Education (Colleges & Universities)
Here's a look at documents from public, private and community colleges in the U.S.
Featured Stories
University of Oklahoma Researchers Propose Novel Solution to Indian Health Service Underfunding
NORMAN, Oklahoma, Oct. 17 (TNSjou) -- The University of Oklahoma issued the following news:
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University of Oklahoma Researchers Propose Novel Solution to Indian Health Service Underfunding
By April Wilkerson, april-j-wilkerson@ouhsc.edu
OKLAHOMA CITY - For many years, the Indian Health Service (IHS) has been underfunded, leading to health and life expectancy disparities among Indigenous people, according to University of Oklahoma researchers. In a newly published article in Health Affairs, OU researchers propose a novel trust fund solution to increase and sustain the funding level, with
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NORMAN, Oklahoma, Oct. 17 (TNSjou) -- The University of Oklahoma issued the following news:
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University of Oklahoma Researchers Propose Novel Solution to Indian Health Service Underfunding
By April Wilkerson, april-j-wilkerson@ouhsc.edu
OKLAHOMA CITY - For many years, the Indian Health Service (IHS) has been underfunded, leading to health and life expectancy disparities among Indigenous people, according to University of Oklahoma researchers. In a newly published article in Health Affairs, OU researchers propose a novel trust fund solution to increase and sustain the funding level, withthe ultimate goal of improving health care access and outcomes.
"IHS underfunding has been a challenge for tribal nations and the United States, and it is highly relevant to Oklahoma, which was partly founded on Indian Territory. The health of Indigenous populations in the U.S. has suffered greatly because of chronic underfunding of IHS. Indigenous people have a life expectancy of 67.9 years - a decade less than the average U.S. life expectancy," said lead author Junying (June) Zhao, Ph.D., Ph.D., MPH, an assistant professor at the OU Hudson College of Public Health.
"The difference in federal health care investment compared to other health programs is stark," she added. "In fiscal year 2021, per capita federal spending for the IHS was $4,140. In comparison, the Bureau of Prisons spent $8,302; Medicaid, $8,908; the VA, $12,223; and Medicare, $15,094. For the IHS, this has meant staff shortages, outdated facilities and care that is declined or deferred."
To raise funding, Zhao and her research team propose the creation of an IHS Trust Fund, modeled after the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund. In the late 1980s, Congress made a one-time appropriation to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund, which has since collected excise taxes on vaccine sales and invested its balances. As of January 2023, the fund held over $4 billion, which is used to pay for injury claims. An IHS Trust Fund would operate similarly to generate ongoing financial resources for unmet Indigenous health care needs.
From fiscal years 2009 to 2020, the IHS was underfunded by about $60 million annually, Zhao said. To generate a $60 million annual return, about $600 million would be needed for the baseline principal, assuming a modest 10% return rate on investments. Accounting for inflation, that number would be close to $1 billion today, she said.
In addition to a one-time congressional appropriation to launch an IHS Trust Fund, Zhao and her team suggest that Congress should grant IHS the ability to accept gifts. Although government programs typically cannot accept gifts, Zhao believes that some entities and individuals have shown the ability and desire to contribute. There is a precedent for IHS accepting gifts: About 20 years ago, the IHS manual included a policy for donations.
"This approach is similar to endowments created by major universities for their capital projects," said Pallab Ghosh, Ph.D., an associate professor in OU's Department of Economics and co-author of the paper. "We believe it would be good to apply this solution to the IHS budget problem as well."
The IHS health care system is comprised of IHS facilities, tribal-administered services and urban Indian facilities. Together, they serve approximately 2.6 million Indigenous people. Past efforts to address the underfunding problem have fallen short. Members of Congress have twice proposed transforming IHS funding from discretionary to mandatory. Other ideas, such as creating a unique Medicaid program for individual tribes, have also failed to gain support.
"Since the late 18th century, the United States has had a trust responsibility to provide care in exchange for tribal lands," said study co-author Rashmi Jaggad, MPH, MDS, research project coordinator in the OU Hudson College of Public Health. "But when funding is low, health care access decreases. If people cannot afford services in private care, they often must go without. That is the problem we are seeking to solve."
Zhao and her team have a long history of conducting research involving underserved populations. Their work is at the heart of public health, said Dale Bratzler, D.O., MPH, dean of the OU Hudson College of Public Health.
"At the OU Hudson College of Public Health, we are committed to research that addresses real-world inequities and improves the health of all communities," Bratzler said. "This work reflects that mission by offering a creative, evidence-based solution to a longstanding issue that has impacted Indigenous people for generations."
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About the project
Research support was provided by the Presbyterian Health Foundation in Oklahoma City and a National Institutes of Health grant for the Strong Heart Study. Additional authors of the article are James R. Kennedye, M.D., MPH, of the Chickasaw Nation and Creek Nation Medical Centers; Kylie Stewart, a clinical fellow at OU Health; and Janis E. Campbell, Ph.D., MSc, a professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the OU Hudson College of Public Health.
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About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university with campuses in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. As the state's flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. In Oklahoma City, the OU Health Campus is one of the nation's few academic health centers with seven health profession colleges located on the same campus. The OU Health Campus serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs spanning Oklahoma City and Tulsa and is the leading research institution in Oklahoma. For more information about the OU Health Campus, visit www.ouhsc.edu.
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Original text here: https://www.ou.edu/news/articles/2025/october/ou-researchers-novel-solution-indian-health-service-underfunding
University of New Mexico: Research Shows How Dust Bowl-type Drought Causes Unprecedented Productivity Loss
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, Oct. 17 -- The University of New Mexico issued the following news:
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Research shows how Dust Bowl-type drought causes unprecedented productivity loss
Effects of extreme, prolonged drought on global grasslands, shrublands quantified
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A global research effort led by Colorado State University, including The University of New Mexico, shows that extreme, prolonged drought conditions in grasslands and shrublands would greatly limit the long-term health of crucial ecosystems that cover nearly half the planet.
The findings are particularly relevant as climate change
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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, Oct. 17 -- The University of New Mexico issued the following news:
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Research shows how Dust Bowl-type drought causes unprecedented productivity loss
Effects of extreme, prolonged drought on global grasslands, shrublands quantified
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A global research effort led by Colorado State University, including The University of New Mexico, shows that extreme, prolonged drought conditions in grasslands and shrublands would greatly limit the long-term health of crucial ecosystems that cover nearly half the planet.
The findings are particularly relevant as climate changeincreases the possibility of more severe droughts in the future - potentially leading to a situation that echoes the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
The new research published in Science, titled "Drought intensity and duration interact to magnify losses in primary productivity," shows that losses in plant productivity - the creation of new organic matter through photosynthesis - were more than twice as high after four years of continued extreme drought when compared to losses from droughts of moderate intensity. The work shows that these grassland and shrubland ecosystems lose their ability to recover over time under prolonged dry conditions.
"We show that - when combined - extreme, multi-year droughts have even more profound effects than a single year of extreme drought or multi-year moderate droughts," said CSU Biology Professor Melinda Smith, who led the study with Timothy Ohlert, a former CSU postdoctoral researcher.
"The Dust Bowl is a good example of this," she continued. "Although it spanned nearly a decade it was only when there were consecutive extremely dry years that those effects, such as soil erosion and dust storms, occurred. Now with our changing climate, Dust Bowl-type droughts are expected to occur more frequently."
Smith designed and led the International Drought Experiment with more than 170 researchers around the world. For the project, researchers built rainfall manipulation structures that reduced each rainfall event by a target amount over a four-year period in grassland and shrubland ecosystems across six continents.
In addition to the CSU research team, researchers at The University of New Mexico included Distinguished Professor of Biology Scott Collins. Ohlert was also a Ph.D. student at UNM under the mentorship of Collins and conducted some of the research while he was at UNM.
"We organized a coordinated, distributed drought experiment across 70 global grasslands, including sites in New Mexico," said Collins. By simulating 1-in-100-year extreme drought conditions, the team was able to study the long- and short-term effects on grasslands and shrublands, which store more than 30% of global carbon and support key industries, such as livestock production. Variations in precipitation, as well as soil and vegetation across continents, meant different sites experienced different combinations of moderate and extreme drought years - providing unique experimental conditions that informed this study.
"Droughts are a natural part of climate variability, especially here in New Mexico. Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency, intensity and duration of droughts in our region and elsewhere," continued Collins. "We found that drought had highly variable effects on productivity, the growth of grassland plants, among global grasslands. However, productivity declined dramatically after multiple years of extreme drought, especially in drylands like ours, which is the likely scenario for our climate in the future."
Smith said the paper highlights the interaction between extremity and duration in drought conditions and that this interaction has rarely been systematically studied using experiments.
She added that the research suggests that the negative impacts on plant productivity are also likely to be much larger than previously expected under both extreme and prolonged drought conditions.
Plant growth is a fundamental component of the global carbon cycle. That is because plant photosynthesis is the main way carbon dioxide enters ecosystems, where animals consume it and plants store it as biomass. Because grasslands and shrublands cover roughly 50% of the Earth's surface, they play a large role in balancing and facilitating carbon uptake and sequestration globally. That means changes to these ecosystems caused by drought could have wide-ranging impacts.
"Grasslands are globally important ecosystems because they are economically important and also harbor high biodiversity, including many charismatic grazing animals like bison in North America and wildebeest in Africa," said Collins. "Many grasslands are highly sensitive to changes in precipitation, which is especially true for our grasslands where boom and bust years have big impacts on these ecosystems."
For more than two decades, Collins and his colleagues have worked on the effects of global environmental change on grassland ecosystems. The International Drought Experiment is a key example of this work. Last year, the team published findings in PNAS from the same multi-site research network that quantified the impact of extreme short-term (one year) drought on grasslands and shrublands. Smith said the pair of papers now form an important foundation for further research into this topic.
"Because of the historic rarity of extreme droughts, researchers have struggled to estimate the actual consequences of these conditions in both the near and long-term," Smith said. "This large, distributed research effort is truly a team effort and provides a platform to quantify and further study how intensified drought impacts may play out."
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Original text here: https://news.unm.edu/news/research-shows-how-dust-bowl-type-drought-causes-unprecedented-productivity-loss
UWF Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. Celebrates Record Growth, Reflects on Excellence and Purpose During State of the University Address
PENSACOLA, Florida, Oct. 17 -- The University of West Florida, a component of public state university system in Florida, issued the following news release:
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UWF Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. celebrates record growth, reflects on excellence and purpose during State of the University address
University of West Florida Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. celebrated record enrollment, top rankings, major research awards, student and faculty excellence, athletic success and continued military commitment during his 2025 State of the University address on Thursday, Oct. 16. Speaking to students,
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PENSACOLA, Florida, Oct. 17 -- The University of West Florida, a component of public state university system in Florida, issued the following news release:
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UWF Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. celebrates record growth, reflects on excellence and purpose during State of the University address
University of West Florida Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. celebrated record enrollment, top rankings, major research awards, student and faculty excellence, athletic success and continued military commitment during his 2025 State of the University address on Thursday, Oct. 16. Speaking to students,faculty, staff and community members, Diaz highlighted UWF's growing momentum and reflected on the shared pursuit of arete -- excellence in all things.
"It's an honor to serve as your interim president and to stand among such an inspiring group of people who care deeply about the University of West Florida," Diaz said. "I'm proud to say the state of our university is strong, and our future is even brighter."
This fall, UWF surpassed 15,000 students for the first time in its history. The University ranked No. 3 among all state universities in the Florida Board of Governors' performance metrics and earned its highest-ever placement in U.S. News & World Report, ranking No. 6 Top Public School in the South and No. 6 for Best Colleges for Veterans. UWF was also named No. 8 in the nation and No. 1 in Florida on the Military Times "Best for Vets" list.
UWF earned the prestigious Carnegie R2: High Research Activity designation and secured nearly $65 million in research funding since August. Major awards include a $32.5 million Triumph Gulf Coast grant to launch the Center for Computational Intelligence, a $9.6 million U.S. Department of Defense grant for the CyberSkills2Work program, and a $2 million cybersecurity training grant for government employees.
Diaz highlighted student and faculty achievements across disciplines, from national fellowships and competition wins to global recognition in research. Nursing graduates achieved a 97.67% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN, while faculty such as Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, Dr. Shusen Pu and Dr. Wade Jeffrey earned national and international honors.
Argo Athletics also celebrated success with a men's golf NCAA Division II National Championship and multiple conference titles, as well as the currently undefeated football team.
"These victories reflect the teamwork and pride that define our student-athletes and inspire Argo Nation," Diaz said. "We are building champions for life."
In addition to celebrating achievements, Diaz used the address to reflect on the true purpose of a university - to be "a living network of people joined together in the shared pursuit of learning, discovery and growth." He spoke about the Greek word arete, meaning "virtue" or "excellence," displayed in UWF's athletic facilities, noting that it captures the spirit of what it means to be an Argonaut. He emphasized that UWF embodies this pursuit through exploration, innovation and collaboration across every discipline, fostering an environment where students are encouraged to think critically, engage in open dialogue and learn from one another.
