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Jun Li — Dr. Jun Li's research lab at Florida International University focuses on understanding how malaria parasites interact with the midgut of their mosquito hosts. By exploring these interactions, the lab aims to identify potential targets for vaccines that could block the transmission of malaria. The long-term goal is to contribute to efforts to reduce malaria cases and deaths worldwide by developing new strategies to disrupt the life cycle of the Plasmodium parasite.
Stephen M Black — Dr. Stephen M. Black's lab focuses on the mechanisms of pulmonary vascular disease, especially related to pulmonary hypertension and congenital heart disease. They investigate how metabolic changes in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells contribute to these diseases, aiming to identify novel therapeutic strategies. The research combines molecular biology techniques with preclinical models to explore mitochondrial function, cell growth, and signaling pathways involved in vascular remodeling.
Raul Gonzalez — Dr. Raul Gonzalez's lab at Florida International University focuses on studying how various experiences and factors affect brain development during childhood and adolescence. As part of the ABCD Study, which is the largest of its kind in the U.S., the lab tracks the health and development of nearly 12,000 children from ages 9 to 10 over a decade. Through advanced brain imaging and careful assessments of mental and physical health, the team aims to understand the long-term impacts of behaviors like sports participation, substance use, and social media on brain development and overall well-being.
Gregory A Fabiano — Dr. Gregory Fabiano's lab focuses on improving educational outcomes for children with ADHD. The research investigates various interventions, such as academic accommodations and behavior management strategies, to see how they can be effectively combined to support children's learning in the classroom. By studying real classroom settings, the lab aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for teachers and schools.
Lorraine E Bahrick — Dr. Lorraine E. Bahrick's research lab focuses on how infants develop the ability to pay attention to and understand the world around them using multiple senses. By studying how babies learn to recognize and respond to sights and sounds, the lab aims to understand the connections between early attention skills and later emotional and academic success. This work is important for identifying children who may be at risk for developmental issues and developing strategies to support healthy growth.
Jeremy W Pettit — Dr. Jeremy Pettit's lab studies how social media use affects social anxiety in adolescents, particularly focusing on Hispanic/Latine youth. By examining factors like attention shifts and sleep disturbances, his research aims to understand the mechanisms that drive the increase of social anxiety symptoms during this critical developmental period. The lab utilizes modern techniques including ecological momentary assessment and eye-tracking to gather nuanced data about adolescent behavior and experiences.
Nazira El-Hage — Dr. Nazira El-Hage's research lab focuses on understanding how certain medications used for HIV prevention, like cabotegravir, interact with opioids, such as morphine and naltrexone, particularly in individuals with opioid use disorders. The lab investigates how these drug interactions may affect drug metabolism, toxicity, and effectiveness, especially using animal models. Their work aims to provide insights that could improve treatment strategies for patients who are dealing with both HIV and opioid dependence.
Kyung Bo Kim — Dr. Kyung Bo Kim's research lab at Florida International University is focused on developing new treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD). They are specifically exploring a novel class of drugs that inhibit the immunoproteasome, which may help improve cognitive deficits associated with AD without relying on the traditional targets of amyloid-beta and tau proteins. The lab aims to identify and characterize macrocyclic peptide compounds that can effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and demonstrate prolonged activity in the brain.
Charles J Dimitroff — Dr. Charles J Dimitroff’s lab at Florida International University focuses on understanding how certain sugars on melanoma cells affect the progression of the disease. The team investigates specific proteins called galectins that interact with these sugars, which may help in predicting which melanoma cases will worsen. Ultimately, their research aims to identify new biomarkers to enhance treatment options for patients suffering from metastatic melanoma.