University of Utah Health Research

Have you listened to the latest Groundbreakers episode?

Rachel Hess, Erin Rothwell, and Cornelia Ulrich reflect on leadership, mentorship, and navigating change while building meaningful careers in research.

Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/4aVa5ZV and Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4d4MRBQ.

Group of Scientists led by Mei Koh, PhD, in lab coats layered top of a graphic.

Scientists have identified that a protein called HAF appears to protect the liver from the changes that link fat accumulation to cancer development and is present in healthy livers.

Learn how protecting fatty livers may shape new approaches to liver cancer treatment. https://bit.ly/40d794I

The Collaborative Research Catalyst Awards RFP is now available. An information session will be held on March 19, and applications are due April 14. Additional details can be found in the RFP within the application portal. https://utah.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/2008575

2026 STAT Madness 2026 bracket Welcome to STAT Madness, a bracket-style contest to find the best innovation in science and medicine. Explore groundbreaking innovations from

Round 1 is on. STAT Madness starts now! Brackets. Competition. Research.
Vote for our own Summers and Holland Investigational Team in Knocking out acute kidney injury
Help @UUtah advance. Vote daily at @statnews.
#STATMadness https://www.statnews.com/feature/stat-madness/bracket-voting-now-open/

Building Systems of Care Around the Whole Person What happens when health care meets people where they are? Nurse researchers are connecting life circumstances with clinical care to improve patient outcomes.

Read the recent University of Utah Health Notes blog, Building Systems of Care Around the Whole Person, to learn more about Andrea Wallace, PhD, RN, FAAN, her NIH lecture, and her work in this area. https://bit.ly/40uLrJm

Pioneering the Future 2026, “Unlocking Secrets in Cells to Advance Health.” Scientists track molecules in real time, discover factors that help fatty livers resist cancer and explore how marine organisms create compounds that could lead to new medicines. Experience the story: https://bit.ly/46dKitd

Research at University of Utah Health YouTube video by U of U Health

A clear look at the work behind the science and why it matters.
Worth a watch. @uofuhealth.bsky.social https://youtu.be/YdGkC0c44k8?si=Wwvld7SOXUwtzzlA

Creating an impact university - @theU University of Utah President Taylor Randall shares his higher education philosophy with Utah lawmakers during his annual legislative presentation.

University of Utah and University of Utah Health hosted a Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee meeting on campus, with research table exhibits before and lab tours after. A great morning of engagement and conversation. https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/creating-an-impact-university/

Banning lead in gas worked. The proof is in our hair - @theU Researchers analyzed samples of Utahns' hair going back a century to document a 100-fold decrease in lead concentrations.

Researchers analyzed samples of Utahns' hair going back a century to document a 100-fold decrease in lead concentrations. Read more about the research. https://attheu.utah.edu/health-medicine/banning-lead-in-gas-worked-the-proof-is-in-our-hair/

Sleep your way to Mars: How hibernation could redefine space travel and medicine | CNN Animals can hibernate, slowing down most metabolic functions — heart rate, blood flow, brain activity, and body temperature — then waking as if nothing happened. Humans have never done this, but what ...

University of Utah Health researchers share insights on hibernation research and its potential implications for space travel and human health. www.cnn.com/2025/12/17/h...

False-color brain images showing the average change in inflammation from the start to the end of the season within the group receiving the placebo treatment. Red corresponds to greatest increase in inflammation. Image credit: Hannah Lindsey, PhD.

A preliminary study with 26 football players suggests that near-infrared light therapy could prevent brain inflammation caused by repetitive impacts. Read the full article to learn more about the study. https://bit.ly/4qNXGMR

Sleep your way to Mars: How hibernation could redefine space travel and medicine | CNN Animals can hibernate, slowing down most metabolic functions — heart rate, blood flow, brain activity, and body temperature — then waking as if nothing happened. Humans have never done this, but what ...

Fascinating @cnn.com @drsanjaygupta.bsky.social story featuring neurobiologist Christopher Gregg @uuhsresearch.bsky.social and @huntsmancancer.bsky.social.

Can we unlock the metabolic benefits of hibernation to extend life or save it?
www.cnn.com/2025/12/17/h...

Scientists Discover a Hidden RNA “Aging Clock” in Human Sperm The molecular contents of sperm go through similar shifts over time in both mice and humans, which may lead to a rapid, dramatic shift at mid-life.

New research from University of Utah Health has shown that the RNA contents of sperm go through similar shifts over time in both mice and humans, which may lead to a rapid, dramatic shift at mid-life. https://bit.ly/4qy5VMI

Screenshot of part of the Deaf Diabetes Can Together homepage. Different sections are labeled with GIFs by Ryan Layton of Access Simplified LLC. Image credit: Deaf Diabetes Can Together / University of Utah Health

Deaf people face three times the risk for diabetes, yet access to health information in ASL has been limited. A new diabetes website designed primarily in ASL aims to change that. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4pMj5od

Breathing Great Salt Lake Dust | Research Discovery | UUH Air pollution is a daily reality for residents living along Utah’s Wasatch Front. A new study shows that dust from dried areas of the Great Salt Lake is not just a nuisance - it is a potential health ...

