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Life Sciences South Florida Asset Map
Aggregate Research Capabilities
Adult Stem Cells
Aging
Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Analytical Chemistry
Animal Models of Human Disease
Anti-infectives Discovery
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Bacterial Pathogenesis
Behavioral Ecology
Behavioral Medicine and Neuroscience
Bioanalytical Chemistry
Bio‐defense
Bioengineering
Bioimaging
Bioinformatics
Biomedical Devices
Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Informatics
Biostatistics
Biotechnology
Biotechnology and Drug Discovery
Bio‐toxins
Brain/Breast Cancer Imaging
Cancer Biology
Cancer Diagnostics & Therapeutics
Cardiac, Eye and Stroke Research
Cardiovascular Biology
Cardiovascular Therapeutics
Cell Biology/Signal Transduction
Cellular Complexity and Neural Network
Formation in the Brain
Child Health
Climate and the Environment
Climate System and Air-Sea Interactions
Clinical Trials
Community-Engaged Research
Computational Biology
Computational Studies Towards the Design of
Improved Enzymes
Computer Visualization of Biological Systems
Conservation Biology
Dengue Virus
Dental Biomaterials
Design and Synthesis of Novel Fluorescent
Probes for Biomedical Imaging
Developmental Biology
Developmental Biology
Developmental Neuroscience
Developmental Research, Applied
Diabetes
Disaster Mitigation and Economic Recovery
Drug Delivery
Drug Discovery
Ecology
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Research
Environmental Science
Environmental Science Virology
Estuarine ecosystems
Evolutionary Biology
Family and Maternal/Neonatal Health
Family Systems
Gene Therapy
Genomics
Genomics and Genetics
Green Technology development
Health and Technobiology
Health and the Built Environment
Health Disparities and Minority Health
Health Performance
Healthy Aging
High Performance Computing
HIV Research
HIV/AIDS
Human Habitation
Hydrological Cycle
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Immunology
Implementation Science
Infectious Disease
Infectious Disease
Informatics and Risk
Innovative Observational Technologies and
Applications
International Forensics
Intimate Partner Violence
Marine Biology
Marine Chemistry
Mathematical and Computational Modeling of
Disease Transmission
Mathematical Biology and Ecology
Medicines from the Sea
Mental Health
Mental Health
Metabolism and Nutrition
Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Molecular Biophysics
Mosquito Borne Diseases
Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine
Nanotechnology, Nano Devices
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neuroscience
Neuroscience
Obesity
Oceans and Human Health
Ophthalmological Sciences
Optometric Technology
Oxidative Stress and Aging
Parkinson’s Disease Therapy
Patient Safety and Emerging Infections
Pharmacokinetics
Physical Health
Population Genetics
Proteomics
Psycho-Oncology
Regenerative Medicine
Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct of
Research
Sensory Neurobiology
Severe Weather Observations and Prediction
Simulation Technology
Social and Emotional Development
Solid Earth System
Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injury
Stem Cell/Regenerative Medicine
Stress Management
Stroke
Structural Biology
Substance Abuse
Sustainable Coastal Ecosystem
Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
Sustainable Systems
Telemedicine and Telehealth
Theoretical Development of New Pulse
Sequences for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Tissue Engineering
Toxicology
Transplant Biology
Tropical Biology
Ultraviolet Photocatalytic Detoxification
Vaccine Development
Virology
Wound Healing
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Life Sciences South Florida
Research Capabilities by University
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
Carnegie Classification
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching designation as an institute of “High Research Activity”.
Key areas of research strength in Biotechnology and Life Sciences:
Antiinfectives discovery
Bioimaging
Bioimage Informatics
Bioinformatics and Genomics Bioengineering
Brain/breast cancer Imaging
Cancer Diagnostics &
Cardiac, Eye and
Conservation Biology
Therapeutics
Stroke Research
Developmental Biology
Drug Discovery
Functional Genomics
Gene Therapy
Environmental Research
Healthy Aging
HIV Research
High Performance Computing Medicines from the Sea
Molecular Biology
Marine Biology
Neuroscience
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Oxidative Stress and Aging
Proteomics
Scope
Over 600 active research projects (across 7 campuses)
Size
More than 244,000 square feet of laboratory space and other vital research facilities
Florida Atlantic Research and Development Parks (FAU R &D Park) are located on 77 acres at the north end of
FAU’s Boca Raton campus and on 14 acres in Deerfield Beach. The research park in Boca Raton is also home to
the Technology Business Incubator, which currently houses 19 emerging technology companies across multiple
industries.
Research Areas and Facilities
Strong emphasis in medical research and in training healthcare and biotechnology professionals
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Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine (Boca Raton campus)
 MD and MD/Ph.D. (in collaboration with Scripps)
 molecular, cellular and behavioral basis of diseases including age-related macular degeneration,
cancer, HIV, heart disease and stroke, inflammation/arthritis and neurodegenerative diseases
 Establishing a neuroscience consortium – bringing neuroscientists, biologists and biomedical
scientists to work jointly with Max Planck Florida Institute, Scripps Florida and the Torrey Pines
Institute for Molecular Studies
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
 Drug discovery – at the forefront of discovery of medicines from deep-sea marine organisms
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Institute for Science and Technology (new initiative at Jupiter McArthur campus)
Focus areas:
 biotechnology and drug discovery,
 neuroscience
 Bioimage Informatics/high performance computing (in collaboration with Scripps, Max Plank,
Torrey Pines and Vaccine Gene Therapy Institute)
Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing
With the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine: interdisciplinary program includes clinical, translational
and basic research to address universal issues of aging.
