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U chemistry in SPAAAAAAACE!

If humanity is going to push the boundaries of space exploration, we’re going to need plants to come along for the ride. Not just spinach or potatoes, though—plants can do so much more than just feed us. A science experiment aiming to demonstrate plants’ capabilities in space has arrived at the International Space Station and […]


Researcher Receives $2.5M to study Alzheimer’s disease from Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative

Jason Shepherd, assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy at University of Utah Health, is one of 17 recipients of the inaugural Ben Barres Early Career Acceleration Award from the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative. The Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, and his wife Priscilla Chan to provide new solutions to human disease. A […]


White House Names University of Utah Bioethicist Maureen Condic to Six-Year Term on National Science Board

Maureen L. Condic, associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at University of Utah Health and University Ombudsman, has been named a member of the National Science Board by President Donald J. Trump. Condic is to be one of seven new appointees to the 25-member board who are selected for their eminence in […]


University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins announces review team

University of Utah President Ruth V. Watkins today announced details of two separate, in-depth reviews into campus safety stemming from the tragic murder of U student Lauren McCluskey. President Watkins said John T. Nielsen has agreed to lead the team for both reviews. Nielsen is a former commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety […]


Dark Sky Expert List

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U forest ecologist wins prestigious Packard Fellowship

William Anderegg, an assistant professor of biology, has received one of 18 Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for his research on the effects of climate change and drought on forests. Packard Fellows receive a five-year, $875,000 grant to pursue research directions of their choosing. The Packard Foundation […]


A mission to solve medical mysteries

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has designated University of Utah Health as one of a dozen medical centers in the national Undiagnosed Disease Network (UDN), dedicated to finding answers for patients with undiagnosed diseases. U of U Health will receive $3 million over four years to develop new technologies and clinical strategies for solving […]


Simulations enable “choose-your-own-adventure” stereochemistry

Stereochemistry is a science of reflection. Two chemical molecules with the same composition and structure, but with one as the mirror image of the other, can produce wildly varying effects. Controlling which molecule emerges from a given reaction is a critical, but sometimes poorly understood, process. But University of Utah chemist Matt Sigman has been […]


Diverse forests are stronger against drought

Diversity is strength, even among forests. In a paper published in Nature, researchers led by University of Utah biologist William Anderegg report that forests with trees that employ a high diversity of traits related to water use suffer less of an impact from drought. The results, which expand on previous work that looked at individual […]


Birds retreating from climate change, deforestation in Honduras cloud forests

The cloud forests of Honduras can seem like an otherworldly place, where the trees are thick with life that takes in water straight from the air around it, and the soundscape is littered with the calls of animals singing back and forth. Otherworldly, yes, but scientists have found that the cloud forests are not immune […]