Research A world-class research institute to facilitate interdisciplinary studies
New and re-emerging diseases pose a significant threat to Florida’s tourism, health and economy, amplified by the state’s climate and diverse agriculture. Florida’s unique geography and climate demand tailored disease prevention strategies grounded in the notion that pathogens transcend borders. With ongoing research in over 51 countries across six continents, the Emerging Pathogens Institute believes in expanding its focus from beyond Florida to improving the quality and health of the world.
Research purpose
Why Infectious Diseases?
Infectious disease study is a broad discipline with unique responsibilities. The study of infectious diseases can cure and prevent illnesses, identify specific disease causes and curb the effects of massive outbreaks. Pathogens are all around us, which makes infectious disease practitioners powerful in their ability to deal with the consequences of antibiotic resistance, international travel, variable climates and other new-age phenomena that help pathogens thrive. By taking a One Health approach, the EPI aims to tackle pathogenic research head-on to make a difference in how we battle infectious diseases.
EPI research areas
Animal Pathology
Antibiotic Resistance
Aquatic Pathology
Bacteriology
Biomedical Sciences
Epidemiology
Immunology/ Vaccination Science
One Health
Parasitology
Plant Pathology
Vector-borne Diseases
Virology
Educational pages
Florida reports one of the highest rates of locally acquired Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, in the United States. This disease affects the skin and…
Whooping cough affects the upper respiratory tract. A bacterial infection by Bordetella pertussis damages the airways, leading to severe and…
Influenza affects the nose, throat and lungs, and spreads through coughs and sneezes. While most recover, some cases become serious. Flu shots…
Research News
While rare, hantavirus outbreaks are deadly. This genus of viruses is primarily transmitted from rodents to humans. Only one strain, known as Andes…
Bats are large reservoirs for diseases, but they don’t appear to get as sick as we do. University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine professor…
Why have there been so many recent outbreaks of food-borne illnesses? Food-safety experts are increasingly concerned about pathogens such as…
Expert Q&A’s
Out of the hundreds of fungal disease-causing pathogens in humans, only four are considered “critical risks” to human health. The deadliest…
Burkholderia bacteria cause serious diseases like melioidosis. UF researcher Dr. Apichai Tuanyok shares how they infect, evade and persist, and…
Ready to head back into the classroom? So are pathogens! See what this expert from UF EPI is saying to those heading back to school, from tiny tots…
Research Features
Florida has approximately 25 to 30 ticks. Which ticks are in Florida? What diseases do ticks spread? And how do residents and visitors alike can stay…
A new study by UF Emerging Pathogens Institute members suggests Florida has all the ingredients for local Chagas disease transmission, a latent but…
At EPI Research Day 2025, Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi underscores the need for collaboration in infectious disease research.
research briefs
Two UF EPI infectious disease experts are part of a new CDC-funded outbreak analytics and disease modeling network
Scientists have successfully tested a novel way of boosting honey bees’ immune systems to help them fend off deadly viruses, which have contributed…
A new study from University of Florida and Kansas State University researchers found that bison carry plant-associated fungi in their saliva, with…
Photo Essays
UF EPI member studies how the genetic makeup of a tuberculosis bacterial population changes during transmission.
Haiti’s most recent earthquake caused damage to a building used by the University of Florida for past studies and projects. A retired UF staff member…
Ever wonder what scientists are up to behind the scenes, when they are not consumed with crunching data, or endlessly editing papers for publication…
Ever wonder what scientists are up to behind the scenes, when they are not consumed with crunching data, or endlessly editing papers for publication…
Research Archive
A new study published in Nature Microbiology reveals that bacteria present in different regions of the gastrointestinal tract either enhance or block…
New research by EPI’s Burton Singer quantifies how civil disruption and violence has unraveled Ebola control measures in the Democratic Republic of…
A known pathogenic fungus, so far only reported to cause disease in two crops, has ensnared a third victim: eggplants. UF plant pathologists…
