Solutions

June 1, 2002

Reversal of fortune

For more and more workers, the American Dream is just a mirage, say the authors of a new book.

Fatal inheritance

After losing her mother and brother to pancreatic cancer, Sheri Mayer faced the difficult choice of having her pancreas removed or trying to beat the odds.

March 1, 2002

To the moon

Using laser beams, 30-year-old reflectors and 21st century computing power, UW scientists plan to make the most exact measurement of the distance to the moon in history—accurate to the width of a paper clip.

December 1, 2001

Waterworld

Exploring the ocean floor by remote control could yield breakthroughs in weather forecasting, salmon migration and even earthquake prediction.

Nobel Laureate

UW Genetics Professor Lee Hartwell won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Medicine/Physiology for his basic research on cell division.

Sound solution

UW scientists, with the aid of some bird brains, may have found an answer to hearing loss: bringing dead cells back to life.

Appendix misfires

In nearly one of four appendectomies performed in women of childbearing age, the removed appendix is actually not infected, according to a UW study.

September 1, 2001

Turning off TB

UW Pathobiology Professor David Sherman announced that he was able to interrupt the function of a TB gene that allows the bacterium to go dormant.

Code control

Scientists may be solving the mystery of the human genome, but the debate is getting hotter over profit motives and the rights to the human blueprint.

June 1, 2001

What lies beneath

It terrified many, but the Nisqually earthquake boosted an effort to map the geology of Seattle, helping prepare the region for the "Big One."

Fighting depression

A UW study found that several brief office visits along with continuing telephone calls or even e-mail can help prevent a relapse of depression.

March 1, 2001

Bitter by nature

When it comes to phytonutrients in vegetables, the demands of good taste and good health may be wholly incompatible.

Space hazards

The dangers of space include bone loss, muscle atrophy and even cancer. The UW hopes to protect the next generation of astronauts and bring about earthly cures.

Brain in focus

A Center for Mind, Brain and Learning to conduct innovative research on early brain and behavioral development has been created at the University of Washington.

December 1, 2000

Predicting divorce

Researchers studying the state of American marriages now can predict not only which couples will divorce but also when they will divorce.

Why cells go bad

Once just a theory, Lawrence Loeb's mutation breakthrough could lead to new cancer treatments and even an unconventional way to stop AIDS.

Bones of contention

The saga of Kennewick Man is a volatile mix of race, religion, politics and science, and the UW is right in the middle of it.

September 1, 2000

Father of an island

Richard Evanson dedicated himself to revitalizing an island, turning it into an ecological paradise with the help of Fijian natives.

Heart attack study

Older women are less likely to receive early treatment following a heart attack than older men and are more likely to be assigned a do-not-resuscitate order during their hospital stay, UW researchers reported.

June 1, 2000

Magnets fight malaria

The power of magnets may defeat malaria, a disease that affects half a billion people a year, according to UW Bioengineering Professor Henry Lai.