Bioengineering Program
Offers graduate certificate in conjunction with College of Engineering and Computer Science and the
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
 member of the IBM-led Latin American Grid (LA Grid) – designed to create professional IT
opportunities for Hispanic community and advance research in areas such as life sciences,
Biocomputing, weather modeling and prediction
 member of the IBM-led Latin American Grid (LA Grid)
Interdisciplinary Life sciences and Technology Centers:
o The Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences (est. 1985) brings together scientists from different
backgrounds including laboratory biologists, psychologists, applied mathematicians and theoretical
physicists. The center features state-of-the-art research facilities with access to extensive imaging
facilities (EEG & fMRI). Various research and training programs at the center blend emerging concepts
from complex dynamical systems with experimental techniques at the molecular, cellular, behavioral
and cognitive levels in brain science.
o The Center for Biological and Materials Physics (est. 1989, originally the Alloy Research Center). The
center combines experimental expertise in magnetic nano-materials, x-ray diffraction, and Raman
spectroscopy with theoretical expertise in soft-matter systems, including DNA and other structures
found in the cell. These activities enhance the potential for cutting-edge interdisciplinary research in
conjunction with new and planned bio-medical efforts at FAU and in the private sector throughout
South Florida.
o The Florida Center for Environmental Studies – est. 1994 and represents the 10 state universities,
including FAU, and four major, private universities. The center serves as a facilitator and coordinator of
research and training related to the environment and as a locus for environmental information.
Grounding its activities in the Florida sub-tropical environment, the center’s mandate also encompasses
global tropical and sub-tropical environments as well as issues related to freshwater and estuarine
ecosystems worldwide.
o The Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology – est. 1997 and is committed to developing
research and training programs in molecular biology and biotechnology, and serves as a link between
FAU, other institutions and industries in this field. The center’s primary goals have been to create a
strong base in molecular biology, functional genomics and related fields; maintain cutting-edge
research; and to train students in this discipline to prepare them for careers in the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industries.
o The Center for Geo-Information Science – est. 1998 and pursues excellence through applied and
theoretical research in spatial information technology. In that spatial information technology enables
work across disciplinary lines, the center focuses on encouraging multi-disciplinary research. The center
functions as a key resource for business, industry, government, social services, with responsiveness to
local, regional, and international problems.
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The Center for Cryptology and Information Security – est. 2003 and is focused on innovative and
cutting-edge research in cryptology and other related areas of information security. The center trains
research students and information technology professionals, and promotes collaboration with
information technology industries within the region and with federal and state government
departments in the areas of information security.
Center for Marine Biomedical and Biotechnology Research (CMBBR) at FAU’s Harbor Branch
Oceanographic Institution is involved in harnessing the power of marine biotechnology to aid in drug
discovery, development of alternative fuels and industrial chemicals. CMBBR maintains a library of
approximately 32,000 invertebrate samples and 17,000 marine microorganisms. Microorganisms are
also studied for their potential biotechnological uses through the development of production methods
for alternative fuels and industrial chemicals from renewable resources.
Florida Bioinformatics Consortium – est. in 2008 to help bring a global team of scientists from
academia, industry and research institutions to develop a framework for education, research and
workforce training in the genomics area.
The Center for Advanced Knowledge Enablement (CAKE) – est. 2010 and is one of only 9 National
Science Foundation-supported centers in the United States and one of two in Florida in the area of
information technology, communication and computing. The center provides a framework for
interaction between University faculty and industry to pursue advanced research in these fields.
The Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) - est. 2007 to investigate the
challenge of harnessing the power of the Gulf Stream for the generation of base load electricity, thereby
making a unique contribution to a broadly diversified portfolio of renewable energy for the nation’s
future. The SNMREC’s strategy to accelerate commercial development of Marine Renewable Energy
(MRE) includes technology R&D, testing, environmental research and measurement, policy, regulatory,
and economic research, and education and outreach.
Technology Transfer and Commercialization:
FAU has been transferring advanced and emerging technologies from its laboratories to the commercial sector
since 1991. To date, FAU has been granted 136 patents from the United States, Canada, Denmark, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. FAU’s life sciences patents
cover the fields of bio computing, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, biomedical sciences and
marine biotechnology. FAU technologies have been licensed to many businesses from large Fortune 500
companies, including Lockheed Martin, to small companies, including recent start-ups. FAU has numerous
technologies available for licensing, which span a broad range of fields including the physical sciences, life
sciences and marine biotechnology.
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Instrumentation – FAU has various scientific and technological instrumentation capabilities
including high-performance computing, biotechnology, imaging and chemistry, which are
available to local industry. See http://www.science.fau.edu/research/resources.html
The Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research (the Institute) Designed to be Florida’s “onestop-shop” for investors and entrepreneurs who seek new technology-based opportunities developed through
publicly-funded research. Located at the FAU R&D Park, the Institute facilitates new venture creation through
commercially-viable technologies in major industries that are driving the global economy, including clean
energy, life science, information technology, aviation and aerospace, homeland security/defense, and other
emerging sectors.
