A bird bursting from the ocean or a mobula ray launching skyward makes the transition from water to air look effortless. For unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, it鈥檚 one of the hardest maneuvers to replicate.

Now, 麻豆原创 researchers are studying how wing shape and motion affect that split-second transition 鈥� work that could help improve future amphibious UAVs.

Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering Samik Bhattacharya and aerospace engineering master鈥檚 student Dominic Polidoro 鈥�25 are investigating the physical forces that interact as a wing exits the water and enters the air, a process known as egress. Supported by a grant from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM Army Research Office, the nine-month project aims to develop mathematical models to improve the technology used in military amphibious vehicles.

“This technology can 鈥� enable seamless air-water operations without the need for separate vehicles.”

The research could also expand the use of amphibious UAVs in civilian scenarios such as search-and-rescue missions in coastal areas, ocean monitoring and disaster response.

鈥淭his technology can 鈥� enable seamless air-water operations without the need for separate vehicles,鈥� Bhattacharya says. 鈥淚n 10 years, amphibious UAVs could perform reliable and stable dives and exits with better payload capacity and autonomous control in complex environments, far beyond today鈥檚 unreliable transitions.鈥�

While researchers have extensively studied how drones enter water, far less is understood about how they exit it. Previous studies show that as a wing rises from the water, the lift generated by it will increase until it suddenly reverses direction before stabilizing. Why this occurs is not yet known, but the answer is crucial to understanding UAV performance.

鈥淚n general, when a UAV egresses, it causes lift overshoot followed by a sharp drop,鈥� Bhattacharya says. 鈥淪uch rapid changes in lift forces can create instability, leading to loss of control. Understanding this transition will not only improve our knowledge of creatures in nature but also allow for drone designs that can use or mitigate the lift increase and decrease that occurs.鈥�

Inside the in , Bhattacharya and Polidoro use a water tank and 3D-printed wings to study how surface deformation, waves and vortex shedding interact during egress. They aim to better understand the physical forces that drive this transition.

鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult to disentangle the effects of surface deformation, waves and vortex shedding because they occur simultaneously on very short timescales and strongly influence each other,鈥� Bhattacharya says.

The duo presented earlier findings from their research at the 2026 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics SciTech Forum in January.

Faculty Background

Bhattacharya joined 麻豆原创 in 2016. He earned his doctoral degree in aerospace engineering from The Ohio State University, his master鈥檚 degree in aerospace engineering from Auburn University and his bachelor鈥檚 degree in mechanical engineering from the National Institute of Technology Warangal, located in India.

For almost a century, researchers have known that vertical land motion 鈥� the lifting and sinking of the ground 鈥� affects sea level locally. As the ground sinks, the sea level rises relative to the land. Scientists also assumed this process generally occurred at a steady rate over time. But a research team that includes Thomas Wahl, a 麻豆原创 researcher and associate professor in the , has found that ground subsidence has undergone phases of variable change, creating significant implications for coastal communities.

“In many places, … sea level is going up one to three millimeters a year, but the land is going down 10, 15 times as fast.”

In an article recently published in Nature Geosciences, Wahl and his research collaborators demonstrate that the rate of vertical land motion is nonlinear in many coastal communities, particularly in Louisiana and along the Mississippi Delta. As the land sinks, relative sea level rises, increasing the risk of coastal flooding from high tides and storm surge that can damage homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.

鈥淚n many places like Louisiana, sea level is going up one to three millimeters a year, but the land is going down 10, 15 times as fast,鈥� Wahl says. 鈥淎nd that compounds the effect of sea level rise. As the sea level goes up and land goes down, you have a bigger problem.鈥�

A New Challenge for Coastal Communities

“Our results reveal that … groundwater extraction and … earthquakes have led to periods of rapid sinking or rising of coastal land.”

Current projections of future sea-level change typically assume that ground motion behaves linearly over time. However, the study challenges that assumption. Using observational data from tide gauges, the team, led by Associate Professor S缨nke Dangendorf of Tulane University, reconstructed vertical land motion dating back to the early 20th century.

鈥淥ur results reveal that human activities such as groundwater extraction and natural phenomena such as earthquakes have led to periods of rapid sinking or rising of coastal land,鈥� Dagendorf says. 鈥淭his has largely increased the rates of sea level rise relative to the land, particularly in cities where increasing water demand led to increased groundwater withdrawals and subsequent compaction of the ground.鈥�

The Silver Lining

Wahl says these findings have important implications for coastal infrastructure, including in Florida.

鈥淚t makes it even more critical to plan early and to create adaptation strategies to keep the water away from places where you don鈥檛 want it to be for as long as you can,鈥� Wahl says.

The silver lining, he says, is that some causes of land motion can be managed. Cities such as Tokyo and Shanghai once experienced extreme subsidence 鈥� up to several centimeters per year during the mid鈥�20th century 鈥� but have dramatically slowed the sinking after implementing strict groundwater extraction controls and related land鈥憁anagement policies.

