentration. The stronger the color is, the stronger the concentration. The tests must be highly sensitive to prevent false negatives that could delay treatment or interventions.

Xia is hopeful his research will reveal that the nanoparticles will have record efficiency in providing quicker results and more definitive contrast in the coloring of samples while simplifying the procedures and devices needed for testing.

麻豆精品 S淒etection sensitivity is critical for diagnostics for significant diseases, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淔or the very early stages, the concentration of biomarkers may be very low and not detected by conventional ELISA. With our new technology, were aiming to substantially improve the sensitivity so we can detect even low concentrations of biomarkers in patient samples. 麻豆精品 S�

He aspires to use the foundational knowledge gained from his initial research in 2021 to impact the general field of in vitro diagnostics by offering a type of ultraefficient artificial enzymes that are suitable for many diagnostic technologies even beyond ELISA.

麻豆精品 S淭he ultimate goal we want to achieve is early detection of significant diseases like cancer and in the future, we also want to detect some other very challenging diseases like maybe even Alzheimer 麻豆精品 S檚 Disease, 麻豆精品 S� Xia says.

Researcher 麻豆精品 S檚 Credentials

Xia joined UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Chemistry, part of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚聽College of Sciences, in 2018. He has a joint appointment in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚聽. Prior to his appointment at UCF, he worked at Michigan Technological University as an assistant professor and at Georgia Institute of Technology as a postdoctoral researcher.

Santra, a professor associated with UCF’s , and Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, has 34 UCF inventions under his belt and leads the university 麻豆精品 S檚 Materials Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) center, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agricultural recognized Center of Excellence.

Some of his latest inventions include a nanocomposition that captures and preserves plant materials and agrochemicals and a targeted delivery system for combatting plant disease and providing nutrients at the nano level.

CapTap Keeps Agrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals Active Longer

One recent invention, CapTap, is a gel composition that captures and protects a product 麻豆精品 S檚 active ingredients, helping to extend the shelf life and viability. The technology addresses a persistent problem for industry: loss of chemical activity in ingredients before use.

Santra says it offers multiple uses and benefits for agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, and it protects active ingredients in their original form in storage conditions and biological environments.

The inspiration for the invention came after reading an article about polyphenols, he says.

麻豆精品 S淭hen I started quickly thinking about how the material, a natural product, could be useful, 麻豆精品 S� Santra says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 the beauty of chemistry. 麻豆精品 S�

He contacted one of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 industry partners and acquired 50 kilograms 麻豆精品 S攁 drum full of a naturally sourced polyphenol.

麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 very cost-effective, 麻豆精品 S� Santra says. 麻豆精品 S淎nd then, after that, the magic happened. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF chemistry doctoral student Jorge Pereira is a co-inventor of the technology.

麻豆精品 S淚nitially, we were interested in it as an alternative to controlling plant pathogens using copper or zinc, 麻豆精品 S� Pereira says.

He says that at the same time, there was also a master 麻豆精品 S檚 student looking for a biomedical project on the nano delivery of curcumin. While considering both, Pereira says he realized that he could use the technology to encapsulate and deliver curcumin as a cargo. Later that night, after some restless sleep, Pereira says he realized he could use the technology not only to encapsulate that particular molecule, but you could use it to encapsulate every single molecule that has the same molecular interactions. 麻豆精品 S�

With that, Pereira went to the lab early the next morning.

麻豆精品 S淚 tested the technology with maybe 10 different components, and it seemed that it encapsulated almost all of them with ease, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲e concluded that this capturing technology, based on intermolecular interactions, could be used for agriculture and biomedical. 麻豆精品 S�

With the CapTap technology 麻豆精品 S檚 potential, two student researchers were able to develop their master 麻豆精品 S檚 theses related to medical issues. Giuliana Giannelli, a co-inventor, published the paper聽. Meanwhile, Research Assistant Sebastian Leon published聽. Surprisingly, he and the team got an email from scientists with the聽Association for Creatine Deficiencies (ACD).

麻豆精品 S淲e were heavily intrigued because we did not promote this technology in any way, 麻豆精品 S� Pereira says.

He says that the group wanted to know if CapTap could be used to deliver creatine specifically to the brain to help people suffering from Creatine Transporter Deficiency (CTD), which has no proven treatment to date.

According to the聽ACD website, creatine is essential to sustain the high energy levels needed for muscle and brain development. While patients with CTD may have the necessary enzymes to form creatine, the creatine transporters that carry it to the brain and muscles do not function properly, and the creatine stays in the bloodstream.