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FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Carnegie Classification
Florida International University (FIU) has been awarded the Community Engagement classification by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In addition, FIU is classified as “RU/H,” Research
University with high research activity.
Key areas of research strength in Biotechnology and Life Sciences:
Applied Developmental Research
Biomedical Engineering
Disaster Mitigation and Economic Recovery
International Forensics
Nanotechnology, Nano Devices and Biomedical Devices
Physical Health
Substance Abuse, Mental Health
HIV
Scope
FIU recognizes that research universities achieve distinction by continually pushing the frontiers of research,
scholarship, and creative work. Some of the most exciting and important advances in research are at the borders
and connections among disciplines, requiring multidisciplinary collaborations and integration of concepts from
many different areas. Thus, while it is important to build on our strengths in core disciplines, we also must
facilitate cross-disciplinary work in order to be at the forefront of research, scholarship, and creative activities.
During fiscal year 2009-2010, the total amount received in grants exceeded $100 million—over 700 grants.
Size
266,000 sq./ft. of research space
623 total spaces dedicated to research and research support with 450 of those spaces labeled as research labs
783 active projects are taking place
The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine: (CoM) carries out important research within the College’s
departments of Cellular Biology and Pharmacology, Human and Molecular Genetics, Immunology, and Molecular
Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Their research currently focuses on the following key areas.
Reproduction and Development: The emphasis on genetic, anatomic, and functional aspects of reproduction
and development builds upon the background of the CoM founding faculty. Strong faculty recruitment in basic
sciences further provides expertise for novel advances and for collaborative efforts.
Environmental Health: Environmental hazards are a major concern to the citizens of South Florida. Toxicants
are relevant to both civilian and military populations. Collaborative efforts are underway among the CoM and
the FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and the College of Engineering and Computing. A key focus is on
early detection of toxicants.
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Community Health: The mission is to break down traditional boundaries impeding medical school involvement
in the community. The FIU curriculum seeks to inculcate medical students with cultural sensitivity. Placing
students in households should also improve quality of care. Research by the CoM seeks to validate the efficacy
of this program with respect to health information, health care, and health economies. Concurrently, social
determinants and disease having greatest impact on the community will receive research emphasis, in particular
HIV and environmental hazards.
The Biomedical Engineering Department: is a prime resource for biomedical engineering education, training,
research, and technology development in Florida; and is nationally recognized as a model for servicing the needs
of the clinical medicine and the biomedical industries through workforce and technology development. It
integrates academia, clinical medicine and the biomedical industry by educating and training the next
generation of biomedical engineers, by carrying out research and development activities leading to innovations
in medical technology, and by transferring medical technology to commercialization and clinical
implementation.
Interdisciplinary Life Sciences and Technology Research:
o The Advanced Research Cooperation in Environmental Health (ARCH) is a research program in
environmental health, which includes a twofold approach, including faculty development and
infrastructure development. The program encompasses two research foci: Algal Toxins and Toxic Metals.
o The Southeast Environmental Research Center (SERC) is composed of faculty, research associates,
students, and technicians from a variety of disciplines who work together on environmental research
efforts in the Southeastern United States and the neotropics. SERC was founded in 1993 in response to
a growing regional need for scientific investigations in threatened environments of South Florida.
Research programs developed in Biscayne National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades
National Park, Florida Bay, the Florida Keys, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary have been
instrumental in providing a basis for management decisions for sustaining these fragile resources. In
2001, SERC received NSF funding to establish a Long-Term Ecological Research program in the Florida
Coastal Everglades (FCE-LTER). In addition to fostering research with a long-term perspective, the FCELTER has allowed researchers to study regional problems in a larger ecological context and is facilitating
expansion of key research ideas to other sites in the Caribbean basin and neotropics. Through
continued extramural funding, SERC has established a well-developed research infrastructure, including
highly trained technical support staff, vehicles, and boats for accessing most of the region's diverse
habitats, and laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art technology. SERC laboratories have advanced
capabilities for water quality analyses, stable isotope analysis, ecotoxicological studies, digital
microscopy, flow cytometry, and trace metals and organic compound analysis. These research facilities
also provide a practical training ground for undergraduate and graduate students at FIU. Students
working with SERC faculty and affiliates also benefit from exposure to multiple disciplines, giving them a
broad foundation for understanding complex environmental issues.
o CIARA, Center for Internet Augmented Research and Assessment, is the bridge between the existing
disciplines and the IT community. CIARA is creating a new generation of scientists and engineers who
are capable of fully integrating IT into the complete educational, professional, and creative process of
diverse disciplines. CIARA targets minority students and faculty members, who otherwise would not be
part of information technology research. CIARA fosters a domain-specific tailoring of Internet
technologies to support faculty research, and in the process improve graduate education. CIARA
assesses and measures FIU's effectiveness in the use of technology to augment the rate of discovery for
domain researchers.