When it comes to addressing the combined challenges of sea level rise and land subsidence, Wahl acknowledges that some areas will be harder to protect than others, and that protection may not be possible everywhere. Still, he remains hopeful.

鈥淗istory has shown that humans are very creative, especially when they have to be,鈥� Wahl says. 鈥淚f you look back to where we were 100 or even 50 years ago and where we are now, there are probably technologies and strategies that we haven鈥檛 even thought of yet that might come up in the future that will be beneficial in that context.鈥�

About the Researcher
Wahl collaborated on the study with researchers from Tulane University, Harvard University and various academic and research institutions in Germany and the Netherlands. Prior to joining 麻豆原创 in 2017, Wahl was a Marie Sklodowska Curie fellow of the European Union at the University of Southampton and a postdoctoral scholar at the University of South Florida. His research focuses on coastal flood risk, sea level rise and storm surges.

At Kurd Qaburstan, an ancient site in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, a 麻豆原创-led team has uncovered the first substantial group of cuneiform tablets found in the Erbil region, along with evidence of large-scale destruction, mass graves and citywide fortifications. Together, the discoveries are providing one of the clearest archaeological records yet uncovered of siege warfare and urban life during the Middle Bronze Age.

鈥淥ur 2025 research produced clear archaeological evidence linking the site to the siege of Qabra, beginning with the first significant group of cuneiform tablets found on the Erbil Plain,鈥� says Tiffany Earley-Spadoni, associate professor of history at 麻豆原创 and director of the Kurd Qaburstan project. 鈥淪everal tablets are dated within days of each other, matching the timeline of the city鈥檚 fall.鈥�

The project is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and conducted in partnership with the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Heritage in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The funded excavations took place during two summer seasons in 2024 and 2025.

A Lost Archive Emerges

Researchers recovered 20 cuneiform tablets and more than 100 administrative sealings from destruction layers within the Lower Town East Palace. The artifacts are being studied by epigraphers Paul Delnero (Johns Hopkins University) and Parker Zane (Yale University), along with art historian Marian Feldman (Johns Hopkins University).

The texts include palace administrative records and a letter that may reference a high-ranking official connected to Qabra. Some inscriptions may also correspond to the destruction described on the Victory Stele of Dadusha.

鈥淢ost of the tablets are administrative and provide a snapshot of palace life and the economy of the ancient city,鈥� Earley-Spadoni says. 鈥淥ne tablet appears to have been written by a high-ranking official in ancient Qabra.鈥�

Evidence of Siege Warfare

Collapsed structures, burned layers and concentrated debris suggest a coordinated and possibly prolonged assault.

鈥淭he two superimposed destructions match the historical sequence of the siege of Qabra and its conquest by Shamshi Addu,鈥� Earley-Spadoni says. 鈥淭he charred debris, the large number of ceramic vessels and individuals who met untimely deaths and were buried in the destruction layers, provide the clearest archaeological case of Middle Bronze Age siege warfare yet discovered in northern Mesopotamia.鈥�

The Human Toll of Conflict

Within the palace destruction layers, researchers discovered the remains of 17 individuals, studied by bioarchaeologist Andrea Zurek-Ost at Michigan State University.

鈥淭he individuals were not formally buried and had no associated grave goods,鈥� Earley-Spadoni says. 鈥淪ome appear to have been left where they died, including possible palace workers. One individual was found face down over a stone basin.鈥�

Researchers also uncovered a preserved street with an engineered drainage system and domestic spaces used for food processing and textile production, pointing to sophisticated infrastructure and economic activity.

Mapping an Ancient City at Scale

鈥淭he evidence from Kurd Qaburstan shows that northern cities could be large, complex, and politically significant, with administrative systems, fortifications, and infrastructure comparable to those of the best-known southern sites.鈥濃�擳iffany Earley-Spadoni, director of the Kurd Qaburstan Project

The team also completed a magnetometer survey covering more than 80 hectares (about 180 acres). The survey, which measures changes in Earth鈥檚 magnetic field to detect buried structures, was led by Andrew Creekmore III at the University of Northern Colorado. The survey revealed a monumental wall with bastions encircling the site.

The fortifications correspond with those depicted on the Victory Stele of Dadusha and support the identification of Kurd Qaburstan as the ancient city of Qabra.

Rewriting the Story of Northern Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is often associated with southern cities like Uruk, long viewed as the center of early urban civilization. Discoveries at Kurd Qaburstan are helping highlight the value of northern cities, Earley-Spadoni says.

鈥淭he evidence from Kurd Qaburstan shows that northern cities could be large, complex, and politically significant, with administrative systems, fortifications, and infrastructure comparable to those of the best-known southern sites,鈥� she says.

These discoveries build on a decade of prior excavation at Kurd Qaburstan by Johns Hopkins University, revealing a city long absent from the historical record.

