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A national authority in hematology will soon lead Hematology and Hematological Malignancies at Huntsman Cancer Institute and University of Utah Health. Dr. Ramiro Garzon’s focus is patients with leukemia and researching the molecular mechanisms of these cancers. Garzon’s major focuses include developing new treatment for cancers that begin in blood forming tissue such as the bone marrow or in the cells of the immune system. He explains his research and clinical goals.

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Jeffrey Nadel, M.D., M.S., a neurosurgical resident at University of Utah Health, will serve in Washington, D.C. as one of 15 individuals appointed by President Joe Biden to the 2022-2023 class of White House Fellows.

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A fungus that is a common cause of fungal meningitis undergoes a remarkable transformation once it enters the body, allowing it to infect the brain, according to new research by scientists at University of Utah Health. Studies in mice show that as the fungal intruder travels through the body, it shrinks and acquires characteristics that help infection to spread, all in a matter of days. The discovery could lead to new strategies for blocking Cryptococcus neoformans infection and preventing detrimental effects on the host.

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Huntsman Cancer Institute has been awarded $300,000 from the American Cancer Society. This grant will expand Huntsman Cancer Institute’s patient navigation program to rural areas throughout Utah, Montana, and Wyoming. Patient navigators provide information about what to expect, coordinate appointments, connect to resources, and faciliate communication between the patient and health care team.

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A genetic variation identified in a group of families who are prone to diabetes and kidney failure increases the levels of a type of fat, called ceramides. Therapeutics that prevent this change could be beneficial more broadly to anyone at risk for these conditions.

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People of color are experiencing significant delays when they try to obtain a more targeted and effective form of radiation therapy, according to a Huntsman Cancer Institute study published in JCO Oncology Practice. The study examined racial disparities in the use of intensity modulated radiation therapy, a high-precision method that minimizes damage to surrounding tissue.

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A University of Utah Health-led multi-institutional research center that studies the inner workings and vulnerabilities of HIV, the human immunodeficieny virus that causes AIDS, recently received a five-year, $28 million grant renewal from the National Institutes of Health.

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A new Huntsman Cancer Institute study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology shows frequent aspirin use is linked with lower ovarian cancer risk in people with multiple risk factors. Britton Trabert, PhD, MS, investigator in the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program explains her research, how she hopes it improves potential preventive measures, and what lies ahead.

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An international team of 18 researchers have determined that the earliest cases of COVID-19 in humans arose at a wholesale fish market in Wuhan China in December, 2019. They linked these cases to bats, foxes and other live mammals infected with the virus sold in the market either for consumption as meat or for their fur.

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Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah welcomes Aik Choon Tan as the first Senior Director of Data Science. “I feel honored and humbled to be joining an exceptional cancer center to implement cancer data science ideas and put them into practice.”

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Physicians tend to have unrealistic expectations of the success of multi-step medical procedures, according to a new nationwide study conducted by University of Utah Health scientists and their collaborators. They say inflated estimates of success could adversely influence treatment decisions and lead to unintended harm to patients.

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A newly developed test could help doctors more accurately predict whether individuals who undergo gastric bypass surgery will experience a remission of type 2 diabetes within two years of the procedure, according to University of Utah Health scientists.

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Inherited mutations in the BRCA1 gene can significantly increase a person’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer—but not every mutation is harmful. Researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute evaluated hundreds of different mutations and in a published study, Sean Tavtigian, PhD, explains how this information can be used to better understand and manage individual cancer risk.

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University of Utah researchers are at the forefront of an effort to create more efficient communications system in Rwanda capable locating patients faster, stabilizing them quickly, and directing the ambulance to the right hospital. In time, the researchers say these improvements could be implemented in other low- or middle-income countries

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The bottom of the ocean is full of mysteries but scientists have recently uncovered one of its best-kept secrets. For 25 years, drug hunters have been searching for the source of a natural chemical that had shown promise in initial studies for treating cancer. Now, researchers at University of Utah Health report that easy-to-find soft corals make the elusive compound.

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Scientists have revived light-sensing neuron cells in organ donor eyes and restored communication between them as part of a series of discoveries that stand to transform brain and vision research.

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Huntsman Cancer Institute announced a formal expansion of its reach to include Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming, in addition to Utah. This historic expansion means the National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center serves the research needs of a geographic area that encompasses 17% of the United States. This formalizes Huntsman Cancer Institute's longstanding commitment to improving service and care for patients in rural areas.

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Preventing the formation of a sticky, web-like substance that can form in blood vessels after a stroke could protect the brain and lead to better outcomes for patients, studies in mice suggest. The research was reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and led by scientists at University of Utah Health.

