Closing Gaps in Health and Care

Working to improve rural healthcare

Oct 14, 2021 8:45 am

UIC Medicine students in the rural healthcare program in Rockford are preparing to make a difference in healthcare in rural communities in Illinois and across the country.

Women with hypertension, obesity show benefits from UIC cooking class

Sep 11, 2023 10:30 am

Women who participated in a 12-week program called “Food is Medicine: Healing Together” say the cooking classes and nutrition seminars helped turn their health around.

a scientist is using a microscope in a lab

With $13M grant, UIC scientists will study lung inflammation mechanisms

Apr 10, 2023 11:45 am

The researchers hope to find new, more effective treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, pulmonary fibrosis, and acute respiratory distress disorder, a common and serious complication of COVID-19.

Anna Lopez works on laptop and mobile phone at desk

Volunteers help Chicago residents without internet connect to COVID-19 vaccines

Mar 23, 2021 10:30 am

A UIC computer science student created a volunteer group on Facebook aimed at helping individuals from Chicago's Black and brown communities book vaccine appointments online.

Researcher Indrajit Srivastava, left, and Prof. Viktor Gruev hold vials of new imaging agents developed by their research team that help surgeons to better see cancer tumors

Urbana-Champaign researchers work to improve cancer imaging

Jul 10, 2023 1:00 pm

Doctors have used nanoparticles in cancer patients to locate tumors during imaging scans more easily. But they tend to collect in the liver, not on the tumor. A new approach developed at UIUC looked to solve this problem.

a hand points to images of cancer cells on a computer screen

Urbana-Champaign receives $33M federal grant to revolutionize cancer surgery

Oct 21, 2024 1:00 pm

The grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) will support the development of technology that aims to reduce or eliminate the risk of missing some cancer cells after surgical removal, require more surgery and treatments.

saliva testing on Urbana campus - glove with test tube

U of I to expand COVID saliva testing nationally

Aug 10, 2020 3:15 pm

The U of I System has embarked on a broad effort to expand the reach of saliva-based testing pioneered by U of I researchers that supports widespread testing with rapid results to limit spread of the COVID-19 virus.

U of I System receives FDA authorization for covidSHIELD test process

Mar 1, 2021 1:15 pm

The University of Illinois System received emergency use authorization (EUA) today from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for covidSHIELD, its innovative saliva-based COVID-19 test that was used on the U of I campuses to hold the virus in check by utilizing widespread testing with rapid results.

U of I at Urbana-Champaign helping families across the state

Feb 18, 2020 2:45 pm

Here's just 10 ways the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is helping kids and families across the state. More...

A child shown from behind with a backpack walks down a city street with fall leaves all around

University of Illinois Chicago helps launch youth mental health program

Nov 4, 2022 10:45 am

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration is funding the Illinois Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Expansion as part of the American Rescue Plan and the Safer Communities Act.

A test tube containing golden liquid in a lab setting

UIUC team uncovers key driver of necrosis in cancer cells

Aug 14, 2023 10:30 am

Their study identifies a specific protein that plays a pivotal role in promoting cell death, which may allow the development of new immunotherapies against solid tumors and other challenging cancers.

a computer model of protein PSD-95, an early biomarker of Alzheimer's disease

UIUC team identifies earliest biomarker yet of Alzheimer's disease

Apr 1, 2024 1:00 pm

A team at UIUC's School of Molecular and Cellular Biology has identified a specific protein, PSD-95, that is linked to seizures seen in the early phases of Alzheimer’s disease. PSD-95 is the earliest biomarker yet discovered that's associated with the onset of Alzheimer's.

three researchers in a laboratory setting

UIUC team finds soybean protein that blocks 'bad' LDL cholesterol production

Mar 6, 2023 12:30 pm

Consuming soy flour rich in the protein B-conglycinin has the potential to reduce LDL cholesterol levels and lower the risk of metabolic diseases, such as atherosclerosis and fatty liver disease.

A person wearing athletic shoes walking up stone stairs. (Photo by Bruno Nascimento on Unsplash)

UIUC team finds link between regular exercise, neuron connectivity maintenance

Jun 3, 2024 2:15 pm

A UIUC study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that when muscles contain more nerve cells, and when those muscle-stimulating nerve cells are active, muscle tissue produces a bevy of brain-boosting compounds.

A woman feeding a small child | Photo by Tanaphong Toochinda on Unsplash

UIUC study shows soy isoflavones support children's cognitive abilities, attention spans

Jul 19, 2024 2:30 pm

Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have investigated the relationship between soy isoflavones and children's attentional abilities using an EEG scanner to record electrical activity in the brain.

UIUC scientist developing drug delivery method with bioengineered microbes

Apr 7, 2022 10:15 am

An Illinois research team is developing a method of producing and delivering monoclonal antibody treatments for breast cancer through commensal microbes in the gut. If successful, this approach could increase accessibility and dramatically decrease the cost of monoclonal antibodies.

a person drawing water from a home faucet

UIUC researchers develop filter technology to combat 'forever chemicals'

Apr 24, 2023 10:15 am

PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, are human-made chemicals linked to a broad spectrum of health problems, including cancer and thyroid issues. They're also known as "forever chemicals" because they don't break down and accumulate in the environment and in humans.

A scanning electron micrograph of Salmonella typhimurium invading a human epithelial cell.

UIUC microbiology team gains new insights into Salmonella resistance

Jan 31, 2024 10:15 am

Salmonella is notorious for surviving and replicating in immune system cells called macrophages, but Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology researchers have discovered how a system of proteins called TamAB helps Salmonella survive under the harsh conditions inside those cells.

a man and a woman smiling and standing in front of a sign

UIUC med students offering free women’s healthcare to those in need

Feb 26, 2024 10:00 am

The volunteer students are working with doctors at Avicenna’s Women’s Health Clinic to help provide free obstetrics and gynecological care for women who are under-insured or uninsured.

A research grad student uses a transmission electron microscope to study nanoparticle crystallization pathways, which led to the finding of a three dimensional honeycomb lattice structure. The work was done at the Illinois Materials Research Laboratory.

UIUC medicine, engineering researchers meld expertise to fight cancer

Nov 11, 2024 3:45 pm

Through collaboration of medicine and engineering expertise, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is making strides in cancer research. That includes new methods of production of uniform 3-D tumor models for testing research, and improved optical imaging technologies to improve surgical precision in the removal of cancer cells.

UIUC-developed antibiotic targets only gram-negative bacteria, sparing the gut

Jun 17, 2024 2:15 pm

A team led by Paul Hergenrother at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has discovered a new antibiotic that exclusively targets gram-negative bacteria and avoids wiping out the ecosystem of other microbes that flourishes in the gut.

UIUC, Carle partner to launch brain study

Dec 9, 2021 8:00 am

Thanks to a collaboration between Carle and the University of Illinois, the first-of-its-kind Champaign-Urbana Population Study will be conducted to collect information about the brain’s structure and function across a diverse group of volunteers.

UIS offers free public webinar series on community health

Jun 17, 2020 8:45 am

As part of the Springfield Innovation Hub, UIS and the Community Health Roundtable have launched a new webinar series on community health with immediate focus on the impact of COVID-19.

UIS helping private and community colleges and state agencies transition to remote learning

May 5, 2020 9:45 am

The University of Illinois Springfield Center For Online Learning, Research and Service (COLRS) is helping Illinois private and community colleges and state agencies transition to remote learning as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

UIS and ILBCF host webinar on equitable and inclusive healthcare

Feb 9, 2022 8:00 am

The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Foundation (ILBCF) and the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) will convene its fifth speaker series session, with the latest event focused on equity and inclusion in our health care system in Illinois.

a doctor confers with a patient in her office

UI Health’s clinic aids Spanish speakers seeking kidney transplants

May 1, 2023 10:00 am

UI Health has a long history of treating Spanish-speaking patients and is the leading hospital to provide transplant services to this population. With growing numbers of Latino patients on transplant lists, UI Health officials decided that a clinic serving the population in their native language was due.