鈥淟aboratory investigations are underway, including isotopic and ancient DNA analyses of the 17 individuals,鈥� Earley-Spadoni says. 鈥淭his work will help researchers understand their origins and relationships.鈥�

Each discovery brings researchers closer to understanding how this ancient city functioned and how it ultimately fell.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) under Award No. 2344957. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. Work was conducted with the permission, support, and collaboration of the Directorate-General of Antiquities of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Director-General Kak Kaify Mustafa Ali, and the Erbil Department of Antiquities, Director Kak Nader Babakr.

On how the ocean changed him:

I鈥檝e never been as calm as I’ve been since returning to land. I鈥檓 a kind of restless person in general, somewhat impulsive in certain contexts. I always feel the need to do something, another adventure in nature. I have this fire in me that just makes me adventurous. But I think the success of the crossing, including the three years of preparation, gave me a lot of confidence. And with confidence, I think came the calmness of knowing I didn鈥檛 need to prove anything to anyone anymore.

World Ocean Day is June 8.

On 麻豆原创鈥檚 influence in pursuing his dreams:

It was once a dream of mine to leave my home country and do research with NASA. Coming to 麻豆原创, I realized that dream. Maybe at one point I wouldn’t have been able to think rowing an ocean was possible, but achieving my dream at 麻豆原创 gave me the courage to try.

On the role a common goal can have in a team鈥檚 viability:

Our ultimate goal was to cross the ocean such that we would be willing and able to do it again in the next few years with the same team. This is the first time I am admitting out loud, I think we failed at that 鈥� none of us wishes to row an ocean again, nor are we planning another adventure with the same team.

So, though I have to admit we didn鈥檛 succeed in the ultimate holistic goal that we had, I think our crossing in general was quite successful. What I didn鈥檛 understand going into this was how strongly a common goal can influence your ability to withstand stress, interpersonal stress or annoyances from other team members. Everyone in this team had to work properly for us to be able to complete the goal. So even though we had that interpersonal tension and occasional conflicts, because of the salience of the shared goal, we were able to work through it.

On the breathtaking force of mother nature:

The ocean is so vast and so powerful. You鈥檙e nothing. We felt that the most when we had a school of whales approaching us from the stern. We saw them breaching, and then one whale swam under our boat, and we saw that it was longer than our boat, like 30 feet at least. It could have just pushed our boat over and do whatever it wanted with us. We had no power whatsoever.

And I really enjoyed the storms. During the last week we had such a strong wind coming from behind, with rain falling literally horizontally. It hurts when it hits you. The rain comes on so strong. And then the wind was so strong that it just pushed our boat. We usually did like 3 knots on our own, but the speed at that moment was 7 knots without rowing. We raised our oars and they became sails basically. We felt how the wind pushed through our oars. You鈥檙e just experiencing this unbelievable power of nature. It was amazing.

On his new motto 鈥� 鈥淒on鈥檛 fight with the ocean鈥�:

Just don鈥檛 fight with the ocean because you can鈥檛 win. There is no point. Just let things be, let them go. I think this was one of the things that I really took back with me from the experience. I can apply this anywhere. Like at the workplace, if we have colleagues who are difficult to deal with, you can’t change them. You can鈥檛 fight with the ocean. You can only change your own reactions and thoughts.

On halfway home still being a far way to go:

After we crossed the halfway point, it became more difficult. You would expect that maybe it gets easier because, oh, half is done, only half more to go, but only half more is still 20 days. It鈥檚 three more weeks. It鈥檚 still a lot of time to be thinking about, What do you want do when you finish? What do you want to eat? What are you going to do when you get back home? I think we as a team mentally got to the finish too fast. We really had to take a step back and remind ourselves to take it two hours at a time.

On the feeling of seeing land for the first time after 39 days:

We arrived at sunrise. When the light appeared and we saw those cliffs, it鈥檚 just something so overwhelming and unique, this feeling of, 鈥業t鈥檚 over. It’s done 鈥� 40 days of suffering basically has ended.鈥� As we entered the harbor, we saw our family and friends were up there on the cliff, waving the flags and then the finish flare going off. It was the high point, definitely.

On how the experience gave insight into his research on teams in extreme, isolated and confined environments:

I think one of the main takeaways that I got from this project was really that preparation is everything. Everyone externally was focusing on the mission, the row, because of course that鈥檚 the exciting part. For us, completing the row was the goal, but it鈥檚 the smallest piece of the whole project. The three years of preparation and those difficulties that we had, this was much more important.

So now for my research, I鈥檓 thinking, we鈥檙e always focusing on the part or the actual mission. It鈥檚 not necessarily irrelevant, but the mission is the outcome. The input that we should study is before the mission, the preparations. So that informs my future research quite a bit.

On what鈥檚 next:

I graduate in the summer. Days before we started the race, I accepted a job offer, which was a relief. I was prepared to take job interviews on the boat. I鈥檓聽starting as聽an assistant聽professor of industrial/organizational psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey in August.

