School of Biological Sciences

Denise Dearing awarded Governor’s Medal

May 7, 2025

The selection for this significant honor follows a rigorous process involving peer nominations, evaluation by a panel of qualified judges and Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox’s final approval.

“Your outstanding contributions as an ecologist have established a remarkable international reputation for your innovative research and discoveries, and your leadership at both the university and national levels,” Cox states in his official letter to Dearing. “Your pioneering research, program development that benefits the state of Utah, and numerous awards recognizing your international stature embody the excellence in academia/research this medal celebrates.” He also acknowledges Dearing’s “dedication as an effective mentor and teacher, providing exceptional guidance to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.”

The Governor's Medal is the state’s highest civilian award, celebrating distinguished service and significant contributions to science and technology. Since 1987, this medal has recognized individuals like Dearing, for their impact and achievements.

Dearing will receive the medal at a ceremony on May 21, 2025.

“Being a world-class scientist today requires an extraordinary breadth of skills,” said Fred Adler, Director of the School of Biological Sciences, “and Dr. Dearing has the entire set, ranging from her breadth, creativity and influence as a scientist, her dedicated and innovative teaching, caring and successful mentoring and leadership both at the University of Utah and nationally.”

Woodrats, Toxins and Rattlesnakes

Since 2022 Dearing, a Distinguished Professor in the School of Biological Sciences as well as its former director, has served as the Director of the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems at the National Science Foundation. She and her team study ecological factors and physiological constraints that influence foraging behavior and the evolution of diet breadth in mammalian herbivores.

Currently, her laboratory is investigating the evolution of dietary specialization in herbivores by exploring the detoxification abilities of woodrats (Neotoma species). Woodrats are one of the only animals that can tolerate large quantities of creosote, a shrub with leaves coated in a chemical cocktail of poisonous resin, according to a recent article on Dearing’s research published in @TheU: “The critter’s constitution has astounded biologists and represents a decades-long debate — over evolutionary time, how do animals adapt to a deadly diet? Do detoxification enzymes become more specialized or more abundant?”

In January, Dearing’s team published a landmark paper in the journal Science pinpointing the specific genes and enzymes that allow the woodrats to eat the near-lethal food without obvious harm. They found that creosote feeding woodrats had “doubled down” on detox, having several more key detoxification genes than their counterparts that do not eat creosote.

Dearing’s research has fueled the findings of others, including those presented in a paper published in Biology Letters just three weeks ago. A research team out of the University of Michigan in collaboration with Dearing investigated the immunity of creosote-eating woodrats to rattlesnake venom, a substance that contains hemotoxins that break down blood cells and neurotoxins that cause respiratory paralysis.

Medications like anticoagulants and even Ozempic have resulted from the pharmacologically active molecules discovered in the study of venoms and the animals that resist them. Related to that, coevolutionary relationships between snakes and their prey in one location to another can lead to the discovery of powerful molecules that may have other important applications.

“We are proud to celebrate Denise Dearing’s well-deserved recognition with the Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology,” said Pearl Sandick, interim dean of College of Science. “This award recognizes Dearing’s exceptional contributions to science and technology in the state, and we are thrilled to see her join the distinguished group of individuals who have received this honor. Her work has had a profound impact on our academic community and beyond. Her collaborative spirit and dedication have made her an invaluable scientist and colleague.”

by David Pace

Humans of the U: Chelsea Bordon

May 2, 2025

When I completed it, I asked the professor for a letter of recommendation and when he gave it to me, he told me it would be a waste for me to go into nursing and that he thought I’d find it boring. With his perspective in mind, I changed my major to biology with a microbiology emphasis and moved to Utah so I could attend the U.

The Science Research Initiative, SRI, is one of the things that drew me to the U. I felt a lot of impostor syndrome as I began my degree, and this program helped me realize I could be a scientist. Being in a lab early on in my degree and receiving mentorship helped me know I could complete hard courses later on.

