School of Medicine

The human immune system is more complex than an arcade game. Immune cells don’t simply gobble up germs the way Pac-Man munches dots. Instead, a complex network of intercellular communication is necessary to keep the immune system working properly. A new study led by Kelly Monaghan—a WVU School of Medicine researcher—identifies part of that intricate process that shows promise as a target for multiple sclerosis therapies. The National Institutes of Health has funded her research.

Undergraduate researchers from West Virginia University showcased their work at the State Capitol in Charleston Friday (Feb. 18), giving lawmakers a glimpse of the work they do in disease-carrying insects, the weather’s effect on renewable energy resources and the economic potential of petunias—just a few of the topics addressed by 49 presenters from WVU’s Morgantown and Beckley campuses.

West Virginia leads the nation in overdose deaths, but distinguishing intentional overdoses from accidental ones is far from straightforward.

Sleep-disordered breathing exacerbates obesity, stroke, COPD and heart failure—some of the most prevalent conditions in Appalachia. A new program at WVU focuses on identifying hospital patients at risk of sleep-disordered breathing and intervening early. According to a study led by Sunil Sharma, a School of Medicine researcher, the program accurately screens patients and makes them less likely to return to the hospital after being discharged.

To help improve the quality of life for West Virginians and residents in the Appalachian region, West Virginia University’s School of Public Health is offering an evidence-based approach to preventing, treating and often reversing chronic disease, 85 percent of which is attributable to lifestyle risk factors.

West Virginia University has released its Fall 2021 Dean’s and President’s lists, as well as the list of graduates for the fall semester.

The blood-brain barrier keeps foreign substances from entering the brain. That’s good when it comes to toxins and germs, but it makes treating tumors in the brain trickier. By shielding the brain from things that would harm it, the blood-brain barrier also blocks the chemotherapy that would help it.

To better understand the long-term effects of COVID-19— symptoms that may continue or even begin after the initial virus infection—researchers at the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute at West Virginia University, are engaging underserved populations that are traditionally underrepresented in clinical studies.

By 2050, 12.8 million Americans age 65 or older are likely to have Alzheimer’s disease. That’s more than double the number who have it today. Paul Chantler—a researcher with the WVU School of Medicine—is investigating the link between Alzheimer’s disease and chronic stress. What he and his team uncover may suggest new ways to slow the disease’s progression or even delay its onset. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded the project $2 million.

Retinal diseases can make even the most mundane tasks—like cooking, driving and walking down the sidewalk—difficult or impossible, and they can’t be cured. WVU School of Medicine researchers Peter Stoilov and Visvanathan Ramamurthy are studying the role that specific proteins play in rapid retinal degeneration. What they learn may lead to new treatments that are more cost-effective and more widely applicable than the treatments available today.