I realized that I don鈥檛 like this type of several-weeks-endurance events, it鈥檚 too monotonous, too dull. I was thinking that my next big thing would be skiing across Greenland, which is more than a month as well. But now, no, thank you. There鈥檚 not enough variability, or excitement, for me. I love mountaineering, summiting a mountain in a few days. I just bought new mountain boots, so I think this will be my next thing.

Name:聽Christopher Emrich
笔辞蝉颈迟颈辞苍(蝉):听Boardman Endowed Professor of Environmental Science and Public Administration and聽founding member of 麻豆原创鈥檚 National Center for Integrated Coastal Research

Why are you interested in this research?
A main reason stems from my childhood in Florida 鈥� constantly being exposed to a variety of hazards and seeing how communities were impacted in different ways.聽Being able to study geography at a state university, the 聽University of South Florida, and then completing my Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina under the tutelage of leading experts in the field really helped solidify that I wanted to become an expert in both the hazards themselves and what we can do to prepare for, mitigate, respond to, and rebound from them.

My time with FEMA supporting long-term recovery in Florida pushed me further to understand what is keeping people from recovering as quickly as some might expect.聽Tying all of these strings together really helped me pinpoint that one of the problems is that people are thirsty for knowledge.聽Learning how to turn data into information in order to extract meaningful knowledge has positioned me into a place that has meaning and impact for those attempting to make real-time decisions about hazards and disasters 鈥� from before the storm through the recovery period.

Who inspires you to conduct your research?
Seeing the suffering that takes place following disaster 鈥� suffering that could be avoided if society (people, governments and organizations) took the right steps to prepare for disasters 鈥� is what really drives what I do.聽I think that we can make simple changes to the way we do business that could lead to really impactful positive outcomes for disaster survivors.

How does 麻豆原创 empower you to do your research?
麻豆原创 has given me space and opportunity to explore the different aspects of hazard threat identification and vulnerability assessment.聽 Partnering with experts at DIST, and partners at FDOH, and the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (among others) 聽we have been able to create open access websites like hazardaware.org,聽vulnerabilitymap.org,聽hazardrisk.org, and the Florida Public Health Risk Assessment tool (flphrat.com).聽 Each of these share the common goal of translating data into knowledge to support better emergency management decision making and preparedness planning.

What major grants and honors have you earned to support your research?
Since arriving at 麻豆原创, I have been awarded $10.8 million across 34 different extramurally supported grants and contracts.聽This includes grants of over $300K from funders including the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine鈥檚 Gulf Research Program, the State of Florida, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Along the way, I have been awarded 麻豆原创鈥檚 Research Incentive Award twice (2021 and 2026) and 麻豆原创鈥檚 Luminary Award.

Why is this research important?
American political philosopher John Rawl鈥檚 once said, 鈥淭he natural distribution is neither just nor unjust; nor is it unjust that persons are born into society at some particular position.鈥�

I think it is a responsibility of each person, each organization, each governmental entity 聽鈥� and society as a whole 鈥� 聽to support those who need the most help among us.聽If we do not, how can we ever hope to move our society into a better position? My research supports making decisions that help those in most need, including those most at risk and with the least resources, to be better positioned for the next disaster.

贬别谤听research, backed by a five-year $813,130 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases grant, found that an antimicrobial peptide naturally found in cows weakens the biofilm defenses of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria and destroys it.

Now in their fourth year of research, Fleeman and her lab have discovered exactly how the peptide works in findings published in PLOS Pathogens.

鈥淥ur research is very advantageous for healthcare because about 80% of bacterial infections being treated in the clinic are bacteria living in a biofilm state, which makes them resistant to virtually every antibiotic available,鈥� she says.

The results聽represent聽a critical step to potentially applying this peptide as a therapy and eventually treating patients,聽as the findings聽show they can and kill biofilm-embedded bacteria in animal models.

Parsing out the Peptide

K. pneumoniae is found in the intestines and is usually harmless, however, the bacterium develops resistance over a person鈥檚 lifetime as they are exposed to antibiotics. The bacteria also can spread from the intestine to other parts of the body in immunocompromised patients and those who have internal ruptures or exposure to contaminated medical devices. That exposure can lead to pneumonia, urinary tract or wound infections.

鈥淲hat happens is the bacteria聽infects聽the wound, proliferates, and then invades through the bloodstream聽where it travels聽to the liver, kidneys and spleen,鈥� Fleeman聽says. 鈥淲e聽found聽our peptide聽was able to decrease the bacteria聽at the source while limiting聽the bacteria鈥檚聽ability to move聽through the blood.鈥�

Fleeman and her lab鈥檚 most recent study found that the peptide triggers a dual stress response that tricks the bacteria to break out of their protective biofilm.

They discovered the genetics of a specific protein in the bacterium when turned on in the germ causes it to break from its own protective biofilm. The peptide, in effect, damages the protection and then stresses the bacterium into shedding its protection, making the germ more sensitive to antibiotics and the body鈥檚 immune system.

鈥淏y聽hitting the membrane as well as protein synthesis at the same time, it’s聽a double punch that triggers a genetic聽change聽in the cell to make it think it needs to break out of聽the biofilm as a response to our peptide,鈥� Fleeman聽says.

