Allison Justice is a doctoral student in the Florida State University Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences and an assistant professor in the FSU School of Physician Assistant Practice whose career is built on a foundation of service to others. Long before guiding future clinicians or pursuing her doctorate at FSU, Justice served her country as a flight medic with the Florida Army National Guard, completing two deployments to Iraq in OIF 06-08 and OND 2011. Her military background forged a deep resilience and a mission-first mindset she carries into both her doctoral studies and her civilian career. 

This veteran spirit anchors her roles in education, clinical practice and advocacy. In the classroom, she shapes the next generation of medical professionals as an assistant professor, a responsibility that pairs with her leadership as president-elect of the Florida Academy of PAs. She also serves as the founding faculty adviser for the HOME (Homeless Outreach Medicine and Education) Street Medicine Program, managing the logistics and performing outreach that allow FSU students to support essential healthcare in Tallahassee’s encampments. Across all these responsibilities, she connects tactical military medicine, advanced instructional design and hands-on community advocacy.

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Bracketed by the musical works of Sir Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance,” the 121-member Florida State University College of Medicine Class of 2026 marched into Ruby Diamond Concert Hall Saturday as students and marched out as doctors.

Joining them in the recessional line were seven newly minted Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences – Bridge to Clinical Medicine graduates, who in 10 days will begin their own march to becoming doctors as members of the M.D. Class of 2030.

Dr. Anthony Speights, senior associate dean for medical education and academic affairs, broke from the ceremonial as he donned a wireless microphone and delivered the commencement address facing the class.

“On to the life lesson of the day.  Your last, and hopefully best, lesson from me,” Speights said, his back to the audience and eyes locked on the students before him on stage.

Speights’ address ranged widely from playful to poignant; focused on his observations of how students had changed since he and his Generation X peers “believe we were just built different” than the students he addressed.

For illustration he referred to his generation as latchkey kids, the MTV generation that never used seatbelts and the first generation with cell phones; as residents who worked 100-hour weeks without time restrictions, slept in the hospital call room and, in many instances became physicians who were absent from home, grumpy, placed patients and career before everything, and burned out.

“Now that I’ve spent so much time over the years telling you how different your generation is than mine as if it’s a bad thing, let me tell you why your generation is different than mine, in all the ways I admire.

“You’ve learned to support each other in ways our generation never did.  You’ve come to understand the need for balance in work and life.

“You’ve heard me say many times, often in what sounded like a critical way, that your generation doesn’t want to work as hard as the ones before you. But in all honesty, after all these years I can let you in on a little secret. That wasn’t criticism. It was jealousy.”

Speights praised the class — and its generation — for how it has found ways to be efficient and work hard, but find time to “smell the roses, watch some Netflix and hang out.” How it had taught his generation of physicians the importance of mental self-care.

And he reminded the class of a message delivered to them by the late Dr. Daniel Van Derme on their first day as medical students.

”Dan said something like this: Each of us is filled with a reservoir of compassion and caring.  It’s like a river, flowing from you to your patients.  Guard against becoming jaded, because it will dam that river up, but also keep in mind that if your reservoir is constantly flowing, it has to be refilled or it will run dry.

“Find and do things that refill that reservoir of compassion and caring. Caring is integral. Patients don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

There is no shortage of physicians from the class who heeded that advice; many of whom were honored on the eve of commencement at the Class of 2026 Presentation of Awards ceremony.

Ben Linkus, who completed his final two years at the Pensacola Regional Campus near his hometown of Gulf Breeze, received the Mission Award. Linkus is headed to Newark, Delaware, for a general surgery residency; a departure from the family medicine route he initially envisioned for himself. His third-year rotation through the Marinna Rural Program at the 100-bed Jackson Hospital, changed his trajectory, thanks to the influence of doctors Vechai Arunakul and John Brunner.

“I fell in love with rural healthcare and what the general surgeon can do in those types of communities,” Linkus said. “[Arunakal and Brunner] were huge role models for me, being able to see how they impacted the community. Eventually, the plan is to come back to the Panhandle and be the rural general surgeon in a community along I-10.

Befitting of her strong faith, Katelyn Cornelius was selected to deliver the invocation Saturday.

