Whitney Laboratory

Whitney Laboratory Director and Professor of Biology Dr. Veronica Hinman was featured in the Action News Jax story - "UF Research into Sea Stars Could Help Unlock Human Regeneration of Cells" actionnewsjax.com/news/local/uf-…

The University of Florida launches the $41.2 million, 38,000-square-foot @Whitney_Lab Marine Research Center, more than doubling research space and expanding capacity for marine science, education and conservation. 🙌 🐢 news.ufl.edu/2026/04/whitne…

Just back from the Simulated Bodies workshop @JaneliaHHMI. Great to catch up with dear old friends and meet new ones. Bonus: Michael Dickinson’s biomechanics standup-lecture. Bringing ideas and good vibes back to @Whitney_Lab and @UF.

I’ve always been impressed with the research drive of my postdocs, but equally impressed with their Halloween fish origami creativity for our lab door! Thanks Ishani, Fan and Zihou for keeping it spooky…. @Whitney_Lab @UF

A new study from @SoilWaterSci, @Whitney_Lab & @SJRWMD shows how biosolids-treated sandy soils release #phosphorus over time after examining recent & former application sights. #SoilScience #Biosolids #Agriculture #WaterQuality acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.100…

Getting some love from my home journal— beyond honored 🙏🐟 “We are highlighting James Liao, who was awarded the 2024 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics for his 2004 @J_Exp_Biol study, as an extraordinary biologist.” #100biologists @Harvard @UF @Whitney_Lab @IgNobel @SICB_

Now Hiring! We seek a creative, collaborative scientist whose research harnesses or advances cutting-edge tools, including AI, data science, robotics, biophysics, computer vision, advanced imaging, multi-omics, chemical biology, and synthetic biology. explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/5372…

Flagler County youth explored Florida’s coastal and freshwater ecosystems during the 🍀4-H Marine Science Camp, led by Florida Sea Grant Ext. Agent Carolyn Kovacs and Agriculture and UF/IFAS Natural Resources Agent George Laibl. 🐠🌊 Highlights included examining plankton under the microscope, learning to throw a cast net, visiting the UF Whitney sea turtle hospital and the Welaka National Fish Hatchery, and hands-on activities to learn about sustainability and water quality. Learn more about Florida Sea Grant’s marine and coastal education programs and initiatives here: bit.ly/3U89koj #SeaGrantSTEM

Such a great accomplishment!

On #WorldSeaTurtleDay and every day we celebrate @Whitney_Lab’s Sea Turtle Hospital. Catherine Eastman and her team rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles. Partnering with David Duffy, they also study turtle tumors and plastic pollution to better understand marine and human health.

Researchers @Whitney_Lab have used shotgun sequencing to monitor and track biodiversity, genetic diversity and pathogens from airborne eDNA >>> biotechniques.com/pcr-sequencing…

Vacuuming DNA from the air, @Whitney_Lab researchers have found a groundbreaking way to monitor wildlife and help revolutionize conservation science at @UF. news.ufl.edu/2025/06/air-en…

The city of Dublin is famous for its lively pub culture and traditional music, but a new study led by David Duffy from @UF reveals the city's air also contains traces of substances like cannabis and magic mushrooms, detected through environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis.

Duffy’s lab at @Whitney_Lab originally developed new methods for deciphering environmental DNA to study sea turtle genetics. They have now expanded these eDNA methods to monitor DNA from humans, wildlife, and pathogens without direct contact. news.ufl.edu/2025/06/air-en…

Rescue of limited regeneration in a marine annelid model. 'Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes posterior axial regeneration in non-regenerative tissue of the annelid Capitella teleta' by @_lauren_k__ @Whitney_Lab @SocDevBio @UF sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Last week, representatives from Florida Sea Grant (FSG), Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), and the UF Whitney Laboratory participated in the Marine Finfish Aquaculture Summit, hosted by the Florida Marine Aquaculture Coalition. The summit brought together a diverse group of aquaculture industry professionals committed to advancing sustainable aquaculture in Florida. FSG Aquaculture Marketing & Communications Specialist, Emily Riewestahl gave a presentation about the HARVEST program. Her talk featured examples of student interns who have gained hands-on experience in the finfish sector, underscoring the importance of workforce development in aquaculture.🐟🌊 We’re grateful to the Florida Marine Aquaculture Coalition for organizing this valuable event and look forward to continued partnerships that support innovation and sustainability in marine aquaculture.

A developmental biologist, Mark Q. Martindale spent 12 years running his lab and directing UF's @Whitney_Lab. He was drawn to @UF due to its strong interest in Whitney and its unique environment, which he describes as a "living laboratory."

He also investigates biomineralization, aiming to apply his findings to human health. He collaborates with a @MayoClinic cardiologist to explore removing calcifying proteins from human blood, embodying Whitney Lab's mission to learn from nature for the benefit of human health.

“The idea is to learn from nature about how things work so that they can be utilized to impact human health,” he says. To learn more about Martindale's research at the @Whitney_Lab, visit: explore.research.ufl.edu/secrets-of-the…

Let's celebrate the World Sea Turtle Day and show our mother earth that we do care! 🐢 🌎 Join us to this Beach Clean-up event on June 14th at the @Whitney_Lab in St. Augustine. Pizza and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided after the cleaning.