Category: Department of Chemical Engineering

A team of engineers at the University of Florida has developed a new form of CRISPR technology that could make diagnostics and treatments safer, more precise and more affordable, while opening the door to entirely new ways of controlling disease.

University of Florida researchers, in collaboration with Princeton University, have developed a new genome-editing technology called CODE that enables more precise DNA modifications without cutting both strands of DNA. The system could help expand the possibilities of gene-editing therapies for genetic diseases, agriculture and developmental biology.

Raise your beaker in a Valentine’s Day toast and say, “Awww.” There are sweet love stories afoot in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Born in Imo State, Nigeria, the fifth of six children, Cynthia Eluagu worked hard to stand out in her family. She did so by earning a bachelor’s degree in engineering with honors in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering. 

University of Florida chemical engineering researcher Helena Hagelin Weaver, Ph.D., is uncovering how the structure of catalyst materials can dramatically improve the efficiency of methane conversion. Her team’s findings, recently published in ACS Catalysis, reveal how manipulating nanoscale support structures can boost methane oxidation at lower temperatures — a key step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling more sustainable chemical production.

UF researchers have developed a breakthrough CRISPR upgrade — called CRISPR-LEAP — that can target nearly any DNA sequence, potentially transforming cancer detection, infectious disease testing and personalized medicine.

Shubham Ravan, a first-year master’s student in chemical engineering, specializes in semiconductor fabrication and scaling processes from lab to commercial applications. He recently received the department’s MS Research, Leadership and Service Excellence Award and serves as the graduate cohort representative. Outside the lab, he stays active with badminton and table tennis and enjoys reading science fiction and biographies.

A University of Florida professor is developing a fast, powerful tool for blocking harmful human enzymes, a process that could result in better medicines and more precise treatments for diseases. 

With a background deeply rooted in engineering, Taofeek Tejuosho is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in chemical engineering working to accelerate the design and development of polymer materials for diverse technological applications.

The goal: Healthier organs ready for transplant. The UF-developed process stands to revolutionize organ transplants and post-surgical treatment.