The team says their sustained research aims to demonstrate that their peptide can work synergistically with existing antibiotics. They envision long-term applications could involve a topical cream that weakens the bacteria鈥檚 defenses and allows standard antibiotics to work more effectively.

鈥淲e鈥檙e moving our research聽forward聽and we鈥檙e very hopeful,鈥� Fleeman聽says.

Preparing for the Post-Antibiotic Era

The first author of this new work聽is聽Robert Beckman聽鈥�23, who graduated聽from 麻豆原创聽with a聽bachelor鈥檚 degree in health sciences,聽managed聽Fleeman鈥檚 lab聽and is now on his way to聽the University of Michigan聽for his Ph.D.

His聽previous聽work as an EMT gave him firsthand exposure to聽infectious diseases and their impact on聽patients.聽He聽says聽helping to lead the study and聽working with聽Fleeman helped prepare him for a career in medical research.

鈥淚 have developed a strong foundation in research and gained insight into the many components that define an effective scientist,鈥� he聽says. 鈥淢y long-term goal is to remain in academia and eventually lead my own research lab.聽I plan to continue focusing on bacteriology, with a particular emphasis on pathogenic bacteria and drug discovery applications.鈥�

Funding and Disclosure:

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute聽of Allergy聽and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R00AI163295. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily聽represent聽the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

A newly published study聽in聽聽is taking a broader look at how societies have organized power across history, combining archaeological and historical evidence to better understand governance over time.

Coauthor Sarah 鈥淪tacy鈥� Barber, professor and associate chair for 麻豆原创鈥檚 , says the project was driven in part by the growing availability of archaeological data and a need to think more expansively about human history.

鈥淎rchaeology has been a scientific area of study for about a century, so we now have 100 years of聽aggregate聽data about ancient societies,鈥� Barber says.

She explains that many past societies are often excluded from research because they did not leave behind written records聽the way most European, South聽Asian聽and East Asian聽societies聽did.聽Incorporating聽archaeological聽evidence聽ensures that the interpretation of ancient governance is not limited to societies聽with written聽history but聽instead allows for the聽reflection聽of an array of human experience.

鈥淲hen we forget about huge swaths of our past, we are weakening our ability to make decisions in the present, so anything that broadens our knowledge of how people can be people is a good thing,鈥� Barber says. 鈥淚t opens paths to other options that may be more sustainable or more just in the future.鈥�

Challenging Assumptions About Power

One of the study鈥檚 key findings聽challenges聽the assumption聽that聽population size聽determines聽how power is organized.

Although very densely populated societies are more likely to align with聽an autocracy 鈥斅爋ne person聽ruling聽with聽absolute power聽鈥斅燘arber says the study found there are other options for managing large populations that do not require autocratic governance.

Instead, access to resources and funding play a聽more聽critical role in shaping governance structures.

鈥淲hen the governing entities are relying on funding that comes from taxation and the general population, the population is going to have more influence in governing decisions,聽and leaders are constrained in how they can decide to use those resources,鈥� she says.

The study also points to a connection between governance and聽potential for聽imbalance.

鈥淭he聽less聽your governing regime has聽to聽answer to聽the populace, the more your governing regime can amass wealth for its own interests as opposed to the interests of everyone,鈥澛燘arber聽says.

Expanding the Definition of Governance

The study approaches governance as a spectrum rather than a set of fixed categories, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of how societies function聽and the wide range of ways that humans organize themselves.聽To analyze governance across societies, the research team developed an index focused on two key factors: how concentrated power is and how聽much of the population is involved in decision making.

“We聽broke it down in terms of聽how many individuals or entities were involved in making decisions for a general population, and what proportion of the population was involved or had a voice in governing decisions,鈥� Barber says.

Looking Ahead

Barber聽says the team鈥檚 plans for future research聽could聽expand the number of cases studied to聽determine聽whether findings shift as more societies from聽additional聽world regions are included.

More broadly,聽she聽says the work creates space for scholars to revisit fundamental ideas about governance.

鈥淭his research offers opportunities for scholars across the social sciences to reconsider what we mean by 鈥榙emocracy鈥� and to try and refine our understanding of how聽different aspects聽of governance affect the well-being of everyday citizens,鈥� she says.聽“We have the choice to reframe the way we live and redirect our futures, if we as a society deem it necessary. The future is not inevitable, and history shows us that.”

The funding for this project was provided to the project leads by The Coalition for Archaeological Synthesis, the Amerind Foundation, and the Field Museum of Natural History provided the funds to hold two workshops at the Amerind Foundation in Dragoon, Arizona. Publication support was provided to co-author David Stasavage by Arts & Science at New York University.

Dinender Singla, professor and head of the College of Medicine鈥檚 Division of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Sciences, developed a system that turns exosomes 鈥� vesicles that cells secrete to communicate with one another 鈥� into delivery vehicles for medical treatments.

