Health & Science

H&S

U.Va. sustainability goals affected by new pandemic habits

By Isabel Weir | October 23, 2020

Despite COVID-19 protocols for the daily use of disposable masks, to-go containers and cleaning supplies, the University is producing half as much trash as in the fall of 2019.  

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H&S

U.Va. physicians note risk of dexamethasone as COVID-19 steroid treatment

By Lucie Rutherford | October 16, 2020

According to University physicians, there are risks associated with using dexamethasone to treat mild COVID-19 cases and that it should mainly be reserved for those with severe cases as the steroid can cause the immune system to overwork, which can be fatal.

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H&S

An unpredictable combination: Influenza, cold weather in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

By Lucie Rutherford | October 15, 2020

Not only could colder weather perpetuate the virus by increasing indoor congregation and naturally weakening the immune system, but identical viral symptoms seen in COVID-19 and influenza may cause confusion in diagnoses. 

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H&S

Students, staff share insights on widespread testing and potential COVID-19 outbreaks

By Anika Iyer | October 15, 2020

Reaching successful infection control is heavily dependent on the compliance of students with procedures. These procedures include informing staff about contact, promptly testing for the virus and agreeing to quarantine or isolate if requested.

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H&S

Prioritizing mental health remains important during COVID-19 pandemic

By Alexa Clark | October 15, 2020

In the midst of a semester altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, students may find their mental health changing due to a combination of school and pandemic-related stressors. 

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H&S

Two initiatives from U.Va. doctors promote STEM amongst underrepresented youth during pandemic

By Erica Szymanski | October 4, 2020

As racial minorites are underrepresented in the STEM field, University doctors have been hard at work on projects to fight underlying systemic barriers that contribute to this lack of diversity. 

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H&S

University research in quantum computing assists the study of genetic diseases

By Anirudh Krishnan | October 1, 2020

With the human genome being over 6.4 billion base pairs, quantum computing may prove to be an efficient way to process genetic data. Dr. Stephan Bekiranov — a computational biologist at U.Va. — has developed an algorithm that utilizes a quantum computer in order to study genetic diseases. This algorithm was designed to introduce efficiencies in the computations by reducing the number of calculations performed in an operation.

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H&S

U.Va. receives NSF grant expansion to increase computing capabilities for sensitive COVID-19 health data research

By Brightney Varghese | September 17, 2020

Last year, University personnel established the high-performance computing system Virginia Assuring Controls Compliance of Research Data to aid institutions across the Commonwealth with their research efforts. The grant, funded by the National Science Foundation, was recently expanded to ACCORD-COVID, which serves institutions around the nation.

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H&S

U.Va. Health tests wastewater from residence halls to detect early coronavirus cases

By Kate Still | September 17, 2020

The goal of the wastewater program is to detect early and asymptomatic coronavirus cases, as research has shown that the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 is shed in the stool of infected individuals and can be detected prior to the appearance of clinical symptoms.

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H&S

U.Va. clinical trials precede FDA emergency use authorization of convalescent plasma as COVID-19 treatment

By Amanda Talalaj | September 10, 2020

U.S. Food and Drug Administration  announced convalescent plasma as an emergency-use authorization treatment for COVID-19, but since May 5 of this year, trials on this method of treatment have already been conducted at the University.

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H&S

Generous donation from local Panera Bread locations enables U.Va. Children’s Hospital transplant program to reach new heights

By Anika Iyer | September 9, 2020

The consolidated funds of $178,000 have been donated to the U.Va. Children’s Hospital transplant program, serving to facilitate a multidisciplinary care approach in addition to mitigating costs of heart, kidney and liver transplants for pediatric patients’ families.

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H&S

U. Va. researchers champion new advancement in fight against glioblastoma

By Parker Driscoll | September 4, 2020

In early July, a team of U. Va. researchers published their findings regarding the discovery of a gene that promotes cancer growth. Their discovery of this gene, advillin (AVIL), is a promising breakthrough in the fight against glioblastoma, one of the most malicious types of cancer.

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H&S

Study finds significant barrier to HIV treatment and prevention in southern states

By Sydney Wayand | September 4, 2020

Researchers at U.Va. Health have recently uncovered a systemic barrier in the South impacting the access to a critical HIV treatment and prevention drug called PrEP. A frustrating insurance requirement known as prior authorization has been largely deemed the culprit, researchers reveal. 

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H&S

University researchers find connection between exercise and vision loss

By Brightney Varghese | August 26, 2020

University researchers discovered that exercise prior to the development of macular degeneration caused a decrease in blood vessel overgrowth in laboratory mice. This correlates to macular degeneration in humans, meaning exercise could help prevent future vision loss.

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H&S

COVID-19 pandemic alters graduate, undergraduate plans for environmental science research

By Alexa Clark | August 24, 2020

With a limited number of people allowed in a laboratory at any given time, the Department of Environmental Sciences looks to alternatives, like outdoor field trips near Clark Hall or virtual bench labs.

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H&S

U.Va. scientists create biomedical database analyzing the structure of COVID-19 proteins

By Somes Huwiler | August 20, 2020

The team hopes this website will help scientists, as well as the broader research community, find and use accurate information about the virus.

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H&S

COVID-19 is transforming doctorate timelines, curriculum for University biomedical graduate students

By Kate Still | August 6, 2020

Since early June, biomedical graduate students have been allowed back to labs in shifts. Yet many labs are only working at partial capacity as access is determined by the square footage of their lab spaces in an effort to follow social-distancing rules.

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H&S

University students provide digital devices to senior citizens through telemedicine nonprofit

By Cecily Wolfe | July 25, 2020

Volunteers with TeleHealth Access for Seniors gather devices family, friends, businesses and schools no longer use and donate them to local hospitals and clinics for distribution to senior citizens.  

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H&S

Annual emergency preparedness report ranks Virginia at second place amongst all states across the nation

By Lucie Rutherford | July 17, 2020

Virginia ranked second throughout the U.S. for emergency public health preparedness.

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H&S

University professor develops decontamination robot amid COVID-19 pandemic

By Kate Still | June 30, 2020

Furukawa’s robot is equipped with UV lamps to sweep all surfaces of the room and camera with the necessary software to build a 3D map of the room.