In the Navy, I was a mechanic. I worked on jet airplanes and sometimes things would break and I would be out there fixing something at 2 a.m. Sometimes what we did worked, and sometimes we would have to keep trying the next day. Through this I learned perseverance that carries over into my work as a scientist. When I do a science experiment and it doesn’t work out, I know trying again is just part of the process.

I now work on campus as part of SRI and I love that I have come full circle. I am working with brand new students who are where I was four years ago. When they say ‘I don’t know if I can do it,’ I get to tell them I did it and I know they can too. Through this experience, I have learned that I want to show other people they can be scientists because we need more.

I am not a 4.0 student—I’m pretty average. I love getting to help students understand that failing a class is not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean they can’t do it, it just means they need to approach it differently the next time, whether it’s with new study habits or finding a different teacher.

I always tell my students that life is a journey. I am 34 and just graduating with my bachelor’s degree. I’ve lived a lot of life. I’ve had a lot of careers. And now I have the opportunity to start a new, exciting career and I get to bring all the other knowledge I’ve gained with me.

by Chelsea Bordon
Class of 2025, B.S. in biology, microbiology emphasis, from Las Vegas, Nevada

This story originally appeared in @ The U.

Humans of the U: Marlon Lopez

May 2, 2025

Marlon Lopez, in his graduation regalia at the popular "Block U" on campus

Language and culture have always been important in my family and integral to my upbringing and life at home. I was born in the U.S. My parents immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador in 2002, looking for employment and educational opportunities and to escape gang violence.

Throughout my childhood in Salt Lake City, my mom shared stories about El Salvador and the sacrifices my grandparents made to break the cycle of generational poverty. My grandma from the age of 8 registered herself for school. Before school she would have to pick fruit to help her family and walk 3 hours to and from school. She would eventually finish high school. As an adult and mother, she sold fruit to supplement the family income and to afford clothes for her children. My abuela’s commitment to building a better future for her own children, and future grandchildren, was unwavering. My mom would use her as proof that education, hard work and kindness were the way to succeed in life. My parents never let me forget those sacrifices.

My grandma lived in El Salvador but would come visit while I us growing up. My grandmother was treated at the Huntsman cancer hospital in 2002 for breast cancer and because of this she was able to live many more years before passing away in October 2023. Contributing to the science that helped my abuela live a healthier life was a factor that inspired me to get involved in breast cancer research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI).

As a first-generation college student, my University of Utah experience has had its challenges. I needed to seek out guidance on how to find resources, like scholarships, campus jobs and tutoring support for difficult courses. While these are real challenges, thankfully there are plenty of resources and opportunities and it’s not too hard to find them.

I have worked in two research labs at HCI, starting with the Kirchhoff Group. In February at the Utah Capitol, I presented results from my work on breast cancer in the Welm Labs at Research on Capitol Hill and also presented at the National Human Genome Research Institute conference in Seattle, Wash. Research has furthered my science knowledge and was really doable for me, because I was able to get paid.

Hard work, and valuing education and culture is part of who I am. Thanks to my parents prioritizing speaking Spanish at home, I have been able to give back as a Spanish interpreter at the Maliheh Free Clinic. The experience reinforced my passion for medicine and my commitment to helping underserved communities.

Some of my favorite memories of the U of U will be the professors who passed on their passion and curiosity for science and the abundant opportunities students have to get involved in research, teaching (as a learning or teaching assistant), the scholarship and work opportunities, and the many clubs that help you find community. I hope to become a physician where, in the words of my abuela, he hopes to use my “voice to advocate for those who are unheard.

by Marlon Lopez
Class of 2025 B.S. in biology, minor in chemistry

This story originally appeared in @The U.

Opinion: Water Wasting? U Decide.

April 21, 2025

Nathan Murthy

But the Great Salt Lake is a wide and shallow inland sea, fatally susceptible to evaporation.

In the time the lake levels dropped, the surface area decreased from 3,300 to 950 square miles, a reduction of 2,350 square miles.

The area lost is larger than the land area of the entire state of Delaware. Water diverted for human use from the Bear, Jordan and Weber Rivers is largely to blame.