麻豆精品 S淪o you start developing something for one aspect, and then you find out that it 麻豆精品 S檚 useful for something completely different, 麻豆精品 S� Pereira says.

He says the non-phytotoxic and environmentally friendly technology can encapsulate active ingredients, both organic and inorganic materials, in liquid or gel form. It can also increase the shelf-life of many ingredients in various products, from foods and beverages to agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals. In one example application, the technology enables manufacturers to produce commercially available fertilizers at a lower cost. More information is available on the .

Galvoxite聽Delivery System Uniquely Targets Pathogens Through Plant Surfaces

Another recent invention enables growers to apply antifungal and antibacterial plant treatments and nutrients more effectively and efficiently. The Galvoxite^TM聽delivery system targets specific parts of a plant 麻豆精品 S檚 leaf tissue, such as areas most susceptible to bacteria and fungi. Growers can also use the technology to deliver micronutrients to targeted plant areas.

麻豆精品 S淭his was my very first project when I joined Dr. Santra 麻豆精品 S檚 group, 麻豆精品 S� Pereira says. 麻豆精品 S淪o, it 麻豆精品 S檚 my baby. It 麻豆精品 S檚 been a rebellious baby at that, but over these past four years, we 麻豆精品 S檝e made tremendous discoveries with this formulation, and its behavior is very unique. It fits a niche in nanotechnology for agriculture that was not there. 麻豆精品 S�

Pereira says that the technology 麻豆精品 S檚 nano borate formulations have an affinity for certain parts of a plant 麻豆精品 S檚 leaf that are prone to bacterial and fungal infections. The idea behind it is that if researchers are able to direct the pesticide to these specific areas, they can spray less pesticide and be more efficient. According to research from the National Library of Medicine, three billion kilograms of pesticides are used worldwide every year, while only 1% of total pesticides are effectively used to control insect pests on target plants.

The UCF inventors discovered that with Galvoxite, they could effectively use oxytetracycline, an antibiotic labeled for peaches.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e able to direct it to these openings in the leaves, called stomata, 麻豆精品 S� Pereira says. 麻豆精品 S淭his is where the bacteria go inside the leaf. The invention significantly reduces the plant toxicity of traditional metal-based agrochemicals. More importantly, it increases the efficiency of foliar-sprayed agrochemicals by preferentially targeting and depositing in the stomata and the depressions between leaf cuticles. 麻豆精品 S�

Stomata are pores that allow a plant to breathe, and leaf cuticles protect a plant and help it to retain water.

麻豆精品 S淥xytetracycline is just one example of the payloads we can target with the technology, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲e believe we might be able to direct more biostimulants, fungicides, or other antibiotics as well. 麻豆精品 S�

The researchers also successfully used the technology to deliver a nano zinc borate pesticide to combat foliar pathogens on tomato plants.

As added benefit, the technology enhances a plant 麻豆精品 S檚 rain fastness and plant absorption and improves pesticide resistance.

The researchers confirmed that a plant 麻豆精品 S檚 fruit remains perfect with both technologies.

For more information, view the聽聽and the聽.

Ongoing and Related Work

For Santra and Pereira, the research continues. With CapTap, the team is working to see if the UCF technology can cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver creatine more efficiently for people with CTD.

麻豆精品 S淚f so, this could be a real game changer for people with this disorder, 麻豆精品 S� Pereira says. 麻豆精品 S淲e are very excited. 麻豆精品 S�

Sebastian Leon has applied for a fellowship with the ACD, and if it is granted, the work will be done in the Santra lab.

Santra added that they will be collaborating with fellow UCF researcher聽at the NanoScience Technology Center in聽, which focuses on constructing next-generation systems for toxicology, drug discovery, and basic biology research.

麻豆精品 S淭hey have the right to an in vitro model system that we can use to test whether the findings can show that it can cross the blood-brain barrier, 麻豆精品 S� Santra says. 麻豆精品 S淣adine is on board and saw the proposal that Sebastian put together for his fellowship. 麻豆精品 S�

He says that the proposal is currently pending with the agency.

In conjunction with the Galvoxite research, Pereira says that the team has developed an adjuvant technology. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently approved the use of oxytetracycline to help growers combat HLB in citrus plants. However, when injected into citrus trees, Pereira says the antibiotic can cause phytotoxicity and symptoms like bark splitting and staining on the wooden branches.

