The University of Florida partners with the National Institutes of Health to provide training opportunities for the next generation of scientists. As of April 2021, this partnership directly supports the training of 86 PhD students, 37 postdoctoral trainees, 20 medical students on short-term research rotations, and 7 undergraduates interested in health science research. Indirectly, it would be difficult to capture the intricate and profound impact of these programs on the overall training and research environment within the Health Science Center, as each program designs its resources to be available to all trainees in its research sphere.
MEET THE T TEAM!
The University of Florida and the National Institutes of Health jointly sponsor 24 training programs at the University of Florida's Health Science Center.

Not sure where to start? Have questions? Need to update information on the page? Email Audrey Natwick a.dickinson@ufl.edu or call (352) 294-8332 .
Ready to apply for your own training grant?
We in the office of Biomedical Research and Career Development are here to help! We ask that you contact us at least two months ahead of your target deadline.
T32 Application Resources
We’ve got it all! Facilities descriptions, draft language, degree lists, etc etc.
T32 Administration Resources
NIH training programs require lots of behind-the-scenes staff coordination. The T Team of training grant administrators is ready and willing to answer your questions 🙂
PhD Trainee Support:
Postdoctoral Trainee Support:
Other Support:
Basic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Preparing PhD trainees in microbiology and infectious disease for exceptional and productive careers in biomedical research
Jasmine Ayers
Jasmine studies the immune response to dengue and Zika viruses in the Aedes aegypti gut

Jessica Brandwein
Jessie studies the genetic regulation of nitric oxide synthase (nos) in Staphylococcus aureus, as maintaining optimal nitric oxide levels is important for S. aureus respiration, stress resistance, and virulence

Tristan grams
Tristan examines differences in reactivation efficiencies between two herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) strains in a newly established in vitro model of latency

Amy Peiper
No research summary available

Kenzie Spires
No research summary available

Breathing Research and Therapeutics (BREATHE)
Training PhDs and postdocs to be the next generation of scientists devoted to preserving and restoring breathing and airway defense in clinical disorders that end life by respiratory failure.
Emaunuel Boutzoukas
No research description available

Claire DeLucia, phd
No research summary available

Mia Kelly
Mia studies circadian rhythms in cardiorespiratory control, including daily cycles of clock genes & genes associated with respiratory motor plasticity in the brainstem & spinal cord

Wendy Olsen, PhD
Dr. Olsen studies how sensory afferents lining the upper and lower airways of the aerodigestive track can elicit airway protective mechanisms

alexandria marciante, PhD
Dr. Marciante studies the effects of age and sex on respiratory motor plasticity

Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Program at the University of Florida
Developing and expanding a diverse and talented pool of professional researchers with the skills to pursue successful careers in the biomedical workforce
tyler alsup
Tyler’s research is aimed at the discovery of novel bacterial terpenoids and characterization of the key biosynthetic machinery responsible for their impressive chemical diversity

Matthew Burke
Matthew studies the development of the PROTAC molecule for the targeted degradation of proteins

Jessica Mamallapalli
Jessica studies the effects of kavalactones on norepinephrine-mediated signaling in cancer cells

Emma Mulry
Emma studies protein-polymer conjugates and the effects on thermodynamics and protein unfolding pathways

Clinical and Translational Pre-Doctoral Training in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias
Training the next generation of neuroscientists devoted to dementia related research
jessica bove
Jessica examines how TBI influences future neurodegeneration

wonn pyon
Wonn studies the effects of aging on catecholaminergic neuromodulatory systems that regulate cognition and olfactory function

katie rodriguez
No research summary available

sabrina zequeira
Sabrina studies the effects of cannabinoid exposure on cognition (including olfactory learning) in aging

Comprehensive Training Program in Oral Biology
Employing team science to advance the detection, prevention, treatment and cures of oral and craniofacial diseases and abnormalities
Beau Brummel, PhD
Dr. Brummel studies how novel small molecules act against oral pathogens

Heba El-Ahmad
No research summary available

Vanessa Enriquez, phd
No research summary available

Zavier Eure
No research summary available

Seung Jang
James (Seung Jin) studies immunoregulatory roles of the viral proteins of KSHV during oral infection.

Callahan Katrak
Callahan is pursuing her DMD before turning to PhD training and research activities.

Kyra Martin
No research summary available

louise morais dornelas figueira, phd
No research summary available

Alexandra Peterson
No research summary available

Christina Rothenberger
Christina investigates the mechanisms that initiate surface translocation in Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Type 1 Diabetes and Biomedical Engineering
Blending medical knowledge and engineering technology to produce innovative therapeutics that address T1D care, and methods that deliver the long held hope for a means to prevent/reverse the disease.
Mollie Huber
Mollie investigates T1D pathogenesis using live pancreas tissue slices from human organ donors.

Alexander Kwiatkowski
Alexander’s research involves an antigen-specific dual microparticle system to treat autoimmune diseases.