The Great Salt Lake is at risk of disappearing in our lifetime.

The inland sea is highly productive, supporting billion-dollar industries like salt, brine shrimp and magnesium. Its wetlands host 10-12 million migratory birds, including American white pelicans, snowy plovers and eared grebes.

Additionally, lake effect snow contributes to the Wasatch Front’s relatively high precipitation levels, enabling Utah’s world-famous skiing and distinctive snow quality. Without the lake, the Salt Lake Valley risks becoming as dry and dusty as the West Desert.

The immense challenge of sustaining Great Salt Lake for current and future generations requires all of us to act. Conserving water in every capacity is vital, especially among the biggest water users who must lead by example.

I examined our campus water usage.

Public universities aren’t federally required to disclose their water usage. However, Savannah Jordaan and Alta Fairbourne, members of ASUU, asked the landscaping department for this information.

In 2024, the U used roughly 227 million gallons to irrigate campus landscaping and 808 million gallons in total — costing nearly $10 million. The good news is, since 2020, water usage has decreased by 14%.

However, we still consume over 800 million gallons annually.

Although $10 million seems expensive, it’s relatively cheap for the quantity.

Utah’s water conservancy districts manage water supply via dams and pipelines, funded largely by property taxes. This subsidizes water costs for all users, particularly tax-exempt institutions like the U. Consequently, the university benefits from taxpayer-funded water infrastructure but lacks significant financial incentives to reduce their own consumption.

A significant portion of the U’s water use goes to irrigating lawns and other landscaping features. Lawns require constant watering, especially during Utah’s scorching summers when temperatures can exceed 100°F.

Evaporation further exacerbates water demand, leaving grass thirsty for more precious watershed water.

America’s obsession with lawns stems from European heritage.

Lawns were brought to North America to mimic the estates of British royalty, symbolizing wealth and prestige. Eastern U.S. college campuses often feature lush green lawns sustained by abundant rainfall.

But the U isn’t in England or the East Coast — it’s in a desert.

At Arizona State University, their landscaping features drought-tolerant trees and succulents, mimicking the surrounding desert and providing ecological functionality. The U must adopt a similar approach.

The short answer to this problem is collaboration between students, landscaping and administration.

Read the full op-ed by Nathan Murthy originally posted in The Chronicle here.

Sustainability Associate Director for the Associated Students of the U, Murthy is an earth and environmental Ssience major in the College of Science and works in the Şekercioğlu lab in the School of Biological Sciences. He is also a Wilkes Scholar through the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, also in the College of Science.

Woodrats’ immunity to snake venom

April 17, 2025

Adapted from a press release produced by the University of Michigan.

The power of a rattlesnake’s venom to incapacitate its prey may depend on more than just its potency or even the prey animal’s tolerance for the poison. According to a new study published Tuesday in Biology Letters, it also depends a bit on the weather.

Matt Holding. Credit University of Michigan.

“Even across different populations of the same snake species, eating the same prey, we see evolutionary differences in their venoms,” said postdoctoral researcher Matthew Holding, an evolutionary biologist in the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute and lead author of the study. “With this study, we really wanted to dig into what drives these differences in the natural coevolutionary arms races between the snakes and their prey.”

With colleagues from the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Utah, Holding analyzed how blood serum samples from wild woodrats responded to rattlesnake venom, a substance that contains hemotoxins that break down blood cells and neurotoxins that cause respiratory paralysis.

Desert woodrats (Neotoma lepida), also known as pack rats, are an herbivorous rodent native to arid regions of the U.S. Southwest. They are renowned for their immunity to toxins that occur naturally in desert environments, including resin from creosote bushes, their primary food source.

As the natural prey of rattlesnakes, woodrats have also evolved resistance to snake venom: they can survive 500 to 1,000 times the amount that would kill a standard lab mouse. This resistance comes from proteins circulating in the rats’ blood that can neutralize the venom.