“My faith has always been a big part of my life,” said Cornelius, who completed her clinical education at the Orlando Regional Campus, near her hometown of Winter Park. “Before I stated medical school, I got to work at a clinic for patients without insurance that’s faith-based in Orlando. I really saw how these people’s desire to serve was so driven by their faith. And I worked with a pediatrician who used to talk about how, you know, we’re called to be loving in anything that we do.

Cornelius carried that mindset throughout her time at the College of Medicine and others noticed. At Friday nights’ awards ceremony, the Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism Honor Society inductee was recognized as the Orlando Regional Campus Dean’s Award winner and one of eight American Medical Women’s Association’s Glasgow-Rubin Citation recipients for ranking in the top 10% of her class and demonstrating leadership, service and advocacy.

Dr. Alma Littles, dean of the College of Medicine, presented Cornelius the J. Ocie Harris Outstanding Student Award, which recognizes the student who has shown the best all-around promise of becoming a physician of the highest caliber.

“People ask me, ‘Why are you like this? Why are you so nice and kind and focused? Why do you know this information?” she explained. “For me, it is loving and caring, and that feels like my mission and my ministry to others; to learn this information well, to care for people well, to help them feel seen and heard and loved at the end of the day.”

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Long characterized as a disorder known for its physical symptoms, Parkinson’s disease (PD) is becoming more understood by the psychosocial traits that can also affect it.

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, spotlighting the progressive brain disorder that affects 10 million people worldwide according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. Recognition of loneliness as a potential root cause for PD was highlighted in an October 2023 groundbreaking study conducted by the Florida State University College of Medicine, which found that individuals experiencing subjective feelings of loneliness have a 37 percent increased risk of developing the disease.

Antonio Terracciano is a geriatrics professor in the FSU College of Medicine who led the study that first identified loneliness as an early warning predictor of PD. His overall research examines the interplay of psychological, cultural and genetic factors in shaping physical and mental health across the lifespan. Terracciano’s work as a researcher focuses on how personality evolves with age, varies across cultures, and contributes to longevity and resilience against neurodegenerative diseases.

While his study has gained substantial media attention since being released, Terracciano feels continuous publicity connecting loneliness and PD is necessary.

“Promoting this connection is vital, as it shifts the focus toward proactive mental and social health interventions that could potentially reduce the long-term risk of neurodegeneration,” Terracciano said of the effect of loneliness on PD.

Media interested in interviewing geriatrics professor Antonio Terracciano on the link between loneliness and PD as part of its annual awareness month may reach out to him via email at antonio.terracciano@med.fsu.edu.

Antonio Terracciano, professor, Florida State University College of Medicine Department of Geriatrics

In terms of raising awareness for Parkinson’s disease, do you believe it’s becoming common knowledge that loneliness is associated with PD?

 While awareness is growing, the link between loneliness and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a relatively recent scientific discovery. Our 2023 study was the first to provide longitudinal evidence showing that individuals who feel lonely have a significantly higher risk of developing PD. Since its publication, the research has gained substantial media attention and is frequently cited, suggesting that the public and medical communities are increasingly recognizing loneliness as a critical psychosocial determinant of health. However, there is still work to be done to ensure this becomes common knowledge.

Since your research was published in 2023, have there been any other key findings you’ve made linking loneliness to PD?

Our 2023 study established a foundational link, showing that loneliness is associated with a 37% increased risk of incident PD, independent of genetic and clinical factors. Beyond loneliness, our broader research program explores how other psychological constructs influence neurodegenerative risk. For instance, we have investigated the roles of purpose and meaning in life, which can serve as protective factors, as well as the personality trait of neuroticism, which is associated with higher vulnerability to PD and other health conditions. These findings collectively suggest that our emotional well-being is critical for our long-term neurological health and resilience against diseases like Parkinson’s.

How can enhancing your social connection aid in preventing neurodegenerative diseases like PD?

It is important to distinguish between social isolation (the objective lack of interpersonal contact) and loneliness (the subjective distressing feeling of being disconnected from others); our research found that the subjective experience of loneliness was a predictor of PD risk. This is in part because loneliness is linked to systemic inflammation, metabolic stress, and neuroendocrine changes that can harm brain health. Furthermore, loneliness creates a state of heightened vulnerability, or a cognitive debt, where the brain is less equipped to withstand biological insults or the natural aging process, potentially accelerating the progression of neurodegeneration. These findings suggest that reducing loneliness by fostering meaningful connections (not just increasing the number of social contacts) can increase resilience against neurodegenerative diseases and promote overall brain health.

