Muscle wasting, or atrophy, is a serious condition that affects millions of Americans. Aging is the most common cause, but muscle atrophy also happens as a result of muscle disuse—after injury or spinal cord damage, for example—malnutrition, critical illness, or advanced chronic diseases like cancer.

Of all the accolades given to Deborah Ann Turner ('78 MD, '82 R), the honor she cherishes most arrived in the mail with little fanfare. It was a certificate from the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Care. Through the center's Honor Your Caregiver program, grateful patients make a donation in a caregiver's name to the nonprofit Schwartz Center, known for supporting, educating, and training caregivers in delivering compassionate care.

The Iowa Institute of Human Genetics is hosting an educational session for students who want to learn more about the profession and about applying to genetic counseling master’s programs. The session on “Personalized Genomic Medicine: Applying to Genetic Counseling Graduate Programs” will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, in the Eckstein Medical Research Building (EMRB 283) at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

University of Iowa researchers have been awarded funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for studies that address oral health and cancer.

Terry Wahls knows first-hand what the right diet can do for a person’s health and well-being; her own diet, the Wahls Protocol, helped her combat the fatigue and physical symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) nearly 10 years ago. At the time, Wahls, a University of Iowa professor of internal medicine, was confined to a wheelchair and her own MS was advancing.

Rural patients with heart disease often have limited access to specialized care because most cardiologists practice in cities, so even routine office visits can be difficult and time consuming. But a new study from the University of Iowa finds that the use of visiting consultant clinics (VCCs) in rural hospitals staffed by traveling cardiologists greatly increases access to cardiology care.

A pioneer in molecular biology, John Donelson has led a renowned career all the more remarkable for his outstanding record of mentoring. In 37 years of mentorship at the University of Iowa, the giant steps Donelson has taken to inspire others—undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty—to achieve their dreams will be traced for many generations.

We Are Phil Faculty/Staff Giving Week is happening on the UI campus October 10-October 14, 2016 — our fourth annual celebration of faculty/staff philanthropy. The following is a testimonial from Professor of Pediatrics Tom Scholz on the importance of giving back:

Vitamin safely boosts levels of important cell metabolite linked to multiple health benefits. In the first controlled clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside (NR), a newly discovered form of Vitamin B3, researchers have shown that the compound is safe for humans and increases levels of a cell metabolite that is critical for cellular energy production and protection against stress and DNA damage.

Giving mice a gene mutation linked to eating disorders in people causes feeding and behavior abnormalities similar to symptoms often seen in patients with eating disorders. Only female mice are affected by the gene mutation, and some of the abnormalities they express depend on whether they are housed alone or with other mice.