For this study, the researchers used serum samples from rats that the Utah coauthors Patrice Kurnath Connors and Denise Dearing collected in 2014 in southwest Utah for a different study exploring this species’ resistance to toxins in creosote.

Biologists Denise Dearing, left, and Patrice Kurnath Connors. Credit: University of Utah.

That research was part of Connors’ doctoral dissertation. She is now an associate professor of biology at Colorado Mesa University.

Before the blood serum samples were drawn, the woodrats had been acclimated to captive environments that were either warm (85°F) or cool (70°F). The researchers found that samples from the warm group were better at inhibiting the venom’s toxicity, compared with samples from the cold group.

“We figured the rattlesnake resistance would be the same whether they were in the cool or the warm, and that when we fed them creosote in either temperature, the rattlesnake resistance would drop,” said Dearing, a distinguished professor of biology at the University of Utah and senior author on the study. “We weren’t really thinking about the effect of temperature on rattlesnake resistance, so we were pretty surprised by the results that there was such a huge effect that in the cooler environments, the rattlesnake venom resistance was really low. And in the warmer environments, it was really high.”

Read the full article by Brian Maffly in @The U.

ACCESS Scholar: Nia Brooks

April 14, 2025

Photo by Kayla McKay. Yale SURF/AMGEN Scholars Closing Symposium (2023)
Project: Detection of DNA Strand Breaks in Ichthyosis with Confetti, Choate Lab, Dermatology/Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine

But many programs have recognized the value of building a passion in a subject first to then fuel an obligation. ACCESS Scholars is one of them, providing students like Nia Brooks an initial spark to fuel a successful journey into their future careers.

Peaks and precipices

Brooks traveled all the way from northern Virginia to pursue studies in biology and pre-medicine. It was her first experience in a college setting several thousand miles away from home, and coming off the online classes of the Covid pandemic. Suffice to say, the culture shock was immense, but thanks to a welcoming community she was able to quickly adapt and thrive. She joined the Honors College, took on a role as a TA, and through the ACCESS program dove straight into research.

“I didn’t know I’d want this when I first started,” Brooks explains. “I had always looked at research as something too hard, too complicated. I’d be stuck doing a science project for months and get burnt out! But since I started so early I had time to realize that it was way more dynamic and fun! I loved it!”

With Principal Investigator Tracey Lamb and graduate student Marshall Roedel, Brooks has been working to study cerebral malaria, a subset or complication of malaria that can easily lead to childhood fatalities. Instead of the typical “months-long science project” her research rapidly evolved from studying the prominent cellular interactions in response to gene editing, to investigating cellular signaling pathways and then working with mice models to understand the mechanisms of this condition.

Any initial hesitancy in Brooks was given the perfect environment to grow into healthy motivation, the intimidating precipice of earning an MD/PhD appearing more scalable to her with each passing day. And it’s not because that career peak is any less difficult to climb. If anything, the deeper exposure showcases how steep it really is. But by showing students like Nia Brooks the tools they’ll need and giving them space to learn if they enjoy using them, programs like ACCESS create a spark that can help supersede any obligation.

Because at the end of the day, an obligation is something we stop pursuing once it is met. A passion is something we pursue for the rest of our lives.

It’s about experiences and the people

March 26, 2025

Bennion Center Alternative Break: Hunger & Food at Tilth Alliance Farm in Seattle

One of Annabelle’s most fulfilling roles has been serving as a College of Science Ambassador. “As someone who didn’t get an in-person orientation, seeing students build those relationships, beginning on day one of their college experience, has been incredibly meaningful,” she reflects. College of Science Ambassadors, like Annabelle, play a vital role in welcoming prospective students and their families to campus, guiding first-year students toward success, and organizing events that help students thrive throughout their undergraduate science journey.

Beyond her ambassadorial duties, Annabelle’s academic experiences have also shaped her growth. When asked to pick her favorite biology class, she did not hesitate. She shared that Mycology (BIOL5425) with Professor Bryn Dentinger began as a casual interest in mushrooms but quickly transformed into an immersive experience, complete with foraging trips and hands-on research. “Honestly, this class had absolutely nothing to do with what I want to do with my career, but I loved the opportunity to just learn about something. It’s rare to just learn for the sake of learning while studying at a university, and I really appreciated that opportunity,” she shares.

