Health Articles

"Cuddle hormone" oxytocin may provide pain relief and help curb harmful opioid use

A two-year interdisciplinary study at UF examines synthetic oxytocin’s potential as an alternate pain management option for older adults.

Gene therapy restores vision in first-ever trial for rare, inherited blindness

Patients born with a certain genetic blindness experienced the world in an entirely new way after a single treatment with gene therapy developed at UF.

Humans infecting animals infecting humans − from COVID-19 to bird flu, preventing pandemics requires protecting all species

UF geography professor Sadie Ryan and Colorado State University veterinary microbiologist Anna Fagre write for The Conversation about cross-species disease transmission and how disease affects both wildlife conservation and people.

Social media influencers can be key to getting the word out during health crisis

A UF/IFAS study highlights the importance of social media influencers in information dissemination during mpox outbreak

New UF study shows how bile acids in breast milk affect newborn gut health

A UF researcher has compiled the first-ever study that identifies the role of breast milk bile acids — a breakthrough that could help lessen the incidence of the deadly norovirus in infants, which claims the lives of at least 50,000 children every year.

UF EPI launches bird flu team to research H5N1 and assist Florida’s response

Nearly 200 million chickens in 48 states have been affected by H5N1.

Building digital twin tools to investigate environmental threats to health

Virtual patients can help researchers discover new treatments.

What the trained eye cannot see: Detecting movement defects in early stage Parkinson's disease

A technique that uses videos and machine learning to quantify motor symptoms in early-stage Parkinson’s disease could help reveal signs of the disease and other movement disorders earlier, which could lead to better treatment outcomes.

New $7.7 million grant to propel search for drugs for rare brain disorder

Children born with a damaged gene needed for healthy brain development, SYNGAP1, experience seizures, sensory processing disorders, difficulty speaking, intellectual disability, and autism-like behaviors. It’s a condition without any treatments, one that’s hard both on parents and children.

STRONGER internship program provides students with valuable exposure to cancer research

A new immersive summer internship at UF Health Cancer Center is helping science students from across the country explore cancer research.

New AI tool predicts risk for chronic pain in cancer patients

The tool could help doctors manage their patients' pain

Gardening: A natural solution for chronic lower back pain

Therapeutic horticulture may offer noticeable benefits to patients with chronic lower back pain, according to a recent study from the UF/IFAS and the UF College of Medicine.

New video test for Parkinson’s uses AI to track how the disease is progressing 

An automated assessment technique that uses artificial intelligence could revolutionize the management of Parkinson's disease

Artificial intelligence transforms how UF researchers forecast and respond to disease

Scientists use AI to investigate anthrax outbreaks

Novel compound offers improved defense against fentanyl overdoses

Researchers identified a novel compound aimed at improving the treatment of opioid overdoses.