Health

West Virginia University Vice President for Research Fred King shared the following message with the University community today (Feb. 17).

West Virginia University was reaffirmed as an R1 university, the highest possible research ranking, in the 2025 rankings by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching released Thursday (Feb. 13). WVU is the only R1 institution in West Virginia and one of 187 colleges and universities nationwide to earn the latest prestigious classification.

West Virginia University microbiologists have identified an antibody that can kill one of the most drug-resistant bacteria. Now, supported by a $3.5 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, they want to determine whether it can be combined with other antibiotics to produce a potent treatment against infection.

A West Virginia University legal scholar says current laws may be giving manufacturers of biologic drugs, like antibodies and flu vaccines, too much in the way of legal protections before copycat versions can be sold when compared with traditional small-molecule drugs, including antibiotics and steroids.

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, who use an extended-release medication are more likely to continue the treatment and have a lower risk of developing substance use disorder, according to two West Virginia University studies.

West Virginia University pediatric trauma specialists and statisticians have formulated a measure to more accurately assess children with traumatic injuries to ensure they receive the most effective life-saving treatment.

In a collaborative effort to support student success, the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy and the University of Charleston are partnering to provide a seamless transition plan for students affected by the discontinuation of UC’s Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Construction is set to start in the new year on an extensive West Virginia University School of Dentistry expansion and renovation project being supported, in part, by a $12.6 million award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

West Virginia University has named Haley Bockius, Laasya Chennuru, Mary G. Roush, Christopher J. Smith and Dakota Swiger the 2024 Mountaineers of Distinction, a Mountaineer Week tradition that recognizes exemplary academic achievement and extracurricular involvement.

West Virginia University researchers are working to potentially reduce the growing rate of antibiotic-resistant infections in open bone fractures by employing nanotechnology to bolster a centuries-old treatment. The study is supported by a $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.