UR Health Research

02/20/2026

Does strep throat go away on its own?

Strep throat, a bacterial infection, is highly contagious and spreads through close contact, including coughing, sneezing, or sharing food, drinks, or utensils. Medical Center experts give an overview of symptoms and treatments.

Does strep throat go away on its own? Learn symptoms to watch for, when antibiotics are needed, and why prompt treatment matters—especially for kids.

02/18/2026

Why is sleep so important? Your brain depends on it

URochester researchers have revealed that sleep does more than restore energy—it activates the brain’s waste-clearing system, protecting long-term brain health. In a recent Ever Wonder video, Maiken Nedergaard, codirector of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine, answers the all-important question: Why do we sleep?

URochester research shows that sleep activates the brain’s waste-clearing system, protecting long-term brain health.

02/17/2026

How to ski smarter and stay safe on the slopes

Learn how to avoid injury and stay safe on the slopes from Sandeep Mannava, an associate professor of orthopaedics who is serving on the 2026 Winter Olympics volunteer medical pool for the US Ski and Snowboard team.

Love winter sports? Learn how to ski smarter and reduce injury risk with practical safety tips from UR Medicine sports medicine experts.

02/10/2026

Is taking a daily aspirin worth the risks?

Medical Center experts answer some common questions about whether daily aspirin is right for you. You should talk to your doctor before starting or stopping daily aspirin.

Taking a daily aspirin was long touted as a simple way to stave off a heart attack or stroke, but recent evidence suggests that the risks of daily aspirin outweigh the benefits for people over 60 and anyone with a history of bleeding.

02/06/2026

Caring for cancer patients in cold weather

Cassie Adams, a registered nurse at Wilmot Cancer Institute, shares what you should know when caring for cancer patients in cold weather, including the potential risks of the cold and how to manage them.

Cold winter weather can be uncomfortable, but for people undergoing cancer treatment, it can present some serious challenges. Wilmot Cancer Center nurses Cassie Adams and Karen Abbas offer insights on the risks cancer patients face and some tips to stay safe this winter.

02/06/2026

The brain uses eye movements to see in 3D

URochester researchers led by Dr. Greg DeAngelis have discovered that the visual motion of an image caused by eye movements helps us understand the world. The specific patterns of visual motion created by eye movements are useful to the brain for figuring out how objects move and where they are located in 3D space.

Contrary to long-standing beliefs, motion from eye movements helps the brain perceive depth—a finding that could enhance virtual reality.

02/04/2026

What medications are safe to take during pregnancy?

Even for medications that aren’t safe during pregnancy, there often are good alternatives. Stacy Sun, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, shares what’s safe, what’s not, and when to get your obstetrician involved.

Some pregnant people worry that taking medication could harm their baby, leading to tough choices and unnecessary stress. But you don’t have to choose between your health and your baby’s.

01/30/2026

Participate in health research.

The University of Rochester supports a local registry of individuals who are interested in volunteering for health research. Anyone can join this registry. If you join, URochester researchers may contact you to take part in a research study. You can decide at that time whether or not you want to participate.

URMC / Research / Health Research / Become a Volunteer Become a Volunteer Want to participate but don't see a current clinical trial or study that interests you? Sign up with one of our volunteer registries to be notified about future studies! Join URMC's Local Research Registry chevron_right Join R...

01/30/2026

Lesser-known tips to keep you winter-safe in Rochester

From better snow-shoveling techniques to the truth about UV rays this time of year, UR Medicine’s experts share some lesser-known winter wellness tips to get you safely to spring.

Learn these lesser-known winter wellness tips to get you safely to spring.

01/29/2026

EIOH Awarded $2.9M to Study Dental Implant Failures

Funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and led by Dr. Tom Diekwisch, this research will help us understand why dental implants fail. Understanding this will help find ways to make implants more successful and reduce the number of times you have to go to the dentist for your implant.

Eastman Institute for Oral Health has been awarded $2.9 million to study why dental implants sometimes fail and how those failures might be prevented.

01/23/2026

Nursing Home Capacity Has Dropped Since the Pandemic
One quarter of U.S. counties experienced declines in nursing home capacity of 15% or more, with the greatest declines reported in rural areas.

Nursing home operating capacity dropped by five percent between 2019 and 2024, but one quarter of U.S. counties experienced declines of 15 percent or more, with the greatest declines reported in rural areas.

01/08/2026

WCI Study: Accelerated Aging Occurs in Child, Young Adult Cancer Survivors »

Led by AnnaLynn Williams, assistant professor of Surgery in Cancer Control, in collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the research intricately links cellular aging and brain health in long-term survivors. Ongoing research is focused on whether healthy lifestyle changes can reverse premature aging and, if so, the appropriate time to intervene.