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From promoting the impact of cutting-edge research to celebrating student success, podcasts at Florida State University have become a staple for sharing information for the FSU community. They offer an accessible medium for digital storytelling, amplifying the voices of students, staff and faculty. 

FSU colleges and departments host a variety of podcasts pulling stories and experts from across the university. The diverse range of podcasts means that there is something for every listener to tune into, whether they are a student, staff member or alumni. Here are a few examples of the FSU podcasts available:

Nole Edge  

The College of Arts and Sciences produces “Nole Edge,” connecting listeners with the stories of students, faculty, alumni and researchers whose work is changing the way we view the world. 

Host Amy Walden, the college’s assistant director of visual and social media, has explored topics such as what happens in the human brain during sleep and how that protects against Alzheimer’s disease, the ethics of moral injury, FSU’s immersive language houses and more. Now in its fourth season, episodes are available on the college’s YouTube channel. 

“Nole Edge” has created a unique space to share the stories and perspectives of the outstanding researchers, faculty, students and world-renowned lecturers that make Florida State such a special place,” Walden said. “Because the FSU College of Arts and Sciences is home to the natural sciences and humanities, every topic and conversation on the podcast is a new adventure. We strive for our listeners, no matter their area of interest or level of expertise, to walk away from each episode with fresh knowledge.” 

InNOLEvation® Mindset Podcast  

“The InNOLEvation® Mindset Podcast” with host Mark McNees from the FSU Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship highlights student and alumni entrepreneurs and innovators from FSU. 

Guests include the next generation of young business leaders sharing what they’re learning as they build companies from the ground up, FSU faculty with key insights into entrepreneurship, and alumni making their mark. “InNOLEvation Mindset” can be found on the website for FSU’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and is also available on YouTube. 

 “InNOLEvation® Mindset started as a way to give FSU’s entrepreneurs a platform, but it has evolved into something bigger,” McNees said. “We’re now having conversations with energy finance leaders, sustainability innovators and business founders whose work is reshaping entire industries. The podcast gives the Jim Moran College a front-row seat to those conversations, and our listeners, whether they’re students, executives, or policymakers, walk away with insights they can actually use.” 

Coach Talk  

“Coach Talk” was created by Timothy Baghurst, director of the FSU Center for Athletic Coaching. Each episode connects the classroom with the field, featuring guests from the sports industry, including coaches, athletic directors, team owners and more. Episodes of “Coach Talk” can be found streaming online on platforms such as Spotify.   

 “Listeners gain a deeper understanding of coaching practices, decision-making and the realities of working in sports, drawing practical, evidence-based lessons from the show,” Baghurst said. “‘Coach Talk’ offers an inside perspective on the knowledge and experiences that shape sports today.” 

More FSU podcasts 

There is a podcast for every listener, each one exploring another facet of the FSU community. 

The College of Medicine produces “Faculty Forward” to provide insight, strategies and professional advice to medical school and health sciences faculty. Each episode features experts and educators from FSU, focusing on topics for faculty success in the classroom and the clinic. Episodes of “Faculty Forward” can be found on the website for FSU’s College of Medicine.   

“FSU COMMversation” is a student-run podcast highlighting students, professors and alumni from FSU’s School of Communication in the College of Communication and Information. Each episode highlights the accomplishments of its guests, which allows other students, professors, and alumni to stay informed and connected with the communications world. “FSU COMMversation” can be found on all streaming platforms online.   

“Seminole Sports” is hosted by Jeff Culhane, the director of broadcasting for the Seminole Sports Network. Culhane is joined by Seminole coaches and players as he breaks down current news and events in FSU sports. Listeners can tune into “Seminole Sports” from the Seminole Boosters website.  

“Connect with VP Amy Hecht” dives into new topics about programs and opportunities at FSU. Vice President for Student Affairs Amy Hecht highlights a new guest in each episode and discusses frequently asked questions from students, parents and future Seminoles. Listeners can find episodes of “Connect with VP Amy Hecht” on FSU’s website for the Division of Student Affairs.