This innovative technology, for which 麻豆原创 is seeking patent protection, places therapeutics inside exosomes and coats them with cell-specific markers that direct them to an exact area of the body to deliver the drug.

鈥淚 call these smart tiny bubbles,鈥� Singla says. 鈥淢illions of people have heart disease, and they take multiple drugs in extremely high doses. But we have no way to be certain these drugs are getting to where they need to go. We need innovative technologies to get treatments exactly where they need to go to cure the problem.鈥�

How the Therapy Works

This discovery is part of Singla鈥檚 work to provide therapies to treat and prevent heart disease, including heart damage caused by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and targeted radiation to the chest. That heart damage seems to be caused by inflammatory factors that treatments use to kill cancer cells. Technology developed by Singla encapsulates anti-inflammatory heart treatments in exosomes and then delivers the drug to the exact area of heart damage.

鈥淭hey can treat cancer and protect the heart.鈥� 鈥� 麻豆原创 Professor Dinender Singla

As part of this research, Singla鈥檚 team also developed technologies to deliver cancer-killing drugs inside exosomes. They chose triple-negative breast cancer for their research, the deadliest form of the disease, with a 77%鈥�78% five-year survival rate. In the lab, the therapy showed significant promise in killing cancer cells 鈥� at much lower doses that are used in chemotherapy 鈥� while also protecting the heart. So the exosome therapy could help cancer patients without the severe side effects of chemotherapy.

鈥淭hese therapies can work hand-in-hand,鈥� Singla said. 鈥淭hey can treat cancer and protect the heart.鈥�

Financial Investment is Key for Drug Development

The next step will be manufacturing the therapy for clinical use and advancing into FDA clinical trials for heart disease and cancer treatment. To help accelerate that path, Singla partnered with Orlando investor and 麻豆原创 donor Chakri Toleti, a healthcare technology entrepreneur focused on building category-defining businesses through AI and agentic platforms, biomedical innovation and ambient intelligence including most recently care.ai, which was acquired by Stryker in 2024.

Through his innovation fund, TCapital, Toleti backs transformative technologies designed to improve healthcare delivery and reduce human suffering at scale. Together, Singla and Toleti invested in and formed Exomic to fund continued research, clinical development, and commercialization of the technology.

鈥淭his was an opportunity to do something truly innovative in cancer and cardiovascular treatment.鈥� 鈥� Chakri Toleti, 麻豆原创 donor

Toleti says his passion for advancing cancer research is deeply personal after losing his father to the disease.

鈥淭his was an opportunity to do something truly innovative in cancer and cardiovascular treatment,鈥� he says. 鈥淒r. Singla鈥檚 work represents a fundamental shift toward new biomedical platforms not only in how targeted therapies are delivered in the human body, but in how we think about treatment and healing itself.鈥�

Such public-private partnerships are one of the goals of , which drives innovation, enterprise, and collaboration across disciplines.

鈥淒r. Singla鈥檚 groundbreaking exosome delivery system perfectly exemplifies how university innovation translates into significant, life-saving benefits for society,鈥� says Winston V. Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation. 鈥淎s demonstrated by the creation of Exomic, industry partnership is essential for driving such pioneering technologies towards successful translation and real-world clinical use.鈥�

The effort is also providing exciting learning opportunities for College of Medicine graduate students. Jonatas De Mendonca Rolando 鈥�23MS 鈥�26PhD聽earned his Ph.D. in biomedical sciences earlier this month. He is staying at 麻豆原创 as a post-doctoral researcher to continue creating the exosome therapy.

He helped develop protocols and procedures for the delicate technology and saw its impact in the lab. He鈥檚 excited to have a financial supporter who can help take the therapy from lab to, he hopes, patients.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been amazing to part of a high-tech project and see leadership in science,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 am very excited for my future.鈥�

Researcher Background

Singla is the AdventHealth Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and is a faculty fellow with the 麻豆原创 Office of Research. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from Punjabi University, Patiala, India, and his Ph.D. from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and has continually been funded by the American Heart Association and/or the National Institutes of Health since 2004.

About TCapital

TCapital is an AI, Frontier Tech and Life Sciences innovation fund investing in category-defining platforms and infrastructure. Founded by healthcare technology entrepreneur Chakri Toleti, T-Capital invests in companies shaping the future of treatment, care, and biomedical innovation. For more information, visit TCapital.com.

Some of the nation鈥檚 most promising scientists can be found in Will Furiosi 鈥�13 鈥�14MAT鈥檚 Oviedo High School classroom.

Spend five minutes talking to Ankan Das, Angela Calvo-Chumbimuni and Moitri Santra about their research innovations in robotics, mental health and agriculture, and one truth becomes quite clear: These teens are the real deal.

Backed by 麻豆原创 associate professors Ellen Kang (physics and NanoScience Technology Center) and Candice Bridge 鈥�07笔丑顿聽(chemistry) and researcher Max Kuehn 鈥�22 (Exolith Lab), the Oviedo High trio recently earned recognition as the top three projects at Seminole County鈥檚 regional science fair.