Looking ahead, Diaz outlined priorities including construction of the Darrell Gooden Stadium, expanded wellness initiatives, the creation of the Office of Military Services and a renewed focus on research and economic development through new partnerships and innovation hubs.
"These initiatives represent not a change in direction, but a continuation of the forward momentum that defines this university," Diaz said. "However long I have the opportunity to serve as interim president, my commitment is to continue advancing this momentum, ensuring that every member of our community has the opportunity to thrive."
Diaz ended his address on an inspiring note, reflecting on the University's mission and momentum for the future.
"UWF is more than an institution -- it's a community of purpose and possibility. Here, innovation takes shape, learning transforms lives, and collaboration strengthens our future. As we move into the year ahead, let us do so with optimism, unity and shared commitment to excellence in all that we do."
For more information about the University of West Florida, visit uwf.edu. To listen to a recording of the broadcast, visit wuwf.org.
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Original text here: https://news.uwf.edu/uwf-interim-president-manny-diaz-jr-celebrates-record-growth-reflects-on-excellence-and-purpose-during-state-of-the-university-address/
Newcastle University: Muscle Wasting Reversed in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, England, Oct. 17 (TNSjou) -- Newcastle University issued the following news:
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Muscle wasting reversed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis increased their leg muscle volume when treated with an anti-rheumatic drug, offering new hope for improved muscle health.
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Publishing in the prestigious journal, The Lancet Rheumatology, the team from Newcastle University and The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust describe how 15 patients were given Tofacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor used to treat RA, as part of an experimental
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NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, England, Oct. 17 (TNSjou) -- Newcastle University issued the following news:
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Muscle wasting reversed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis increased their leg muscle volume when treated with an anti-rheumatic drug, offering new hope for improved muscle health.
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Publishing in the prestigious journal, The Lancet Rheumatology, the team from Newcastle University and The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust describe how 15 patients were given Tofacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor used to treat RA, as part of an experimentalmedicine study. After 6 months their leg muscles increased in size, particularly in the thigh.
Sarcopenia is a progressive, age-related musculoskeletal disease characterized by the loss of muscle mass, strength, and physical performance, increasing the risk of falls, fractures, physical disability, and mortality. Currently there are no medicines approved to reverse this muscle-wasting disease. It is commonly seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis where chronic inflammation contributes to the loss of muscle mass and strength.
The Rheumatoid Arthritis and MUScle (RAMUS) study
In this study the leg muscles of 15 patients were measured by MRI scans at 1 month and at 6 months.
After 6 months, participants' muscle volume had increased by 4% for the whole leg, equating to an average increase of 242 cm3, and by 5% for the thigh.
Alongside the increase in muscle volume, the RAMUS study also reported changes in the gene expression in muscle tissue with treatment, which were opposite to changes seen in ageing muscle.
Dr Joshua Bennett, NIHR Clinical Lecturer at Newcastle University and Paediatric Rheumatology Registrar within the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust and lead author of the paper said: "This small study is the first to show that JAK inhibitor drugs may be able to reverse sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis. We know that sarcopenia is also seen in many other diseases and in old age, but no drugs have been approved to reverse it. Larger studies are now needed to test our findings, but it is exciting to think of the potential for these drugs to treat muscle wasting."
13 patients experienced adverse events, the majority of which were mild. The team say a larger, follow up study is needed which would include a control group.
Supports growing evidence
Professor John Isaacs, Professor of Clinical Rheumatology, Newcastle University, Director of Research at Newcastle Hospitals and Deputy Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) who led the study added: "Our findings support growing evidence that inflammation, as evidenced by pro-inflammatory cytokines, may contribute to muscle loss.
"Tofacitinib treatment led to increased muscle volume in patients and triggered changes in muscle gene activity that run counter to the patterns typically seen in age-related muscle decline, suggesting a distinct biological effect.
"While this research did not demonstrate improved muscle strength, patients with arthritis often struggle to perform strength tests due to joint pain and so this does not diminish the potential benefits of reversing sarcopenia as we know it increases the risk of falls, fractures, physical disability, and mortality."
The primary study funding was by Pfizer, with The BMA Foundation, the JGW Patterson Foundation and the Newcastle Hospitals Charity also contributing. RAMUS was also supported by the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Clinical Research Facility.
