First-generation medical students are an important part of a thriving physician workforce that represents people and patients from all backgrounds. But the obstacles for these students are well known. Adjusting for all variables, first-generation college graduates are less likely to apply and be accepted to medical school than their continuing-generation peers. In 2023, just 11% of the total…

University of Iowa researchers are recommending all patients be surveyed about their physical activity levels, after a new study underscores the link between physical activity and chronic disease. The study, led by Lucas Carr, associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, examined responses from more than 7,000 patients at University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center who…

Ebola is a deadly hemorrhagic disease caused by a virus that is endemic in parts of East-Central and West Africa. Most people are aware that a primary route for person-to-person transmission is through contact with bodily fluids from an infected person. But more recent outbreaks, including the 2013-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa, demonstrated that infectious Ebola virus (EBOV) is also found…

Salt, or more precisely the sodium it contains, is very much a “Goldilocks” nutrient. Low sodium levels cause a drop in blood volume, which can have serious, sometimes deadly, health consequences. Conversely, too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. In modern America, where most people consume a high-salt diet, almost no one is in danger of having too little salt…

Last weekend’s Kids Go STEM event on the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine campus attracted 167 students from 20 Iowa counties—the largest number of participants since the program’s inception in 2017.The program, which aims to spark middle schoolers’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math, gives kids the chance to explore hands-on activities with real scientists and…

James Byrne appreciates a well-made cappuccino, but not because he’s a connoisseur of espresso drinks. He’s more interested in the foam. For Byrne, MD, PhD, an assistant professor in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology, it’s using foam—and creams, hydrogels, and solids—to create new, biocompatible materials that may improve the effectiveness of…

Israel Wipf wants to understand whether fat is a rich energy source that fuels cancer cells’ movement. And he’s using fruit flies to test the connection. Wipf, a fourth-year graduate student in the University of Iowa Department of Biology, stitched together these seemingly disparate topics into a winning presentation at this year’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, organized by the Graduate…

Results from a randomized, phase 2 clinical trial show that adding high-dose, intravenous (IV) vitamin C to chemotherapy doubles the overall survival of patients with late-stage metastatic pancreatic cancer from eight months to 16 months. “This is a deadly disease with very poor outcomes for patients. The median survival is eight months with treatment, probably less without treatment, and the…