A University of Arizona Cancer Center-based program fosters the next generation of Native American scientists and doctors.

A new study led by the University of Arizona College of Nursing will examine the prevalence of cannabis and other substance use in nurses who may work through significant pain and be at risk for substance abuse.

The roll-out of a booster vaccine is set to start the week of Sept. 20, aimed at people who had their second dose more than eight months ago. Those most vulnerable, including seniors and health care workers, would be eligible first. Some health leaders disagree with the move saying the primary concern shouldn't be for a booster of the vaccine, but rather getting our country and those in developing countries their first dose. "I personally, at this point, would not place third boosters shots as a priority in our public health response," said Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, an associate professor of public health policy and management at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "I still think we should be focused on getting people our first and second shots."

Many vaccinated people have questions about how much protection they have against the virus. Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, an immunobiologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson, discusses the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, the delta variant, and whether people may need a booster shot after eight months.

University of Arizona Health Sciences has announced it will launch HealthTech Connect, a consortium designed to build opportunities for companies and organizations to pursue cutting-edge innovations in health technology.

In his latest COVID-19 Update and Forecast published on Saturday, Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, associate professor of public health policy and management with the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, predicted that hospitals would experience reductions in services. “Undoubtedly, some medically necessary procedures will likely be postponed and rescheduled over the coming weeks to make room for critically ill COVID-19 patients,” said Dr. Gerald.

Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, an associate professor of public health policy and management at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, says COVID-19 conditions in the state of Arizona are getting worse and could reach a peak by the end of the month.

Continuing coverage: University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers have developed a new therapy for Alzheimer’s disease designed to restore cognitive function in early-stage patients. The therapy is now proceeding through a Phase 2b clinical trial. Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, director of the UArizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science, is the lead investigator.

Researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences say using nanotechnology to deliver chemotherapy, could be a more effective way to fight aggressive tumors. "We found that our nano platform can not only increase effectiveness of the immunotherapy but also can activate our body's own memory immunity," said Jianqin Lu, PhD, an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the College of Pharmacy.

Mia Smitt, a recently retired nurse practitioner, writes about coccidioidomycosis, citing the the University of Arizona Valley Fever Center for Excellence as a great reference for both health care providers and the public.