research studies university of arizona

Participate in a Research Study

Participate in Research

Would you like to be part of a research study? See below for studies currently recruiting subjects!

Psychology Research Studies

• NEW Spatial Memory Study Using Virtual Reality and MRI
• RENEWED  Navigation and Memory Study
• Learning of Scientific Knowledge Study
• Navigation, Memory, and Stress Study
• Recruiting Healthy Participants as Control for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Study
• Cooperation with Artificial Intelligence During Navigation Study
• Decision Making and Aging Study
• C.A.R.E. Study
• Insomnia Treatment Study
• Couples Research Study
• Hippocampal Plasticity Study
• Child Cognition Studies
• Tweety Language Development Lab
• CLOSED  Aging Well Study
• CLOSED  COZI Insomnia Study
• CLOSED  Divorce Therapy Study
• CLOSED  Human Decision Making Study
• CLOSED Intersection of Space and Time in Navigation and Memory: an Immersive Virtual Reality Experience
• CLOSED Memory Precision Study
• CLOSED  Memory Training Study
• CLOSED  Middle Age Insomnia Treatment Study
• CLOSED  Navigation in Virtual Reality and Human Memory
• CLOSED  Pain and Working Memory Study
• CLOSED  Patients with Advanced Cancer Study
• CLOSED  Spatial Memory Using Immersive Virtual Reality Study
• CLOSED Study for Dementia Caregivers
• CLOSED  Study of Brain and Language
• CLOSED  Study on Cognition and Emotions using Naturalistic Assessment
• CLOSED  Study on Daily Social Support and Wellbeing During Bereavement
• CLOSED  Study on the Aging Brain and Memory
• CLOSED  Study of Personality and University Life
• CLOSED  Study of Test-Taking and Emotions
• CLOSED  Training Your Cognitive Abilities Study
• CLOSED  Transcranial Ultrasound Study
• CLOSED  Virtual Reality Navigation Study  

Updated: 05/16/24

More Research Opportunities

The following studies are hosted outside of the Psychology Department. Please take note of any contact information provided within these resources for any inquiries you may have.

• NEW Remote Light Exposure Study
• NEW 2B Alert Study
• Resource Allocation Study
• Sleep Deprivation Study
• Exploring College Student World View and Wellness Factors Survey
• IN-BeD Study
• Eye-Tracking Reading Study
• Romantic Relationship Intervention Study
• Artificially Intelligent Computer Agent Study

Updated: 03/13/24

For undergraduate students participating in research experiments for course credit in PSY 101/150A-1:

• Visit  arizona-psych.sona-systems.com  to sign up.
• FAQs and Instructions

For questions, please contact: [email protected]

For participation in independent study or directed research for course credit, visit this page .

Updated 01/17/23

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Undergraduate Research

Research Database  

The Office of Undergraduate Research is committed to supporting our students and advancing the mission of the College of Science by connecting next-generation scientists to groundbreaking research opportunities throughout their academic career. Participation in research provides students with the opportunity to work with world-class faculty, practice foundational scientific methods, and to develop teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Become part of world-class research

The College of Science encourages undergraduates to reach beyond the traditional classroom learning and enhance their education by participating in hands-on learning through a research experience. In collaborations with faculty, graduate students, technical staff, and peers, undergrads have the opportunity to become part of the process of discovering new information and technologies while working on real world problems. Take a step beyond the classroom and become part of world-class research ranging from the search for life on Mars to the study of complex diseases such as cancer.

Getting Involved in Undergraduate Research

Why should you participate in undergraduate research?

As a land-grant, AAU , and research-one  university, The University of Arizona and the College of Science offer a vast array of undergraduate research experiences for its students. Undergraduates at the College of Science have access to world-class research and faculty to engage in valuable experiential learning opportunities.

Undergraduate students who engage in research during their academic career are given the opportunity to:

• Gain deeper understanding of science through hands-on experiences
• Get experience in, and connect deeply with, their field
• Work side-by-side and network with world-class faculty and other undergraduate and graduate students
• Develop valuable critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork skills that future employers and graduate schools are looking for
• Make significant advances in their field while early in their career; several students have been published before graduating!

