The BIO5 Flinn Scholar Research Experience connects nine first-year students with mentors across the University of Arizona to pursue scientific projects shaped by their interests.

BIO5 members Vignesh Subbian and Tyson L Swetnam are part of a 14-member University of Arizona team developing artificial intelligence–powered medical kiosks for rapid deployment in pharmacies and community centers. The project, Convergent Digital Health for Remote Access, or CoDiRA, is part of the Office of Research and Partnership’s inaugural Big Idea Challenge and aims to expand access to care beyond urgent care, emergency visits, and basic video platforms.

BIO5 members Brian Erstad and Bonnie LaFleur are leading a Phase 3 University of Arizona clinical trial to study whether rapamycin can support healthy aging and immune function in adults 65 and older, made possible by $12 million in philanthropic support from alumnus Ken Coit.

The University of Arizona BIO5 Institute, a leader in collaborative bioscience research, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2026 with celebrations throughout the year, beginning with the Behind BIO5 event on Thursday, April 9.

BIO5 member Winslow Burleson was named a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, recognizing his work in interactive technologies that support learning and human performance, according to Tech Launch Arizona.

BIO5 member Rachna Shroff is honored through a new endowment at the University of Arizona Cancer Center that recognizes compassionate, patient-centered care in clinical science, supporting future researchers dedicated to empathy in medicine.

Chandrasekaran “Arun” Sambamurthy at the University of Arizona studies how the parasite Toxoplasma survives inside the human brain, research shaped in part by the BIO5 Postdoctoral Fellowship.

BIO5 member Roberta Brinton leads a National Institute on Aging training grant that supports University of Arizona graduate students in translational Alzheimer’s disease research, helping them gain the skills needed to turn laboratory discoveries into future treatments.

BIO5 member Deepta Bhattacharya is part of a University of Arizona research team developing gene-edited stem cells designed to avoid immune rejection, a breakthrough that could enable cell therapies for Type 1 diabetes without lifelong anti-rejection drugs.

Two scientists combine complementary strengths in RNA biology and aging neuron research to advance new approaches in studying ALS, supported by the University of Arizona BIO5 Institute.