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OIL, Optimal Imaging Laboratory, focuses on optical imaging instrumentation, tomography studies with
various biomedical applications such as breast cancer imaging and functional brain mapping. Some of
their cutting-edge research includes diagnostic mammography using a real-time co-registering novel
hand-held optical imager; designing, developing, and implementing a flexible and portable hand-held
optical probe for fluorescence imaging of breast cancer; brain mapping in autistic populations using
diffuse optical imaging technique; bedside optical imaging of pre-surgical epilepsy patients, and
developing novel breast phantoms to measure their optical properties
CCF, Center for Children and Families, studies the etiology, mechanisms, and treatment of mental
health and learning difficulties of children and adolescents. CCF also provides education and services
for their families and the professionals who work with them. The Center aims to increase knowledge of
mental health and learning problems of youth, promote the development of effective treatments and
prevention, and disseminate this information to professionals in mental health, education, and primary
care. In addition, CCF provides state-of-the-art services to children and families in South Florida.
CRUSADA, Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV / AIDS and Drug Abuse, is a multi-disciplinary
research, education, and community outreach center dedicated to eliminating health disparities in
substance abuse and HIV/AIDS that affect the Latino minorities in the U.S. CRUSADA came about as a
reaction to a lack of research on the twin epidemics of HIV/AIDS and substance abuse in South Florida’s
rapidly growing Latino populations. CRUSADA’s geographical location and its association with Florida
International University (one of the premier Latino-serving universities in the United States) provide a
unique setting to increase our understanding on these epidemics in South Florida’s Latino populations.
It also provides an exceptional opportunity to translate research results into best-practice models that
could be utilized by community-based agencies to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS and substance abuse in
the area. The multidisciplinary and community based research and training approaches established by
CRUSADA provide an opportunity to shed light on the underlying individual, family and community
factors which influence the spread of HIV/AIDS and substance abuse here in South Florida. In this
regard, the staff, faculty, and students are ready to redouble their efforts to develop more effective
interventions so that the prevalence of these twin epidemics of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS can be
reduced. CRUSADA’s experience in the area of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS provides the foundation
for developing research that focuses on the disparity of health conditions and issues (e.g. access to
health care) confronted by Latino as well as other emerging immigrant populations in Southern Florida.
To that end, the staff, faculty, and students of CRUSADA expect to continue to make significant
contributions to improving the health status of immigrant populations in the coming years.
CAPP, Child Anxiety and Phobia Program, is a research clinic conducted under the auspices of the Child
and Family Psychosocial Research Center with the support of the National Institute of Mental Health.
CAPP is a clinical research facility that provides state-of-the-art, scientifically based assessments and
treatments.
CREST, the Center for Innovative Information Systems Engineering is housed in FIU’s School of
Computing and Information Sciences. The Center's four research thrusts bring together a
multidisciplinary group of researchers, large-scale collaborative relationships, and a broad ecosystem of
partners to perform research that will lead to information technologies that help to solve critical
societal problems of national priority. CREST's second-phase research subprojects combine to perform
synergistic transformative research with direct relevance to critical societal problems, including disaster
management, universal access, and brain research/neuroscience. CREST's subprojects include effective
access to complex multimodal data with applications in disaster mitigation, integrated approach to
information processing in neuroscience, human computer interaction for universal access, and complex
system modeling, analysis, and realization.
Infant Center/SFRC, the Infant Development Research Center and the South Florida Research
Consortium, develop and promote interdisciplinary collaborative research and theory in the areas of
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perceptual, cognitive, social, and emotional development in infancy and early childhood. It joins the
efforts of two research labs at FIU (the Infant Development Lab and the Developmental Psychobiology
Lab) as well as several affiliated research labs at other institutions, both within and outside Florida. The
Center’s interdisciplinary approach includes research across species (human and animal), across
developmental stages (prenatal through early childhood), across disciplines (biology and psychology),
and across levels of analysis (neural, physiological, psychological, and social) under an integrated
developmental framework. The Center’s research is supported by grants from the National Science
Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
AMPATH serves as the premiere interconnection point for network-enabled U.S.- Latin America and
Caribbean science research and education. Through its exchange point facilities, high-bandwidth
network services are available for U.S. and international research and education networks to extend
participation to underrepresented groups in Latin America and the Caribbean. AMPATH works as a
major research facility recognized by the National Science Foundation, supporting international escience.
The Photonics Research Laboratory focuses on the investigation of ultrafast laser-based experimental
techniques measuring, processing, and imaging biological and micromechanical systems. Experimental
results are used to develop new theories and validate models such as wavelength-resolved Fluorescence
Lifetime Biomedical Imaging; 2nd and 3rd Harmonic Generation Biomedical Imaging; Human Vulnerable
Atherosclerotic Plaques Diagnostics and Treatment; Biological Cells and Proteins Dynamics;
Thermophysical Properties Measurement of Living Biological Cells and Tissues, among others.
Research Facilities—Current and Planned
FIU’s efforts to build an excellent physical and technological infrastructure that is appropriate for FIU’s size and
aspiration for research excellence includes a campaign to upgrade the existing research facilities as well as
construct new facilities to house its rapidly expanding research portfolio. Since 2009, FIU has renovated over 68
aging research facilities and is currently in the design phase for two buildings that will help shape the future of
research in South Florida. There are several major research facilities under planning/construction which will be
completed by early 2013:
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New building for the International Hurricane Research Center.
New building for the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, which will include
extensive research laboratory facilities.
New research building that will mainly house life sciences research labs, including new labs for
biomedical engineering.