Reference: Skeletal muscle effects of Janus kinase inhibition in rheumatoid arthritis (RAMUS): a single-arm, experimental medicine study. Joshua L Bennett, John D Isaacs et al. The Lancet Rheumatology.
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Original text here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2025/10/anti-rheumaticdrug/?_gl=1*kaihai*_up*MQ..*_ga*NjI0NzY0Ny4xNzYwNzA4ODA1*_ga_VH2F6S16XP*czE3NjA3MDg4MDQkbzEkZzAkdDE3NjA3MDg4MDQkajYwJGwwJGgxNTY1OTMyMDc0
Lancaster Shares in 16m+ Pounds Funding Boost for Health Research Across the North West Coast
LANCASTER, England, Oct. 17 -- Lancaster University issued the following news:
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Lancaster shares in 16m+ pounds funding boost for health research across the North West Coast
Distinguished Professor Jo Rycroft-Malone OBE, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University, has welcomed a multi-million pound investment in a regional research collaboration to deliver improved services for patients and communities across the North West.
From 1st April 2026, the Applied Research Collaboration 2 North West Coast (ARC2NWC) will support the transformation set out in the
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LANCASTER, England, Oct. 17 -- Lancaster University issued the following news:
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Lancaster shares in 16m+ pounds funding boost for health research across the North West Coast
Distinguished Professor Jo Rycroft-Malone OBE, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University, has welcomed a multi-million pound investment in a regional research collaboration to deliver improved services for patients and communities across the North West.
From 1st April 2026, the Applied Research Collaboration 2 North West Coast (ARC2NWC) will support the transformation set out in thegovernment's NHS 10 Year Plan, the Life Sciences Sector Plan and the Government's Health and Growth Missions by tackling some of the region's most pressing health and social care challenges through high-quality applied research. It will also drive effective interventions and models of care into practice at pace.
The organisation will provide research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce and support services to front line providers.
ARC2NWC is part of a wider pound sterling157 million investment over 5 years in 10 regional Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) to support the transformation of the health and care system across the UK by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the research arm of the NHS.
ARCs are collaborative partnerships between universities, NHS trusts, local authorities, Health Innovation Networks, Integrated Care Boards, members of the public and the voluntary sector.
Professor Rycroft-Malone said: "Lancaster University is proud to be part of this regional research collaboration aimed at strengthening partnerships and improving outcomes for people across the North West Coast. Being part of this initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to working collaboratively across sectors to create positive change and ensure that research directly benefits the communities we serve.
"Together with our partners, we are focused on developing evidence-based, practical, innovative solutions that improve lives and drive inclusive growth across the region."
Hosted by NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (UHL Group), ARC2NWC will provide applied research findings and key evidence to hospitals, GPs and local authorities through projects which address systematic priorities in the local health and social care system.
* It will bring together 80 health and social care providers, NHS commissioners, local authorities, universities, public advisers and third sector representatives from across the North West Coast to address disparities in the health and care of the region's population. All the work will embrace a focus on ways to reduce health and social care inequalities, alongside integrating the contribution of public and practitioner experts throughout the lifecycle of its research and its implementation.
By using this enlarged network of collaboration and research infrastructure, the ARC2NWC goals are to:
* identify, develop and deliver high-quality research on applied health, public health and social care.
* provide greater resource and expertise to support implementation of effective interventions and models of care into practice across the region and country
* provide enhanced health economic expertise to ensure the economic impact of evidence is better understood to support decisions on efficiency and growth
* collaborate with commercial companies to evaluate and implement new NHS treatments and technologies, fostering UK economic growth
* speed up the implementation of research findings through the use of knowledge mobilisation
Detailed plans for the North West Coast region include five key work areas within ARC2NWC: Public Health and Prevention, Workforce and Systems Resilience, Social Care, Long-Term Conditions and Women's Health.
Led by teams consisting of clinicians, public health experts, researchers, commissioners and members of the public, they will be assisted by experts in two cross-cutting themes of Analogue2Digital and Evidence4Impact.
Top academics from universities around the region will advise on use of artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve disease prevention, provide earlier treatment and better coordinate health and social care.
