Health & Medicine

U Of U Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health Receives $8.4 M for Training and Research

The University of Utah’s Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH), the first statutorily established occupational health center in the U. S., has won a $8.43 million, 5-year grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to train graduate students and residents and conduct research in occupational safety and health. […]


Genetic tools uncover cause of childhood seizure disorder missed by other methods

Early childhood seizures result from a rare disease that begin in the first months of life. Researchers at University of Utah Health have developed high-tech tools to uncover the genetic cause of the most difficult to diagnose cases. The results are available online on Aug. 13 in the journal Nature Genomic Medicine. “These tools let […]


Utah artificial heart pioneer dies

Don B. Olsen, a key member of the University of Utah team that developed and implanted the world’s first artificial heart, passed away Aug. 5 at his Cottonwood Heights, Utah, home of causes incident to age. He was 88. Olsen, who was Professor Emeritus in the U’s departments of biomedical engineering and surgery as well […]


Lessons from Flies: Genetic Diversity Impacts Disease Severity

New research offers clues as to why some diseases are highly variable between individuals. The phenomenon is apparent in people with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that causes the light-sensing cells in the eye to degenerate. While some only develop night blindness, others completely lose their sight, even when their condition is caused by the same […]


Michael L. Good appointed senior vice president for health sciences at the University of Utah

University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins has appointed Michael L. Good, M.D., as the university’s new senior vice president for health sciences, CEO of University of Utah Health, and executive dean of the U’s School of Medicine. Good, who currently serves as the dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine, replaces interim […]


University of Utah announces creation of Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chairs

Six of 12 new presidential faculty chairs at the University of Utah were named Tuesday, June 19, with the remaining six to be named next year. Announced in October by the U and the Huntsman Family Foundation, the Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chairs are named for the late businessman, philanthropist and founder of the Huntsman […]


$5 Million to Fund Tools that Encourage Doctors and Patients to Make Medical Decisions Together

With a $5 million grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the American Heart Association, University of Utah Health is leading a center to develop and test tools that spur constructive conversations between health care providers and patients. Specifically, the decision aids will help patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and their providers navigate […]


Common Antidepressents Are Less Effective at High Altitudes, Rodent Study Suggests

Three common antidepressants – Paxil (paroxetine), Lexapro (escitalopram), and Prozac (fluoxetine) – could be less effective at high elevations, suggests research involving lab rats and led by scientists at University of Utah Health. When rats were placed in conditions that simulate moderate-high altitudes, the three pharmaceuticals failed to suppress behaviors that model human depression. By […]


Utah’s Top Science and Technology Honor Awarded to U Biochemist Dana Carroll

University of Utah Health biochemist Dana Carroll is one of four honorees who will be awarded the 2018 Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology. “These medal recipients are defined by their tireless passion and service to promoting science, technology and innovation here in Utah,” said Gov. Herbert in a statement. “These individuals’ contributions in scientific advancement […]


New fund to advance commercialization at University of Utah

The Center for Technology & Venture Commercialization at the University of Utah announced a new funding program for early stage technology development and commercialization. The University of Utah Seed Fund will allocate up to $1 million to help university researchers develop promising technologies, enable commercialization and attract additional funding sources. The fund will be focused […]