University of South Florida Research

Dr. Russ Wyland will be the invited speaker for the USF Summer Grant Writing Workshop on Friday, June 19, from 3 to 5 p.m. Following a 35-year career at the National Endowment for the Humanities, Dr. Wyland continues to support researchers as Senior Research Fellow for USF's Research Development Institute and a Fellow at the Library of Congress' John W. Kluge Center. Learn more: https://ow.ly/3elx50ZcOZ0

Amid rising liver cancer rates linked to alcohol and metabolic disease, USF Health-University of South Florida is advancing research on a drug that could work alongside GLP-1 therapies. Read more: https://ow.ly/jEuo50Zci0C

USF Health secures new funding to advance research on promising liver cancer drug University of South Florida

🌊 On a warm spring morning, resilience took center stage as University of South Florida College of Marine Science oceanographers set out into the Gulf to service buoys packed with cutting-edge sensors just days after a fire devastated their primary facility. The data these buoys collect are vital for forecasting storm surge, rapid intensification and other hazards that threaten our coastal communities and power scientific models that predict red tide, marine pollution and hurricane impacts. Discover more about their inspiring journey and impact: https://ow.ly/3J0E50Z8LwG

After devastating fire, USF marine scientists race to keep ocean monitoring on track | USF College of Marine Science At the USF College of Marine Science, data gathered from ocean buoys and scientific models help ensure the security of communities during hurricane season.

Imagine seeing halos around the lights on your favorite basketball court and not realizing it’s the first sign of a lifelong battle with glaucoma. 👁️ For John Storms, this was reality. Like millions, he didn’t know the “silent thief of sight” was slowly damaging his optic nerve until vision loss became impossible to ignore.

Only after surgery by USF Health-University of South Florida ophthalmologist Dr. Ramesh S. Ayyala was John’s vision saved. Yet, managing glaucoma is a lifelong journey that demands constant monitoring, costly clinic visits and unwavering vigilance.

That’s why Dr. Ayyala and his team at USF are reimagining glaucoma care with GlaucTest, an AI-powered app that lets patients test their vision at home using just a smartphone, a simple VR headset and a clicker. What once required a $30,000 machine can now be done for about $42, making sight-saving technology accessible to more people than ever.

Learn more about this life-changing innovation: https://ow.ly/7biM50Z808t

What if the key to fighting one of the deadliest cancers on Earth lies hidden beneath Antarctic ice? ❄️🦠 USF researchers have just returned from a six-week expedition to one of the planet’s most remote frontiers, searching for answers in a tiny marine organism called an ascidian, also known as a sea sq**rt. This remarkable creature harbors a bacterium with the potential to kill melanoma cancer cells, offering hope for new therapies against a disease that claims thousands of lives each year. Dive deeper into the story: https://ow.ly/KN5550Z7zib

Since its founding in 1956, the University of South Florida has built its identity around a thriving research culture. As USF marks its 70th anniversary, that vision has grown with the institution from modest labs with limited technology into an R1 university and membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities. Learn more: https://www.usf.edu/news/2026/70-years-of-usf-research.aspx

70 years of discovery: How USF built a research powerhouse Since its founding in 1956, USF has built its identity around a thriving research culture. As USF marks its 70th anniversary, that vision has grown with the institution from modest labs with limited technology into an R1 university and membership in the prestigious Association of American Universiti...

Our 8-week USF Summer Grant Writing Workshop is just around the corner! Whether you’re new to grant writing or looking to sharpen your skills, this workshop will equip you with proven strategies, expert insights and exclusive resources—including grant templates, sample proposals and the updated Training Activity Guide (TAG).

Don’t miss your chance to learn from experienced professionals and connect with fellow researchers. Secure your spot and start building competitive proposals that get funded!

Workshops start June 3rd. Registration is open through June 5th.

Register now: https://ow.ly/QpFL50Z4U02

As a member of the Southeast I-Corps Hub, University of South Florida is proud to be selected for this exciting National Science Foundation (NSF) pilot program with NobleReach!

NobleReach Selects Two I-Corps Hubs for Innovation Pilot NobleReach is working with select regions within the NSF I-Corps Hubs to define a national blueprint for sustained innovation ecosystems.

🤝 A groundbreaking partnership between USF's Trafficking in Persons Risk to Resilience Lab and Homeland Security Investigations Tampa and Miami will strengthen victim-centered responses to human trafficking across Florida by expanding the BRIGHT Project, a powerful technology that connects survivors to vital resources like healthcare and safe housing, and empowers law enforcement, nonprofits and social workers to coordinate support.

This partnership unites federal, state and local agencies, service providers and researchers to improve outcomes for survivors and drive evidence-based solutions. Since 2024, BRIGHT has helped connect around 100 victims to critical services and is now poised to reach even more through HSI’s victim-centered approach.

Learn more about how USF and HSI are working together to make a difference: https://ow.ly/sfP850Z4Hsw

Federal-university partnership advances coordinated human trafficking response to support victims A new partnership between the primary federal law enforcement agency combatting human trafficking and the University of South Florida aims to strengthen victim-centered response efforts within the state.

🚙 As Tampa’s traffic grows, so does the challenge of air pollution. Researchers at USF College of Public Health are working to make air quality monitoring more accessible and accurate, empowering communities with real-time data to protect their health.

Amy Stuart, professor and interim chair of Global, Environmental and Genomic Health Sciences, and recent COPH doctoral graduate Yonghong Luo, have just published a groundbreaking study in Atmospheric Environment. Their research explores how small, low-cost sensors can provide neighborhood-level air quality data that’s often missing from traditional government monitors.

Many Tampa neighborhoods, especially those near major highways like I-275 and I-4, are exposed to higher levels of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP). By partnering with local organizations and deploying sensors in high-traffic areas, the USF team is helping residents and policymakers access clear, actionable data. This work is a step toward cleaner air, healthier neighborhoods, and a more informed Tampa Bay.

Learn more about this important research:

USF researchers want to clear the air on traffic pollution in Tampa University of South Florida