UF Genetics Institute Mission

Dr. Kenneth Berns, M.D., Ph.D, director. photo: David Blankenship_db studios@

The primary goal of the University of Florida Genetics Institute (UFGI) is to harness the diverse academic talents and resources of the genetic research community at UF to improve the health and well-being of our citizenry. As such its mission is integral to the mission of the State University System as a whole.

The decades-long investment revolution has lead to a revolution in biomedical research. It is now clear that most common human diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, have a genetic component. As the sequencing of the human genome is nearing completion, the task of defining the functions of individual genes and elucidating complex interactions between genes will prove key to unlocking their role in health and disease. The tools of molecular genetics and biotechnology also will provide the means to translate this improved understanding of human disease into better diagnostic tests and more effective treatments, including the direct transfer of beneficial genes to patients in the form of gene therapy.

In addition to the application of genetic technology to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease, genetic research promises to provide the means to understand and better utilize a range of other biological systems, including plants and animals involved in agricultural production. The genetic engineering of plant species is vitally linked to the need for a new "Green Revolution" in global agricultural production, which has begun to plateau despite a continued exponential growth in global population. Precise genetic alteration offers the opportunity to make vital improvements in crop yields through improved resistance to disease, and the enhancement of the nutritional value and shelf life of food crops. The efforts of UF geneticists in each of these disciplines will be coordinated to work synergistically to advance both scientific knowledge and the practical benefits derived from that knowledge. This will be accomplished by means of the specific objectives listed below.

The activities of the UFGI will effectively move UF to the forefront in terms of national competitiveness for securing research grant funding from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the US Department of Agriculture, while at the same time providing concrete benefits to the community. In doing so, the UFGI will rely on a strong base of research funding among existing centers and individual investigators performing genetic research on the UF campus. The activities may be generally considered to fall within the scope of either research, education, or patient care/public service.