Mangroves are crucial because they naturally protect coastal shores from storm damage and serve as vital wildlife habitats around the world.

Scientists at the 麻豆原创 are working to preserve mangroves in Florida and across the world from an increasingly prevalent disease-causing variety of fungi that lies dormant but become active when the tree is exposed to stressors such as temperature fluctuation, pests or other diseases.

The disease does not yet have an official name, but it is being referred to by scientists as 鈥淢angrove CNP.鈥� It is caused by a group of fungal pathogens, including Curvularia, Neopestalotiopsis, and Pestalotiopsis, that causes yellowing and spots, and gradually weaken the mangrove until it ultimately dies.

Melissa Deinys, a 麻豆原创 undergraduate researcher, and Jorge Pereira, a 麻豆原创 graduate research assistant, are working to help turn the tide by developing and testing a promising nutritional cocktail comprised of nanoparticles to strengthen mangroves and counter the pathogens. The work is through 麻豆原创 professor Swadeshmukul Santra鈥檚 (MISA) center at 麻豆原创, which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agricultural recognized Center of Excellence.

Mangrove CNP in Florida was first identified as causing mangrove die-offs by Deinys in 2019 in Miami through her work with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Later, the Marine Resources Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of Florida鈥檚 Indian River Lagoon, verified and cited her efforts.

Deinys and collaborators with the MRC and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden have determined that about 80% of the mangroves they had sampled have tested positive for at least one of the fungal pathogen species. She says they have sampled over 130 mangroves between the Indian River Lagoon and Miami mangrove populations.

The researchers are treating the mangroves by soaking them in a nutrient solution called 鈥淢ag Sun鈥� (MgSuN), which is comprised of magnesium and sulfur nanoparticles. The mixture is a refinement of a previous graduate student鈥檚 formula that destroyed bacteria on tomatoes, Pereira says.

鈥淭he reason why we choose magnesium is because it is more environmentally friendly, and plants need a lot of magnesium,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 combined our magnesium formulation with a sodium polysulfide. Sulfur is one of those elements that is ubiquitous in the environment, and the idea is that you can combine both to actually enhance the anti-microbial capacity for both bacteria and fungi and you also supply key nutrients to the plants so that they can grow greener and leafier.鈥�

During lab tests, the researchers say they observed growth inhibition of up to 95% when treated with MgSuN at varying concentrations compared to the untreated control.

The formula acts as a sort of antibiotic and multivitamin, and it has shown great potential in bolstering the health of infected mangroves at nurseries across Florida, Pereira says.

鈥淲e鈥檝e done some experiments, and we have tested both in vitro and in plants,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working with the nurseries, and we鈥檝e seen it does kill the pathogens with no detrimental effects to the mangroves while kickstarting their health. They look great after treatment.鈥�

Deinys is continuing her work with the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, MRC and nurseries across Florida while staying the course on her path to graduation and furthering her research at 麻豆原创.

She began studying the fungal pathogens in 2018 in Miami prior to being enrolled at 麻豆原创 and has seen the mangroves become increasingly affected by the pathogens鈥� opportunistic nature.

鈥淏ack at the botanical gardens where I started, I would see the plants have these pathogens but not to a detrimental effect where we now see these organisms collapsing,鈥� she says. 鈥淎 mangrove nursery [The Marine Resources Council] had reached out to us, and they told us they had an insect infestation and then the whole population got wiped out by the pathogen. We鈥檙e also getting reports from places like Tampa that say areas that have more runoff are having more pathogen-related deterioration compared to 10 years ago.鈥�

The fungi have been well-documented for some time, but volatile temperature changes, frequent storms and other increasing stressors open the door to the fungi taking a hold of the mangroves, Deinys says.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e called opportunistic, and they鈥檙e called that for a reason,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey see a change in the plant and that鈥檚 when they start to take effect.鈥�

How the pathogens are acquired is something that remains unclear, Deinys says. Researchers hypothesize it may be introduced through water, wind or insects, but further studies are needed to determine how it is acquired since it poses threat to mangrove health.

鈥淵ou have to study all possibilities to determine what is the vector,鈥� Deinys says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen papers and literature in other countries that have shown these pathogens for a long time. It鈥檚 been difficult because there is a disconnect in mangrove communities because we鈥檙e worlds apart and with different languages.鈥�

The MgSuN nutrient solution is a treatment, but not a cure, Deinys says. There still are ample stressors that should be managed and mitigated, such as human-caused habitat destruction, in addition to treating the pathogens.

鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a big restoration effort to repopulate mangroves,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut first we need to look at the health of these mangroves and the health of the ecosystem before we determine what more we should do. We鈥檙e working with mangrove nurseries to see if we can together develop solutions.鈥�

Maintaining and restoring mangroves is an essential component of ecological stewardship, and it鈥檚 a passion that Deinys hopes to continue throughout her career.

鈥淚 started this project my freshman year,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to leave what I was doing, and I came here with a mission. I met with Dr. Santra, our PI, and he wanted to help. He gave me a lot of freedom, and I鈥檓 really grateful.鈥�

Deinys says that her research at 麻豆原创 has been incredibly gratifying.

鈥淭here is a sense of community here that I found,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 joined the lab, and it felt like I found my family and that鈥檚 one of the best things to have come out of this experience. This has been one of my life鈥檚 passions, and I hope I鈥檒l always stay with this project even after.鈥�

Santra is encouraged by the research conducted by Pereira and Deinys, and he is hopeful it continues to bolster mangrove ecosystems.

鈥淭he 麻豆原创 MISA center is dedicated to solving global problems that threaten agricultural sustainability,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e are excited to have another crop protection tool in our toolbox for protecting mangroves. I see the future of MagSun as a broad-spectrum fungicide, where GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) materials are empowered through nanotechnology.鈥�

Further studies are needed to pinpoint which stressors are affecting the mangroves the most so that scientists can better preserve them, Pereira says.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to understand the stressors, and we need to really address if it鈥檚 a change in temperature, if it鈥檚 runoff or if it鈥檚 an additional pathogen,鈥� he says. 鈥淚n the meantime, we need to do something to prevent this damage from occurring.鈥�

Researchers鈥� Credentials

Deinys graduated from BioTECH @ Richmond Heights High School, a conservation biology magnet school, where she began her research journey at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and specialized in botany. In Fall 2022, Deinys joined 麻豆原创 and became a member of the Santra Lab the following spring. She is an undergraduate research assistant working towards her bachelor鈥檚 degree in biotechnology.

Pereira graduated from Universidad Nacional Aut贸noma de Honduras with a degree in industrial chemistry. He joined Santra鈥檚 lab in 2020 and is currently a graduate research assistant and working toward his doctoral degree in chemistry.

Santra holds a doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. After graduating, he worked at the University of Florida (UF) as a postdoctoral researcher and later as a research assistant professor at the UF Department of Neurological Surgery and Particle Engineering Research Center. In 2005, Santra joined 麻豆原创 as an assistant professor at the , the and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. He is the director of the 麻豆原创 Materials Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture center, a USDA-NIFA-recognized Center of Excellence.

Gowan Co. recently signed an agreement with the 麻豆原创 to obtain exclusive rights to the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial formulation developed by researcher Swadeshmukul Santra. The formulation couples a centuries-old agricultural practice with cutting edge nanoscience. Gowan plans to market it for use on a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including citrus, potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, berries and more.

鈥淲e are very excited to partner with 麻豆原创 on this innovative new product as it will enhance the fungicide/bactericide portfolio that we are able to offer our global customers,鈥� said Gowan Co. chief operating officer Jacque Palmer. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an excellent opportunity for us to use our expertise in bringing critical technologies such as this to market to help growers protect their crops.鈥�

It鈥檚 common for the private sector to license technology invented by 麻豆原创 researchers. But this agreement represents the first time a 麻豆原创 discovery has been licensed for the agricultural industry.

鈥淚n my opinion, this is groundbreaking,鈥� said Andrea Adkins, assistant director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Office of Research and & Commercialization. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the forerunner of everything coming from 麻豆原创 in agriculture.鈥�

Santra, an associate professor with joint appointments in 麻豆原创鈥檚 NanoScience Technology Center and Department of Chemistry, began working on the formula in 2011. Through trial and error, Santra and his research team developed more than two dozen formulations before finding the right one 鈥� known internally as SG-25, for the 25th formula from the 鈥淪antra Group.鈥�

鈥淭here were a lot of challenges for us to develop this product,鈥� Santra said. 鈥淚t takes time.鈥�

It relies on an age-old treatment: Copper, which was first used in agriculture in 1761 for treating seeds to protect from soil-borne fungal attack. Since then, copper compounds have been a staple in preventing crop disease.