Leeana Peters
Leeana utilizes single cell transcriptomic and epigenomic data to research the genes and pathways involved in T cell behavior in T1D.

Anna Rushin
No research summary available

Interdisciplinary Training in Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration
Training the next generation of investigators with programs of basic, translational or clinical research to address movement disorders
stefan delmas
Stefan studies the cognitive-behavioral interaction and the neuromuscular mechanisms underlying functional impairments in movement disorders

Adithya Gopinath
Adithya studies dopamine signaling and neuroimmunology

Franjo Ivankovic-Macgibbon
Franjo studies genetic underpinnings of psychiatric disorders, namely Tourette Syndrome and OCD

Noelle Jacobsen
Noelle investigates electrocortical activity during locomotor adaptation using mobile electroencephalography

Grace lloyd
No research summary available

adriana ratajska
Adriana studies mood/emotion subtypes in basal ganglia diseases

Interdisciplinary Training in Neuromuscular Plasticity and Rehabilitation
Building a critical capacity of highly-trained rehabilitation scientists capable of conducting translational neuromuscular plasticity research.
Walter Barrutia
Walter studies the development of novel lower-limb exoskeleton designs to aid walking in healthy and disabled populations

vivian doerr
Vivian studies the detrimental effects of the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin on skeletal muscle health and function

vini mariani
Vini conducts biophysics experiments to study loss of skeletal muscle contractile function in disease and aging

Alessanra norris
Alessandra studies how Hh signaling controls intramuscular fat formation and muscle regeneration

brandon parks
Brandon studies how to close the loop on essential tremor with deep brain stimulation, and connections within the brain during movement

nicole stafford
Nicole studies the biomechanical performance of lower limb amputees using a portable myoelectric prosthesis

Molecular Biology in Burns and Trauma
Training surgical residents in the science of inflammation & immunity
Erik Anderson, MD
Dr. Anderson studies the characteristics of inflammation biology in patients with vascular disease and renal insufficiency

lauren kelly, MD
Dr. Kelly studies the role of traumatic injury, inflammation, and stress on red blood cell development in the bone marrow

Jennifer Munley, MD
Dr. Munley studies microbiome alterations after trauma

Regenerative Medicine Training Grant
Training PhD students in the molecular and cellular aspects of stem cell biology and the use of stem cell products in patient care
elnaz ebrahimi
No research summary available

alexander ligocki
No research summary available

Gabriel Prado
Gabriel studies the role of methylation in MDS development

daniil shabashvili, phd
Dr. Shabashvili studies the delivery of oncolytic virus for treatment of small cell lung cancer5

Justin Varholick
Justin investigates how the external environment modifies structural and functional recovery during regenerative healing in the African spiny mouse

Augustine Vinson
Augustine studies hematopoietic stem cell behavior directly following transplant using intravital imaging techniques

Research Training in Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Cognition in Aging, MCI, and Alzheimer’s Disease
Training PhD students in non-pharmacological interventions for cognitive aging (CA), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease
Tara Cooper
Tara’s interest is the mechanisms of learning & memory and neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia

Nicole Evangelista
Nicole employs machine learning methods to determine the best predictive model of working memory performance, using multimodal measures of whole-brain structure and function

Kailey Langer
Kailey aims to conduct research that adds to an understanding of the efficacy of interventions and the factors that contribute to inter-individual differences in observed improvements

Andrea Mejia
Andrea researches the mechanisms that delay and/or prevent the progression of cognitive decline among Spanish and English-speaking populations

Rebecca Polk
Rebecca investigates the neural activation and connectivity changes in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) after a 4-week oxytocin administration intervention in older adults

Brad TAylor
No research summary available

Integrative and Multidisciplinary Pain and Aging Research Training
Addressing the biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying age-related changes in the experience of pain
benjamin chapin, phd
No research summary available

Joshua Crow, PhD
Dr. Crow studies central nervous system contributions to age-related physical decline

Soamy Montesino Goicolea, PhD
Dr. Montesino Goicolea focuses on mechanisms contributing to pain and sleep disturbances in older adults

folly patterson, phd
No research summary available

Steven Pratscher, PhD
Dr. Pratscher focuses on efficacy and mechanisms of breathing interventions for musculoskeletal pain in older adults

Team-based interdisciplinary cancer research training program
Transdisciplinary approaches to cancer research for PhD and postdoctoral trainees
Eric Cooks, PhD and andrew maxim
Tailoring virtual human voice and character customization as part of a telehealth intervention to promote colorectal screening among Black adults

Bayli Divita Dean, PhD and rachel newsome
Studying the role of the human gut microbiome in combinatorial cancer therapy response in pan-solid tumors

Nicholas Hiers and daniel stribling
Identifying miRNA-associated therapeutic targets in colorectal cancer through cutting-edge biochemical and bioinformatics methods
Derek Leas, phD and peter dib
Discovering and developing novel cancer therapies

