It began with a three-week plastic-free challenge that changed the course of Bhargavi Chekuri’s medical career path. The challenge was to go three weeks without the ease and convenience of plastic bags, plastic wrapping, and all the other plastics that make their way into daily life. 

Rachel Sauer | September 23, 2021

Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have been awarded a $3.7 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to support establishing a center that specializes in the study of the causes of rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, and other autoimmune diseases.

School of Medicine | September 21, 2021

Jonathan Fox happily entered his 50s with his identity, stress outlet and social life entwined in a heart-healthy activity – cycling – that would easily propel him into his golden years.

Chris Casey | September 20, 2021

Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have been awarded a $1.7 million National Institutes of Health grant for a national study designed to improve firearm safety for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

School of Medicine | September 17, 2021

Comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Norm MacDonald died Tuesday, after what his brother, Neil MacDonald, described as a nine-year battle with acute leukemia. Norm MacDonald, known for his intelligence and sarcastic wit, was 61.

Greg Glasgow | September 16, 2021

Visiting high-altitude locations may be dangerous for people with high blood pressure or certain heart conditions, according to a new report from the American Heart Association that offers guidance about engaging in recreational activities in mountainous regions.

American Heart Association | September 15, 2021

Between remote learning, ongoing updated health regulations, vaccines, and mask mandates, there’s no question that educators have been among the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To support educators, the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Colorado School of Medicine developed a new program to help teachers cope with mental health concerns brought on by the pandemic.

Greg Glasgow | September 15, 2021

Of all the unexpected consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, one that parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing didn’t plan for was hearing aids getting tossed in the dog’s water dish.

Rachel Sauer | September 13, 2021

Labeled a “code red for humanity” in a United Nations report released early last month, climate change has continued to wreak havoc worldwide. In the United States, devastating fires in the West recently traded the spotlight for deadly flooding in the East, keeping the threat squarely on America’s radar.

Debra Melani | September 10, 2021

Ideas and innovation don’t always co-exist with convenience. On the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, the road to a novel mask design to address the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic took some unexpected twists and turns.

Rachel Sauer | September 08, 2021

Images of the crumbling Twin Towers are invading American living rooms and cellphones, as the 20th anniversary of one of the worst days in the nation’s history nears. From Netflix and PBS documentaries to news reports of tribute events across the country, the swell of 9/11 coverage will give rise to uncomfortable emotions for nearly everyone.

Debra Melani | September 07, 2021

We are more likely to trust a familiar voice.

The New York Times published a dialect quiz that, by offering users a series of multiple-choice options of everyday life phrases and names, could pinpoint the exact U.S. region a quiz taker was from. Each of us comes from a community with its own dialect—how we talk is unique to not just our state, but our region, county, city, and even neighborhood.

Laura Veith - ACCORDS Writer | September 06, 2021

The diagnosis came as a shock. Although, looking back, Bill Mordecai says it shouldn’t have been. 

Valerie Gleaton | September 01, 2021

Researchers in the life sciences who use machine learning for their studies should adopt standards that allow other researchers to reproduce their results, according to a comment article published today in the journal Nature Methods.

School of Medicine | August 30, 2021

While stories about the delta variant flood the news, there may be some measure of relief in these tense times – at least for the vaccinated.

Chris Casey | August 30, 2021

On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave full approval to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 16 and older. The approval provides the FDA’s strongest endorsement to the Pfizer vaccine, which previously had been approved under an emergency use authorization.

Greg Glasgow | August 25, 2021

As the country rides a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it faces a riptide that’s threatening its course. The delta variant, the now-predominant strain of coronavirus, prompted President Joe Biden’s call for booster shots for all vaccinated adults on Aug. 18 and underscored discussions at a research summit that ran parallel to the president’s nationwide address.

Debra Melani | August 24, 2021

Multiple sclerosis (MS) landed in the spotlight earlier this month when actress Christina Applegate announced that she had been diagnosed with the disease.

Chris Casey | August 24, 2021

What started as a way to provide affordable medical care to Denver’s refugee population has grown into a home away from home for those who are far away from home.

Greg Glasgow | August 24, 2021

David Kooyman transferred his care to University of Colorado Cancer Center member and associate professor of thoracic oncology, Tejas Patil, MD, to be part of a clinical trial to help with his rare lung cancer gene fusion.

Cancer Center | August 19, 2021

Richard Schulick, MD, MBA, director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, becomes close with all of his patients, but he has a special bond with Gerry Turner, one of Schulick’s surgical patients for pancreatic cancer.

