Whitney Laboratory News
May 8 - Evenings at Whitney Lecture & Whitney History Display, Gift Shop
5-6 PM - Whitney Lab History Display, Gift Shop | 6-7 PM - Lecture - Nature’s Repair Kit: The Science of Sea Star Regeneration, Dr. Veronica Hinman. Event in Partnership with the St. Augustine History Festival.
Whitney Lab Featured in Latest Issue of Explore, A UF Research Publication
Secrets of the Seas - Whitney Lab scientists pursue ambitious marine-life discoveries, By Doug Bennett
8th International Cassiopea Workshop Held at Whitney Laboratory - June 6-8, 2025
The workshop brings together researchers from around the world to share research & ideas related to the Cassiopea system. The meeting gathers scientists from diverse research backgrounds, with past attendees having a wide array of expertise in symbiosis, behavior, fluid dynamics, ecology, genetics.
Whitney Scientists Develop New Approach for Drug Discovery
Scientists in the Loesgen and Strother Labs developed, tested, and verified a novel in vivo assay for analgesics (medications that relieve pain) using zebrafish larvae.
Martindale Lab Paper Reveals Insights into Ctenophore Development
The publication “β-Catenin localization in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi suggests an ancestral role in cell adhesion and nuclear function" is in the journal Developmental Dynamics.
In the News: Devil ray feeding inspires innovative filtration technologies
Research on the physics of filter-feeding in devil rays paves the way for the development of high-performance bioinspired filters, which could be used to remove microplastics pollution or improve wastewater treatment.
Upcoming Events
Internationally renowned faculty specialize in using marine animals to address fundamental questions in science and apply that knowledge to problems of human health, natural resources, and the environment. Researchers at the lab are on the front lines of research in biodiversity, ocean health, marine chemistry, neuroscience, sensory biology, evolutionary genomics, embryology, and cell regeneration.
The Sea Turtle Hospital at Whitney Laboratory is helping to conserve threatened Northeast Florida sea turtles by providing rehabilitation, research and education. Scientists and researchers are furthering the understanding of Fibropapillomatosis (FP), a global disease epizootic (animal epidemic) that is hampering sea turtle conservation.
Whitney Laboratory provides lifelong learning opportunities to serve as an integral part of the surrounding community. Science education efforts at the lab are focused on school age children to university levels to post doctoral research training.
Detecting DNA, tracking cancer
Specializing in sea turtle tumors, plastic ingestion, and environmental DNA (eDNA), Assistant Professor of Wildlife Disease Genomics David Duffy joined the UF Whitney Lab in 2015 and proposed using human cancer treatment techniques for sea turtles.
Decoding Nature's Healing Powers
At UF's Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, associate chemistry professor Sandra Loesgen mines nature for "chemically talented" microbes that can lead to new medicinal compounds.
Center for Biological Imaging & Discovery
A Powerful Vision at Whitney Laboratory - Training the Scientists of Tomorrow, Expanding Research