UI Health leads Chicago in providing vaccines for phase 1B

Feb 10, 2021 9:15 am

The first day it opened a community COVID-19 vaccination site UIC and UI Health administered more than 1,600 shots to phase 1A and phase 1B eligible people, representing nearly a quarter of all vaccine doses (23%) distributed in Chicago on that day.

Lorraine Brown with arms in air and mask on celebrating vaccination

UIC works with Chicago to deliver vaccinations to city's most vulnerable

Mar 16, 2021 10:00 am

The University of Illinois Chicago along with Protect Chicago Plus have partnered to provide 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines to residents in the Englewood neighborhood, with plans to expand to other city areas with vulnerable populations

Barbara McFarlin, professor emeritus of nursing at UIC, alongside a ultrasound monitor

UIC, UIUC collaboration shows ultrasounds can predict risk of preterm birth

Feb 12, 2024 1:15 pm

The new ultrasound method works as early as 23 weeks into a pregnancy, according to the research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Maternal Fetal Medicine.

healthcare worker swabbing nostril of patient

UIC to research long COVID-19 with $22 million from NIH

Apr 7, 2022 10:15 am

A team of University of Illinois Chicago researchers is projected to receive approximately $22 million from the National Institutes of Health over four years to research long COVID-19.

Scientists in the lab in white coats processing samples

UIC to participate in NIH phase two clinical trial on additional boosters

Apr 18, 2022 3:45 pm

The University of Illinois Chicago will participate in a National Institutes of Health phase two clinical trial evaluating additional COVID-19 booster shots for adults.

child drawing on sidewalk with colorful chalk

UIC to create kindergarten readiness website

May 24, 2021 8:30 am

Educational researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago have received a $100,000 grant to help fund the creation of an online kindergarten readiness website for teachers and family.

Person walking in park area with cityscape far off in the background

UIC teams with Argonne, partners in urban climate change study

Oct 10, 2022 7:00 am

As the largest contributing collaborator, UIC’s work is backed by about $5 million of the overall award to lead a biogeochemical observation network across the city, collaborate with community groups, and grow educational and workforce development opportunities for educators and students.

UIC team creates new fatty acid that could reduce vision loss

Apr 3, 2023 10:15 am

Researchers at University of Illinois Chicago developed an omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid, which they say can cross into the retina of an eye to reduce visual declines among people with Alzheimer’s disease.

UIC study: intermittent fasting effective for people with Type 2 diabetes

Nov 13, 2023 1:15 pm

Time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting, can help people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight and control their blood sugar levels, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open from University of Illinois Chicago researchers.

Patient in wheelchair receiving treatment from ICC team

UIC's Inclusive Care Clinic an ‘oasis’ for patients with special needs

Sep 23, 2024 2:15 pm

The Inclusive Care Clinic solves a problem not many dentist offices are thinking about - being a place that anybody can access. The clinic has design and additional features that aren't found in the average dental office, making it an accessible option for patients with disabilities or other special needs.

Blood vessel endothelial cells (green) and basement membrane (red) in the brain. (Image: Sarah Lutz)

UIC researchers targeting blood vessels in brain to combat post-COVID 'fog'

Apr 15, 2024 10:00 am

In a new study, researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have identified a mechanism that causes neurological problems in mice infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19. The researchers also found a treatment that helped prevent these changes.

UIC’s Yury Polikanov, Nora Vázquez-Laslop and Alexander Mankin collaborated on testing the new antibiotic. (Photo: Dmitrii Travin)

UIC researchers find nearly resistance-impossible dual-action antibiotic

Aug 5, 2024 4:00 pm

University of Illinois Chicago researchers working with a class of drugs called macrolones found they can fight bacteria in two ways: by interfering with protein production or by corrupting DNA structure.

