Goals
- Conduct research to discover the mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis
- Invent, develop, and apply novel technologies for the discovery of new antimicrobial targets, vaccines, and diagnostics
- Educate and train future scientists and clinicians who will be leaders in the field of cutting-edge technologies for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases
- Stimulate and act as a resource for the growth of biotechnology companies in Northern Florida
The Need for Research
- Infectious diseases are among the most critical health problems worldwide.
- One out of every three people worldwide is infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis.
- Re-emerging infectious agents, as well as new antibiotic-resistant strains, make infectious diseases a major health problem of the new millennium. Between 1973 and 1999, more than 35 newly emerging infectious diseases were identified.
- Without rapid development of antimicrobials and vaccines, we face an era of drastically increased morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases.