During the early stages of a pandemic, viruses tend to evolve in ways that enhance their ability to reproduce and spread, rather than to evade the host’s immune system. The genetics and sex of the host influence how a novel virus adapts to a new environment, but scientists don’t fully understand how these factors work […]
Read MoreGraduating with a biology degree from the University of Utah is a milestone that extends well beyond learning about the science of life. Initially, I aimed for a career in medicine, hoping it would solve my family’s financial stresses. However, learning motivated by a paycheck rather than curiosity eventually led to a cycle of self-isolation […]
Read MoreApril 13, 2026 I’m in my thirties, finishing my second bachelor’s degree, and I have traveled a windy road to get here. After high school, I was certain about one thing: I wanted to serve. I earned a spot at the United States Military Academy at West Point and knew I had a long-term plan. […]
Read MoreThis April, the Utah Symposium in Science and Literature will present a special event in partnership with the National Book Foundation – an evening with mycologist Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian, author of Forest Euphoria: The Abounding Queerness of Nature. Kaishian will be in conversation with Katharine Coles, distinguished professor of English and co-director of the symposium, on Wednesday, […]
Read MoreApril 3, 2026 Above: Abby Tang and Lucy Leary, 2026 Fulbright Semi-Finalists in the College of Science Five University of Utah students are selected as Fulbright semi-finalists. Two of them call the College of Science home. The Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships (ONCS) is proud to announce that five University of Utah students have been […]
Read MoreApril 2, 2026 Above: Collage of winning images Behind every data set, field note, and experiment lies a story of curiosity, creativity and persistence. The University of Utah celebrated those stories through the Image of Research, a new campus-wide competition and exhibition inviting faculty, research staff, and graduate students to showcase the distinct and aesthetic dimensions of […]
Read MoreMarch 2, 2026 Above: Sydney Brooksby and University of Utah President Taylor Randall at the Research on Capitol Hill event Nearly 30 University of Utah undergraduate researchers presented their work to lawmakers at the state capitol this week, including several from the College of Science. “This is a premier event that showcases the positive impact […]
Read MorePrisca Amematsro’s academic journey weaves together biology, mathematics, and a deep curiosity about the brain. In 2025, she was named a Beckman Scholar, one of two University of Utah undergraduates selected for this nationally competitive award from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Amematsro is working in the Caron lab, in the School of Biological […]
Read MoreFebruary 5, 2026 Above: Badomero “Toto” Olivera. Photo Credit: Todd Anderson Baldomero ‘Toto’ Olivera named inaugural K. Gordon Lark Chair of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah. Gordon Lark. Photo credit: Larry Okun The University of Utah has named Distinguished Professor Baldomero “Toto” Olivera the inaugural recipient of the K. Gordon Lark Endowed Chair […]
Read MoreFebruary 5, 2026 Above: Jessica Brown, speaker at Science@Breakfast Jessica Brown started her Science@Breakfast talk January 29, 2026 with a simple task she asked of the audience—take a single deep breath. After the collective room inhaled and exhaled, Brown quickly mentioned, “And now I will let you know that you have each inhaled up to […]
Read MoreFebruary 2, 2026 Researchers analyzed samples of Utahns’ hair going back a century to document a 100-fold decrease in lead concentrations. Prior to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, Americans lived in communities awash with lead from industrial sources, paint, water supply pipes and, most significantly, tailpipe emissions. A dangerous neurotoxin that accumulates […]
Read MoreOnly recently described by science, the mysterious mushrooms are found in different parts of the world, but they give people the same exact visions. Every year, doctors at a hospital in the Yunnan Province of China brace themselves for an influx of people with an unusual complaint. The patients come with a strikingly odd symptom: […]
Read MoreCool Science Radio: GSL and the oldest stories of life January 20, 2026 Above: Michael Werner Nematodes are among the most abundant animals on Earth, yet much remains unknown about how these roundworms adapt to extreme environments. Michael Werner, assistant professor of biology at the University of Utah, discusses new research uncovering nematodes living inside […]
Read MoreDecember 19, 2025 Research led by U biologist Franz Goller reveals how cowbirds create ‘liquid’ notes by tightly controlling two sound sources in their vocal organ, mimicking the physics of falling water droplets. Cowbirds are special among songbirds for the “watery” timbre of their singing, which resembles the sound of falling droplets striking water, a […]
Read MoreThe salty waters of the Great Salt Lake are not as inhospitable as once thought. It all began when Utah’s own Dune worm hunters—biologist Julie Jung, then a postdoctoral fellow working in the lab of Assistant Professor Michael Werner at the University of Utah—decided to take a closer look. This story was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered (December 16, 2025). The […]
Read More“I grew up in Provo in the 60s and 70s and always felt out of place. I’m out here in the American West living in totalizing culture that was shaping my identity into something I would wake up to, look in the mirror and didn’t recognize. It felt like I was in a fishbowl, looking […]
Read MoreReposted from U of U Health. Anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental health conditions in the United States, affecting about one in five people. But much remains unknown about the roots of anxiety in the brain. Now, research at the University of Utah has identified two surprising groups of brain cells in mice […]
