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University of Florida

Expanding a tradition of innovation 

At the University of Florida, innovation is in our DNA. Here are some of UF’s most prominent breakthroughs in research and discovery.

Gatorade

In 1965, a UF research team led by Dr. James Robert Cade revolutionized sports science with the invention of Gatorade, a drink designed to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost during intense physical activity. 

Bioactive Glass

UF materials scientist Larry Hench revolutionized bone repair, dental restoration and regenerative medicine by developing bioactive glass in 1965. It was the first synthetic material to bond with living tissue.

HiPerGator

Powered by a $50 million gift from UF alumnus and NVIDIA co-founder Chris Malachowsky, HiPerGator is the fastest supercomputer in higher education, providing an unmatched resource for discovery to researchers in the State University System of Florida and partners working alongside UF faculty from around the globe.

Space Plants

UF scientists Rob Ferl and Anna-Lisa Paul became the first to grow plants in lunar soil, marking a pioneering step toward sustaining life on future space missions and expanding humanity’s reach beyond Earth.

Blue Origin Mission

UF researcher Rob Ferl made history as the first NASA-funded university scientist to conduct his own experiment in space, testing how plants respond to microgravity aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.

Discover our latest breakthroughs

The Latest

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UF’s RoboPI lab making waves with marine robots

A University of Florida researcher is developing marine robots to safely explore and operate in the ocean’s harsh, hard-to-access environments. Supported by major federal and industry funding, the research could improve disaster response, environmental monitoring and ocean security.
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American Association for the Advancement of Science names 10 UF faculty fellows

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals, has named 10 University of Florida faculty members to its 2025 AAAS Fellows.
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University law clinic puts students at the forefront of AI innovation

Students at Levin College of Law’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship clinic represent pro bono clients, navigating areas of technology law including intellectual property, technology licensing and AI. These skills provide professional development as students prepare to enter the legal field.
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UF Nursing launches initiative to elevate care by empowering nurses

The University of Florida College of Nursing is launching a transformative initiative designed to strengthen nurse education, expand workforce readiness and improve access to care across Florida and beyond.
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From athletes to everyday health: UF Engineers unveil bold vision for the future of human performance

From tracking how fast athletes sprint, how hard they train, and how quickly they recover, to helping older adults stay steady on their feet, University of Florida researchers are launching a new center aimed at transforming how we understand and improve human performance.
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UF Health study maps hidden immune signals in Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes researchers have made great progress in understanding the disease in the last two decades, even as a cure remains elusive. Now they have something that benefits any scientific effort. It’s a map.