麻豆精品 S淭his adjuvant technology is liquid, and there are no nanomaterials in this, but it can dissolve oxytetracycline at a neutral pH, which hasn 麻豆精品 S檛 been able to be done at an industrial scale, and this is in water, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

The adjuvant technology comprises mostly non-toxic chemicals that growers can easily obtain, 麻豆精品 S� Pereira says. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e started some preliminary tests with a grower, and we 麻豆精品 S檝e seen fantastic results. 麻豆精品 S�

Background and Work to Protect Florida Citrus

Years ago, as a young post-doctoral researcher, chemist, and nanoscientist,聽Santra welcomed the interdisciplinary research culture he found 麻豆精品 S渦nique to the United States. 麻豆精品 S�

Santra attributes that culture to the success of his work.

麻豆精品 S淲e did not have this kind of opportunity while I was in graduate school in India, 麻豆精品 S� Santra says. 麻豆精品 S淭he setting there was more like just you and your professor. 麻豆精品 S�

When he joined UCF in 2005, Santra told himself to be passionate about interdisciplinary research. He said his first interdisciplinary research project came in 2008 when a student named Tamre Parsons asked for some lab experience related to citrus research.

麻豆精品 S淪he said I 麻豆精品 S檓 interested in doing citrus research because there is a disease here called citrus canker, and I would like to contribute to solving this disease, 麻豆精品 S� Santra says. 麻豆精品 S淚 said, OK, that 麻豆精品 S檚 good, but I do not know anything about agriculture. 麻豆精品 S�

After discovering citrus canker was a bacterial disease, Santra advised Parsons to contact an agriculture research expert. They found and contacted聽Jim Graham, Professor Emeritus of soil microbiology at the University of Florida 麻豆精品 S檚聽Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC)聽in Lake Alfred, Florida. He has been working on controlling the citrus canker disease for many years.

After the researchers connected, Santra 麻豆精品 S檚 team visited the CREC in Lake Alfred and informally discussed their nanotechnology research with Graham.

麻豆精品 S淚 saw that Jim was very excited to learn about it, and that 麻豆精品 S檚 how the journey started, 麻豆精品 S� he says.

In addition to developing solutions against citrus canker, Santra and his team have created treatments against the more damaging Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, also known as citrus greening. Three of the patented technologies from Santra 麻豆精品 S檚 canker and HLB research are a聽, and聽, and聽. Santra also interacts with plant pathologists and works alongside growers to combat other crop diseases. For example, those that attack grapes and tomatoes.

Besides agriculture, Santra and his team have worked to help the biomedical and electronics industries.

麻豆精品 S淲e call chemistry a central science. It connects every field, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 a benefit for us to work with many disciplines.

麻豆精品 S淲hatever success we have gained so far, you see it, there has been a platform, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲hen you bring together all different disciplines, people talk to each other. They come up with new ideas. 麻豆精品 S�

Researchers 麻豆精品 S� Credentials

Santra holds a doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. After graduating, he worked with the University of Florida as a post-doctoral researcher and later as a research assistant professor at the UF Department of Neurological Surgery and Particle Engineering Research Center (PERC). In 2005, Santra joined UCF as a professor at the Nanoscience Technology Center, Department of Chemistry, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, and Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. He is the director of the UCF聽聽center, a USDA-NIFA-recognized Center of Excellence.

Pereira graduated from Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de Honduras (National University of Honduras) with a degree in industrial chemistry. In 2019 Pereira and his wife emigrated to the U.S. to continue their chemistry studies and become researchers at UCF. He joined Dr. Santra 麻豆精品 S檚 lab in 2020 and is currently a graduate research assistant and working toward his Ph.D. Pereira hopes that his accomplishments will inspire young Hondurans to pursue higher education and choose research as a career.

Technology Available for License

To learn more about Santra 麻豆精品 S檚 work and additional potential licensing or sponsored research opportunities, contact聽Andrea Adkins聽at (407) 823-0138.

UCF is No. 1 in Florida for computer and information sciences expenditures (and top 6% nationally) and No. 2 for engineering funding (top 20% nationally). The university also ranks in the top five in Florida for research backed by several national departments, including:

• No. 2 for NASA funding in Florida 麻豆精品 S� and top 9% nationally
• No. 2 for Department of Defense funding in Florida 麻豆精品 S� and top 15% nationally
• No. 3 for U.S. National Science Foundation funding in Florida 麻豆精品 S� and top 15% nationally
• No. 3 for Department of Energy funding in Florida 麻豆精品 S� and in the top 20% nationally
• No. 5 for Department of Health and Human Services funding in Florida 麻豆精品 S� and top 25% nationally