Greg Glasgow | August 18, 2021

Comedian Kathy Griffin’s recently announced lung cancer diagnosis came early and arose from a non-related health screening. A lucky catch, and an understandable path to detection for a person who never smoked.

Debra Melani | August 13, 2021

Despite the growing threat of the Delta variant, many Americans who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 are living life much as they did pre-pandemic — traveling, shopping, going out to eat, and forgoing masks in many situations.

Greg Glasgow | August 13, 2021

You know how it is trying to leave for vacation – there’s always one last thing to do, one last note to write, one last end to tie up before committing to the rest and relaxation.

Rachel Sauer | August 13, 2021

Vineet Chopra, MD, MSc, chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine at the University of Michigan Health System, has been named chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, effective Oct. 18, 2021.

School of Medicine | August 12, 2021

Orthopedic surgeon Rachel Frank, MD, went straight to the source for her new textbook on treating female athletes: All of the book’s primary authors are women.

Greg Glasgow | August 11, 2021

Of all the lessons she learned during the eight-week Medical Student Summer Research Program (MSRP), Rose Castle, a rising second year at the University of Colorado School of Medicine who is interested in pursuing general surgery, drew her main takeaway outside the operating room.

Rachel Sauer | August 10, 2021

Researchers from the CU School of Medicine Department of Orthopedics have been awarded a $3.4 million National Institutes of Health grant to study the genetics of bone density and to look for therapeutic targets to counter bone loss. 

School of Medicine | August 09, 2021

Each year, Denver-area magazine 5280 publishes its list of top doctors. On this year’s list, which came out last week, CU School of Medicine faculty members continue to be ranked among the best. We are proud to congratulate the 138 CU School of Medicine faculty members honored with the title Top Doctor.

School of Medicine | August 04, 2021

The 184 members of the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Class of 2025 were welcomed into the medical profession Friday at the traditional White Coat Ceremony on campus. The group of first-year medical students heard from several speakers before ascending the stage to receive the white coats and stethoscopes that mark the beginning of their new academic journey.

Greg Glasgow | July 30, 2021

When you ask a classroom full of middle schoolers what they want to be when they grow up, you’re likely to get a range of answers, from “pro athletes” and “astronauts” to “musicians” and “movie stars.”

Valerie Gleaton | July 26, 2021

“Basketball, playing with sheep, playing with goats, playing with dogs, horse camp, friends ...”

Nine-year-old Danner Plumhoff is rattling off a list of her summer plans. Many of these activities wouldn’t have been possible for her last summer, when she was fresh off an intensive craniofacial surgery. It was her biggest surgery to date, but as a child with a rare variant of Crouzon syndrome, it was hardly her first.

Valerie Gleaton | July 20, 2021

Editor’s note: “Our COVID-19 Fighters” is an occasional series highlighting the ways the CU Anschutz Medical Campus community is helping patients and the wider community in the fight against the pandemic. We welcome your story ideas; please share them here.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to lurk in many communities, aided by vaccine hesitancy and the emergence of disease mutations like the Delta variant, physicians are still looking for effective ways to treat those who test positive for the virus.

Greg Glasgow | July 20, 2021

Matthew Rustici, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at CU School of Medicine, has been named a Macy Faculty Scholar for 2021.

School of Medicine | July 14, 2021

It’s difficult enough when a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, but employed spouses of those who receive the diagnosis also are confronted with an array of practical problems. It’s now up to them to untangle issues around medical leave, health insurance, caregiving benefits, and more.

Greg Glasgow | July 14, 2021

After a year of waiting, Christina Yannetsos, MD, is finally headed to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Greg Glasgow | July 09, 2021

As a race that pits vaccine against virus forges on, a stealthy move by one contender might have just pushed the finish line farther out.

Debra Melani | July 06, 2021

Using a grainy, black-and-white video image of a mouse brain, Fabrice Dabertrand, PhD, demonstrates how a disease responsible for upwards of 40% of all dementia cases today steals the brain’s ability to nourish cells by halting vessel dilation.

Debra Melani | July 06, 2021

Myra Muramoto, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, has been named Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, effective Oct. 1, 2021.

School of Medicine | July 06, 2021

Matthew Bartley, MD, MS, has gone viral (as in trending in the world of social media).

Greg Glasgow | July 01, 2021

On June 28 the University of Colorado School of Medicine’s Center for Advancing Professional Excellence (CAPE) hosted the third installment in its virtual community event series “Being _____ On Anschutz Medical Campus.” The goal of the series is to connect with the Anschutz community and amplify diverse voices through candid conversations with members of underrepresented groups. Previous events centered on the Black and AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) communities.