Expansion of hurricane wind engineering facility (the Wall of Wind—WoW) from a 6-fan to a 12-fan
facility.
The Motorola Nanofabrication Research Facility is the first centralized facility of its kind in Florida, and is an
open-access initiative in support of nano-scale devices, systems, and materials research that encompasses a
broad range of technologies and capabilities. The facility provides nanofabrication, analytical instrumentation,
materials characterization, and process-development laboratories for students, faculty, and industrial
researchers. The $15 million Motorola Nanofabrication Research Facility is an integral part of the Advanced
Materials Engineering Research Institute (AMERI), FIU’s broader materials research program. Harnessing the
synergy inherent in the study and development of nanoscale technologies, the facility boasts:
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Specialized equipment required to develop new and novel fabrication techniques unique to the creation of
functional materials and devices that are no greater than 100 nanometers: (1,000 times smaller than the
diameter of a human hair);
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A full complement of standard semiconductor processing equipment to leverage the capabilities of robust
and proven techniques; and
State-of-the-art analytical tools to study and characterize these nano-sized devices, as well as the materials
and processes used to make them.
The Motorola Nanofabrication Research Facility is supported by Class 10,000 and Class 100 clean rooms and
nanofabrication capabilities including focused ion-beam patterning, ultra high resolution e-beam lithography
and optical photolithography. Fabrication of nano/micro electromechanical systems (N/MEMS) can be
accomplished by a combination of nanolithography, reactive ion etching and thin-film deposition by a variety of
techniques (e-beam physical vapor deposition, sputtering, filament evaporation, chemical vapor deposition).
The Engineering Manufacturing Center provides technical expertise in manufacturing to anyone in need of
assistance. Typically the center supports researchers, graduate and undergraduate students with projects
requiring high-precision quality fabrication and requiring expert technical guidance.
The Center for Advanced Technology and Education serves as a resource infrastructure for research and
education with a strong foundation in computing, information processing, and the biosciences. Funded by the
National Science Foundation (NSF) since 1993, the center has two major research thrusts: (1) brain research with
neuroscience applications, and (2) assistive technology research with a focus on visual impairment and motor
disability. In the areas of image and signal processing, their research focus lies in the development of techniques
that are directly applicable to real-world problems as well as expanding their related computational and
theoretical frameworks. Specific efforts are devoted to image modality co-registration, noise filtering, enhancing
the application of the principal and independent component analyses, design of novel neural networks, and
creating new pattern recognition paradigm.
Technology Transfer and Commercialization:
Housed with the Division of Research, FIU’s Office of Intellectual Property manages disclosures, inventions, and
patenting. The Office also manages the evaluation of disclosed technology through assessment of patentability,
economic value, and other factors that could affect its commercialization. The Office assists FIU faculty, staff,
and students with the phases of intellectual property protection and commercialization of technology. Services
include evaluating inventions for potential intellectual property protection and marketability, reviewing and
negotiating agreements, filing patent applications, and assisting with licensing.
FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY
Carnegie Classification
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching designation as “Master's Colleges and Universities” (larger programs) that is a public comprehensive
university.
Key areas of research strength in Biotechnology and Life Sciences:
Autism
Infectious disease
Bio‐defense
Marine biology
Bioengineering
Marine chemistry
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Biotechnology
Bio‐toxins
Ecology
Environmental engineering
Environmental science Virology
Estuarine ecosystems
Microbiology
Parkinson’s therapy
Population genetics
Toxicology
Scope
Over 75 active research projects.
Size
Approximately 20,000 square feet of laboratory space and other vital research facilities are currently in
use.
Florida Gulf Coast University Research and Development Park (FGCU Innovation Hub) FGCU has entered into a
public/private partnership to establish the FGCU Innovation Hub (IHub) on a 240 acre track of land very close to
the FGCU main campus and the RSW airport which serves SW FL. We are seeking funds to erect a 50,000 sq ft
building, which will house the Backe Chair (in Renewable Energy) and other components of a new center for
renewable energy. The FGCU IHub will serve as a research and development park for an array of companies in
the areas of renewable energy and sustainability.
Research Areas and Facilities
Strong emphasis in environmental research and in training healthcare and biotechnology professionals.
Vester Marine Research Center‐Projects Underway or Planned:
o Effects of red tide on marine organisms
o Restoration of oyster reefs
o Restoration of mangroves
o Restoration of sea grasses
o Research into the role of nutrients in the development of macro‐algae and red tides
o Effects of water contaminants on marine organisms and the transfer up the food chain
o Assessment of sediment transport and its implications on beach erosion and larval transport
o Mapping of aquatic vegetation and oyster reefs
o Study of the impact of fresh water inflow on marine organisms, including bivalves, fish and crustaceans
o Historical assessment of the environment prior to
o Analysis of the effect of rising sea levels on the Southwest Florida coastline and coastal ecosystems
o Refining techniques in restoration science
o Everglades restoration
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Other Projects Underway or Planned:
o Human habitation
o Molecular biology
o Analytical chemistry
o Ultraviolet photocatalytic detoxification
o Health performance laboratory
o Green technology development
o Green technology development
o Dengue virus
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Mosquito borne diseases
Interdisciplinary Life sciences and Technology Centers
The Coastal Watershed Institute (CWI) was established (2004) to address regional concerns regarding
the use and conservation of coastal watersheds by supporting undergraduate and graduate education
in marine science and coastal watershed study; by focusing and coordinating university research on
coastal environments and the conservation of natural resources; and by disseminating information to
the citizens of Southwest Florida to engage and inform them about the health of coastal watersheds
and related issues.