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The spring allergy season affects approximately 100 million Americans annually, triggered by immune system responses to a variety of airborne pollens. While the symptoms can range from sneezing, fatigue or even worsening asthma, staying ahead is key to avoiding harsher effects.

Dr. Stephen Quintero, an associate professor and medical director of the School of Physician Assistant Practice at the Florida State University College of Medicine, says patients must be weary of the spring allergy season and take necessary steps in advance.

“We tell a lot of our patients if they know they have allergies, start treatment early,” Quintero said. “Don’t wait until you’re miserable. Start using steroids before the peak season. The good news is we have some treatments where if you start early and stay consistent, they seem to help most people.”

Media inquiring about general information for the spring allergy season may reach out to Quintero via email at stephen.quintero@med.fsu.edu.

Dr. Stephen Quintero, associate professor and medical director, School of Physician Assistant Practice 

What are some of your recommendations to best avoid triggering allergies in the spring?

Some examples include using a daily internasal steroid like the spray or any antihistamines. The nasal saline spray and some irrigation help rinse the pollen away before it has time to activate the immune system. Daily sprays or multiple sprays a day usually work well. Know your surroundings and control your environment as best as you can, especially for people who work outdoors in the grass. It’s important to shower afterwards and change clothes if you’re doing yard work, and keeping your windows closed during the peak pollen season. Using HEPA filters indoors can help in small spaces.

If symptoms continue to worsen or if you have asthma, immunotherapy is an option and can be effective. Allergy shots can be effective in our North Florida region. We also have mold in North Florida because of the high humidity; that can be almost as important as pollen. While it might not be cost effective, dehumidification and HVAC maintenance are important. 

What are some of the most common symptoms you see in individuals with allergy issues?

You get a mix of things, but most people have persistent nasal congestion, they have postnasal drip and they have chronic cough. You have people that just feel sinus pressure or pressure in their face. People will have the issue of watery eyes. And fatigue — this has become chronic in patients. A lot of patients think they have repeated sinus infections, but most of the time it’s just uncontrolled allergic inflammation.

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Federal health officials lauded the Florida State University College of Medicine Thursday for championing the integration of nutrition education into medical training during an event hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  

Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. commended FSU for its proactive approach to the burgeoning chronic disease crisis. Kennedy, along with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, called on the nation’s medical schools to implement a minimum of 40 hours of nutrition education for medical students. 

“Chronic disease is overwhelming our country, and it is accelerating,” Kennedy said, specifically noting that FSU President Richard McCullough and College of Medicine Dean Alma Littles, M.D., were early champions of focusing on nutrition education. 

“Florida State University President Richard McCullough and Dean Alma Littles, along with Dr. Gold [from University of Nebraska], were the first to encourage and embrace this tremendous initiative,” Kennedy said.  

Poor diet directly correlates to a variety of health problems. A 2024 policy brief written for the journal Frontiers in Public Health noted that about 1 million people die annually from diet-related chronic diseases.  

The FSU College of Medicine has been at the vanguard of incorporating nutrition education into all four years of medical training with courses on how nutrition impacts immune, cardiovascular, renal and endocrine systems. This also includes an emphasis on using nutrition to prevent common chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, diabetes, as well as a variety of metabolic disorders.  

The college currently requires 42 hours of nutrition education as part of its curriculum.  

“The Florida State University College of Medicine was created, in part, to expand access to health care across the wide variety of communities in our state, many of which are disproportionately vulnerable to the very chronic diseases that proper nutrition can help manage and even prevent,” Littles said in a statement after the event. “We are proud that for almost 20 years, we have been providing a robust, fully integrated program of nutrition education that exceeds the minimum standards this initiative sets, and we are committed to enhancing even further the role of nutrition in medical training. Proper diet, nutrition and metabolic health can improve health outcomes in every population.” 

Nutrition and human performance have been a major focus of not only the College of Medicine’s curriculum but also the university’s research enterprise.  

In 2025, the university launched the Institute for Connecting Nutrition and Health, led by National Academy members Regan Bailey and Patrick Stover. The institute serves as a hub for research aimed at using food-based solutions to solve complex health challenges.  

This built on years of work across the university in nutrition, exercise science and human health.  

