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University of Arizona Health Sciences


Making cancer vaccines more personal

Researchers used modeling and artificial intelligence to develop a personalized cancer vaccine against cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. They identified two mutated tumor proteins that prompted T cells to halt tumor growth, showing promise for effective treatment. The study's findings suggest that structural features of neoantigens pl...

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 24, 2025

Researchers find potential link between chronic pain, immune condition

A study led by Julie Pilitsis, MD, PhD, found a possible connection between chronic pain and eosinophilia, a white blood cell condition, in patients undergoing spinal cord stimulation or implanted pain medicine pumps. The study suggests that eosinophilia may be an immune biomarker for chronic pain.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalNeuromodulation Technology at the Neural Interface·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 9, 2025

Heat and toxic exposures could harm kidneys in agricultural workers

A new study by the University of Arizona found that heat exposure and toxic metal exposure can increase signs of kidney injury in agricultural workers. The study suggests that providing mandatory breaks, water, electrolyte replacement, and restrooms nearby can help prevent heat-related illnesses and kidney damage.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalEnvironmental Research·TypeObservational study·DateSep 23, 2025

Repackaged cancer drug boosts delivery to tumors, improves combination therapies

University of Arizona researchers develop a new formulation of paclitaxel, called Paclitaxome, which improves delivery to tumor sites and reduces side effects. The modified drug combination outperforms existing chemotherapy treatments in tests against triple-negative breast cancer and advanced pancreatic cancer in mice.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalNature Cancer·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 21, 2025

Resource-poor neighborhood conditions may increase gestational diabetes risk

A new study found that mothers living in resource-poor neighborhoods in Arizona were 20% more likely to develop gestational diabetes mellitus compared to those in less deprived areas. The study also highlighted the high incidence of GDM among Native Americans, who had a rate nearly double the overall population.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalPaediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 4, 2025

Study lays groundwork for preventing dangerous falls on dry spills

Researchers developed a new testing method to assess floor slipperiness caused by dry contaminants, revealing particles like salt and flour can be just as dangerous as oil or water. The study found that even sparse layers of salt can reduce friction by up to 28%, making tile far slicker than permitted safety thresholds.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalJournal of Forensic Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 23, 2025

Toxic metals linked to impaired growth in infants in Guatemala

A new study by the University of Arizona Health Sciences found a potential link between growth problems among infants and high levels of toxic metals and other elements in the breast milk of Mayan women in Guatemala's Lake Atitlán watershed region. High concentrations of arsenic, barium, beryllium, and lead were associated with impaire...

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalEnvironmental Pollution·TypeObservational study·DateJul 10, 2025

Study says original COVID-19 vaccination did not stop immune system from fighting variants

A study by researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that vaccinated people generated an overall protective immune response to Delta and Omicron strains, with slightly fewer antibodies for the mutated parts of the virus. The research suggests that immune changes due to antigenic imprinting may not be a significant ...

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalNature Immunology·TypeObservational study·DateMay 27, 2025

Researchers identify drug candidate for difficult-to-treat heart disease

A team of researchers from the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson has identified a potential drug candidate for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The study, published in Cell Metabolism, found that a key ingredient triggering HFpEF is an enzyme that converts glucose into harmful byproducts, ultimat...

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalCell Metabolism·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 21, 2025

Health care workers, firefighters have increased PFAS levels, study finds

A study found moderate elevations of certain PFAS in health care workers' blood, with notably higher odds of detecting Sb-PFOA and PFDoA compared to other professions. Firefighters had the highest concentrations of PFAS, specifically concentrations of PFHxS, Sm-PFOS, n-PFOS and PFHpS.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalJournal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 8, 2025

Patient navigators improve colonoscopy rates after abnormal stool tests, study shows

A study found that patient navigators significantly improved one-year follow-up colonoscopy completion rates by 12% and reduced time to follow-up by 27 days. The researchers emphasize the importance of timely follow-up colonoscopies for patients with abnormal stool test results.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 31, 2025

Cannabis terpenes offer potential new way to treat fibromyalgia pain

Research at the University of Arizona Health Sciences found that certain terpenes in Cannabis sativa are effective at relieving post-surgical and fibromyalgia pain in preclinical models. Terpenes have been shown to provide significant pain relief in mouse models, with geraniol providing the most significant level of pain relief.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalPharmacological Reports·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 12, 2025

Study reveals hope for immunotherapy as prostate cancer treatment

Researchers at University of Arizona Cancer Center found that an immunotherapy previously shown to be ineffective against prostate cancer may have therapeutic potential when combined with a specific protein inhibitor. The study's co-author, Noel Warfel, PhD, identified a way to sensitize prostate tumors to immune checkpoint inhibitors ...

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalCancer Immunology Research·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 4, 2025

Common drug shows promise against rare type of heart disease

A team of researchers from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson found that an FDA-approved osteoporosis treatment, risedronate, can correct a gene mutation and normalize heart function in animal models. The study provides hope for treating other rare diseases using precision treatments tailored to individual mutations.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 17, 2025

U of A Cancer Center clinical trial advances research in treatment of biliary tract cancers

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, showed no significant difference in patient survival between two-drug and three-drug chemotherapy regimens. The researchers found that the three-drug regimen may increase toxicity but could be a viable option for specific patients with certain types of biliary tract cancers.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJan 16, 2025

$3.9 million grant seeks to expand primary care and rural tracks for medical student training in Arizona

The University of Arizona Health Sciences has been awarded a $3.9 million grant to address the shortage of primary care physicians in underserved communities in Arizona. The program aims to create more primary care and rural health admissions tracks and expand clinical experiences, ultimately increasing primary care residency matches.

Study links vaginal microbiome differences to higher cervical cancer rates in Native American women

Researchers found that protective Lactobacillus microorganisms were present at lower rates in Native American women compared to non-Native women. This disruption in the vaginal microbiome increased the risk of human papillomavirus infection, leading to higher cervical cancer rates among Native American women.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalCancer Prevention Research·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateDec 19, 2024

Peer support could help millions with sleep apnea slumber easier, study says

A University of Arizona Health Sciences study found that peer support intervention improved CPAP adherence and patient satisfaction among 263 sleep apnea patients. The study showed that participants who received peer support used the CPAP machine correctly and consistently, averaging 4.5 hours of use per night, compared to those withou...

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateDec 4, 2024

Clinical study confirms tissue stiffening in breast cancer can drive metastasis

A clinical study published in Clinical Cancer Research confirmed that tissue stiffening in HER2-negative breast cancer can directly cause disease progression and metastasis. The use of the MeCo Score diagnostic tool was found to predict the likelihood of relapse or recurrence among patients with early-stage breast cancer.

SourceUniversity of Arizona Health Sciences·JournalClinical Cancer Research·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateOct 22, 2024

Researchers using $3.3M NCI grant to develop more accurate, comfortable breast cancer screening technology

College of Medicine – Tucson researchers are using a $3.3 million grant to test advanced breast computed tomography (CT) scans that create high-resolution 3-D images without physical compression, aiming to enhance early cancer detection and diagnosis for women with dense breasts. The technology has the potential to detect more breast c...