Together: Transforming and Translating Discovery to Improve Health
Led by Wayne McCormack, PhD, this training program supports 10 PhD trainees and runs on principles of team science.
courtney wilkinson and phil mackie
We investigate the relationship between immune-brain communications in Parkinson’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder

natalie koskela-staples and jacqlyn yourell
We use mixed methods to examine parent-level barriers to and facilitators of physical activity among adolescents with comorbid asthma and obesity

Jennifer Applebaum and Carlyn Ellison
We use sequential mixed methods to research the potential barriers to aging in place faced by older adults with companion animals

Osama dasa, MD and yara skaf
No research description available

Lisa Emerson and Andrew Rainey
We isolate diverse NTS strains, compare the virulence of laboratory and community NTS, and investigate the potential of a novel exosome-derived vaccine strategy against NTS community isolates

Karen Coker and Tyler Nesbit
We’re establishing steps towards reconciliation and trust among Black women toward reproductive health providers

Training Program for Applied Research and Development in Genomic Medicine
Kelly Herremans, MD
Dr. Herremans explores the role of the oral microbiome in pancreatic cancer and how it relates to cancer health disparities

Alexandra Ladd, MD
Dr. Ladd studies the genomic and transcriptomic mechanisms responsible for the development of chemotherapy resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma

richard marrero, pharmd
Richard studies genome-wide SNP associations to identify genetic markers predictive of outcome in pediatric AML patients

Andrea Riner, MD, MPH
Dr. Riner investigates pancreatic cancer health disparities utilizing ‘omics and ancestry informative markers

Lilian Shen, DVM
Dr. Shen investigates the use of gene editing for treatment of inherited feline and canine cardiomyopathies

Training Program in Chemosensory Science
The TPCS supports 4 predoctoral trainees focused on study of the chemical senses
Natalie Johnson
Natalie investigates how the chemosensory components of flavored e-cigarette juices contribute to nicotine reinforcement and reward in adolescents

Brian Lee
Brian studies the effects of pathological Tau on primary cilia leading to olfactory dysfunction

Kayli Sieber
Kayli is investigating the relationship between aging and olfactory plasticity via gene expression and behavioral analyses in an invertebrate model

Translational Research Training on Aging and Mobility (TRAM)
Addressing the multi-factorial causes and consequences of age-related changes in mobility and/or designing multi-modal interventions to prevent and rehabilitate mobility impairments in older adults
Brianne Borgia, phd
No research summary available

taylor mcelroy, phd
Dr. McElroy studies how NMD affects mobility in the context of aging

Valay shah, PhD
Dr. Valay Shah uses MRI techniques to capture brain deficits that relate to mobility impairment in older adults

Emily smail, phd
No research summary available

Translational Science Training to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol on HIV Infection
Improving health outcomes for people affected by HIV and alcohol in Florida
Seungjun Ahn
Seungjun is devising a statistical method to enable differential network analysis in a regression setting based on a pseudovalue technique

mark britton
Mark studies the “dynamic range” of localized brain activation/deactivation during task performance and the relationship to HIV serostatus and alcohol.

Caroline Deaterly
Caroline studies substance abuse and health outcomes in reproductive age women living with HIV

jason defelice
Jason studies HIV pathophysiology and the consequences associated with chronic substance use, particularly alcohol and marijuana

christina parisi
Christina studies changes in health outcomes and marijuana use among persons living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic

Bethany stennet
Dr. Stennet assesses the functional neural correlates of alcohol intoxication on pain processing and behaviors associated with alcohol use for self-medicating pain

University of Florida Substance Abuse Training Center in Public Health
Training diverse predocs and postdocs for careers in drug use, addiction, and consequences of addiction through a population science and public health lens
Alyssa Falise
Alyssa studies mental health, prescription misuse, and polysubstance use among older adults

Nicole Fitzgerald
Nicole studies psychiatric epidemiology with a focus on substance use disorders

Carolin Hoeflich, PhD
Dr. Hoeflich studies psychiatric epidemiology, focusing on disparities associated with substance use

Marilyn Horta, phd
Dr. Horta studies social cognition, decision-making, and substance use in chronic pain and aging

andrew mccabe
No research description available

Jillian Rung, PhD
Dr. Rung studies behavioral pharmacology and behavioral economics, with an emphasis on manipulations of abuse liability

Vinita Sharma, phd
Dr. Sharma focuses on the intersection of substance abuse, HIV/AIDS and mental health

enya vroom, phd
No research description available

Anna Wang
Anna focuses on substance use epidemiology research

Nae Won
No research description available

Short-Term Training for Medical Students in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research
Providing intensive, short-term (2.5 month) training in research for 20 first year medical students (MS1s) whose projects focus on heart, lung, and blood topics
GatorStar: A New Marc U*Star Program at the University of Florida
Promoting the early entry of students into research by focusing on curricular reforms and activities that increase the students’ preparedness for foundational science and mathematics courses, and by increasing their awareness of scientific research as a profession