How to get started in undergraduate research

Step 1. self-evaluation.

Before you explore undergraduate research opportunities, ask yourself, what do hope to get out of the experience? Are you hoping to get any experience, or find a good resume builder? Do you wish to network with faculty members, researchers, graduate students, and other undergraduate students? Do you have specific skills you want to develop through a research experience? Perhaps you have scientific questions you’ve always wanted to answer. Or are you just genuinely curious and want to explore what research is like?

Step 2. Interest Inventory

In the next step in your journey to connect to research take an inventory of your interests. We recommend you create a list to visualize your “data.” Ask yourself:

• What were your favorite classes (in high school and in college)?
• Do you look forward to taking particular courses in your major?
• Do certain tracks, areas, or specialties related to your major interested you?
• What areas interest you outside of your major?
• Are there any opportunities to collaborate with major interests and interests outside of your major?

Step 3. What type of research is best for you?

There are many ways for undergraduate students to get involved in research. Options for involvement include:

• Depending on your major, directed research might be a graduation requirement
• Independent research course (check with your department for course numbering and availability)
• Summer REU’s (Research Experience for Undergrads)
• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships
• Other competitive research programs (such as UBRP , UROC-PREP , or SRI )
• Volunteering in faculty research labs and projects

Step 4. Connecting to Undergraduate Research Experiences

Once you have figured out what areas of research you would like to engage in, and what type of experience is best suited for you, the next step is to find faculty and researchers connected to your areas of interest. There are a few different ways to do this.

• Visit the Undergraduate Research Database , and you can find research by college, department, type of opportunity (paid, volunteer, intern, etc.) or by listing key words.
• Search faculty profiles , using key words, topics, areas of interest, etc. 
• Find off-campus REU’s through the National Science Foundation website.
• Learn more about/apply to University of Arizona undergraduate research programs.
• Explore departmental research websites for information on departmental areas/ researchers.
• Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Computer Science
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Geosciences
• Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences
• Mathematics
• Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Neuroscience and Cognitive Science
• Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

After finding faculty members you would be interested in working with, create a list of 7-10 (if possible) faculty members to contact.

Step 5. Contacting Faculty

After compiling your list of faculty members, start to email them a few at a time. Start with your top three, wait a week, and if you haven’t heard back, email your next three. We suggest using the email as a way to connect with the faculty member and to begin the cultivation of the relationship. You can choose to state your intention, i.e. getting involved in their lab, having them serve as your faculty mentor for independent research, etc. We would recommend that you ask to schedule a meeting with them and then ask in person.

When emailing faculty:

• Introduce yourself, your year, your major, and your interests.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the faculty member’s research.
• Identify why you are interested in their research, how your interests align with their research, and mention any classes or contacts you’ve had that show your interest.
• Ask to schedule a meeting. Provide your availability and ask what would be best for them.
• Be professional .

Additionally, here are two good resources for emailing faculty from the UC Berkley , and UC Santa Cruz .

Meeting with faculty:

• Dress business casual.
• Have a conversation with them before asking to conduct research with them.
• Bring a list of questions about the faculty member’s research with you.
• Bring a copy of your resume and schedule.
• Send a follow-up email/thank you after the meeting.

Looking to fund your research? Here are some options: 

The College of Science has four scholarships available to apply to for students interested in undergraduate research.

• For all College of Science majors: the Van de Verde Undergraduate Research Scholarship in Science
• For Physics Majors: the Weaver Award for Undergraduate Research in Physics
• For Chemistry and Biochemistry Majors: the Michael A. Wells Undergraduate Research Endowment in Biological Sciences
• For Geoscience Majors: the George H. Davis Undergraduate Research Fund (contact Geosciences undergraduate advisor for info).

