School of Medicine at the University of Virginia

09/19/2026

UVA School of Medicine researchers are engaging K–12 students through outreach focused on brain science. Last year, the Brain Science Outreach program reached more than 1,200 students across Virginia.

09/19/2026

09/18/2026

UVA researchers led by Jeff Saucerman, PhD, put large language models (LLMs) like GPT, Gemini, and Claude to the test to see how well they understand the way cells work.

The LLMs were solid at mapping known cell signaling networks, generating up to 65% of reactions previously identified through years of human research. But when it came to predicting how cells respond to disease-driving disruptions, accuracy dropped to just 6-33%.

The takeaway: these tools have real promise for accelerating biomedical research, but they're not ready to work without close human oversight. "They still need help from humans," Saucerman says.

🔗 https://www.uvahealth.com/news/test-of-large-language-models-reveals-promise-pitfalls-for-biomedical-research

09/14/2026

Nao Hagiwara, PhD, is driven by a simple but powerful mission: to make healthcare better for the people who need it most. 🔬

In this episode of Research in Motion, we explore what inspires her work and the moments with study participants that remind her why it matters.

Because behind every study is a person, and behind every discovery is the potential to make a difference.

09/14/2026

UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center invites you to the sixth annual Michael J. Weber Symposium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia. The theme of this year’s event is “Cancer Metastasis.”

The Weber Symposium was established to honor the life and accomplishments of the late, renowned scientist and UVA Cancer Center Director, Dr. Michael J. Weber, by bringing together internationally distinguished researchers and clinicians to present findings that integrate basic, translational and population science research with clinical trials and compassionate patient care.

This year’s presenters include: Carey K. Anders, MD, of Duke Cancer Institute; Adrienne Boire, MD, PhD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Yibin Kang, PhD, of Princeton University Molecular Biology; Ahmedin Jemal, DVM, PhD, of the American Cancer Society; and Danny R. Welch, PhD, of the University of Kansas Medical Center.

The event runs in-person and virtually from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. in the Pinn Hall Auditorium, located at 1340 Jefferson Park Avenue in Charlottesville. Registration is free and includes breakfast and lunch.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/4gz9j7J

09/11/2026

A UVA study on out-of-body experiences set out to test something specific. Instead, it uncovered something stranger.

In a trial by the Division of Perceptual Studies, researcher Marina Weiler and her team had participants try to identify a random object in another room during a reported out-of-body experience. The results? No better than chance.

But afterward, two participants, unprompted, accurately described researchers' positions and activities behind closed doors, details they had no ordinary way of knowing.

Records confirmed both accounts were correct. Researchers now think the target itself may matter more than assumed; memorable or distinctive details might be easier to "pick up" than a random object on a screen.

09/04/2026

UVA researchers are exploring two noninvasive "neuromodulation" techniques — focused ultrasound and vagus nerve stimulation — that may help reduce drug and alcohol cravings by targeting the brain's reward and stress systems.

James Mahoney, PhD, director of UVA's Center for Neuromodulation Research, says these approaches could offer new options for patients who haven't responded to standard treatments, especially those with stimulant use disorder, which currently has no approved medications.

The center's first vagus nerve stimulation study begins recruiting this fall, with focused ultrasound studies to follow in early 2027.

🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4h9JcUX

09/01/2026

🔬 New insight into glaucoma from UVA researchers.

Evan Scott, PhD, director of UVA's Institute for Nanoscale Scientific and Technological Advanced Research, and his team used ultra-tiny "nanocarriers" to study the eye's fluid drainage system. The team identified a promising new genetic target, Prox1, for treating glaucoma.

Glaucoma affects 64 million people worldwide, and more than half of patients struggle to stick with daily eye-drop treatment. This work could point toward a one-time gene therapy that lowers eye pressure for good, no drops required.

The findings, published in JCI Insight, are a great example of nanotechnology's dual role: as a way to understand disease and to eventually treat it.

🔗 Read more: https://bit.ly/4xwPm7D

08/27/2026