But this isn鈥檛 your grandmother鈥檚 copper. Santra developed copper nanoparticles about 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, and embedded those tiny particles in a silica matrix. Field trials have shown the new formulation is more effective at preventing disease than the industry standard. And it鈥檚 safer for the environment, Santra said.

When growers apply copper compounds to their crops, it can build up in the soil over time. Too much copper limits the ability of plants to take in other nutrients, and at high levels can be toxic to aquatic species 鈥� reasons why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates its agricultural use. And over time, bacteria can develop resistance.

Nanoparticles have much greater surface area than copper in its normal state, so they鈥檙e more effective at lower levels.

鈥淢y goal was to stick to copper 鈥� which has been the gold standard for centuries 鈥� but to redesign it to improve its effectiveness, minimize the development of antimicrobial resistance and cut down the amount of copper we apply in agricultural fields,鈥� Santra said.

The Gowan Co. first learned of Santra鈥檚 work in 2011 when one of his close collaborators, Jim Graham of the University of Florida Citrus Research and Education Center, presented findings from field trials of Santra鈥檚 work to Florida growers. A Gowan representative was in the audience and later connected with Santra.

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation helped fund some of Santra鈥檚 research. Santra and his graduate students have been working with Gowan to develop the formula through several years of tests.

鈥淚t was a great learning experience for me,鈥� said graduate student Mikaeel Young, who has worked closely with Gowan on the project.

Under terms of the licensing agreement, Gowan will now work to obtain regulatory approval from the EPA and at the state level. That process can take two years or more.

Through the work of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Office of Research & Commercialization, the agreement will bring royalties from future sales to the university and its inventors.

This is Santra鈥檚 first agriculture-related development, but others are in the works and already undergoing field trials. Last year, 麻豆原创 established the MISA Center of Excellence 鈥� which stands for Materials Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture 鈥� with the goal of combating crop disease and feeding the world鈥檚 growing population. Santra is director of the center.

The early-career professors were given Reach for the Stars awards as part of the celebration of Founders’ Day. President John C. Hitt selects the winners based on faculty members鈥� past four years of work. Recipients must be an assistant or associate professor and have attained significant research work during their early career. Many winners have already received National Science Foundation Career Awards recognizing their potential.

The Reach for the Stars winners get a $10,000 annual research grant for three years, which can be renewed based on their promising work. This is the third year 麻豆原创 has given Reach for the Stars Awards at Founders鈥� Day.

The 2016 winners are:

Xun Gong joined 麻豆原创 in 2005, and is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering within the College of Engineering & Computer Science. His research interests lie in the areas of microwave filters and passive components, sensors, flexible electronics, micromachining and ceramic materials. He has published 31 journal papers and 64 conference papers. Gong鈥檚 total research funding is $4.3 million, and he is currently the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on grants from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation that total more than $1.7 million. Gong has received an NSF Faculty Early CAREER award, the most prestigious honor the NSF awards to a junior faculty member. Gong has received a number of research awards and recognitions: the College of Engineering and Computer Science Distinguished Researcher award, and the College鈥檚 CAE Link Faculty Fellow. He has established an advanced antenna and microwave research lab, and received a number of honors for his teaching, including the 麻豆原创 Teaching Incentive Program award in 2010 and 2015.

Annette Khaled joined 麻豆原创 in 2002 and is an associate professor in the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences and the College of Medicine, where she heads the Division of Cancer Research. One area of her research uses innovative therapies and techniques 鈥� including nanoparticles 鈥� to attack and destroy metastatic cancer cells that leave the original tumor and travel to the brain, bones and lungs. Khaled has participated in research that鈥檚 drawn $4.8 million in grant funding from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the Florida Department of Health and others. She has been granted one patent and has five others in the application process, as well as a pending licensing agreement to allow her technology to be used in the treatment of breast cancer. She is a founding faculty member of the College of Medicine and helped develop its curriculum. Her research has appeared in 90 peer-reviewed publications and abstracts 鈥� more than 50 of those since coming to 麻豆原创. She has received an Outstanding Graduate Educator Award, Outstanding Service Award and a Research Incentive Award from 麻豆原创, as well as numerous awards from scientific organizations.