With Oviedo鈥檚 proximity to main campus, the collaboration highlights 麻豆原创鈥檚 steadfast commitment to supporting STEM education across Central Florida.

They went on to represent the county admirably at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, where they took home several prizes against more than 1,700 high schoolers from around the globe.

Most notably, Santra took home first place and $6,000 in the Plant Sciences category and received the EU Contest for Young Scientists Award. She will represent Regeneron ISEF at the EU Contest for Young Scientists to be held this September in Kiel, Germany.

鈥淲orking in Dr. Kang鈥檚 lab played pretty big role in choosing materials science and engineering as my major for college because I was exposed to just how many different things someone can do in the area I work with, nanotechnology,鈥� says Santra, a senior bound for Stanford who has worked with Kang since she was a freshman. 鈥淭he lab provided a lot of resources 鈥� not just the instruments, but also mentorship, advice and support.鈥�

A Will to Succeed

The hallway leading to Furiosi鈥檚 classroom is decorated with rows of blue, red, white, green, yellow and pink paper accomplishment ribbons. More ribbons, pennants and certificates adorn his walls, along with eight Science and Engineering Fair of Florida best-in-fair grand award senior division trophies 鈥� more than any other high school in the state.

During his own primary education, Furiosi attended eight schools over 12 years. As a seventh-grader at Stone Magnet Middle School in Brevard County, he was initially prohibited from participating in science fair because officials couldn鈥檛 verify Furiosi was capable of the coursework from his transfer transcripts. He would later go on to earn Order of Pegasus as a Burnett Honors Scholar majoring in biomedical sciences before earning his master鈥檚 degree in teacher education.

Every day, he saw a wall of ribbons, much like the ones in his classroom now. And every day he would tell himself, 鈥淚 want to be one of those kids.鈥�

That experience fundamentally shaped how the 麻豆原创 grad runs his program today.

鈥淲hat keeps me motivated is knowing that I have the opportunity to get people to be really prepared, informed citizens who are good thinkers, and who, when faced with a problem, smile and tackle it instead of running away,鈥� Furosi says.

Infusing Life into Science

Furiosi began teaching at Oviedo High School in 2013 as he pursued his accelerated master鈥檚 degree, made possible by the College of Community Innovation and Education鈥檚 Resident Teacher Professional Preparation Program. The program, funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant, was created in response to the growing need for skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Four years later, he took over the school鈥檚 science fair program and was determined to breathe new life into it, which at the time involved just four kids.

He cold called students in his AP Biology and Honors Chemistry聽courses, begging anyone who had shown a glimmer of interest during class to sign up so they wouldn鈥檛 have to fold the program.

Today, he鈥檚 at 46 students, with some, like Calvo-Chumbimuni, interested in joining the program as soon as they arrive at Oviedo High.

鈥淢y seventh grade science fair teacher knew Mr. Furiosi and spoke highly of him,鈥� says Calvo-Chumbimuni, who earned fourth place ISEF’s biochemistry category this year. 鈥淲hen I came to Oviedo High and met him, I immediately understood why. The research program stood out to me as a valuable opportunity.鈥�

Furiosi fosters a safe space to fail, learn and grow from the research. There are no barriers to entry; no project deemed too insignificant. And he stresses the merits of high-quality mentorship, like the ones Das, Santra, and Calvo-Chumbimuni formed with 麻豆原创 faculty and STEM labs.

Some of his students have earned thousands of dollars in prizes 鈥� one alone pulled in $70,000 and is now studying at the University of Glasgow 鈥� at prestigious competitions sponsored by some of the tech industry鈥檚 biggest names, including Regeneron and Lockheed Martin, a 麻豆原创 Pegasus Partner.

His alums have gone on to top research institutions including Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Stanford, and of course, 麻豆原创. One of those Knights is aerospace engineering grad Daniel Dyson 鈥�21 鈥�22MS 鈥�25PhD, who studied in Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Subith Vasu鈥檚 lab and now works for Relativity Space at NASA鈥檚 Stennis Space Center, America鈥檚 largest rocket propulsion test site.

鈥淢r. Furiosi really pushes you toward excellence,鈥� says Das, a sophomore building a tensegrity robot with shape memory alloys that he tested at 麻豆原创鈥檚 Exolith Lab.

Supporting Excellence

An award-winning researcher who has been supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, Kang is not easily impressed. Still, Santra made an immediate impression as an eighth grader when she first popped up Kang鈥檚 inbox, asking if she could present her idea on a nanoparticle treatment for citrus greening disease in Florida.

鈥淚 could clearly see that she had a firm understanding of the material and just thought, 鈥榃ow, she is really a force.鈥� I actually wanted to have my undergrad students see her presentation because of how professional she was, even at that young age,鈥� Kang says. 鈥淪he has this creativity, passion, persistence and resilience 鈥� all the key elements that you need as a successful STEM field researcher.鈥�

Similarly, Bridge immediately noticed Calvo-Chumbimuni鈥檚 persistence and go-getter attitude when she initially connected with her two years ago. Driven by her interest in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and analytical chemistry, Calvo-Chumbimuni pitched her idea to develop an electrochemical sensor and biosensor to improve diagnostic methods for mental health disorders.