You may also consider paid research programs through the university such as the Undergraduate Biology Research program ( UBRP )

Get Connected

Rebecca Gomez

Associate Dean Undergraduate Student Success [email protected]

Clinical Research - Mission

As the 5th largest U.S. city and a growing 40% Hispanic population, the UArizona College of Medicine – Phoenix is uniquely poised to serve as a leader in cutting edge clinical trial opportunities and to serve as a conduit for the community partnerships necessary to aid in researching the health needs of our diverse surrounding communities. The Translational Research Office (TReO)  is a college service that provides college-level leadership and organizational support to ensure seamless research education and operations across translational research implementation needs. TReO is designed to serve as an access hub to research expertise and resources for clinical and basic science support. Under the collaborative leadership of the Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs and the Vice Dean for Research, TReO aims to be a catalyst to navigate institutional research processes, reduce inefficiencies and serve our growing research faculty. TReO provides a centralized infrastructure to support investigator and study logistical needs, as well as foster local partnerships to contribute to emerging translational science proposals that can expand access to treatment options that support our surrounding communities.

TReO Clinical Research Services  aim to support investigators across college departments throughout the clinical trial process from study development to closure. Our clinical research leadership team assist Faculty in the feasibility, startup and conduct of federal and industry sponsored trials as well as investigator-initiated research. Leadership provides daily operational support, training, and oversight of our centralized clinical research staff, as well as volunteers and students, at at the UArizona College of Medicine –  Phoenix /Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. Our team is instrumental in study start-up processes including assistance with protocol and budget review, execution of research agreements, and facilitation of communications between Industry partners and internal and external research collaborators. Our team works closely with hospital and university leadership to navigate hospital feasibility review, troubleshoot operational issues and other study challenges to ensure timely study startup and ongoing oversight of study progress. Our team meets regularly with Department Chairs to discuss department research portfolios and review research finances. We provide quarterly enrollment metrics reports to assist in determination of ongoing departmental support. We aim to facilitate research needs and minimize investigator administrative burden through oversight and management of research centralized resources to maximize efficiency and ensure uniform standard operating procedures. Our clinical research resources include:

• A hub of centralized clinical research coordinators for compliant study conduct
• Regulatory assistance for IRB submissions, study monitoring and closeout
• REDCap project development to ensure a HIPAA compliant, electronic data platform for compliant data collection and storage.
• Biorepository/Data repository collections, processing, transport, and storage
• Financial management of clinical trial revenues
• Clinical research designated facilities on B-UMCP hospital campus.

Please reach out to  @email  with any questions.

Clinical Research Teams

Clinical research coordinator team.

The Clinical Research Coordinator Team   is a centralized pool of clinical research coordinators that support studies across COM-P departments and divisions. TReO leadership works with each department to assess research staff needs, as well as handle the logistics of hiring and employee supervision on behalf of investigators. Recognizing the need to support study access for our Spanish-speaking community, TReO also maintains a pool of bilingual research coordinators across study teams as well as a racially diverse clinical research coordinator pool to support cultural competency efforts. Coordinators may be assigned to specific departments that maintain an ongoing research portfolio or can be assigned to support individual studies as they arise. This centralized model increases efficiency and compliance, prevents coordinator burnout, and facilitates the ability to respond to a rapid need for clinical trial coordinator support without human resource delays. This model was extremely effective in in our efforts to contribute to the evaluation of potential therapies and reduce the loss of research revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic as coordinators were immediately organized to facilitate rapidly emerging COVID-19 clinical trials. 

Regulatory Compliance Team

The Regulatory Compliance Team   offers support and expertise to clinical research investigators in navigating the conduct of human subject research and compliance with regulatory requirements. Our team aids with IRB submissions and communications as well as investigator assistance in navigating Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosures and collaborating with the COI Office to implement COI management plans as required. Our Compliance Auditor conducts internal risk-based audits to assess compliance and determine focus areas for ongoing education. With a goal of facilitating compliance through a culture of continuous education, the Compliance Auditor also organizes monthly brown bag sessions that focus on clinical research practices and pertinent regulatory requirements and provides clinical research education content for Division Newsletters.