Seetha Raghavan, who came to 麻豆原创 in 2008, is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering within the College of Engineering & Computer Science. She holds joint faculty appointments in that college’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and also with CREOL: the College of Optics and Photonics. Her research makes air and space travel safer by focusing on engineering the mechanics of structures and materials to meet the extreme conditions associated with energy generation, aerospace propulsion and re-entry. Her research team has shown the ability to monitor the very thin layers of super strong coatings used to protect turbine blades as they are exposed to extreme conditions to get a clear understanding of how they fail. Raghavan has brought in more than $1.5 million in research funding, published 23 journal papers and more than 30 conference publications and posters, and has been granted two patents. Her private-sector research collaborations have included Boeing Research and Technology, Praxair and ALSTOM Power. Raghavan received the International Research and Collaboration Award from the University of Sydney in 2015, and a Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grants in Engineering award from the National Science Foundation in 2011. From her college, Raghavan received an Excellence in Research award in 2014, a Teaching Incentive Program award in 2013, and an Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching award in 2012. She became an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2013 and a Lockheed Martin Faculty Fellow in 2012. She is consistently ranked highly by her undergraduate and graduate students.

Swadeshmukul Santra is an associate professor in the NanoScience Technology Center with a joint appointment in the College of Sciences鈥� Department of Chemistry. He is also an affiliated faculty of the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. Much of his research focuses on the use of nanoparticles in the areas of agriculture and medicine. Since joining 麻豆原创 in 2005, Santra has brought in nearly $5.8 million in grants and other external funding to support his research. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded Santra a $1.9 million 鈥淐enter of Excellence鈥� grant to develop a method for protecting the troubled citrus industry from Huanglongbing, better known as citrus greening. The same agency awarded $1.7 million to further develop Zinkicide technology, a nanoparticle aimed at curbing the same disease. Santra has developed novel probes capable of delivering anti-cancer drugs to cancer cells. The National Science Foundation continues to support his cancer research. Santra has 23 patents and more than 85 published articles. He received a 麻豆原创 Excellence in Research Award in 2015.

Jayan Thomas is an associate professor in the NanoScience Technology Center with joint appointments in the College of Optics & Photonics and the Department of Materials Science & Engineering. Since joining 麻豆原创 in 2011, Thomas has published 24 peer-reviewed journal papers, has had two patents awarded and has another four patents filed. He has received more than $1 million in research funding as a principal investigator and another $800,000 as a co-principal investigator. Last year, Thomas was awarded an R&D 100 award 鈥� given to the top inventions of the year worldwide 鈥� for his development of a cable that can both transmit and store energy, which has far-reaching implications for electric vehicles, wearable electronics and the aerospace industry. In 2014, he received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation and a 麻豆原创 Excellence in Research award, and was a finalist for the World Technology Network award by TIME Magazine and Fortune. Other areas of Thomas鈥� research include a method for limiting laser light attacks on commercial aircraft, a new technique for fabricating nanostructured supercapacitors, self-cleaning solar panels and more. He has worked to further the field of nanoscience by developing new master鈥檚 programs in the NanoScience Technology Center, helping launch the Nanotechnology Club at 麻豆原创, organizing annual NanoFest Florida community outreach events at public libraries, and delivering nanoscience talks to students at Valencia College and Eastern Florida State College.

Subith Vasu is assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering within the College of Engineering & Computer Science. Vasu, who came to 麻豆原创 in 2012, conducts research within 麻豆原创鈥檚 Center for Advanced Turbomachinery and Energy Research, and has a secondary joint appointment with the Florida Space Institute. He is internationally recognized as a top researcher in the field of combustion science and fuels. He received a Research Excellence Award from his college in 2016, and in 2015 received a Young Investigator award from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and a New Investigator award from the American Chemical Society. In a little over a year, he鈥檚 received a number of grants totaling more than $1.8 million. That includes a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to investigate how power plants might be able to abandon the use of water to generate energy from steam and instead use supercritical CO2, a fluid state of carbon dioxide. He also received a U.S. Air Force faculty fellowship in 2015. Since earning his doctoral degree in 2010, Vasu has had 27 papers published in scholarly journals, as well as 51 conference papers and more than 20 invitations to present his research.

A group of 麻豆原创 students wants to do for nanotechnology what Star Trek did for the term 鈥渨arp speed鈥� 鈥� bring it into the everyday vernacular. So students are hosting NanoFest Florida 2012 from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 15, at the Alafaya Public Library, 12000 E. Colonial Drive in east Orlando. The event is free and for the general public.