A desire for new learning experiences soon extended into research. Initially uncertain about pursuing an undergraduate research opportunity, Annabelle was inspired to apply when the Olivera/McIntosh lab posted an opening on the Biology Instagram (@uofubiology). Two years later, she is on the verge of publishing an honors thesis on protein folding, focusing on two peptides derived from cone snail venom that are being evaluated for their potential therapeutic applications. Her unwavering commitment to community, combined with her passion for data, attention to detail, and applying science to solve complex problems, will continue to guide her as she pursues a Master’s in Community-Oriented Public Health at the University of Washington this fall.

Knute Rockne

A senior honors student from West Jordan, Utah, Annabelle is majoring in biology with an emphasis in anatomy and physiology, alongside minors in disability studies and chemistry. A bonus fun fact about her is that her great-great grandpa was football legend Knute Rockne (ESPN #3 college coach of all time). Unbeknownst to many, Knute Rockne, who was the coach at Notre Dame, had a degree in chemistry. “I like to think he was helping me out during my hardest OChem exams!” Annabelle jokes, but she's quite serious when she gives advice to other students: “You belong in STEM! I was intimidated at first, thinking everyone else just ‘got it.’ But a passion for science matters more than grades. If you love it, you belong here."

A rigorous, collaborative approach to science

March 19, 2025

"People talked to each other and argued with each other and made suggestions to each other. I thought it was the way science should be done."

Maloy's connection to the U began when he arrived in1981 to work with John Roth, whom colleagues had described to him as "the best bacterial geneticist in the world." Though initially considering other opportunities, it was his visit to Roth's lab that changed Maloy's trajectory.

During his three years at the U (1981-1984), Maloy worked on a then-controversial area of genetic regulation — how genes can auto-regulate themselves. His research challenged the scientific dogma of the time and laid the foundation for his subsequent 30 years of NIH-funded research. In 2024 Maloy was designated a Distinguished Alumnus, recognizing his significant contributions to microbiology, national security, entrepreneurship, and scientific ethics over a career spanning more than three decades.

A Unique Scientific Community

Unlike many postdoctoral experiences where researchers interact primarily within their own labs, the U fostered a broader scientific community. "The group here was phenomenally interactive," Maloy explains. Monthly evening seminars brought together researchers from across disciplines to critically analyze each other's work. "It was the love of thinking about science, considering other explanations, and pondering about what might be wrong."

This culture of rigorous scrutiny fostered what Maloy values most in science: "For science to really serve its purpose, to really reflect reality, it demands that not only that you publish things, but you think through them, that you argue through them, you talk about different applications, different explanations."

From Basic Research to Biotechnology Applications

After leaving Utah, Maloy joined the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1984, where he spent 18 years rising through the ranks to full professor. Throughout his career, he has bridged basic science and practical applications through entrepreneurship.

Maloy has been involved in founding several biotechnology companies, each building upon his fundamental research in bacterial genetics. One company focused on "getting bacteria to evolve new functions quickly," with applications in detergents and other chemical processes. Another venture developed neuropeptides, which later spun off into a company focused on creating novel antimicrobials "of types that didn't exist before."

Perhaps the most promising entrepreneurial effort involves cancer therapeutics. Initially conceived as a vaccine platform, the company pivoted when pre-COVID funding for vaccines proved difficult to secure due to legal risks. Instead, they developed targeted delivery systems for treating specific types of cancer resistant to conventional therapies, such as hormone-resistant prostate cancer.

"That company has products in clinical trials right now for types of cancer that there's no other therapy for," Maloy notes proudly. Having passed initial safety trials, the treatments are now being evaluated for efficacy — potentially offering hope where few options currently exist.

Leadership in Scientific Integrity

Beyond his research and entrepreneurial ventures, Maloy has emerged as a leader in scientific ethics. He recently took over authorship of a widely used textbook on scientific integrity and responsible conduct of research, which is required reading for students working on NIH grants.

Working with colleagues from Michigan and Duke University, Maloy is currently completing a comprehensive revision addressing emerging challenges in scientific ethics, including paper mills, inappropriate citations, and the impacts of artificial intelligence on research integrity.

"Most people in society can't distinguish science from pseudoscience," Maloy explains, underscoring why maintaining scientific integrity is crucial. "If we let these false things become really prevalent, then people will say, 'Oh, look, you know, there's 500 articles on this thing. So it clearly must be right.'"

His latest project involves using virtual and augmented reality to create emotional experiences that help researchers internalize ethical principles. “There is compelling evidence that if somebody really emotionally experiences it, they will more rapidly change their behavior," he explains, demonstrating his innovative approach to tackling even non-scientific challenges.

Despite disappointments when projects Maloy has invested significant time and effort into face setbacks or changes in direction due to shifting political landscapes, his work in the Republic of Georgia has proven meaningful. In Georgia he and his team have established an SDSU branch to help transform their post-Soviet higher education system to support its future without permanent dependence.

A Distinguished Legacy

In his emeritus role at San Diego State University, Maloy continues to conduct research through industry collaborations while generously yielding his university laboratory space to make room for new assistant professors.

His recognition as a Distinguished Alumnus by the U celebrates not only his scientific and entrepreneurial achievements but also his commitment to the rigorous, collaborative approach to science that he first experienced in Salt Lake City—an approach that has informed his entire career and now shapes his work to strengthen scientific integrity for future generations.

SRI Stories: Andrea Halling

March 18, 2025

In the field at Great Salt Lake.

Yet it has thrived, acting as both a habitat for brine shrimp and an anchor for the life cycles of migratory birds. Many esteemed scientists have been drawn to the region to study how life can adapt to such harsh conditions.

Science Research Initiative (SRI) postdoctoral researcher Andrea Halling takes this a step further. Not only does she spearhead studies into how life adapts in the lake, she also leads a cohort of students doing the same. In cultivating this environment for students to study evolution, she creates an ideal environment for the students to grow and adapt in turn.

While it wasn’t what initially drew her to higher education, Andrea quickly grew a strong interest in physics and biology. There she found “a purpose in building and contributing to our understanding of the world around us,” and her journey would lead her to the study of the advent of multicellular life, exploring how the Snowball Earth event might have kickstarted it for her Ph.D. dissertation.

To oversimplify, colder liquids are more viscous, making it harder for microorganisms to move through. Increasing their collective size by staying together as a group of cells would physically make it easier to move in the cold, viscous environment. It was a hypothesis supported by her studies, creating the perfect background to launch her further into the field of evolutionary study.

A trajectory of this nature is common in the postdoc demographic, but Andrea’s resume contains a particularly useful quirk in the form of a pre-PhD detour. She taught high school physics and biology, allowing Andrea to enter her mentorship role in SRI with far more momentum than most. “I feel that a lot of the time people assume that freshman level students don’t know enough,” Andrea explains, “that they are empty, that we need to fill their cup of knowledge. And I know from experience that’s absolutely not true. My students are brilliant and have amazing ideas. It’s so fun to be able to build them up from the knowledge they already have.”

Building and expanding this foundation of knowledge is what truly makes SRI so special. As Andrea notes, “Many of these students won’t want to study the Great Salt Lake forever, but there are so many applicable skills that they can learn, to better think like a scientist.” She further notes that “Many wish to go to medical school, where applications will have very similar traits. Doing something like this, like SRI, allows them to set themselves apart.”

Much like the life they are studying, these students have been introduced into a novel research environment rarely found outside of Utah. And thanks to the guidance of Andera Halling, the unique nature of that environment allows them to adapt and to develop equally unique traits and evolve into stronger versions of themselves in the process.