Valerie Gleaton | June 30, 2021

In two recent articles published in Schizophrenia Bulletin, Sharon Hunter, PhD, an associate professor in the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, and M. Camille Hoffman, MD, MSc, an associate professor in the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, along with their research group, have uncovered a potential link between choline deficiency in Black pregnant women in the United States and increased risk of developmental and behavioral issues that can evolve into mental illness later in their children’s lives.

Valerie Gleaton | June 16, 2021

U.S. News and World Report released its 2021–22 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings this week. Children’s Hospital Colorado ranked number 6 nationally and placed seven pediatric specialties in the top 10, including a number-one ranking for gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery. Children’s Colorado is affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Together, the institutions are a national center for clinical care and medical research.

School of Medicine | June 15, 2021

Patients’ rights advocates scored a major victory in April, when a provision went into effect that allows patients immediate access to all information in their medical records, including physician notes and test results. The change is part of the 21st Century Cures Act, which was passed by Congress in 2016 and continues to be updated.

Greg Glasgow | June 14, 2021

Research and treatment of head and neck cancers at the University of Colorado Cancer Center reached a new level this month with a highly competitive Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The SPORE was approved by NCI Scientific Program leadership for FY2021 funding; the projected starting date is July 1

Greg Glasgow | June 07, 2021

As a doctor on the front lines in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lilia Cervantes, MD, quickly saw the disproportionate toll the virus was taking on Denver’s Latino community.

Greg Glasgow | June 04, 2021

The University of Colorado School of Medicine Hooding & Oath Ceremony took place Friday, May 28, 2021, at 9 a.m. Due to ongoing COVID-19 precautions, the in-person ceremony was limited to the 184 members of the class of 2021, their personal CU School of Medicine faculty hooders, and up to two vaccinated guests each. The event was also livestreamed for friends and family members unable to attend in person.  

Valerie Gleaton | May 28, 2021

On May 19, 2021, more than 20 medical students from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, along with a handful of residents, fellows, and faculty members from the Department of Surgery, gathered in the home of Yihan Lin, MD, MPH, a cardiothoracic surgery fellow.

Valerie Gleaton | May 27, 2021

After a year of many celebrations being held virtually, the University of Colorado School of Medicine will celebrate this year's graduates with an intimate hooding and oath ceremony on Friday, May 28, 2021.

School of Medicine | May 25, 2021

One of the most difficult nights of Hank Baskett Sr.’s life was the night he told his wife he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Greg Glasgow | May 24, 2021

If she wanted to be hooded by her most important mentor, University of Colorado School of Medicine student Sara Delenn Graves knew she couldn’t wait until graduation.

Greg Glasgow | May 21, 2021

After seeing the tragic COVID-19 crisis unfolding in India, Saketh Guntupalli, MD, associate professor of gynecologic oncology in the University of Colorado School of Medicine and member of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, decided to do something about it.

Greg Glasgow | May 19, 2021

Long before RNA and mRNA became important parts of the COVID-19 vaccine conversation, researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine were studying how RNA biology can improve diagnostics and therapeutics for a range of diseases.

Greg Glasgow | May 18, 2021

For Simon Feseha, attending the University of Colorado School of Medicine was a little bit like coming home.

Greg Glasgow | May 18, 2021

With graduation approaching, Eliza Baird-Daniel is looking forward to returning to her hometown of Seattle, Washington, to begin her residency. Baird-Daniel came to the University of Colorado School of Medicine after earning her undergraduate degree in neurobiology from Cornell University. We sat down with her to find out why she went into medicine, what she hopes to accomplish in the future, and what advice she’d give to new medical students.

Valerie Gleaton | May 14, 2021

Gavi Roda’s journey to medicine was seeded at a young age but didn’t fully blossom until her teenage years. As a child, she traveled frequently with her parents, Veralex and Greg Roda. Her family crisscrossed the world and moved more than eight times, including living in Singapore for four years, before finding a home in Broomfield, Colorado.

Chanthy Na | May 10, 2021

When Sarah Massena joined the Center for Surgical Innovation (CSI) as executive director in 2007, she saw the role as an ideal way to merge her interests in science and business.

Valerie Gleaton | May 04, 2021

Fredric Pieracci, MD, MPH/MSPH, an associate professor in the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Surgery, is the senior author on a new paper published in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases that details the results of a public health initiative to provide affordable bariatric surgery to uninsured Denver County residents.  