REDCap Clinical Data Team

The REDCap Clinical Data Team maintains electronic clinical trial documentation in REDCap in effort to support a more secure and paperless environment while maintaining compliance with study-related documentation requirements. The REDCap team offers support in project design and development for both investigator-initiated studies and sponsored clinical trials to enable an ePlatform for all clinical research studies. The team is highly knowledgeable in customized design, advanced branching, and form creation to optimize data collection for statistical analysis. Working in close collaboration with our faculty, resident/fellows, and clinical research teams, databases are customized to meet study protocol requirements and maintain compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines. In addition, the team is proficient in customizing reports within REDCap to satisfy Department/Division, College/University, and state/federal reporting requirements.

Biorepository Team

The Biorepository Team is a collaboration between our clinical research coordinating team and COM-P biobank services which operates under a Biobank Committee that is constituted to review project proposals and determine best allocation of resources to support translational research initiatives. In response to IRB-approved requests for the collection of blood, tissues and other fluids across hospital clinics and operating rooms, our teams huddle daily to review potential cases for collection and coordinate specimen collection, transport, and processing within strict timelines to ensure sample integrity. The biorepository lab team maintains a catalog of all available specimens and provides regular reports to the Biorepository Committee for oversight.

Clinical Research Billing Team

The Clinical Research Billing Team is responsible for reviewing technical and professional charges for research studies to validate billing for items and services related to clinical trials in compliance with federal regulations, state laws and contractual agreements. Our team also facilitates payment to our hospital, laboratory and other external partners providing research services. In addition, the team also provides quarterly reports to Department Chairs for financial updates.

Clinical Research Facilities

Clinical Research Facilities are conveniently located on campus of our B-UMCP hospital affiliate in the UArizona Clinical Research Suite at the Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix Medical Institute. The 4,101 square foot clinic is designed to provide a centralized hub of research resources to be available for all UArizona Phoenix-related clinical research needs. Services and resources are available below.

College Clinical Research Metrics

As a young college that began investing in clinical research resources in 2014, we strive to ensure sustainable services through lean administrative overhead costs and relying upon clinical trial revenues to reimburse expenses for clinical research coordinator effort and other study related costs. Since our inception, we have had strong growth in our recognition as a clinical research entity to our community. 

Study Portfolios 

With clinical research support services, the college has steadily built a portfolio of sponsored and investigator-initiated studies that continues to grow annually. We support approximately 80 sponsored studies and over 200 investigator-initiated studies each year. Cardiology is our strongest department in sponsored research with approximately 50% of all college studies and with a strong focus in investigative device implantation and early feasibility/first-in-man trials. Ob/Gyn has the largest portfolio of investigator -initiated studies with over 25% of total study volumes and a strong focus on collaborative projects involving residents and fellows.

Subject Demographics

We have enrolled over 6,000 participants in various prospective research studies with great effort to be inclusive of our surrounding demographic populations.  Our enrollments include an average of 4% Native American, 7% African American and 27% Hispanic populations, which is also reflective of the composition of our study coordinating teams. Our prospective studies collectively average a 66% female population, which can be attributed to our research portfolio in support of women’s health.  

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Endocrinology research incorporates cell, animal, and human translational models to study aspects like mitochondrial bioenergetics in type 2 diabetes and pulmonary hypertension, epigenetics of insulin resistance, bone metastasis, adipose tissue disorders, glucagon action, and insulin-stimulated GLUT4 trafficking and glucose uptake.

Endocrinology Faculty Engaged in Biomedical Research

All of the faculty members below also are members of the UA Health Sciences Center for Disparities in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism: 

• Dawn Coletta, PhD , Associate Professor of Medicine, Physiology and the Physiological Sciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Program (GIDP) — Dr. Coletta, who joined the UA faculty in August 2016, is an independent and highly productive scientist with a translational program studying the molecular basis, genetics and epigenetics of insulin resistance in humans, which is a characteristic feature of a number of common metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity and the insulin resistance syndrome. 