Biology Alum receives 2025 U Honorary Doctorate

March 13, 2025

A three-time alum of the U, Samuelson worked as a rheumatologist, medical school dean and as the U’s vice president of health sciences. He left the university in 1993 to join the executive leadership team at Intermountain Healthcare. A year later, Samuelson was called to serve in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ First Quorum of the Seventy, before being named as BYU’s president, a job he held for a decade.

Samuelson's first degree from the U was in biology in 1966 before going on to graduate school at the U in psychology, culminating with an MD from the medical school.

“Honorary degrees are a recognition of exceptional human beings who have transformed the world in ways large and small,” said President Taylor Randall. “Cecil, Julie, King and Linda have invested their time, talents and financial support to causes that have changed our university, state and the world. We are so fortunate to have exceptional leaders who, through everyday acts and transformational investments, have changed individual lives, bolstered education and advanced culture. The legacy of their work will live on for years to come.”

Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who have achieved distinction in academic pursuits, the arts, professions, business, government, civic affairs or in service to the university. The Honors Committee, which includes representatives from the faculty, student body and Board of Trustees, reviews nominations and then consults with an advisory group of faculty, staff and administrators for additional input. Finalists are presented to the university president, who then selects the recipients.

“This year’s honorary degree recipients personify selfless service in higher education, passionate advocacy, life-changing innovations and artistic creativity,” said Jamie Sorenson, chair of the Board of Trustees Honors Committee. “We are so pleased to recognize these exceptional individuals for the ways they have lived their lives and inspired future generations to live theirs.”

You can read more about the 2025 honorees in @TheU.

College of Science

Denise Dearing awarded Governor’s Medal

Denise Dearing Awarded Governor's Medal

The office of the Governor of Utah announced that University of Utah biologist M. Denise Dearing is this year’s recipient of the prestigious 2025 Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology in the Academia/Research category.

Woodrats, Toxins and Rattlesnakes

Humans of the U: Chelsea Bordon

Humans of the U: Chelsea Bordon

After I got out of the military, I was planning on going into nursing and was taking classes in Washington. I took a microbiology class and I loved the course.

Humans of the U: Marlon Lopez

Humans of the U: Marlon Lopez

"Growing up in an immigrant household where my parents instilled the importance of education."

Opinion: Water Wasting? U Decide.

Opinion: Water Wasting Landscapes? U Decide.

Since 1986, the Great Salt Lake has dropped 22 feet. Twenty-two feet is only the height of a two-story building, a streetlight or a young Saguaro cactus. It’s not that impressive.

Woodrats’ immunity to snake venom

Woodrats’ immunity to snake venom

Researchers looking at effects of the desert rodent's toxic diet discover cool temperatures reduce the critter's ability to survive rattlesnake bites.

ACCESS Scholar: Nia Brooks

Passion vs Obligation

When pursuing a degree, the large list of requirements to earn that designation can sometimes feel like an obligation. Some pursue research experience just to check a box, while many others take certain classes solely to fill an elective.

Peaks and precipices

It’s about experiences and the people

Annabelle Rockne – It’s about experiences and the people

“I’ve met so many different people interested in so many things. I have been able to make the most of my experience because of the people surrounding me,” says Annabelle Rockne, a senior in the School of Biological Sciences.

A rigorous, collaborative approach to science

A rigorous, collaborative approach to science

"The atmosphere in the lab was really phenomenal," distinguished post-doctoral researcher alumnus Stanley Maloy recalls of his time in what is now the University of Utah’s School of Biological Sciences.

A Unique Scientific Community

From Basic Research to Biotechnology Applications

Leadership in Scientific Integrity

A Distinguished Legacy

SRI Stories: Andrea Halling

SRI Stories: Environment for Evolution

The Great Salt Lake is a prime example of the tenacity of life to adapt to its environment. With up to nine times the ocean’s salinity and surrounded by desert, common sense would dictate the area to be inhospitable to life.

Biology Alum receives 2025 U Honorary Doctorate

Cecil Samuelson: U Honorary Doctorate

Equal parts University of Utah and Brigham Young University, Cecil Samuelson has managed to bleed purple throughout his long career as a higher education leader and physician.