Valerie Gleaton | April 28, 2021

When children’s rights expert Warren Binford, JD, EdM, reported in 2019 that children in migration were held by the U.S. government in squalid conditions at the southern border, her description – based on interviews with the children and site inspections of the facilities – was denounced by White House officials and its allies as untrue.

Mark Couch | April 27, 2021

Bryan Raymond was very nearly just another grim entry on the ever-growing list of COVID-19 fatalities. But thanks to efforts by faculty members in the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Department of Surgery, Raymond is a COVID statistic of a different sort — the first person in Colorado to receive a lung transplant related to the virus.

Greg Glasgow | April 26, 2021

The new University of Colorado School of Medicine at Colorado State University (CU SOM at CSU) branch campus will welcome its first four-year cohort of 12 medical students in Fort Collins this July. The branch will provide new avenues for clinical training for students as well as an opportunity to collaborate with another of Colorado’s top universities.  

Valerie Gleaton | April 23, 2021

The Class of 2025, whose members arrive on campus in July to begin their first year of medical school, will usher in a new era at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. It will be the first class to experience a reimagined curriculum aimed at getting students into hospitals earlier and connecting them with patients in a more meaningful way, with a renewed focus on community engagement and social determinants of health.

Greg Glasgow | April 20, 2021

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday recommended a nationwide pause on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine because six women who received the vaccine have experienced a rare type of blood clot.

Greg Glasgow | April 16, 2021

A lot has changed in the 20 years since University of Colorado School of Medicine researchers Meredith Mealer, PhD, RN, and Marc Moss, MD, started studying the effects of stress on critical-care nurses.

Greg Glasgow | April 14, 2021

April is National Donate Life Month — an awareness month that encourages Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and that honors those who have saved lives through the gift of donation.

Valerie Gleaton | April 09, 2021

Osteoarthritis affects the joints, but according to researcher Michael Zuscik, PhD, it may start in the gut.

Valerie Gleaton | April 02, 2021

The University of Colorado School of Medicine is listed No. 6 in primary care and No. 27 in research on the Best Medical School rankings released today by U.S. News and World Report.

School of Medicine | March 30, 2021

As a scientist and medical researcher, Emily Bates, PhD, was relieved and grateful to be able to take a COVID-19 vaccine. But when she began talking to others who didn’t work in medicine, she was surprised to find skepticism and resistance to the vaccines that can end the pandemic. 

Greg Glasgow | March 29, 2021

Patients facing accidental hypothermia in both wilderness and urban environments need quick and critical assessments to determine treatment of care.

Chanthy Na | March 25, 2021

When COVID-19 struck during his first year of medical school in 2020, Michael Skaggs was still a few years away from being able to provide clinical care to patients. But he was right on time to put his skills as a former engineer and whitewater rafting company manager to work.

Valerie Gleaton | March 23, 2021

For the second year in a row, the University of Colorado School of Medicine Match Day celebration was hosted virtually for students, faculty, staff, family, and friends due to the pandemic. Instead of a mad dash to retrieve an envelope from a bulletin board, like the Match Day Jeff Druck, MD, assistant dean of student affairs, experienced, this year’s Match announcement was replaced by an email that promptly hit inboxes at 10 a.m. MDT on Friday, March 19.

Emma Brokaw | March 22, 2021

It's a time-honored tradition that many medical students dream about. You receive a message, you open it, and suddenly it seems like everything in your life changes. For medical students who are about to graduate, Match Day is a career-defining moment.

School of Medicine | March 19, 2021

Some kids dread a visit to the doctor’s office, but Sanju Garimella always loved it. In fact, she loved it so much that she spent a day shadowing her pediatrician for a fifth-grade class assignment.

School of Medicine | March 18, 2021

With Match Day approaching, Michael Levy is looking forward to finding out where he will spend the next four years during his residency. Michael came to the University of Colorado School of Medicine after earning his undergraduate degree in human biology from Stanford University.

School of Medicine | March 16, 2021

Khyla Burrows wants to pay it forward. Physicians helped the fourth-year medical student through her share of injuries when she was a young ski racer growing up in Winter Park, Colorado.

Greg Glasgow | March 11, 2021

Kia Washington, MD, looks back on her undergraduate experience as four years that helped to shape who she is. One of those years in particular stands out as not just formative, but transformative.

Greg Glasgow | March 08, 2021

As Anthony Scott awaits Match Day on March 19, when he’ll find out where he will spend the next four years as a resident in psychiatry, he doesn’t find his mind wandering far. Scott, who received undergraduate and graduate degrees at Arizona State University before coming to the University of Colorado School of Medicine, hopes to stay on the Anschutz Medical Campus for his residency, working with some of the same physicians and faculty members he trained with as a medical student.