During the event, graduate and undergraduate students will explain in everyday language what nanotechnology is, why it matters and the potential it has to change the world. They will have some samples of items to show.

鈥淭he students are excited about the emerging field of nanotechnology and nanotech-enabled consumer products,鈥� said 麻豆原创 Professor Swadeshmukul Santra, who is advising the students on the project. He wears many hats at 麻豆原创, working at the university鈥檚 NanoScience Technology Center, the department of chemistry and the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences in the College of Medicine. He鈥檚 also a scientist who has found a promising new way to use quantum dots (a type of nanotechnology) to deliver cancer-fighting drugs to cells.

So what exactly is nanotechnology? There are a lot of definitions, but most agree that it is the exploitation of the ability to control matter at dimensions between 1 and 100 nm (nanometers), resulting in unique functionalities.

Santra said the idea for the event originated from NanoFlorida, an annual statewide event that promotes scientific exchange, research collaboration, networking and industry-academia partnerships, which he initiated in 2008 as a student-led NanoScience Technology Center event for the first time in Florida.

鈥淲e thought, why not reach out to the general public to help them understand what nano is and why it really matters,鈥� Santra said.

From medicine to construction and consumer electronics, the potential of nanotechnology seems endless. In Europe and the United States there are already more than 1,200 products on the market that incorporate nanotechnology.

Other products blend nanoparticles in an organic matrix to create nanocomposites. Ultrafine carbon particles, called carbon black for example, are widely used as a reinforcing filler material in rubber products such as automobile tires and as a pigment in printer toner. Other nanocomposites are used in clothing to help prevent stains.

Amit Kumar, one of the student organizers of NanoFest, said volunteers are eager for the day to arrive.

鈥淭oday nanotechnology touches almost every aspect of society, from computers, medical, space research to energy, but most people don鈥檛 know it,鈥� Kumar said. 鈥淎wareness is very important, because home is the first school for children and hearing about this exciting science at an early age we hope will generate interest among them in this science field.鈥�

A researcher can use a microscope to see where and how much of the drug has been delivered because the probe emits a reddish color under special lighting or via MRI because of its optical and magnetic components.

As the drug testing continues, images can be taken over and over without any loss of optical or MRI signal. Researchers can then measure the size of the tumor and number of cancer cells that 鈥渓ight up鈥� compared with the original untreated tumor.

This provides a way to determine whether the drug is doing what it is supposed to be doing in the targeted areas. The technique is much easier than the current process of removing treated cancer tumors and weighing them at regular intervals to determine the drug鈥檚 efficiency in an animal.

鈥淢any people in my area have been studying this approach for years,鈥� Santra said. 鈥淏ut we have now moved it into a live cell, not just in test tubes.鈥�

Sudiptal Seal, the director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 NanoScience Technology Center and nanoscience scientist believes Santra鈥檚 research is significant.

鈥淭his is indeed a major breakthrough in Qdot research,鈥� Seal said. 鈥淭his new diagnostic tool will certainly impact the field of nanomedicine.鈥�

Santra and his team used semiconductor Qdots to create the probe. Because of their small size and crystal-like structure, Qdots display unique optical and electronic properties when they get excited. These unique properties make them ideal for sustained and reliable imaging with special lights.

For this research funded by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, the 麻豆原创-led team used a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle core decorated with satellite CdS:Mn/ZnS Qdots which carried the cancer-fighting agent STAT3 inhibitor. The Qdot optical signal turned on when the probe bonded with the cancer cells.

鈥淭he potential applications for drug testing specifically for cancer research are immediate,鈥� Santra said.

Collaborators on the research included: Andre J. Gesquiere also of 麻豆原创, James Turkson of the University of Hawaii, Glenn A. Water of the University of Florida and Patrick T. Gunning from the University of Toronto.

Santra has his own team of students and scientists at the 麻豆原创 NanoScience Technology Center, which has been studying nanotechnology, quantum dots and their applications for years. The team focuses on the engineering of nanomaterials for bioimaging and sensing, drug delivery and anti-microbial applications.

Santra joined 麻豆原创 in 2005 after working as a research assistant professor at the University of Florida. He has a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and served as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Florida.聽 He has written dozens of articles and book chapters on nanoscience and nanotechnology. Santra also holds eight US patents in nano-bio and biomedical fields.