A new study from Dr. Christopher Reilly and his team in the University of Utah Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology shows that dust from dried areas of the Great Salt Lake is more than a nuisance—it is a potential health hazard: https://bit.ly/49MYXMC

New ALS Treatment Target Identified University of Utah research

Lowering the level of a key protein protects brain cells from neurodegeneration by blocking a "self-destruct" cell death pathway. Learn more: https://medicine.utah.edu/neurology/news/2026/01/new-als-treatment-target-identified

Faculty, researchers, and graduate students: share your research through a single image or short video. Prizes up to $600.

Submit to the Image of Research competition by January 24: https://blog.lib.utah.edu/image-of-research/

A new path from lab to patient - @theU U researchers turn basic research into a national model that fast-tracks lifesaving therapies toward FDA approval.

U researchers turn basic research into a national model that fast-tracks lifesaving therapies toward FDA approval. Read the full story: https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/a-new-path-from-lab-to-patient/

View events and register today: https://bit.ly/4aNhTx9

After surgery to help treat her arthritis, the Vetlen Pouch helped this mare heal up without complications

A new surgical device developed through @uuhsresearch.bsky.social is saving animals’ lives by helping them heal from serious, hard-to-treat infections—and providing a proof of concept for potential use in people.

📰 attheu.utah.edu/health-medic...

Congratulations to Kaelan Sullivan, a neuroscience graduate student mentored by Jason Shepherd, PhD, on being named a Neuroscience Scholars Program Fellow by the Society for Neuroscience!
More information about the fellowship:
https://www.sfn.org/initiatives/community/neuroscience-scholars-program

Epilepsy statistic and photo of lab work

Epilepsy statistic and photo of lab work

Epilepsy statistic about the ADD program and photo of lab work.

Quote from Karen Wilcox

For 5 decades, @uofuhealth.bsky.social has been at the forefront of epilepsy research. Since 1975 dedicated researchers have focused on developing better treatments for this complex condition. See how the Anticonvulsant Drug Development Program is improving lives. uofuhealth.utah.edu/newsroom/new...

Wesley Sundquist will speak about the HIV capsid and its role in Lenacapavir during his keynote address at the 2026 ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7–10, in Maryland.
➡️Check out the program and learn more about his research: www.asbmb.org/annual-meeti....
☑️Register by Feb. 3 to secure the early rate.

Many Who Die by Suicide Aren’t Depressed, Genetic Research Suggests A new genetic study found that people in a group of unexpected suicides aren’t just flying under the clinical radar via lower access to psychiatric services—their underlying risk factors may be fundam...

Many who die by suicide aren’t depressed, genetic research suggests | Results challenge common beliefs about suicide risk and show that new approaches are urgently needed. Read the full research story: healthcare.utah.edu/newsroom/new...

U Health logo layered over health campus

Two great resources for the U of U Health Research community: ChatGPT Edu (a university-centered generative AI tool for campus use) https://bit.ly/4oX0c2a+ + wide-ranging support from the Health Research Office. https://bit.ly/3LW6z7u

Researcher showing a smartphone screen displaying a telehealth program.

1 in 5 new moms experience depression during pregnancy or after giving birth. University of Utah Health is supporting moms across Utah through research and outreach. Hear how this program helped one mother and her family. https://bit.ly/4r1HN5W

Congratulations to five @utah.edu scientists, recognized as some of the most highly cited researchers in the world, whose work spans nearly every corner of campus! attheu.utah.edu/announcement...

New Drug Protects Mitochondria and Prevents Kidney Injury in Mice If the drug works in people, it could prevent kidney injury in high-risk populations, or potentially even treat other diseases that affect mitochondria, like heart failure and diabetes.

Researchers have found that AKI is triggered by ceramides, which cause serious injury by damaging kidney mitochondria. Using a backup drug candidate that changes ceramide metabolism, the team was able to preserve mitochondrial integrity and prevent kidney injury in mice. https://bit.ly/3XgUIn3

Mario Capecchi, PhD, annotates diagrams of microglia in the brain. Image credit: Charlie Ehlert / University of Utah Health.

Cells in the brain's immune system can act as "accelerators" and "brakes" for anxiety, opening the door to new treatments for anxiety disorders.

Learn more about the "Research in Mice Reveals Brain Cells That Drive—And Prevent—Anxiety" https://bit.ly/4i6RcFd

Honoring Veterans and 100 Years of VA Research From the pacemaker to pioneering prosthetics, VA research has changed lives for a century. Learn how U of U Health’s partnership with the VA honors veterans through discovery and innovation.

From the pacemaker to pioneering prosthetics, VA research has changed lives for a century. Learn how U of U Health’s partnership with the VA honors veterans through discovery and innovation. https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/notes/2025/11/honoring-veterans-and-100-years-of-va-research