鈥淚鈥檝e always appreciated her sense of humanity,鈥� Bridge says. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業f you can foster someone who has this sort of compassion already, there are infinite possibilities for what they can do to benefit the community.鈥� 鈥�

The two have been dedicated, active participants in their labs, regularly conducting research multiple days per week during the school year and, at times, daily over the summer.

The faculty and their doctoral students have mentored the high schoolers through instrumentation methods, analyzing data, the literature review process and their presentations.

Both presented continuations of their projects at ISEF 鈥� Calvo-Chumbimuni for her second-straight year, Santra for her third 鈥� while Das made his first time at the competition memorable with his fourth-place finish in the engineering technology: statics and dynamics category.

Kuehn, who is an engineer at , is accustomed to working with a variety of researchers and scientists who test their experiments and equipment at the Highland Regolith Test Bin. He says he was quickly intrigued by Das鈥� project, a lightweight and nimble robot that can expand, contract and move through electric current.

Das wanted to test the robot in lunar regolith 鈥� simulated moon dirt 鈥� because he envisions the tech behind his robot one day being utilized in lunar missions or search and rescue efforts in unstable environments.

鈥淢ax noticed that sometimes the motion was a little slow, so he gave some suggestions,鈥� Das says. 鈥淲orking in the lunar regolith chamber was a very insightful and eye-opening experience. I know I鈥檓 still in high school, but I鈥檝e learned I want to do research for as long as I can because I really find this interesting.鈥�

Which, at the end of the day, has been Furiosi鈥檚 mission all along.

鈥淩esearch is not just in science. It is in all disciplines. There鈥檚 a lot of cool things that need to be discovered in all fields,鈥� he says. 鈥溌槎乖粹�檚 expertise has been so invaluable in preparing my students for the future. A lot of these kids have wonderful ideas, and I really hope we can continue growing more professional support for them in any capacity.鈥�

A future nurse adjusts their cap, preparing to enter a hospital where the need for care continues to grow.

An engineer looks out into the crowd, knowing the next step leads into an industry building what鈥檚 next.

At 麻豆原创, these moments don鈥檛 happen one by one. They happen all at once 鈥� thousands of stories, each with a different starting point, moving forward together.

Opportunity, Provided at Scale

At 麻豆原创, scale has always meant more than size.

It means access. It means opportunity. It means students who arrive with ambition and leave with proof.

More than 10,000 Knights make up the Spring Class of 2026.

Additionally, about 37% of bachelor鈥檚 degree recipients are eligible for Pell Grants, and about 22% are the first in their families to earn a college degree 聽鈥� reflecting a university built to open doors and help students move through them.

This is scale with purpose.

Where Talent Meets Demand

麻豆原创 graduates move directly into high-demand fields 鈥� from hospitals and schools to tech firms, startups and public agencies.

This is a workforce built not just in classrooms, but for real-world impact.

Each year, the university awards nearly 19,000 degrees 鈥� more than any other institution in Florida 鈥� including leading the state in bachelor鈥檚 degrees in engineering and nursing. These two fields are essential to sustaining Florida鈥檚 economic growth and meeting the needs of an expanding population.

Turning Studies Into Real Skills

Before they graduate, Knights are already building career-ready experience.

That same hands-on approach extends into high-impact research across fields from computer vision to biotechnology to pediatric prosthetics.

Career Prep From the Start

Support starts early, and it鈥檚 designed to carry students all the way through.

From day one, students connect with career counselors who help them build resumes, practice interviewing, find internships and connect with employers.

And when it鈥檚 time to take the next step, campus-wide career fairs open the door. They鈥檙e a gateway for students to explore a wide range of career paths, get real insight from industry professionals and stay ahead in a fast-moving job market.

Retaining Talent Across Florida

The impact of a 麻豆原创 education doesn鈥檛 leave with its graduates. In many cases, it stays 鈥� and grows.

But where graduates go next tells an even bigger story.In and around聽Orlando聽鈥� the No. 2 Best City to Start a Career in America (WalletHub) and one of the fastest-growing hubs for innovation 鈥� that talent doesn鈥檛 just fill jobs.

It builds industries. It strengthens economies. It accelerates growth.

More Than a Milestone

Commencement is what everyone sees.

The walk. The tassel. The celebration.

But at 麻豆原创, it鈥檚 also something more.

Before students cross the stage, they鈥檝e already built experience. By the time they graduate, they鈥檙e aligned with real-world demand. After they leave, they power the industries shaping Florida鈥檚 future and beyond.

Each commencement adds thousands more to that momentum. Each graduate strengthens the pipeline.

And across the state 鈥� and far beyond it 鈥� you can already see what they鈥檙e building.