UNDERSTANDING THE PANDEMIC'S IMPACTS
Within weeks of the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, the University of Utah community mobilized enormous efforts toward understanding the nature of the novel coronavirus and its impact on society. Today some 200 investigators from nearly every discipline are leading more than 400 COVID-19-related projects to study the virus from all angles—from testing and vaccine trials to its impact on vulnerable communities and rates of domestic violence.
The flash flood-like emergence of COVID-19 has shined a spotlight on University of Utah Health’s Immunology, Inflammation, and Infectious Disease (3i) initiative that brings scientists from diverse backgrounds together to conduct research in these fields. With 3i in place, the U and partners were able to quickly leverage our strengths to answer the most pressing questions about COVID-19.
RESEARCH BY THE NUMBERS

919
research projects

$1.3M
in U seed funding

$68M
in external funding

643
academic publications

17,500+
times cited
LIFE-CHANGING RESEARCH
Our U research community is an important part of both the international response to the pandemic and helping our Utah neighbors and economy to recover. As experts, they are informing not only state policy but national policy as well. These investigators are innovating solutions to alleviate the burden on vulnerable populations and to help our community rebound. Below are the wide-ranging areas in which University of Utah researchers are making a difference.

Testing and
Treating COVID-19
Finding better tests, treatments, and a cure for COVID-19.

Mental Health
and the Brain
Exploring neurological impacts and how people are psychologically adjusting to the disruptions in everyday life.

Social Impact
and Policy
Understanding how to better protect and prepare people from the unintended consequences of efforts to reduce exposure to COVID-19.

Data Science and
Genomic Medicine
Efforts to make better predictions of COVID-19 and engage cutting-edge methods across artificial intelligence, genetics, and mathematical modeling.

Environmental Impact and
Minimizing Exposure
Understanding how our actions during COVID-19 are impacting the environment, and how to minimize exposure to the virus across settings.

Health Impacts
Across Populations
Investigating the many ways that COVID-19 impacts people from different communities, including long-haulers.
COVID-19 RESEARCH NEWS
A SAMPLING OF STORIES ABOUT HOW OUR RESEARCH IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Earliest cases of COVID-19 traced to market in Wuhan, China
Original story at U of U Health. An international team of 18 researchers, including a scientist at University of Utah Health, have determined that the earliest […]
Read MoreGun injuries in children spiked during the pandemic
Original story at U of U Health. Gun injuries in kids surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 50% increase compared to previous years. Data […]
Read MoreMore than 40% of Americans misled others about having COVID-19 and use of precautions
Original story at U of U Health. Four of 10 Americans surveyed report that they were often less than truthful about whether they had COVID-19 […]
Read MoreMRNA vaccines significantly reduce severity of Delta, Omicron COVID-19 infections
Original story at U of U Health. People who have received two or three doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine are significantly more likely to […]
Read MoreStudy: covid may increase risk of stroke in kids
Overall risk is low but real, data suggests. Children may be at increased risk of stroke after COVID-19 infection, according to a new study published […]
Read MoreResearch on long COVID in Utah
While most people who have had COVID-19 recover within a few weeks, as many as 1 in 3 people experience long term side effects of […]
Read MoreProteins in saliva could aid in COVID-19 detection and predict severe illness
Reprinted with permission from the American Physiological Society. Researchers have identified a family of proteins that is significantly elevated in the saliva of patients hospitalized […]
Read MoreConvalescent plasma could lower hospitalization risk for newly infected COVID-19 patients
Early treatment of newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients with plasma extracted from individuals who have recovered from the disease reduces the need for hospitalization by more […]
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