Posted on | CategoriesObstetrics & Gynecology / Prevention | PI: Robert M. Silver, MD

Elective Labor Induction in First-Time Moms at 39 Weeks of Gestation

The optimal timing of delivery for low-risk pregnancies is not known. Risks of complications increase after 39 weeks of gestation, but inducing labor may increase the need for cesarean delivery, leading to policies prohibiting elective induction before 41 weeks. To address this dilemma, Robert Silver, MD, and colleagues at the University of Utah Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology randomized 6,106 low-risk, first-time pregnant women to either induction of labor at 39 weeks or expectant management. Continue reading → Elective Labor Induction in First-Time Moms at 39 Weeks of Gestation
Posted on | CategoriesMental Health / Psychiatry | PI: Perry F. Renshaw, MD, PhD , Shami Kanekar, PhD & Douglas G. Kondo, MD

Chronic Hypoxia Exposure Worsens Depression

University of Utah Health investigator Perry Renshaw, MD, PhD, and colleagues combine epidemiology, animal models, and human neuroimaging to study how impaired brain bioenergetics affect psychiatric disorders. They first reported a link between altitude and suicide in the U.S., a finding since replicated in three other continents. Continue reading → Chronic Hypoxia Exposure Worsens Depression
Posted on | CategoriesCardiovascular / Internal Medicine | PI: Paul F. Bray, MD

A Genetic Mechanism Contributing to Racial Differences in Vascular Disease

Heart attacks and strokes result from clots formed in the blood vessels of the heart or brain, respectively. The laboratory of Paul Bray, MD, demonstrated that platelets from Black individuals were more reactive than those from White individuals, suggesting a genetic basis for some of the racial discrepancy observed in vascular diseases associated with clotting. Continue reading → A Genetic Mechanism Contributing to Racial Differences in Vascular Disease
Posted on | CategoriesBiochemistry / Health and Disease | PI: Erhu Cao, PhD & Peter Shen, PhD

Structure and Function of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Channel

The kidney senses and responds to physiological changes, such as pH, ionic strength, pressure, and nutrient levels. Sensing is mediated by a coupled sensor/ion channel complex called the Polycystic Kidney Disease Channel, which is composed of two subunits, the PKD1 (the primary sensor) and PKD2 (the channel). Continue reading → Structure and Function of the Polycystic Kidney Disease Channel
Posted on | CategoriesObstetrics & Gynecology / Prevention | PI: David Turok, MD

HER Salt Lake City Contraceptive Initiative and Family Planning Elevated

The U.S. Healthy People 2020 initiative aims to improve pregnancy planning and increase access to the full range of contraceptive methods. Utah presents unique barriers to contraceptive services, including limited public funding and geographical regions with limited family planning services. Continue reading → HER Salt Lake City Contraceptive Initiative and Family Planning Elevated
Posted on | CategoriesFundamental Biology / Oncological Sciences | PI: Bradley R. Cairns, PhD

Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance

A central issue in epigenetics is whether and how epigenetic information in gametes (sperm and egg) is inherited. Cairns and colleagues discovered that “Placeholder” nucleosomes, containing histone variants, occupy DNA regions lacking methylation in both sperm and early embryos. Continue reading → Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance
Posted on | CategoriesHealth and Disease / Pathology | PI: Tracey J. Lamb, PhD

Vascular Inflammation in Malaria Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis of malaria is characterized by vascular inflammation exacerbated by immune cells that travel to areas where red blood cells infected with parasites stick to the endothelium lining the blood vessels. The Lamb lab has made significant discoveries demonstrating a key role for receptor tyrosine kinase family Eph receptors in malaria pathogenesis. Continue reading → Vascular Inflammation in Malaria Pathogenesis
Posted on | CategoriesBiochemistry / Fundamental Biology | PI: Brenda L. Bass, PhD , Peter Shen, PhD & Janet Iwasa, PhD

Identifying RNAs from Invading Viruses

Biochemical and structural studies from Bass, Shen, Iwasa, and colleagues revealed how Dicer-2, an RNA processing, and antiviral defense enzyme, distinguishes and differentially processes double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) substrates by sensing the unique chemistry at their termini. Continue reading → Identifying RNAs from Invading Viruses
Posted on | CategoriesDiabetes and Metabolism / Internal Medicine | PI: Simon J. Fisher, MD, PhD , Owen Chan, PhD & Candace M. Reno, PhD

Neural and Cardiac Responses to Hypoglycemia

The laboratories of Simon Fisher, MD, Owen Chan, PhD, and Candace Reno, PhD, demonstrated that brain glucose sensing was impaired in rats with recurrent hypoglycemia as a result of defective glucose and lactate metabolism within the neurons and astrocytes in the hypothalamus. The resultant abnormal release of neurotransmitters—such as GABA, glutamate and dopamine—led to inadequate activation of hormonal responses to hypoglycemia. Continue reading → Neural and Cardiac Responses to Hypoglycemia
Posted on | CategoriesHealth and Disease / Internal Medicine | PI: Weiquan Zhu, PhD , Shannon J. Odelberg, PhD & Dean Y. Li, MD, PhD