Researcher Spotlight ►►► Coletta Lab

• Janet Funk, MD , Professor of Medicine, Nutritional Sciences and Physiological Sciences GIDP — Dr. Funk leads an NIH-funded cross-disciplinary translational research program investigating the pathogenesis and treatment of resorptive bone diseases, such as breast cancer bone metastases and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with a particular focus on elucidating the metabolism and bioactivity of bone-protective plant-derived polyphenols.

Researcher Spotlight Funk Lab ►►► ​

• Paul Langlais, PhD , Associate Professor of Medicine and Physicological Sciences GIDP — Dr. Langlais serves as director of the UA Quantitative Proteomics Laboratory. His research focuses on identification and characterization of proteins in insulin signal transduction and testing whether dysfunction of these proteins is involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. He specializes in mass spectrometry to perform proteomics, a technique that allows for large-scale quantitative analysis of protein abundances between different treatments. This approach led him to the discovery that CLIP-associating protein 2 (CLASP2) is responsive to insulin stimulation, and his now-published findings support involvement of CLASP2 in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake.

Researcher Spotlight ►►► Langlais Lab Proteomics Lab

• Lawrence Mandarino, PhD , Professor of Medicine — Dr. Mandarino is chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and director of the Center for Disparities in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. His research focus includes mechanisms of insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and liver disease as well as the mechanisms of fatty liver development. His lab's work is aimed at providing new targets for treating insulin resistance syndrome (or metabolic syndrome), which increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other cardiometabolic conditions, all areas of special concern in the Latino population.

Researcher Spotlight ►►► Mandarino Lab CDDOM

• Ruslan Rafikov, PhD , Assistant Professor of Medicine and Physiological Sciences GIDP — Dr. Rafikov's research focuses on his work with endocrinologists, cardiologists, pulmonologists and critical care, biostatisticians and proteomic specialists within the UA Department of Medicine, the largest department in the UA College of Medicine - Tucson. His current NIH R01 grant is studying pathogenic mechanisms involving molecular and metabolic pathways that influence pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a form of high blood pressure in the lungs that leads to an enlarged heart and eventual heart failure.

Researcher Spotlight ►►► Rafikov Lab

• Olga Rafikova, MD, PhD , Assistant Professor of Medicine and Physiological Sciences GIDP — Dr. Rafikova's research interests include: Redox biology and protein post-translational modifications that compromise critical cell enzyme function and lead to development or exacerbation of vascular disease, manifestation of sexual dimorphism and gender-specific signaling in pulmonary hypertension, and the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in pulmonary hypertension. In her work, she utilizes an integrative manner of research and addresses the problem on multiple levels including protein level, cell signaling, animal models of disease, and finally studies in humans.

Researcher Spotlight ►►► Rafikova Lab

Dr. Stern leads an NIH funded research program focused on understanding the role of glucoregulatory hormone signaling in the pathogenesis of obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, and aging.  The goal of Stern lab research is to improve the prevention and treatment of diabetes and age-related metabolic disorders.

Researcher Spotlight ►►► Stern Lab

• Wayne T. Willis, PhD , Associate Professor of Medicine and Physiological Sciences GIDP — Dr. Willis studies basic mechanisms underlying energy transduction in mitochondria isolated from skeletal muscle, the liver and heart. He did his postdoctoral work on the effects of dietary iron deficiency on the thermodynamics of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Recent work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has focused on structure/function differences and associated cost/benefit trade-offs in the mitochondria of slow-twitch (type I) versus fast-twitch (type II) skeletal muscle. He also experiments on fuel selection during human locomotion (primarily walking) in disabled and able-bodied populations, which forms the basis of a recent proposal to NSF on evolutionary implications of walking at a spontaneously chosen speed and the associated skeletal muscle metabolism.

Researcher Spotlight ►►► Willis Lab

UAHS Center for Disparities in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

The UAHS Health Sciences Center for Disparities in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism—led by Endocrinology Chief Lawrence J. Mandarino, PhD —serves as a nucleus for interdisciplinary studies that form the foundation for translation of biomedical research to advanced, evidence-based clinical care in the community. A major focus is to facilitate development of innovative approaches to delivery of care and prevention, serving a diverse population in one of the most high-risk yet underserved regions in the nation. The center also is working to create a biobank and research registry focused on obesity and type 2 diabetes risk in the Hispanic/Latino population, while also creating a biobank registry with patient bio-specimens that would be accessible to other studies focusing on other aspects of health of importance to the local community and broader population.