The Vester Marine Research Center is the base of operation for much of the work of the CWI. The
Vester Station comprises three buildings perched on a spit of land framed by water on three sides.
Just 12 miles from the FGCU campus, the property holds a classroom, laboratories, offices and boat
docks plus apartments for visiting researchers and students.
The Center for Environmental and Sustainability Education advances understanding and achievement
of the goals of environmental and sustainability education through innovative educational research
methods, emergent eco‐pedagogies, and educational philosophy and practice based on ethics of care
and sustainability. The Center seeks to elevate the environmental mission of Florida Gulf Coast
University and serve the university community, the local community of the Western Everglades and
Barrier Islands, and the wider community of scholars.
Technology Transfer and Commercialization:
FGCU is a young institution, having opened its doors in 1997. Even so, we filed our first patent application in
2007 and have subsequently filed eight (8) more to date. Several of these biotechnologies are currently
available for licensing, including: the use of sonic energy for delivering materials into biological systems; dengue
virus entry inhibitors; and ultraviolet photocatalytic detoxification technology.
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Key areas of research strength in Biotechnology and Life Sciences:
Molecular biology
Marine biology
Environmental Science
Biomedical Informatics
HIV prevention
Drug discovery
Pharmacokinetics
Toxicology
Cardiovascular Therapeutics
Cancer therapeutics
Regenerative medicine
Tissue engineering
Adult stem cells
Dental biomaterials
Optometric technology
Size
Recent Improvements and Changes that provide Focal Points for Research Growth:
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New capabilities in the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center
Addition of a Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer
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Upcoming NSU Collaborative Research Building and Academic Village
Grant Writing Laboratory in the Alvin Sherman Library
Size
Office for Clinical Research – clinics see over 350,000 patients per year
Planned Facilities:
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National Center for Coral Reef Ecosystems (at Oceanographic Center campus) – To be built with a
recently received $15 million grant.
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Collaborative Research Building (CRB) – A state-of-the-art, cooperative interdisciplinary center for
medical, pharmaceutical, dental, and oceanographic research. Building will be 208,000-square foot and
cost more than $50 million to construct, with an additional $5 million worth of research equipment.
Facility will include:
 Rumbaugh-Goodwin Institute for Cancer Research
 Florida Lambda Rail
 information and technology services
 investigators from the Health Professions Division and Oceanographic Center
 the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
 39,000 square feet of new wet laboratory space
 20,000 square feet for preclinical research
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
Carnegie Classification
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has classified the University of Miami as an
institution with very high research activity.
Key Areas of Research Strength in Biotechnology and Life Sciences
Be it at our picturesque Coral Gables campus, in one of the cutting-edge facilities at the Leonard M. Miller
School of Medicine in Miami’s health district, or at the world-class marine and atmospheric science hub on
beautiful Biscayne Bay, our diverse community of Miami Hurricanes scholars are making a difference. With 12
colleges and schools, complemented by several interdisciplinary centers and institutes that enjoy regional,
national, and global ties, there is little doubt that the University of Miami is emerging as an international
academic powerhouse. The Miller School of Medicine, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science,
School of Nursing and Health Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Engineering all conduct robust
research in biotechnology and life sciences, with strengths in these areas:
Aging
Animal Models of Human Disease
Alternative and Complementary
Medicine
Autism Spectrum Disorders
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Bacterial Pathogenesis
Behavioral Medicine and Neuroscience
Bioinformatics
Cancer Biology
Cell Biology/Signal Transduction
Child Health
Climate System and Air-Sea Interactions
Community-Engaged Research
Behavioral Ecology
Bioanalytical Chemistry
Biostatistics
Cardiovascular Biology
Cellular Complexity and Neural Network
Formation in the Brain
Climate and the Environment
Clinical Trials
Computational Biology
Computational Studies Towards the Design of
Improved Enzymes
Computer Visualization of Biological
Systems
Design and Synthesis of Novel Fluorescent
Probes for Biomedical Imaging
Developmental Neuroscience
Drug Discovery
Evolutionary Biology
Family Systems
Health and Technobiology
Health Disparities and Minority Health
Hydrological Cycle
Implementation Science
Informatics and Risk
Developmental Biology
Diabetes
Drug Delivery
Family and Maternal/Neonatal Health
Genomics and Genetics
Health and the Built Environment
HIV/AIDS
Immunology
Infectious Disease
Innovative Observational Technologies
and Applications
Intimate Partner Violence
Mathematical Biology and Ecology
Metabolism and Nutrition
Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine
Obesity
Ophthalmological Sciences
Mathematical and Computational
Modeling of Disease Transmission
Mental Health
Molecular Biophysics
Neuroscience
Oceans and Human Health
Patient Safety and Emerging Infections
Sensory Neurobiology
Simulation Technology
Solid Earth System
Stem Cell/Regenerative Medicine
Stroke
Substance Abuse
Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct
of Research
Severe Weather Observations and
Prediction
Social and Emotional Development
Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injury
Stress Management
Structural Biology
Sustainable Coastal Ecosystem
Sustainable Systems
Telemedicine and Telehealth
Theoretical Development of New Pulse
Sequences for Magnetic Resonance
Imaging
Psycho-Oncology
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Transplant Biology
Vaccine Development
Wound Healing
Tropical Biology
Virology
Scope
The University of Miami supports more than 2,400 extramurally-funded research projects, more than 5,000
graduate students and postdoctoral trainees, and offers mentored research experiences to more than 10,000
undergraduates. Over the past several years, we have added five members of the national academies to our
faculty. In last year’s extremely competitive funding period, our faculty received more than $330 million in
sponsored grants and contracts, an increase of more than $20 million over the prior year. We surpassed $150
million in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding University-wide, making us the top NIH-funded medical
school in the state, and in addition our National Science Foundation grant funding increased by 13% Universitywide.