Faculty at the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences are investigating the benefits of functional foods on gut health, cardiovascular health and more. The Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine, established more than 15 years ago, explores how nutrition and exercise affect longevity, health and performance. 

“Nutrition research has long been a major component of our research enterprise at FSU,” said Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson. “We have invested in our nutrition and human performance work because we believe that part of our role as a public research university is to use the best science available to find solutions for people facing complex health challenges.” 

For more on the FSU College of Medicine’s efforts on nutrition education in medical training, visit the college’s website at https://med.fsu.edu/nems/home.  

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Florida State University researchers have demonstrated that significantly increasing dietary folic acid in mice can prevent peripheral neuropathy, a condition commonly associated with diabetes and other health issues.

The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, PNAS, not only provides additional evidence that certain nutrients can help manage chronic health conditions, but also underscores the importance of considering higher levels of certain dietary components, called “special nutritional requirements,” for people with chronic health problems, including diabetes and obesity.

Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate, vitamin B9, and is required for DNA synthesis, which promotes nerve protection throughout the life span as new cells are constantly produced. Lower levels of folate are related to the risk of birth defects as well as the severity and incidence of peripheral neuropathy – nerve damage causing numbness, tingling, burning sensations and weakness, typically starting in the hands and feet. This type of neuropathy is commonly linked with diabetes but is related to many diseases and disorders; it can also be caused by infections, injuries, vitamin deficiencies and toxins.

Patrick Stover, a professor in the College of Medicine, a founding director of FSU’s Institute for Connecting Nutrition and Health (ICON-Health) and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, was principal investigator on the project. He is an international research scholar in B-vitamins and their safe use in dietary fortification and supplements.

“Historically, the government’s Recommended Daily Allowances set the minimum amount of a nutrient you should have to maintain adequate nutrient status and function,” he said. “If the population is found to be deficient in a particular nutrient, then efforts are undertaken to fortify the food supply with that nutrient to avoid deficiencies.”

Common examples of food fortification are Vitamin D-fortified milk and yogurt, iodized salt and iron-fortified flour.

“Nutrient- and food-based dietary guidelines are derived with the assumption of a healthy population, and how much of each nutrient you need to stay healthy. The problem is that a lot of the population is not healthy,” Stover continued. “Many suffer from chronic diseases, often related to obesity, so guidance may need to be reconsidered in terms of impact on those who may have different requirements.”

This research, using a mouse model, indicates that a high-dose folic acid regimen prevented peripheral neuropathy among highly susceptible mice.

“This work is very exciting, and any nutritional strategies that can be leveraged to avoid disease risk and mitigate human suffering are critical,” said Regan Bailey, a co-author who is a professor in the college’s Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, also a founding director of ICON-Health, and a member of the National Academy of Medicine.

Folic acid is an example of a fortification on an individual basis and is prescribed to prevent neural tube defects, called NTDs, in utero. NTDs are serious birth defects of the brain and spine that occur early in pregnancy, often before a pregnancy is known. Since folic acid is not necessarily needed by those who are not in early pregnancy, it’s recommended as a supplement and not added to the food supply.

The research also revealed that peripheral neuropathy and NTDs share a genetic etiology, a phenomenon where two or more conditions arise from the same underlying causes.

Robert J. Cousins, a University of Florida eminent scholar, Boston Family Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and founding director of the UF Center for Nutritional Sciences, said the connection between folic acid status and neurodevelopment was a major advance in nutrition science.

“Dr. Stover pioneered the development of mouse models that demonstrate, biochemically, the responsiveness of supplemental folate to correct developmental defects in the developing nervous system,” said Cousins, who was not involved in the research project.

The possibility of preventing and even curing peripheral neuropathy could be life-changing for millions of Americans.

In its National Diabetes Statistics Report issued in January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as of 2023, there were 40.1 million people in the United States with diabetes – more than a quarter of them undiagnosed.

Furthermore, the Cleveland Clinic reports that 50% of people with diabetes experience peripheral neuropathy to some degree. Being able to prevent it would improve the quality of life for people with diabetes, as well as those with cancer.

According to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, 30-40% of the thousands of cancer patients each year experience peripheral neuropathy, either from the cancer itself or the toxins used to treat it with chemotherapy. The neuropathy sometimes is reversible once cancer treatment is concluded, but people with diabetes have no such exit door. Neuropathy treatment is generally focused on treating the symptoms, managing the underlying causes, and relieving pain to improve quality of life.

