Genetic Variations Put Youth at Higher Risk

Common genetic variations affecting nicotine receptors in the nervous system can significantly increase the chance that European Americans who begin smoking by age 17 will struggle with lifelong nicotine addiction, according to researchers at the University of Utah and their colleagues at University of Wisconsin-Madison. The study, published in the July 11, 2008 issue of PLoS Genetics, highlights the importance of public health efforts to reduce the number of youth who begin smoking.

Gynecology, Cancer Care Put University Health Care Among Nation’s Best, U.S. News Reports in Annual Survey

July 10, 2008 – University Health Care’s gynecologic and cancer care are rated 21^st and 40^th in the country in U.S. News & World Reports’ 19th annual survey of America’s Best Hospitals. The rankings place University Health Care among the nation’s top providers for the 15^th time.

Superfast Muscles in Songbirds

Certain songbirds can contract their vocal muscles 100 times faster than humans can blink an eye – placing the birds with a handful of animals that have evolved superfast muscles, University of Utah researchers found.

Soccer for Scholarships

Soccer players from around the state will come together Saturday, June 28 at the University of Utah for the 2^nd annual soccer tournament of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). Proceeds from the tournament, organized by the Utah Chapter of SACNAS, will provide scholarships to help students attend the national conference to be held in Salt Lake City this fall. This is the first time the national conference will be held in Utah.

Caution on Stem Cell Therapy

A single organ may contain more than one type of adult stem cell – a discovery that complicates prospects for using the versatile cells to replace damaged tissue as a treatment for disease, according to a new study from the laboratory of geneticist Mario Capecchi, the University of Utah’s Nobel Laureate.

PHOTO: Adult Intestinal Stem Cells in Mouse

Counterterrorism Expert Amos Guiora to Testify before Senate

On Wednesday, June 4, University of Utah law
professor Amos Guiora, a counterterrorism expert, will testify before the
Senate Committee on the Judiciary in a hearing on “Improving Detainee
Policy: Handling Terrorism Detainees
within the American Justice System” The
hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. EST in room 226 of the Senate Dirksen Office
Building in Washington, D.C.

UNP DONORS & PARTNERS TO AWARD $20K IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2008-2009 ACADEMIC YEAR

Donors and partners
of University Neighborhood Partners will award over $20,000 dollars in
scholarship money for the 2008-2009 academic year to seven recipients. One
student will earn a $4,000 scholarship, four will be awarded a $3,000
scholarship, and another two students will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

U’s Youth Summer School Is Cool

Ask any group of four to 18 year-olds how they anticipate spending their summer vacation and “go to school” will likely not make the top ten responses. Rock climbing, rafting, bicycling, photography, swimming…these are the favorite picks for summer. Interestingly however, it is in school that youth are perfecting these activities, through the University of Utah’s Youth Education summer camp programs.

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