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A new study led by researchers at University of Utah Health details a novel mechanism that infectious bacteria use to quickly adjust to environmental stress. The discovery could help explain why certain types of common infections—such as urinary tract and bloodstream infections like sepsis—are hard to get rid of.

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Scientists have created a modified form of human insulin that they hope could give patients with diabetes better, more immediate control over their blood sugar.

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Parenting is not the only way moms and dads impact the behavior of their offspring. Genes matter, too. According to new research led by scientists at University of Utah Health, genes from each parent has their own impact on hormones and other chemical messengers that control mood and behavior. The finding leads to a better understanding of genetic factors that shape behavior, a step toward developing better diagnoses and treatments for psychiatric disorders.

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University of Utah Health researchers are leading a five-year, $22-million nationwide clinical trial for NMDA receptor encephalitis––a type of autoimmune encephalitis that prompts the immune system to mistakenly attack the brain, causing confusion, memory loss, seizures, and symptoms similar to bipolar disorder and other psychiatric conditions.

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Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute are developing breast cancer models using tumors donated by patients to narrow the number of drugs that might be effective in each tumor based on the unique characteristics and behavior in these models of cancer.

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Pregnant individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are about 40% more likely to develop serious complications or die during pregnancy than those who aren’t infected with the virus, according to a nationwide study led by a University of Utah Health obstetrician.

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The ColoCare Study, a major international study of colorectal cancer, has received a five-year renewal and $10 million to fund colorectal cancer treatment innovations. This next phase of the project will use research findings from the ColoCare Study to develop new medical interventions.

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For the first time, University of Utah Health scientists have shown that artificial intelligence could lead to better ways to predict the onset and course of cardiovascular disease.

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University of Utah Health scientists are testing a new contraceptive gel for men. Based on preliminary research, the scientists believe the hormonal gel decreases a man’s sperm production––reducing his chances of fathering a child––without decreasing his sex drive.

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Children conceived through medically assisted reproduction are more likely to be born premature and are at greater risk of being born small than naturally conceived babies, according to new research. However, the study of almost 250,000 U.S. families finds that differences in birth weight and pregnancy term between medically assisted reproduction (MAR) – including techniques such as IVF treatment, artificial insemination and fertility-enhancing drugs – and naturally conceived children become insignificant once family circumstances are considered.

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Huntsman Cancer Institute and University of Utah Health welcome Amit Maity, MD, PhD, to serve as professor and chair of the department of radiation oncology for the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah. Maity is a physician-scientist who currently serves at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

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Autism prevalence among 8-year-old Utah children has risen by nearly 30% in less than a decade, according to a study of 11 communities nationwide, including Salt Lake City and surrounding counties, led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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The University of Utah post-COVID-19 care clinic has evaluated more than 80 Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) patients a week since opening.

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University of Utah Health scientists have documented the spread of a disease gene for the atrial fibrillation, a heart arrhythmia, across continents and over centuries. Understanding the geographic distribution and ancestry of disease could help identify people who are at risk today.

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New research suggests that in most regions, with the exception of the South, opening schools for in-person learning was not associated with an increase in COVID-19 case rates in the community.

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New research addresses the misconception that children are less susceptible to infection with the new coronavirus. According to a recent report in JAMA Pediatrics, children and adults have similar risks of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2, but a much larger proportion of infected children do not show symptoms of COVID-19. When one household member is infected, there is a 52% chance they will transmit it to at least one other person with whom they live.

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University of Utah Health scientists are on the leading edge of a pair of large studies investigating the long-term effects of COVID-19. The nationwide studies, supported by the National Institutes of Health, will attempt to answer key questions about the lingering effects of the viral disorder on pregnant individuals and their infants, as well as why some people develop post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), including “long COVID,” and others don’t.

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An artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology rapidly diagnoses rare disorders in critically ill children with high accuracy. The benchmark finding, published in Genomic Medicine, foreshadows the next phase of medicine, where technology helps clinicians quickly determine the root cause of disease so they can give patients the right treatment sooner.

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A nationwide team of researchers, led by scientists at University of Utah Health and The Rockefeller University, has determined how a genetic mutation found in mice and monkeys interferes with viruses such as HIV and Ebola. They say the finding could eventually lead to the development of medical interventions in humans.

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University of Utah Health scientists have identified a molecule that slows cells’ production of alpha-synuclein, a protein that forms toxic aggregates in the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease. Its discovery points toward a new strategy for treating the disease and potentially stopping its progression.

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A new research study reveals that Valley Fever, a fungal disease most commonly found in Arizona and California, may be more common in Utah than previously thought.