“Disease can affect nutrient needs by altering nutrient absorption, transport, or utilization,” said Martha Field, Ph.D., an associate professor of nutritional sciences at Cornell University who also worked on the project. “It is exciting to see here that meeting those needs also alters disease-related physiological outcomes in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.”

Stover and Bailey moved to FSU from Texas A&M last year and founded the Institute for Connecting Nutrition and Health as part of FSU Health.

Joydeep Chakraborty, lead author of the article, also moved from Texas A&M to FSU and is biomedical sciences research faculty at the College of Medicine. Other authors were Adhideb Ghosh of the University of Zurich; Eunice B. Awuah. of Cornell; and Sally P. Stabler of the University of Colorado.

The team plans to conduct clinical trials in Tallahassee, Stover said.

“If we see the same results in humans, which we believe we will, based on the literature that’s out there and what we’ve shown in this paper, that will change the standard of care,” he said. “This is exciting stuff.”

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As the Florida State University College of Medicine and Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases recognized Rare Disease Day last week, reminders of the urgency of their mission were all around the College of Medicine rotunda — the patients and families whose lives can be changed thanks to improved screening and care. 

 Observed annually on the last day in February, Rare Disease Day is a global movement raising awareness for the millions of people with one of more than an estimated 7,000 identified rare diseases. Its goal is to ensure equitable access to diagnosis, treatment, healthcare and social support for those affected. 

 FSU recognized Rare Disease Day on Feb. 27 with a symposium and panel discussion featuring experts in genomics and its clinical applications. 

 Although each rare disease affects few people, together, they impact an estimated 30 million Americans, many of whom are children. Genetic medicine offers an opportunity to improve diagnosis and treatment for those patients. 

 “Rare diseases may be individually uncommon, but together, they affect millions of people, families and children,” said Pradeep Bhide, director of the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases, or Florida IPRD. “Therefore, our responsibility has always been, and will always be, to ensure that scientific innovation translates into faster access, better care and real hope.” 

 The small patient population for each rare disease often means that private companies don’t consider those diseases when deciding where to invest limited research and development spending. Solving those long-term, difficult problems is where university research can play an important role, said President Richard McCullough. 

 “That’s what we do at FSU, and we’re really proud to be part of that,” he said. 

From idea to treatment 

The work at FSU and partner institutions will help to make diagnoses and possible treatments that were once only an idea, said Dr. Eric Green in his keynote address to the symposium. 

A physician-scientist, Green spent more than three decades at the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, serving as its director from 2009-2025. He is now chief medical officer at Illumina, where he leads global efforts to advance the clinical application of genomics. 

The Human Genome Project — an international collaboration that sequenced the human genome of around 3 billion DNA base pairs — was the scientific foundation for research that continues today and is bearing fruit in medicine such as improved diagnosis and gene editing. 

“The good news is that we will get better at this every year,” he said. “This is helping so many areas of medicine in which rare diseases have an influence.” 

That means everything from dramatically reducing the “diagnostic odyssey” for families with a child who has a difficult-to-pinpoint rare disease to getting answers for undiagnosed genetic conditions in adults who find themselves in emergency care without a clear explanation. 

Since completing the Human Genome Project in 2003, “we have made a remarkable pivot from having a blurry concept of what genomic medicine might be, to now bringing it into focus,” he said. “There are so many exciting things that will happen in genomic medicine, but there are enough examples already to convince people that we can really do this. Now, we just need to expand our repertoire of examples for using genomics in medicine.” 

In the rare disease and genetic medicine world, Florida and FSU stand out for their willingness to “skate to where the puck is going to be” in pioneering new avenues for research and treatment. 

“This is becoming an epicenter of activities and progress in rare disease work,” Green said. 

Legislative support, private partnerships, and academic progress 

The work at FSU began with a handshake between President McCullough and Rep. Adam Anderson (R-Palm Harbor). Since then, the project has grown tremendously thanks to support from the state and private companies. 

In 2025, the Florida Legislature enacted and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Sunshine Genetics Act, a partnership between FSU and the state to advance genomic medicine for children across Florida. Under this initiative, the Florida IPRD serves as the hub of the statewide newborn genomic sequencing program, enabling early diagnosis and intervention for genetic conditions and positioning Florida as a national leader in precision medicine and pediatric health. 