UIC researcher Kuei Yuan Tseng poses for a portrait at his laboratory

UIC researcher examines effects of cannabis on adolescent brains

Mar 27, 2023 10:30 am

Professor Kuei Tseng is one of the country’s foremost neuroscientists, and his lab rats are aiding our understanding of the long-term effects of cannabis on the teen brain.

Covered foil tins of food stacked on rolling cart

UIC recognized for recovering food for homeless

Jan 8, 2021 1:00 pm

In the fall of 2020, volunteers with UIC’s Food Recovery Network (FRN) chapter collected 7,589 pounds of food and donated it to area homeless shelters. UIC has been recognized for the achievement of the most recovered pounds by any FRN chapter nationwide in the Fall of 2020.

UIC partners with IDHFS for plan to transform healthcare

Nov 23, 2021 12:45 pm

The UIC School of Public Health is working with the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services on a plan to tackle healthcare disparities across the state.

UIC partnership spaces aims to curb opiod overdose deaths

Jul 28, 2022 1:45 pm

The safe space for opiod users was started by the UIC Community Outreach Intervention Projects program and the West Side Heroin and Opioid Task Force.

UICOM students volunteer time, effort to meet migrants' health needs

Jun 26, 2023 10:15 am

The volunteers have been making the rounds across Chicago, screening asylum-seeking migrants at temporary housing locations for public health concerns, and also providing immediate and preventative medical care.

University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria research team members are (from left) Dr. Krishna Kumar Veeravalli, Dr. Casimir Fornal, Dr. Billy Wang, M.D. student Vinay Sama, M.D. student Claire Schaibley, and Dr. Sivareddy Challa

UICOMP team developing stroke treatment that can reduce brain damage

Jul 17, 2023 12:00 pm

The University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria researchers are studying how to control a protein called MMP-12 that increases in the brain after a stroke. They are attempting to create antibodies that specifically inhibit or suppress that protein.

UIC Nursing program now available in six campuses across Illinois (video)

Apr 18, 2023 12:45 pm

From its roots in Chicago, the UIC College of Nursing is now educating nurse leaders in five additional cities throughout Northern and Central Illinois, including Urbana.

UIC Nursing clinic improves sexual health in LGBTQ+ community

Jan 21, 2022 3:00 pm

One year after opening, a UIC College of Nursing and UI Health clinic based at Center on Halsted has brought HIV prevention and STI treatment services to more than 100 of the center’s LGBTQ+ community members.

UI Health Mile Square Health Center at Wood and Roosevelt in Chicago, Illinois.

UIC, Mile Square join national trial of blood test for multi-cancer screening

Oct 30, 2023 9:45 am

The University of Illinois Chicago will be the first site in the state to participate in a national study of a clinical test that screens for a shared cancer signal in a sample of patient blood. The test screens for a signal shared by more than 50 types of cancers, including pancreatic and blood cancers which do not currently have recommended screening tests and often go undetected until later stages.

A nurse and a doctor hand a face mask to a child, outside.

UIC medical students, doctors form Mobile Migrant Health Team

Aug 7, 2023 2:15 pm

Since the first week of May, more than 3,000 migrants have received medical attention from the UIC student-driven group, which has volunteered at nearly a dozen Chicago police stations where migrants are being sheltered.

UIC leads largest nationwide effort to protect the monarch butterfly

May 5, 2020 9:45 am

Since 2017, the University of Illinois at Chicago has partnered with more than 45 energy companies and transportation agencies to develop the first nationwide Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances to engage in important conservation actions to protect the monarch butterfly.

A diverse group of enthusiastic students collaborate outside around a laptop with a University of Illinois Chicago sticker on the lid

UIC grant will increase public health ‘boots on the ground’ in underserved areas

Nov 4, 2022 9:45 am

Health disparities prompted the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to award the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health $1.5 million in scholarship funds from the American Rescue Plan.

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