If you are in a special relationship with another person, thank grandma – not just yours, but all grandmothers since humans evolved. University of Utah anthropologist Kristen Hawkes is known for the “grandmother hypothesis,” which credits prehistoric grandmothering for our long human lifespan. Now, Hawkes has used computer simulations to link grandmothering and longevity to […]

Imagine not having access to the Internet, a cellphone or even a place to call home. Not having access to these basics can deprive a person of social interaction, education, health care and so much more. As of 2014, this was the reality for nearly 600,000 people across the nation, with over 13,000 people in […]

On this first day of fall semester, the University of Utah launched a new program aimed at improving educational achievement for women. Since the Women’s Enrollment Initiative was announced in October 2014, organizers have established campus and community partnerships that will provide resources such as mentorship, sponsorship and internships for women students and developed a […]

Marilyn Luptak, an associate professor at the University of Utah College of Social Work, has been selected by the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work to receive the organization’s Leadership Award. This prestigious national award recognizes a distinguished social work scholar who has made outstanding contributions to the field of aging through research, teaching […]

The BIG LoVE (Utah Better Identification of Germs-Longitudinal Viral Epidemiology) study, led by scientists at the University of Utah School of Medicine, finds that each bundle of joy puts the entire household at increased risk for infection with viruses that cause colds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses. People living in childless households were infected with […]

As grasses grew more common in Africa, most major mammal groups tried grazing on them at times during the past 4 million years, but some of the animals went extinct or switched back to browsing on trees and shrubs, according to a study led by the University of Utah. “It’s as if in a city, […]

Kiplinger recently named Salt Lake City among the top 10 places to retire in 2015. While Kiplinger lauded Salt Lake’s low cost of living, stunning scenery, vibrant city life and light-rail system, there is yet another reason Salt Lake is an excellent place for those 50 and over: The University of Utah’s Osher Lifelong Learning […]

For the first time, researchers in a mid-size city have shown that pedestrian activity increases when streets have classic urban design qualities and elements such as windows overlooking the sidewalks, small and uniform building setbacks, courtyards, outdoor dining and buildings with identifying elements. In the study, published in the Journal of Urban Design, researchers at […]

A new study, led by the Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Health Care System and the University of Utah and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests that differences in the routines of individual providers drives variation in antibiotic prescribing more than differences in patient characteristics, standards of practice at different hospitals, or clinical settings (emergency department, primary care, urgent care). The findings are an important step toward understanding the problem of antibiotic overuse, a major public health concern given the rise in antibiotic-resistant “superbugs”.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah its Comprehensive Cancer Center status, the highest designation possible. The announcement was made today in an award letter from NCI to Dr. Mary Beckerle, HCI’s CEO and director. The award was the result of an extensive review process that culminated in a full-day on-site visit by national cancer research experts and thought leaders in the fourth quarter of 2014.