Professor Mark Gabbay, Director of the Applied Research Collaboration 2 North West Coast, and Professor of General Practice at The University of Liverpool, said: "Our delivery model will help support the system-shift from hospital to community, treatment to prevention and analogue to digital. A collaboration which will be at the forefront of tackling health inequalities in these areas across the North West Coast."
The population of the region faces stark health inequalities. Average life expectancy can vary across local authority areas by up to 12 years, and healthy life expectancies vary by over twenty years.
Since their formation in 2019, the ARCs have been instrumental in delivering applied health, public health and social care research that improves outcomes for patients.
Partners who have committed to the ARC2NWC collaboration have already been identifying pressing priorities and areas where quick impact can be made by scaling up research to be syndicated across the region.
ARCs will deliver research which is applicable and scalable across the health and social care sectors across England. The initiative will benefit from expertise based around the region with research knowledge covering all of its counties.
Further funding to aid collaboration and efficiency will be available with up to pound sterling75 million will also be available to ARCs to support the Department of Health and Social Care's research priorities. This funding will galvanise rapid, responsive collaboration across the ARCs and other NIHR infrastructure to address emerging health and social care issues over the next 5 years and increase the speed at which research findings are implemented.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care and CEO of the NIHR, said: "This new funding shows the NIHR's ongoing commitment to developing and delivering high-quality health and care research across the country. The investment will enable the Applied Research Collaborations to continue to bring new treatments and technologies to patients and the public, supporting the aims of the Government's 10 Year Health Plan to champion innovation and power transformation."
The NIHR is also investing pound sterling5 million to establish an ARC Network, which will provide national strategic and operational coordination for the designated ARCs. The ARC Network will also act as a focal point for collaboration between the ARCs and facilitate links with national partners.
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Original text here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/lancaster-shares-in-16m-funding-boost-for-health-research-across-the-north-west-coast
FAU: After Cancer - Study Explores Caring-Healing Modalities for Survivors
BOCA RATON, Florida, Oct. 17 -- Florida Atlantic University, a component of the state university system in Florida, issued the following news:
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After Cancer: Study Explores Caring-Healing Modalities for Survivors
By Gisele Galoustian, ggaloust@fau.edu
As cancer survivorship rises, many people living with or beyond cancer face lasting physical and emotional challenges - particularly anxiety and depression, which affect about 30% of this population. Emotional distress is often unspoken, leading to fear, despair, and diminished quality of life.
Growing research highlights resilience - the
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BOCA RATON, Florida, Oct. 17 -- Florida Atlantic University, a component of the state university system in Florida, issued the following news:
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After Cancer: Study Explores Caring-Healing Modalities for Survivors
By Gisele Galoustian, ggaloust@fau.edu
As cancer survivorship rises, many people living with or beyond cancer face lasting physical and emotional challenges - particularly anxiety and depression, which affect about 30% of this population. Emotional distress is often unspoken, leading to fear, despair, and diminished quality of life.
Growing research highlights resilience - theability to recover from adversity - is a key factor in helping individuals manage distress and improve well-being. This underscores the urgent need for health care providers to adopt a whole-person approach that supports not just the body, but also the emotional and psychological needs of people with cancer.
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month highlights the importance of survivorship, researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing have completed the first scoping review focused on caring-healing modalities (CHMs) designed to boost resilience and reduce emotional distress such as depression and anxiety in people with cancer.
Results, published in the journal Nursing Reports, help to shift attention from treatment to healing by exploring how CHMs such as mindfulness, peer support and expressive therapies can reduce emotional distress and build resilience in people with cancer. Notably, the majority of the included studies in this review focused on breast cancer survivors, highlighting the pressing need to address their emotional and spiritual well-being long after treatment ends.
"Our findings highlight something too often overlooked in survivorship care: healing doesn't end when treatment does," said Judyta Kociolek, corresponding author and director of the FAU Clinical Research Unit, and an oncology nurse prior to starting a career in research. "What patients often need most is to be seen, heard and treated as whole human beings, so they can feel empowered in their recovery and cancer journey. These caring-based practices help them reclaim that sense of self."
Driven by Watson's Theory of Human Caring, the review analyzed 16 global studies - including randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews - on CHMs delivered in hospitals, outpatient clinics and at home. The interventions varied widely, from mindfulness-based programs and therapeutic group discussions to expressive writing and psychoeducation.
What these diverse approaches had in common were deeply human elements: shared emotional expression, empathetic listening, and a healing environment. CHMs created safe, quiet spaces where individuals could process fear, grief, hope and transformation - together or on their own.