Read MoreGraduating seniors Isabella Scalise (L) and Nathan Patchen (R) Behind every scholarship is a student whose life and opportunities have been transformed.Two University of Utah students share how the School of Biological Sciences (SBS), mentorship, research and financial support have shaped their journeys and set them up for what comes next. Biology Scholarships. College of Science […]
Read MorePictured left to right: Kai Cruz, Isabel DuBay, Hanson Gu, Gaby Karakcheyeva, Jasmine Malhi, and Shaelyn Preede. (Photo from Office of Alumni Relations) Each year at homecoming, the University of Utah honors six exceptional undergraduate students who exemplify academic excellence, campus involvement, and community service. This year’s homecoming court included two remarkable seniors from the […]
Read MoreOctober 29, 2025 Above: Jamie Gagnon “I hope our research is valuable because some of the specific insights we make might ultimately help us think about treatments for humans,” says newly announced University of Utah Presidential Scholar Jamie Gagnon. “But I think our greatest impact will be sharing the joy of scientific discovery with the […]
Read MoreOctober 29, 2025 Above: Richard Clark To those outside the loop, the importance of scientific studies into topics like rocks, insects and other abundant everyday objects may seem small. But such studies are among the most critical to pursue. Something common enough to have daily effects is, well, having daily effects! In the case of […]
Read MoreOctober 23, 2025 Above: David Goldenberg in front of Ludwig Boltzmann’s grave, Vienna, with his bust and the famous equation. When David Goldenberg arrived at the University of Utah’s School of Biological Sciences in 1985, he brought with him a passion for understanding one of biology’s most fundamental mysteries: how proteins fold. Over his remarkable 40-year […]
Read MoreOctober 16, 2025 Above: The Thinker, by Auguste Rodin For the first time, scientists can freeze-frame the exact moment an animal makes up their mind and commits to a choice—simply by looking at their brain activity. In the new study led by Princeton University, researchers used AI to trace the trajectory of decision making in […]
Read MoreOctober 9 2025 Above: Geoscientist Thure Cerling In a year of exceptional accomplishments Thure Cerling has been been awarded the Penrose Medal by the Geological Society of America. He will accept the award on October 19th at GSA Connects 2025 in Texas. The GSA bestows medals and awards to recognize individuals who have, through their […]
Read MoreOctober 3, 2025 Above: Red-cheeked Cordonbleu. Credit: Çağan Şekercioğlu Çağan Şekercioğlu was an ambitious, but perhaps naive graduate student when, 26 years ago, he embarked on a simple data-compilation project that would soon evolve into a massive career-defining achievement. With the help of countless students and volunteers, the University of Utah conservation biologist has finally released […]
Read MoreOctober 3, 2025 Above: Steven Naleway, left, and Atul Agrawal examine a fungal culture growing in a liquid medium in Naleway’s lab at the University of Utah’s College of Engineering. Photo credit: Dan Hixson. Fungi are vital to natural ecosystems by breaking down dead organic material and cycling it back into the environment as nutrients. But […]
Read MoreSeptember 22, 2025 Above: The woodrat (genus: Neotoma) It’s not easy eating green, as most plants have chemical defenses to deter would-be grazers. Getting enough to eat, while minimizing exposure to toxins, is a persistent challenge that shapes an herbivore’s foraging choices. Do they boost their survival by eating a bit of everything, bypass biological booby […]
Read MoreSeptember 18, 2025 Above: Abigail Bruzual In June 2021, I moved to the United States from Quito, Ecuador, for my final year of high school and to pursue a degree at the University of Utah. While I have a wide range of interests, my early involvement in research—starting with the Science Research Initiative (SRI) freshman year—marked […]
Read More‘Greatest honor I could possibly receive’ September 12, 2025 Above: Phyllis “Lissy” Coley at the newly named Phyllis D. Coley Trail on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Credit: Jorge Aleman “I first went to Barro Colorado Island in 1975, where I did my thesis, postdoc and many more years of research, most with Tom,” says Phyllis […]
Read MoreSeptember 8, 2025 Above: A 36 kg male wolf (Canis lupus) named “Shaggy” by taggers with the environmental organization Kuzey Doga. Not more than five minutes after being tagged, the animal was gone. Nathan Murthy, a senior at the University of Utah majoring in Earth and Environmental Science recently returned from doing field work in Turkey. This is the second […]
Read MoreAugust 19, 2025 Above: “Rufous-tailed Scrub Robbins in-hand: These Scrub Robbins were caught in the same round. Alva found one and Maria found one. Since they are good friends, they were excited to show each other their cool finds. They were surprised to find out that they had found the same birds.” All photos: courtesy […]
Read MoreAugust 14, 2025 Above: Great Salt Lake Utah’s Great Salt Lake is a place of extremes, and its ecosystem is evidence that life can thrive under some of Earth’s most hostile conditions. Scientist say it may hold clues for life on other planets, too, especially Mars, which was once replete with salty lakes. Specifically, researchers […]
Read MoreJuly 30, 2025 Carbon ‘off-sets’ are not working. U-led research results in roadmap for harnessing Earth’s natural processes to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide A lot of the climate-altering carbon pollution we humans release into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels gets drawn into Earth’s oceans and landscapes through natural processes, mostly through photosynthesis as plants […]
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