College News

For the millions of people living with lupus – a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage the kidneys, brain and other vital organs – treatment options remain limited and often come with serious side effects. A $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow a University of Oklahoma researcher to continue investigating a protein that may help explain why the disease develops and how it might be treated more precisely.

Rodney Tweten, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the OU College of Medicine, has been selected as the University of Oklahoma’s recipient of the Faculty Achievement Award supported by the Southeastern Conference. Recipients from SEC institutions go on to compete for a national SEC Professor of the Year award.

People experiencing homelessness often live with chronic illness, mental health conditions and substance use disorders, while facing significant barriers to accessing and managing health care. With a new five-year, $1 million federal grant, the University of Oklahoma is addressing this challenge by launching a Street Medicine and Advocacy Pathway at the OU College of Medicine to train medical residents in delivering compassionate, comprehensive care to this vulnerable population.

The University of Oklahoma Health Campus was recently recognized for its increased momentum in advancing discoveries that change lives, achieving the state’s first Top 100 national ranking based on funding from the National Institutes of Health, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. The ranking—the highest in OU’s history and in the state—solidifies the University’s position as the state’s leading driver of health-related research.

Growing up, Stefano Tarantini, Ph.D., watched his grandmother lose her independence to cognitive decline. At the same time, he became fascinated with the medical language surrounding her care – terms like ischemia and abnormal vascular function.