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.

Dr. George Buzzell's lab at Florida International University focuses on understanding social anxiety disorder, particularly how it escalates during early adolescence. The research explores the role of fear of negative evaluation and brain activity in this developmental stage. By using EEG and behavioral assessments, the lab aims to uncover new therapeutic targets to improve treatments for adolescents struggling with social anxiety.

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.

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.

Dr. Nelson Varas-Diaz's lab focuses on understanding how aging Puerto Ricans manage chronic diseases in the context of frequent power outages caused by natural disasters. The lab explores how access to solar energy can improve health outcomes for this vulnerable population by investigating community characteristics, barriers, and resilience factors. Through detailed fieldwork and interviews, the lab aims to inform policy and support for energy independence in health management.

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.

Dr. Yuan Liu's lab focuses on using advanced genetic techniques to explore potential treatments for Friedreich's ataxia, a hereditary disease caused by repeated sequences in a specific gene. The research aims to manipulate epigenetic factors to contract these repeated sequences and restore the gene's function, possibly leading to new therapies for this and related disorders. The lab incorporates innovative tools such as CRISPR technology and AI-assisted simulations to understand and improve DNA repair mechanisms.

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.

Dr. Anuradha Godavarty's lab focuses on developing innovative smartphone-based tools to improve the assessment and management of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). By combining imaging technology with machine learning algorithms, their goal is to create a device that can accurately analyze wound oxygenation and characteristics, which is crucial for timely clinical intervention. This research places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, ensuring that the tools developed can address the needs of diverse patient populations with varying skin tones.

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.

Dr. Shayl Griffith's research focuses on understanding how screen media impacts the development and behavior of young children. She studies the interactions between family media use, caregiver-child relationships, and children's emotional and behavioral outcomes. By investigating these associations over time, her lab aims to develop guidelines for healthy media use that promote better child development in today's digital world.

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.

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.

Dr. Aaron Mattfeld's lab at Florida International University focuses on understanding how sleep and brain development affect emotional health during adolescence, a critical time for mental health issues like anxiety and depression. By studying the interplay between brain structures involved in memory and emotion, especially the amygdala and hippocampus, the lab aims to uncover the mechanisms that lead to heightened anxiety and negative memory patterns in teenagers. The research emphasizes the importance of sleep health in mitigating emotional risks during this developmental stage.

Dr. Nikolaos Michael Tsoukias leads a research lab focused on understanding the relationship between neuronal activity and blood flow in the brain. His team investigates how disruptions in this relationship can contribute to cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer's. By using experimental models and advanced mathematical simulations, they explore the mechanisms of neurovascular coupling, aiming to find solutions to restore proper brain function and address cognitive impairments.

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.

Dr. Hoshang Unwalla's lab focuses on understanding how HIV affects the lungs, particularly in people living with HIV who develop COPD. The team explores the role of microRNAs and the lung's molecular clock in this process, aiming to find new ways to prevent and treat COPD in these individuals. Their work combines cutting-edge techniques, like CRISPR, to manipulate gene expression and address the unique challenges posed by HIV in lung health.