Quantitative Proteomics Lab

Clinical Research Studies at the UArizona Health Sciences

How to participate.

Whether you’re a potential candidate to participate as a patient or subject in the study, you would like to participate as a “healthy volunteer” for the control group or you’re a research or clinical professional interested in collaborating with the research team—simply contact the study coordinator listed for each individual clinical research study above.

Other Research Studies

Coming Soon...

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Learn more from UA Research, Impact & Innovation

Large study provides scientists with deeper insight into long COVID

University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers contributed to a National Institutes of Health-funded research effort that identified the most common long COVID symptoms with the aim of improving future diagnostics and treatment.

Initial findings from a study of nearly 10,000 Americans, many of whom had COVID-19, have uncovered new details about long COVID, the post-infection set of conditions that can affect nearly every tissue and organ in the body.

Clinical symptoms can vary and include fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness, and last for months or years after a person has COVID-19. The research team, funded by the National Institutes of Health, also found that long COVID was more common and severe in study participants infected before the 2021 Omicron variant.

The study, published in JAMA , is coordinated through the NIH’s Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative , a nationwide effort dedicated to understanding why some people develop long-term symptoms following COVID-19, and most importantly, how to detect, treat, and prevent long COVID. University of Arizona Health Sciences researchers lead one of 15 adult cohorts that contributed to the research.

“This is a very important first glimpse into the clinical complexities of long COVID. We now have an initial roadmap on how to better diagnose it, and we need to validate it in ongoing studies”, said Janko Nikolich, MD, PhD , contact principal investigator for the Arizona cohort, director of the Aegis Consortium at UArizona Health Sciences and professor and head of the Department of Immunobiology at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson .

RECOVER researchers hope this study is the next step toward potential treatments for long COVID, which affects the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans. 

“Americans living with long COVID want to understand what is happening with their bodies,” said Admiral Rachel L. Levine, MD, assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “RECOVER, as part of a broader government response, in collaboration with academia, industry, public health institutions, advocacy organizations and patients, is making great strides toward improving our understanding of long COVID and its associated conditions.”

“Arizona residents suffer from long COVID at a rate that is approximately 3% higher than the national rate of long COVID,” said Sairam Parthasarathy, MD , one of the other principal investigators for the Arizona cohort and professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in the Department of Medicine at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson. “More research needs to be done to further refine and polish this definition using clinical diagnostic tests and research tools. Such additional work will help us better understand why an individual develops long COVID and how we can better treat them.”

Researchers examined data from 9,764 adults, including 8,646 who had COVID-19 and 1,118 who did not have COVID-19. They assessed more than 30 symptoms across multiple body areas and organs and applied statistical analyses that identified 12 symptoms that most set apart those with and without long COVID: post-exertional malaise, fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, heart palpitations, issues with sexual desire or capacity, loss of smell or taste, thirst, chronic cough, chest pain, and abnormal movements.

They then established a scoring system based on patient-reported symptoms. By assigning points to each of the 12 symptoms, the team gave each patient a score based on symptom combinations. With these scores in hand, researchers identified a meaningful threshold for identifying participants with long COVID. They also found that certain symptoms occurred together and defined four subgroups or “clusters” with a range of impacts on health. 

“One of the big takeaways from this study is the heterogeneity of long COVID,” said Andrea Foulkes, ScD, principal investigator of the RECOVER Data Resource Core, a professor at Harvard Medical School, and director of Biostatistics at Massachusetts General Hospital. “Long COVID is not just one syndrome; it’s a syndrome of syndromes."