Size
The University of Miami hosts approximately 765,000 square feet of research space across three campuses for
laboratories, clinical trials, and other vital research facilities.
Research Areas and Facilities
University-Wide Research Core and Shared Facilities
The University of Miami’s technological resource cores span multiple stages of research translation. Bolstered by
an enormous influx of scientific capital (more than 250 scientists have joined the Miller School faculty since
2006) and a heavy investment in infrastructure, our state-of-the-art technologies and core facilities provide
investigators access to a variety of instrumentation. Our world-class genomics and genetic researchers utilize
high-tech equipment for biomarker development, microarray, genome wide association scans, next generation
sequencing, and other related studies. Other cores available include bioinformatics applications for data mining
and software engineering visualization, imaging equipment for larger animal studies, nuclear magnetic
resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy, nanotechnologies, biospecimen banks,
biostatistics support, access to cGMP/cGTP cell processing for clinical trials that include a broader array of cell
types, and a disparities and community outreach core. For more information on our research cores, visit
http://uresearch.miami.edu/cores.
Division of Veterinary Resources
The Division of Veterinary Resources, spanning a total of 161,935 square feet of facilities, is a centralized
resource that provides comprehensive professional and technical services to investigators who use animal
models of human disease in their research. The University is fully accredited by the Association for Assessment
and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International. In addition, the University is licensed by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and has a Letter of Assurance with the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee ensures that
research with animals is conducted in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations.
Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
The Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, an academic medical center founded in 1952, is proud to serve South
Florida, South America and the Caribbean in education, research, patient care and community service. The
Miller School has embarked upon a journey of unprecedented growth, with new cutting-edge centers of
excellence in areas like genetics, genomics and stem cell research to add to our proven efforts in paralysis,
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cancer, diabetes and eye care. Researchers at the Miller School receive approximately $250 million annually
from public and private agencies. Engaging in more than 1,800 ongoing projects, we are making rapid progress
in our labs and clinical trials, working to eradicate devastating illnesses, including cancer and diabetes, as well as
cardiovascular disease, stroke, autism, Alzheimer’s, and obesity. Our research touches lives at every age—from
the tiniest newborns to seasoned centenarians in need of better treatments, cures, and new discoveries to end
pain and suffering.
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
From humble beginnings in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science has grown into
one of the leading academic oceanographic and atmospheric research institutions in the world. The Rosenstiel
School's basic and applied research interests encompass virtually all marine-related sciences, seeking to improve
our understanding and prediction of the Earth’s geological, oceanic, and atmospheric systems in order to
provide a sound scientific basis for managing natural resources and adapting impacts of natural disasters and
global change. The Rosenstiel School's main campus forms part of a specially designated 65-acre marine
research and education park that includes two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration laboratories
and a dedicated marine and science technology high school. The Rosenstiel School also operates a 78-acre
advanced satellite reception and analysis center in southern Miami-Dade County.
School of Nursing and Health Studies
Faculty and students at the School of Nursing and Health Studies are engaged in interdisciplinary, evidencebased research that advances nursing knowledge, improves patient care, and impacts health systems and health
policy. Research expertise at the school ranges from health disparities and minority health, HIV/AIDS and
infectious diseases, family and maternal/neonatal health, to patient safety and community-based health
outcomes with a special emphasis on populations in South Florida, the Caribbean, and Central and Latin
America.
College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is not only the largest college/school within the University, but also a cradle of
research activity. The faculty and students in the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science,
Mathematics, Psychology and Sociology are engaged in research that often involves biotechnology and life
science issues. The College of Arts and Sciences fosters cross-disciplinary research and encourages
collaborations with researchers in other schools.
College of Engineering
The biomedical-related resources available through the College of Engineering are separated into four primary
areas: general prototyping facilities (producing medical, aeronautical, automotive, and marine devices),
bioinformatics (including signal processing and data mining), applied biomedical engineering laboratories
(including nanotechnology), and additional capabilities. Several faculty within the College of Engineering
collaborate on interdisciplinary projects that cut across the life sciences and biotechnology. Many of them have
secondary appointments and laboratories within medical and life sciences departments throughout the
University of Miami, promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration in research areas including diabetes, geriatrics,
nanochemistry, marine science, and stem cells. In addition, the University participates in the bioinformatics
research group of the Latin American Grid initiative, a multidisciplinary research community and virtual
supercomputing grid that links faculty, students and researchers from institutions across the United States, Latin
America, and Spain to work together on complex applications in healthcare, life sciences, and disaster
mitigation.