Greg Glasgow | March 08, 2021

Melissa A. Haendel, PhD, has been named Chief Research Informatics Officer (CRIO) for the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, a newly created position responsible for transforming the campus use of information and information systems to accelerate biomedical discoveries, streamline health system operations, and continuously improve patient care. 

School of Medicine | March 04, 2021

The University of Colorado School of Medicine on the Anschutz Medical Campus today announced the establishment of the Charles J. Blackwood, MD, Endowed Memorial Scholarship to support Black and other underrepresented medical students.

School of Medicine | February 22, 2021

Five years ago, the Section of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine (WEM) at the University of Colorado School of Medicine journeyed to Greenland to provide health care services for researchers at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Summit Station.

Chanthy Na | February 19, 2021

James Burton, MD, professor of medicine and medical director of liver transplantation at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, says he and his colleagues are already starting to see the effect pandemic drinking is having on patients.  

Valerie Gleaton | February 15, 2021

Even amid an increase in medical school applications across the country, the University of Colorado School of Medicine stands out. Outpacing the rise at most other medical schools, the CU School of Medicine has seen its number of applications double in the past five years, jumping 35% in the past year alone, compared to an increase of 18% nationwide. More than 14,000 candidates from around the world applied for one of just 184 seats in the class of 2025.

School of Medicine | February 12, 2021

Katherine Green, MD, MS, assistant professor of otolaryngology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and medical director of the UCHealth Sleep Medicine Clinic, knows how important sleep is to our overall well-being. She also knows that the stresses of the past year — the COVID-19 pandemic, social and political unrest — have had detrimental effects on our sleep.

School of Medicine | February 08, 2021

Along with art and music, science classes are often among the first to go when a school is faced with budget cuts.

Greg Glasgow | February 04, 2021

A pilot program to offer mental health services offered resident physicians at the University of Colorado School of Medicine provides a model for confidential and affordable help, according to an article published today by the journal Academic Medicine.

School of Medicine | February 04, 2021

Natalia Vergara, PhD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, has been awarded a 3D ROC prize by the National Eye Institute (NEI) for her research team’s work to create better models to accelerate the development of new therapies for retinal diseases.

School of Medicine | February 03, 2021

Patients need and deserve the undivided attention of clinicians providing their care, but frequent interruptions and pressure to be responsive to colleagues can have detrimental impacts on the quality of care.

School of Medicine | January 28, 2021

Dean John J. Reilly, Jr., MD, highlighted some of the CU School of Medicine’s accomplishments over the past five years and outlined key initiatives moving forward in his annual State of the School address on January 13. He also spoke to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

School of Medicine | January 15, 2021

College football players may underestimate their risk of injury and concussion, according to a new study published today in JAMA Network Open.

School of Medicine | December 29, 2020

In October, ACCORDS (Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science) and the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute invited a panel of several current and former students from the University of Colorado School of Medicine to share their experiences working on community-based projects with the Committed to Community program through 2040 Partners for Health, an Aurora, Colorado based nonprofit that works to eliminate health disparities and improve health in marginalized communities in the Denver metro area.

School of Medicine | December 23, 2020

The world got to know Gitanjali Rao on December 3, 2020, the day Time magazine named her its first ever “Kid of the Year.”

The 15-year-old scientist and inventor from Lone Tree, Colorado, was recognized for her projects addressing prescription opioid addiction, contaminated water, cyberbullying and more, as well as her desire to bring together a community of young innovators from around the world to help solve global problems.

Greg Glasgow | December 21, 2020

Immunologists from the University of Colorado School of Medicine this week expressed confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines and encouraged people to get vaccinations when they become available. They also addressed frequently asked questions about how the vaccines work, why they have confidence in the process that created the vaccines, and who should get the shots.

School of Medicine | December 18, 2020

With the FDA emergency approval of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer last week and Moderna approval due any day, immunizations against the deadliest pandemic in the past 100 years will begin this week.

School of Medicine | December 14, 2020

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has named two faculty members at the University of Colorado School of Medicine among its 2020 class of AAAS Fellows. The honor recognizes researchers whose efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications in service to society have distinguished them among their peers and colleagues.

School of Medicine | December 11, 2020

Doctors see it every day in clinics and emergency rooms around the world: the ever-worsening effects of climate change on human health.

School of Medicine | December 09, 2020