"This kind of healing environment isn't just about peace and quiet - it's a form of caring in action," said Rita Gengo, Ph.D., co-author and an assistant professor in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. "When you reduce noise, create privacy and invite calm, you allow people to breathe, reflect and begin to mend emotionally. The setting itself becomes part of the therapy."
The review found that group-based interventions were especially powerful. Whether in person or online, these sessions created supportive spaces where survivors could share their stories, reduce feelings of isolation, and discover inner strength. Many CHMs reflected principles similar to those in Watson's Caritas Processes - such as authentic presence, building trust, and fostering care-centered teaching - a connection noted by the researchers.
Watson's Caritas Processes are a set of guiding principles in nursing that emphasize caring for the whole person - mind, body and spirit. They focus on compassion, deep human connection, and treating patients with dignity, empathy and respect. These processes encourage nurses to be fully present, build trusting relationships, and support healing beyond just physical care.
"Caring-healing modalities grounded in human connection offer something profoundly transformative," said Lenny Chiang-Hanisko, Ph.D., co-author and an associate professor in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. "Through caring partnerships, people can access a deeper sense of self, expand their emotional capacity, and awaken their innate ability to heal."
Several studies in the review incorporated mindfulness-based techniques such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindful Self-Compassion, and Attention and Interpretation Therapy, which encouraged individuals to be present, breathe, and acknowledge both positive and negative emotions without judgment. These programs helped participants cultivate resilience and self-compassion, while also reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Importantly, CHMs were delivered in a variety of formats - face-to-face, online or through a hybrid approach - making them accessible and adaptable across different care settings. Some were brief, lasting 20 to 30 minutes, while others extended over months, allowing for deeper transformation. The review found that both short and long-term CHMs had clinical value, with longer programs more closely aligned with Watson's emphasis on sustained caring-healing relationships.
While the review focused primarily on resilience and emotional distress, many studies also reported improvements in quality of life, self-compassion, physical symptoms like fatigue, insomnia and pain, and even biomarkers related to stress. By integrating subjective experiences with objective data, CHMs pave the way toward precision nursing that honors both science and soul.
"By bringing together personal experience and biological insight, we're creating a future where care is deeply individualized," said Kociolek. "It's a vision of nursing that's both scientifically rigorous and profoundly human."
This review also identifies important gaps and opportunities. Research on CHMs is still limited for other cancers, such as prostate or colorectal cancer, and funding for complementary therapies remains a barrier. The researchers call for expanded testing, greater reimbursement, and the inclusion of CHMs in standard survivorship care.
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Study Snapshot: Healing doesn't end with treatment. As cancer survivorship rates continue to rise, about 30% of people living with or beyond cancer experience lasting emotional challenges such as anxiety and depression. New research underscores the importance of supporting the emotional and psychological well-being of cancer survivors - not just their physical health. Researchers from the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing conducted the first-ever scoping review focused on caring-healing modalities (CHMs), including mindfulness, peer support, and expressive therapies, which help reduce emotional distress and strengthen resilience.
The review examined 16 global studies and found that CHMs - delivered in settings from hospitals to homes - created healing environments that nurtured emotional expression, empathy, and human connection. Group-based interventions, in particular, were powerful in helping survivors process fear, rebuild inner strength, and reduce feelings of isolation. While most studies focused on breast cancer, researchers emphasize the need to expand this work across other cancer types. Ultimately, the findings call for a more holistic approach to survivorship care - one that treats patients as whole people and integrates science with compassion.
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Original text here: https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/cancer-survivor-support.php
Alfred University: William LaCourse Delivers Inaugural Varshneya Lecture on Glass
ALFRED, New York, Oct. 17 -- Alfred University issued the following news release:
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William LaCourse delivers inaugural Varshneya Lecture on Glass
William LaCourse, emeritus professor of glass science engineering in Alfred University's Inamori School of Engineering, delivered the first annual Varshneya Lecture on Glass Thursday morning, Oct. 16.
The Varshneya Lecture on Glass was established in 2025 by Arun (emeritus professor of glass science engineering) and Darshana Varshneya to celebrate 30 years of Arun Varshneya's teaching and research contributions to glass engineering science in
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ALFRED, New York, Oct. 17 -- Alfred University issued the following news release:
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William LaCourse delivers inaugural Varshneya Lecture on Glass
William LaCourse, emeritus professor of glass science engineering in Alfred University's Inamori School of Engineering, delivered the first annual Varshneya Lecture on Glass Thursday morning, Oct. 16.