ARF6 Plays Key Role in Diabetes-Induced Blindness

University of Utah Health researcher Weiquan Zhu, PhD, and colleagues identified a protein, known as ARF6, which regulates the effects of VEGF by maintaining and amplifying its receptor signaling, thus stimulating a series of cascading responses that lead to diabetic retinal edema. Continue reading → ARF6 Plays Key Role in Diabetes-Induced Blindness
Posted on | CategoriesBiochemistry / Immunology, Inflammation, Infectious Disease | PI: Demian Cazalla, PhD

Viral RNA Modulation of Host Gene Expression

Viruses depend on and modulate their hosts’ cellular environments to maximize replication. Cazalla and colleagues studied the small RNAs from H. saimiri, a herpesvirus that establishes latency in the T cells of New World primates and can cause aggressive leukemias and lymphomas in non-natural hosts. Continue reading → Viral RNA Modulation of Host Gene Expression
Posted on | CategoriesPrevention / Surgery | PI: Benjamin Brooke, MD

Individualized Venous Thromboembolism Risk Stratification and Chemoprophylaxis in Surgical Patients

The research team of Christopher Pannucci, MD, and Benjamin Brooke, MD, set out to determine whether chemoprophylaxis for VTE among surgical patients could be better achieved through individualized risk stratification using established Caprini scores. They performed a meta-analysis of nearly 15,000 surgery patients, stratified by Caprini scores for VTE risk levels. Continue reading → Individualized Venous Thromboembolism Risk Stratification and Chemoprophylaxis in Surgical Patients
Posted on | CategoriesHealth and Disease / Oncological Sciences | PI: Bradley R. Cairns, PhD

Genes Responsible for Maintaining Embryonic Developmental Potential

A major question concerning early embryos involves how early cleavage-stage (two-cell) embryos establish unlimited developmental potential – termed totipotency. Cairns and colleagues identified the multicopy retrogene, DUX4 in humans or Dux in mice, as a transcription factor that is turned on in very early embryos and activates hundreds of genes and retroviral elements during cleavage stage. Continue reading → Genes Responsible for Maintaining Embryonic Developmental Potential
Posted on | CategoriesGenomics / Human Genetics / Pathology | PI: Robert Schlaberg, MD , Gabor Marth, DSc , Mark Yandell, PhD & Karen Eilbeck, PhD

Rapid Identification of Microbial Pathogens

The rapid identification of microbial pathogens is critical for timely and successful treatments. Improved capabilities in pathogen identification were the focus of a collaboration between physicians and scientists in the departments of Biomedical Informatics, Human Genetics, and Pathology. Continue reading → Rapid Identification of Microbial Pathogens
Posted on | CategoriesHealth and Disease / Neurology | PI: Stefan M. Pulst, MD & Daniel R. Scoles, PhD

Therapy for ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a catastrophic degeneration of the nervous system with great need for disease-modifying treatments. Stefan Pulst, MD, and his collaborator Daniel Scoles, PhD, were studying a lesser-known but similarly dire condition (spinocerebellar ataxia 2, SCA2) when they identified a gene relevant to both diseases. Continue reading → Therapy for ALS
Posted on | CategoriesCancer / Oncological Sciences | PI: Jody Rosenblatt, PhD

Maintaining Epithelial Barriers

A vital issue in cell biology is how epithelial sheets provide a barrier while balancing cell growth and death, and withstand the stretching forces that sheets experience in vivo. Rosenblatt and colleagues demonstrated that mechanical stretching stimulates epithelial cell division and characterized the stretch-sensitive Piezo1 channel as well as the downstream signaling that triggers cell division. Continue reading → Maintaining Epithelial Barriers
Posted on | CategoriesCancer / College of Nursing | PI: Kathi Mooney, PhD, RN

Cancer Symptom Care at Home

Huntsman Cancer Institute investigator Kathi Mooney, PhD, RN, and her colleague, Susan Beck, PhD, APRN, developed Symptom Care at Home, an automated, remote-monitoring platform that assesses 11 cancer symptoms at home, provides automated self-management coaching based on the symptom severity reported, and automatically alerts the clinical team about symptoms requiring further intervention. Continue reading → Cancer Symptom Care at Home
Posted on | CategoriesCancer / Oncological Sciences | PI: Trudy G. Oliver, PhD

Defining Pathways for Formation and Suppression of Highly Metastatic Lung Tumors

Cancers arise from the complex interplay of oncogene activation and tumor suppressor inactivation. Oliver and colleagues uncovered how Myc cooperates with other oncogene products to promote aggressive, highly metastatic lung tumors. Continue reading → Defining Pathways for Formation and Suppression of Highly Metastatic Lung Tumors