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Interdisciplinary Life Sciences and Technology Centers
Developing solutions to the complex problems facing modern society requires new ways of thinking. From
stopping global warming to hastening the next class of diabetes drugs, novel approaches to long-standing
questions often come about when cross-disciplinary teams collaborate. University of Miami scholars and
scientists work together in our many interdisciplinary centers and institutes.
University-Wide
o Center for Computational Science
o The Center for Hemispheric Policy
o Leonard and Jayne Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy
School of Architecture
o Center for Urban and Community Design
College of Arts and Sciences
o Department of Chemistry
 Center for Supramolecular Science
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Department of Physics
 Nonlinear Dynamics Laboratory
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Department of Psychology
 Behavioral Medicine Research Center
 Center for Psycho-Oncology Research
 Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
 Children’s Registry and Information System
 Psychological Services Center
o
Department of Sociology
 Sociology Research Center
School of Education
o Dunspaugh-Dalton Community and Educational Well-Being Research Center
College of Engineering
o Biomechanics Research Group
o Clean Energy Research Institute
o Industrial Assessment Center
o Manufacturing Research Institute
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
o The National Center for Coral Reef Research
o The Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies
o Center for Southeastern Tropical Advanced Remote Sensing
o NIEHS Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center
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NIH/UM National Resource for Aplysia Facility
UM NSF/NIEHS Oceans and Human Health Center
Comparative Sedimentology Lab
Cooperative Unit for Fisheries Education and Research
Intra-Americas Sea Initiative
The South Florida and Caribbean Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
Center for Air-Sea Interaction
Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine
o ALS Clinical Research Center
o Bascom Palmer Eye Institute/Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital
 Center for Molecular Ophthalmology and Neuroscience
 Miami Center for Vision Research
 Ophthalmic Biophysics Center
o Batchelor Children’s Research Institute
o Center for Family Studies
o Center for Liver Diseases
o Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders
o Center for Patient Safety
o Center for Treatment Research on Adolescent Drug Abuse
o Center of Excellence for Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery
o Center on Aging
o Center for Research and Education in Aging Technology Enhancement
o Cerebral Vascular Disease Research Center
o Comprehensive AIDS Program
o Comprehensive Drug Research Center
o Developmental Center for AIDS Research
o Diabetes Research Institute
o Ear Institute
 Center for Sinus and Voice Disorders
 Cochlear Implant Center
o Ethics Programs
o Evelyn F. McKnight Center for Age-Related Memory Loss
o Global Institute for Community Health and Development
o Infertility Center
o Institute for Women's Health
o Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute
o International Center for Epilepsy
o International Medicine Institute
o Jay Weiss Center for Social Medicine and Health Equity
o John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics
o Mailman Center for Child Development
 Debbie Institute
o UM Sickle Cell Center
o Miami Area Geriatric Education Center
o Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
 Lois Pope LIFE Center
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o
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Miami Sarcoma Group
Michael S. Gordon Center for Research in Medical Education
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
 Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute
 The Courtelis Center for Psychosocial Oncology
Touch Research Institute
UM Area Health Education Center Program
UM Sleep Program
UM Telemedicine Program
Vascular Biology Institute
Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research
William Lehman Injury Research Center
School of Nursing and Health Studies
o International Academy for Clinical Simulation and Research
o El Centro - Center of Excellence for Hispanic Health Disparities Research
Technology Transfer and Commercialization
UM Innovation is the home of technology advancement at the University of Miami and serves to nurture and
integrate our vibrant and comprehensive research initiatives from basic science to applied research, facilitating
collaborations with industry. The program develops and advances the commercialization of products and
services that generate revenue to fulfill the University missions, produces jobs to support economic
development, and benefits the wellbeing of the public.
UM Life Science and Technology Park: Located in Miami’s health district, the new 1.6 million-square-foot UM
Life Science and Technology Park provides an infrastructure that will enable faculty, scientists, students,
business entrepreneurs, and industry to create an ecosystem where knowledge-based companies can form a
bioscience cluster in Miami. The first phase was built by private developer Wexford Science and Technology, LLC,
a national leader in the development of life science and technology research parks. The 252,000-square-foot
building will house wet and dry labs, offices, retail, and lab-ready development suites. Centrally situated in the
heart of Miami, a thriving research environment, the UM Life Science and Technology Park will facilitate access
to cutting-edge resources and create synergies between University research and tenant companies, advancing
technologies that benefit the public.
The Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research at the University of Miami is a technology
development center with an emphasis on applied biomedical technology that has significant clinical and
commercial impact on the socio-economic wellbeing of the public. The Center seeks out promising technology
within the University and provides support in the research, development, and commercialization of biomedical
innovations.
The Launch Pad is part of the Toppel Career Center at the University of Miami, offers career guidance and advice
to student and alumni entrepreneurs, innovators, and inventors. The program connects ideas, people, and
resources, helping them build relationships with experts in the local business community, thus increasing the
likelihood of bringing new enterprises, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, to South Florida. Beginning in the fall
of 2011, The Launch Pad will begin operations at the Miller School, offering its services to students and alumni
as well as to University faculty who aim to turn their life science discoveries into local companies.
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