The Varshneya Lecture on Glass was established in 2025 by Arun (emeritus professor of glass science engineering) and Darshana Varshneya to celebrate 30 years of Arun Varshneya's teaching and research contributions to glass engineering science inthe School of Engineering at Alfred University.
LaCourse's lecture was titled "Old Dog -- New Tricks." He discussed new developments in glass art, engineering and science which he described as "magical," and which have led individuals, companies, countries, and international organizations to declare we are living in the "Glass Age." The presentation included an in-depth discussion of how and why the importance of glass has reached such a level. It answered the questions, What magic already exists? What might one expect in the near future? Why does Alfred University have reason to look forward with great anticipation?
The Varshneya Lecture on Glass was endowed by Arun Varshneya and his wife, Darshana, in June. In addition to funding the Varshneya Conference on Glass, their gift supports the University Conference on Glass, a biennial conference which is hosted on a rotational basis by four institutions: Alfred University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Pennsylvania State University. Funding will support the Varshneya-University Conference on Glass at all four host institutions.
LaCourse received a B.S. in Engineering Science (1966) and a M.S. in Materials Engineering (1967) from SUNY Stony Brook, and his Ph.D. in Materials Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1970). In 1970, after a post-doctoral research position at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C., LaCourse joined Harrie Stevens and David Pye in the Glass Engineering Department at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.
He has served as Kruson Distinguished Professor of Glass Science, and as assistant director and director of the National Science Foundation-funded University-Industry Center for Glass Research. After a successful proposal that funded $1,000,000 grant for a new M.S. Degree program in Biomedical Materials Engineering--obtained from the Whitiker Foundation with co-principal investigator, Alexis Clare, emerita professor of glass science engineering-- LaCourse served as Chair of the Biomedical Materials Engineering Department. He also served three-and-a-half years as Interim SUNY Unit Head for the NYS College of Ceramics.
During his career LaCourse authored or co-authored more than 100 publications, invented or co-invented 12 patents in bio-glass, amorphous metals, and chemical strengthening, and generated more than $2,500,000 in external funding. He co-founded Saxon Glass Technologies, with Arun Varshneya, and later founded Santanoni Glass and Ceramics, the creator of "HercuGlass", an "almost unbreakable", chemically strengthened glass.
LaCourse has received several awards from Alfred University and SUNY, including the Kruson Award for Outstanding Service to Alfred University, the McMahon Teaching Award, the Alfred University Outstanding Teacher Award, The SUNY Chancellor's Award for Teaching and the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Research. He was declared an Honorary Alfred University Alumnus in 1991. LaCourse has been a member the American Ceramic Society since 1970, is a Fellow of the Society and received the 2007 George W. Morey Award for Research on glass fibers. He retired from classroom teaching in 2021 but is an active advisor and researcher. He is currently co-principal investigator on research projects, including "Waste Glass as a Fertilizer and for Enhanced Plant Growth."
Arun Varshneya's teaching and research career at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University spanned from 1982 to 2010. During his tenure, Varshneya taught nearly every course in glass science and engineering at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His notable former students include Alfred University alumnus John Mauro '01, '06 PhD, Dorothy Pate Enright Professor and head of the Materials Science and Engineering Department at Pennsylvania State University; A.N. Sreeram '91 M.S., senior vice president and chief technology officer of Dow Chemical, and a member of the Alfred University Board of Trustees; Robert Callahan '89 M.S., partner, Global Infrastructure Partners; and Jeetendra Sehgal '88 M.S., president, Business R&D, Borosil Glass (India).
Varshneya is a Distinguished Life Member of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS), an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Glass Technology and a President's Award recipient for lifetime achievement by the International Commission on Glass. He is also the president of Saxon Glass Technologies, Inc., a business he co-founded in 1996 in the Alfred's Innovation Center to provide chemical strengthening service for glass. Its flagship product is the chemically strengthened Type-1 borosilicate glass cartridge that is incorporated in every EpiPen(R) autoinjector to combat anaphylaxis shock due to severe allergies to peanuts, bee-stings, shell foods and other allergens.
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Original text here: https://www.alfred.edu/about/news/pressreleases/2025/10/william-lacourse-delivers-inaugural-varshneya-lecture-on-glass.cfm
