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CIPHER is a university-wide research center with constituents from the College of Computing and Informatics, Klein College of Science, College of Engineering, College of Health and Human Services, and the College of Education. Our goals are to coalesce expertise in computer science, bioinformatics, software and information systems, biological sciences, math, geography, public health, data science, education, and communications.
Featured News
Former Student and Biotech Investor Makes Major Contribution to UNC Charlotte
Biotech entrepreneur RA Session II, a UNC Charlotte alumnus and former student athlete, has made a significant donation to establish the RA Session II School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation within the Belk College of Business.
Part of the gift includes renaming the university’s Bioinformatics building to Session Family Hall. The new school will bring together the campus co-working spaces and innovation centers to provide students with expanded mentorship, practical startup experience, and local business network connections.
Other Top Stories
Charlotte: The medtech market you might be missing
The Charlotte region is rapidly emerging as a premier hub for the medical technology and life sciences sectors, boasting over 160 companies and a 24% growth rate since 2015. According to a recent industry analysis commissioned by the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, the area has built a highly competitive, manufacturing-led health innovation ecosystem. Supported by major healthcare anchor institutions, an expansive STEM and medical graduate pipeline, and major investments like Eli Lilly’s campus and The Pearl innovation district, Charlotte offers a cost-effective, talent-rich alternative to legacy biotech hubs.
Read the full story on the Charlotte Business Journal.
Landmark study unmasks the 65-million-year origins of bats
Laurel Yohe, Ph.D., assistant professor of bioinformatics at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is among the co-authors of a landmark study of bat genomes published this week in Nature. The study is the largest combined bat genome and fossil study ever undertaken. Led by the international Bat1K consortium, including 137 researchers from 64 countries, the study combined 103 bat genomes, representing every one of the 21 recognized bat families, with 44 fossil specimens.
Working to make sure residents aren’t exposed to diseases transmitted by ticks
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — In the summer most people avoid bugs, but UNC Charlotte Associate Professor Rafael Vieira and his students hope to find some.
“The ticks, they tend to be on the vegetation waiting for an opportunity for when an animal or person passes by,” Vieira said. “This is when they bite us, and they can transmit to us diseases that we don’t want.”
Student researchers like Ieman Khan go to Cowan’s Ford Wildlife Refuge weekly in search for ticks.
Bats, busted myths and the science behind their superpowers
Bats are a familiar sight around Halloween, often portrayed as spooky creatures to be feared. Like spiders, they’re frequently misunderstood, despite their important role in the ecosystem. Bats help control insect populations, pollinate plants and disperse seeds, making them valuable to ecosystems around the world.
In this Q&A, UNC Charlotte bat researcher Laurel Yohe discusses what makes these animals so fascinating, clears up common misconceptions and shares highlights from her research in the field and the lab.
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Check out the CIPHER Podcast
explores the cutting-edge interdisciplinary research happening at UNC Charlotte’s CIPHER Research Center. Each episode features an in-depth interview with one of CIPHER’s researchers, allowing them to discuss their background, current projects, and the exciting team science approach they take to tackle complex issues at the intersection of health, environment, data science, genomics, infectious disease, and more.
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