To meet these ambitious goals, Florida IPRD has established new programs to address every stage of the rare disease journey. New programs focus on early detection, genomic diagnosis, specialized clinical care, research and innovation to discover diagnostic and therapeutic measures, and programs to train the next generation of professionals to become national leaders in this field. 

One program is the Florida IPRD diagnostic lab, which offers whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing of clinical samples. The institute partnered with Quest Diagnostics to establish the CLIA-certified clinical genomics laboratory. 

“Advances in comprehensive genomic sequencing now allow a single test to provide insights across thousands of rare diseases – accelerating our pursuit of truly personalized diagnostic insights,” said Dr. Sarah South, executive scientific director at Quest Diagnostics. “This is a significant public health opportunity, and we are pleased to support FSU’s Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and the Sunshine Genetics Act.” 

 “We are proud to support FSU IPRD’s program to provide early genetic screening and intervention for children with rare diseases, advancing timely diagnosis and care,” said  

Gaurav Malik, a vice president of business development & patient services with Quest Diagnostics in Tampa. 

 In addition to diagnostic and clinical tools, the institute is training healthcare professionals who will provide the guidance to deal with some of the most difficult news parents can face. 

 The university’s first master’s students in a new genetic counseling program are expected to begin their classes in the 2027 fall semester. As research provides more information about genetic diseases, expert counselors are crucial for helping families and patients navigate medical complexities. 

 The training and research at Florida IPRD is giving hope to families across Florida and the country, said Anderson, whose son Andrew died in 2019 at age 4 from Tay-Sachs disease. 

 “Gene therapies are working and even more of those therapies are showing promise,” Anderson said. “Real change is on the horizon.” 

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FSU Health brings together researchers, educators and clinical partners under one umbrella to transform health and health care in Florida. To learn more, visit fsuhealth.fsu.edu. 

Visit the Florida IPRD website to learn more about the institute and its life-changing work. 

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The National Academy of Inventors, or NAI, has named five Florida State University faculty members as 2026 NAI Senior Members.

NAI Senior Members are active faculty, scientists and administrators with success in patents, licensing and commercialization and have produced technologies that have had significant impact on the welfare of society. There are more than 945 Senior Members holding over 11,000 U.S. patents.

This year’s class of NAI Senior Members is the largest to date, hailing from 82 NAI Member Institutions across the globe and collectively holding over 2,000 U.S. patents. FSU’s 2026 inductees are Pradeep Bhide, Ava Bienkiewicz, Christian Bleiholder, Yan-Yan Hu and Ulf Trociewitz. The university now counts 10 Senior Members among its faculty.

“This recognition from the National Academy of Inventors is a testament to the inventiveness and impact of these faculty members,” said Vice President for Research Stacey S. Patterson. “Their research is making positive change in the world, and I’m proud to celebrate their achievements.”

The 2026 class of Senior Members will be honored during the Senior Member Induction Ceremony at NAI’s 15th Annual Conference June 1-4 in Los Angeles.

Pradeep Bhide

Bhide is a professor in the College of Medicine and director of the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases. As the Jim and Betty Ann Rodgers Eminent Scholar Chair of Developmental Neuroscience, he directs interdisciplinary teams of physicians, scientists and genetic counselors who leverage gene therapy and precision medicine approaches to improve outcomes for children affected by rare diseases. His work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense and private foundations, and his comprehensive approach to developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic technologies has earned national recognition.

In 2024, Bhide helped launch the Sunshine Genetics Pilot Program, which allows Florida families to opt in to no-cost whole genome sequencing for newborns to identify serious but treatable conditions before symptoms appear. As director of the Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases, Bhide remains committed to advancing translational research, expanding public outreach and training the next generation of healthcare professionals dedicated to combatting pediatric rare diseases.

Ava Bienkiewicz

Bienkiewicz is an associate professor in the College of Medicine, where she integrates research and teaching in the doctoral, M.D., and physician assistant programs in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Her research focuses on protein structure, stability and biomolecular interactions in the context of human disease and therapeutic intervention.

