VGTI Florida researchers are studying the human immune system with the goal of preventing and treating infectious diseases, cancer and ailments that disproportionately affect ageing populations. To quote our mission statement “VGTI Florida is Translating Research into Health”.  The researchers at the institute aim to identify the mechanisms that allow some individuals to control infections or cancers leading to a slowly progressing disease or in some cases to a remission or a cure while others develop symptoms, aggressive disease and death. An efficient immune response to pathogens and / or tumors involves the highly orchestrated interaction of multiple cells and molecules.

The emphasis of VGTI Florida is on translation of original laboratory discoveries into innovative clinical treatments to improve human health.  VGTI Florida is one of the internationally acclaimed research institutes invited to locate to Florida as part of a State-sponsored initiative to enhance biomedical research in Florida.  Our research scientists enjoy outstanding benefits and salary with no state income tax, an intellectually stimulating work environment with new laboratories, high quality of life in affordable housing, and natural beauty of the sunny Atlantic coast of Florida. 

VGTI Florida occupies a new 100,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art and LEED gold certified research building in Port St. Lucie just north of Palm Beach.  Cutting-edge shared cores include Genomics, Flow Cytometry, Bioinformatics, and BSL3/ABSL3 containment facilities.  VGTI Florida is ideally located in a Biotech cluster than includes many other top research institutes within a short driving distance.  These include Scripps Research Institute of Florida, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, and the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, among others.  VGTI Florida also has ongoing basic, translational and clinical collaborations with the University of Miami, Moffitt Cancer Center, and the Martin Health Systems.