The University of Washington Information School was ranked second in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of U.S. master’s degree programs in library and information science. The iSchool was also highly ranked in five of specialty areas, including Law Librarianship (first), Services for Children and Youth (second), Digital Librarianship (third), Information Systems (third) and School Library Media (seventh). Learn More >
The University of Washington’s School of Medicine maintained its ranking at the nation’s top primary care medical school in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings. The School of Medicine also maintained its top rank for both family medicine and rural medicine training. Other programs receiving high rankings were pediatrics (fifth), internal medicine (tie for sixth), and geriatrics (seventh). In addition, the School of Medicine continues to be the leading public institution in the amount of…
Obesity is the third-leading driver of healthcare costs, yet the metabolic causes of a high body mass index are not yet fully understood. To better treat obesity and linked diseases such as diabetes, researchers at UW Medicine are looking for answers in critical neuron centers in the brain. Through this research of brain mechanisms that govern food intake, energy balance, and glucose metabolism, they believe they may have identified new ways to control weight gain and treat diabetes. Learn More…
The newly emerging field of implementation science seeks to find the best approaches to integrating research findings and evidence into policy and practice. The University of Washington’s School of Public Health has the world’s first Ph.D. program in implementation science, which is designed to address bottlenecks, test interventions, and evaluate the real impact of programs. Implementation science is also key to the Population Health Initiative, which was launched in 2016 with the goal of improving human health, environmental resilience, and…
The cost of producing fusion power has traditionally not penciled out in comparison to current energy sources, thereby placing this zero-emission power source out of reach for wide-scale development. UW researchers believe they have now designed a concept for fusion power built on existing technology that will render that traditional cost structure obsolete. With a successful prototype in hand, they are now turning to further development and expansion of the device to create the needed power output to be a…
The fine particle pollution generated by wood smoke can have a number of negative effects on human health. Within Pierce County, Washington, a number of efforts are underway to reduce wood smoke pollution in areas that have been designate as a smoke reduction zone. Dr. Robin Evans-Agnew, assistant professor of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership at University of Washington Tacoma, engaged a group of 10 middle and high school students from the area to track both indoor and outdoor air pollution…
The latest issue of UW Medicine magazine ran an in-depth article exploring the big picture behind the Population Health Initiative. The article illustrates the breadth and reach of the initiative, drawing perspectives from medicine, social work, built environments, the environment, and more, each of which plays an important role in helping everyone, everywhere, to lead a healthy life. Learn More >
University of Washington mechanical engineering students have developed a generator that converts heat energy from fires into electricity to charge phones. Though the device seems ideal for campers who might appreciate the convenience of charging their phone batteries on camping trips, the team is more concerned with having their generator reach communities where it can help make a real difference in people’s lives—places affected by disasters and low-resource communities across the globe. Learn More >
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in UW Medicine will expand its work over the next decade thanks to a $279 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. IHME provides independent health evidence to policymakers, practitioners and communities in order to find solutions to population health challenges. Learn More >
While clinical studies indicate that more frequent kidney dialysis improves patient health, the approach most patients currently take is to visit dialysis centers several times a week, with each visit taking several hours. Enter the wearable artificial kidney, a 10-pound, battery-powered device worn on a belt that provides around-the-clock, continuous dialysis. UW Medicine researchers and their collaborators are among the first in the nation to test this device, and the initial results have shown promise. Learn More >