Bienkiewicz’s work centers on intrinsically disordered proteins and their roles in neurodegenerative and vascular injury-related conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and traumatic brain injury. By investigating protein misfolding and structure-function relationships, her research seeks to uncover molecular mechanisms that drive neuronal degeneration and survival.

She leads collaborative research efforts that translate fundamental molecular discoveries into medically relevant applications. Her work contributes to the development of new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving outcomes for patients affected by neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular diseases.

Christian Bleiholder

Bleiholder is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, where he leads an interdisciplinary laboratory that integrates physical chemistry, analytical chemistry and biophysics to address longstanding challenges in protein structure analysis.

His research centers on advancing analytical chemistry methods, such as tandem‑trapped ion mobility spectrometry, or tandem‑TIMS, a powerful tool that reveals how proteins fold, assemble and change shape. His lab combines experimental and computational approaches to connect protein structure across multiple scales, opening new windows into complex systems such as monoclonal antibodies and protein assemblies linked to neurodegenerative disease and biotherapeutics.

Bleiholder has received multiple honors for his work, including a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, a Postdoctoral Research Award from the American Chemical Society, and a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Yan-Yan Hu

Yan‑Yan Hu is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a faculty affiliate of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Her work sits at the crossroads of chemistry, materials science and the MagLab’s world‑class magnetic resonance capabilities.

Her research is focused on advancing solid‑state NMR and MRI techniques to reveal how energy and biomaterials function at the atomic level. Her discoveries have reshaped understanding of ion transport and structure in solid‑state batteries and other energy‑storage materials, with results published in leading journals such as Nature Materials, Science Advances and Angewandte Chemie.

Hu has earned major honors including a National Science Foundation CAREER Award and the Marion Milligan Mason Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She has also served in editorial roles for journals such as Materials Today Chemistry, Journal of Magnetic Resonance, and Chemistry of Materials.

Ulf Trociewitz

Trociewitz is a research faculty member at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, where he serves as senior personnel and deputy in magnet technology within the Applied Superconductivity Center. His research focuses on the development of high-temperature superconducting magnets and materials designed for ultra-high magnetic fields and exceptional homogeneity, particularly for nuclear magnetic resonance applications.

He holds six patents and has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications in international journals, reflecting his significant contributions to superconducting magnet innovation. His work supports the advancement of next-generation research instrumentation critical to scientific discovery in chemistry, biology and materials science.

He leads a $1.2 million, four-year research project funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to develop ultra-high-field NMR magnets using multifilament high-temperature superconductors. Through his research, Trociewitz continues to push the technological boundaries of magnet design, strengthening the nation’s leadership in advanced scientific infrastructure.

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The Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and the Florida State University College of Medicine will recognize Rare Disease Day this week with a symposium and panel discussion, featuring experts in genomics and its clinical application.

“We are committed to fostering collaboration and innovation to improve the lives of those affected by rare diseases through groundbreaking research, education and strong partnerships,” said Pradeep Bhide, director of the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases, or IPRD. “This gathering provides a vital platform for advancing the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.”

Dr. Eric Green will deliver the keynote address following comments from FSU President Richard McCullough, College of Medicine Dean Dr. Alma Littles and Florida Rep. Adam Anderson. A physician-scientist, Green spent more than three decades with the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, serving as its director from 2009-2025. He recently joined Illumina as its chief medical officer, where he remains committed to advancing genomics to improve the human condition.

Sarah South, executive scientific director at Quest Diagnostics, will join Green, McCullough and Anderson for a roundtable discussion, which will be moderated by IPRD’s Associate Director for Precision Medicine, David Ledbetter. Poster presentations of ongoing IPRD-funded research and a reception will follow.

Observed annually on the last day in February, Rare Disease Day is a global movement raising awareness for the estimated 300 million people diagnosed with one of more than 6,000 identified rare diseases. Its goal is to ensure equitable access to diagnosis, treatment, health care and social support for those affected.

This marks the third Rare Disease Day event at the College of Medicine since Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the July 2023 State budget appropriation, championed by Anderson, establishing IPRD.

The event, which will be streamed live, will be held:

Friday, Feb. 28

10 A.M. – 12 P.M.

Durell Peaden Auditorium

FSU College of Medicine

John Thrasher Building

1115 W. Call St.

Tallahassee, Florida

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