UCF is also in the top 10% of expenditures in the nation for research in physics, computer and information sciences, non-science and engineering, and physical sciences. 麻豆精品 S淚 am very pleased at UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 continued growth in research expenditures, surpassing $220M for FY22, 麻豆精品 S� says Winston Schoenfeld, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 interim vice president for research and innovation. 麻豆精品 S淭his is the direct result of tireless work by our dedicated faculty, staff, and students, as well as our many partners, leading to new levels of innovation in research and discovery. Through their collective excellence, UCF continues to progress as one of the leading public research universities in the nation. 麻豆精品 S�

UCF also had an impact on higher education R&D expenditures this year. At higher education institutions in both survey populations, UCF finished in the top 19%, fifth in Florida. At expenditures at public institutions, UCF finished in the top 20%, fifth in Florida. Overall research and development spending by academic institutions nationwide totaled $97.8 billion in FY 2022, an increase of $8 billion from FY 2021.

Over the year, UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 projects were tied to a number of agencies and scientific disciplines:

Computer and Information Sciences

UCF ranks ahead of all universities in Florida

Paul Gazzillo, an assistant professor in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Computer Science, is leading research on a three-year, nearly $1 million Defense Advance Research Projects Agency Young Faculty award that will make investigations into corporate relationships easier and quicker by creating automated tools that help investigators track complex corporate relationships.

Department of Defense

UCF ranks ahead of Florida International University (FIU), Florida State University (FSU) and the University of South Florida (USF)

UCF Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Associate Professor Kareem Ahmed, NanoScience Technology Center Assistant Professor Tania Roy, and UCF Materials Science and Engineering Professor Kevin Coffey were selected by the U.S. Department of Defense as part of the department 麻豆精品 S檚 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative, which supports projects that range from advancing hypersonic propulsion to improving semiconductor performance and will fund the work for the next five years.

Engineering

UCF ranks ahead of FSU, USF, FIU

Utilizing technology such as heart monitors with acoustic technology and biomechanical forces that can influence the early stages of heart disease, mechanical and aerospace engineers at UCF focus their expertise on finding creative solutions to heart disease, the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

UCF ranks ahead of FSU and USF

Planetary scientists Kerri Donaldson Hanna and Adrienne Dove will lead a $35 million NASA science mission to land a spacecraft on the moon 麻豆精品 S檚 Gruithuisen Domes, a previously unexplored region. The robotic mission would launch in 2026 to study the domes 麻豆精品 S� chemical composition and how dust interacts with the spacecraft and a rover.

Physics

UCF ranks No. 2 in Florida, and ahead of Florida Atlantic University (FAU), University of West Florida (UWF), University of North Florida (UNF) nationally

Tania Roy, an assistant professor in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Materials Science and Engineering and NanoScience Technology Center, and Molla Manjurul Islam 麻豆精品 S�17MS, the study 麻豆精品 S檚 lead author and a doctoral student in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Physics, have developed a device for artificial intelligence that mimics the retina of the eye. The development could lead to advanced AI that can instantly recognize what it sees, like automatic descriptions of pictures taken by a camera or phone. The technology also has applications in self-driving vehicles and robotics.

Department of Energy

UCF ranks ahead of FIU, Florida A&M University (FAMU) and USF

Denisia Popolan-Vaida, an assistant professor in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Department of Chemistry, received a five-year, $800,000 grant from the Department of Energy to investigate elusive chemical compounds that could help mitigate the impact of combustion on the environment. The compounds, known as Criegee intermediates, form by reactions of ozone and hydrocarbons, and only within the last decade have scientists been able to directly measure them because of their low concentrations and short lifetime.

U.S. National Science Foundation

UCF ranks head of USF, FIU and FAMU

Eight UCF professors who work with interdisciplinary teams to solve tech and health problems were named NSF CAREER award recipients. Some of the research includes Assistant Professor of Material Science and Engineering YeonWoong 麻豆精品 S淓ric 麻豆精品 S� Jung 麻豆精品 S檚 materials and nanotech research into pliable laptops and smartphones, as well as Assistant Professor of Material Science and Engineering and Biionix Faculty Cluster Initiative member Mehdi Razavi 麻豆精品 S檚 work into improving corrosion resistance to produce better magnesium-based bone implants.

Physical Sciences

UCF ranks No. 3 in Florida, and ahead of FAU, UWF and UNF

Using data collected from Arecibo 麻豆精品 S檚 Planetary Radar, planetary scientist Luisa Fernanda Zambrano-Marin researched the 2019 asteroid OK that was headed toward Earth. The asteroid was between .04 and .08 miles in diameter and was moving fast, rotating for 3 to 5 minutes. The asteroid was part of only 4.2% of the known fast-rotating asteroids.