Based on a subset of 2,231 patients in this analysis who had a first COVID-19 infection on or after Dec. 1, 2021, when the omicron variant was circulating, about 10% experienced long-term symptoms or long COVID after six months. The results are based on a survey of a highly diverse set of patients and are not final. Survey results will next be compared for accuracy against an array of lab tests and imaging. 

To date, more than 100 million Americans have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. As of April, the federal government’s Household Pulse survey estimates that about 6% of those infected with the virus continue to experience and suffer from the many symptoms termed together as long COVID. Patients and researchers have identified more than 200 symptoms associated with long COVID.

“This study is an important step toward defining long COVID beyond any one individual symptom,” said study author Leora Horwitz, MD, director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation and Delivery Science and co-principal investigator for the RECOVER Clinical Science Core at NYU Langone Health. “This research definition — which may evolve over time — will serve as a foundation for scientific discovery and treatment design.”

The researchers explain studying the underlying biological mechanisms of long COVID is central to advancing informed interventions and identifying effective treatment strategies. In addition to establishing the scoring system, the researchers found that participants who were unvaccinated, had COVID-19 for the first time before the 2021 omicron strain or had reinfections were more likely to have long COVID and more severe cases of long COVID. 

“While the score developed in this study is an important research tool and early step toward diagnosing and monitoring patients with long COVID, we recognize its limitations,” said David C. Goff, MD, PhD, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of NIH. Goff serves as an epidemiology lead for NIH RECOVER. “All patients suffering from long COVID deserve the attention and respect of the medical field, as well as care and treatment driven by their experiences. As treatments are developed, it will be important to consider the complete symptom profile.” 

The ongoing RECOVER research serves as the foundation for planned clinical trials, whose interventions are rooted in many of the symptoms outlined in this study. RECOVER clinical trials are expected to begin enrolling patient participants in 2023. 

This research was funded by NIH agreements OT2HL161841, OT2HL161847, and OT2HL156812. Additional support came from grant R01 HL162373.

Our Experts

Janko Nikolich, MD, PhD

Sairam Parthasarathy, MD

Phil Villarreal UArizona Health Sciences Office of Communications 520-403-1986 [email protected]

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UArizona Health Sciences Researchers to Study Long COVID as Part of National Collaborative

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As a junior majoring in Natural Resources, Nadira Mitchell gets involved on campus and blends her personal interests with her professional goals.

A Living River; Our Duty and Connection to Nature

Jamie Irby discusses her experience cleaning the Santa Cruz river and urges residents of Tucson to think deeply about their littering habits. 

Sam Wetherell Puts the "Eco" in Economics

Sam Wetherell, a sophomore at UArizona pursuing a double major in PPEL and EWRE, discusses accessibility in environmental spaces and the intersection between politics, economics, and climate advocacy.

Putting Down New Roots

Earth grant student volunteers carefully save molokhia seeds in the New Roots Garden.

Nicolas Katz On Jumping Headfirst Into Conservation and Climate Justice

Nicolas Katz, a senior majoring in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, advocates for climate activism through community building. 

All About Integrated Pest Management

Jazz Lewandowski discusses her extensive plant collection through her work at Awareness Ranch and an Earth Grant student.

Stella Heflin Models What Students Can Do For The Climate Crisis

Stella Heflin, a junior double majoring in Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences and Applied Physics, demonstrates how students can get involved and effect climate policy.

Studying Trash for a Cleaner Future

A group of students clean up trash in the dry Santa Cruz River, studying what they pick up to advocate for better, safer, and cleaner policies and business practices. 

Healthy Plants, Healthy Food, Healthy People

Earth grant student, Madison Goforth, volunteers at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, taking care of animals and small-scale vegetable gardens to provide sustainable and low-cost food. 

UArizona Graduating Senior Survey Reveals the Importance of Internships, Especially for Underrepresented Students

UArizona Student Engagement & Career Development administers the Graduating Senior Survey to all UArizona graduating seniors and discusses the importance of internships in landing a job.

Brennan Breen on Finding Sustainable Solutions in Unlikely Places

Brennan Breen, a senior in Chemical Engineering, gets involved on campus through various climate groups, and encourages others to do the same.

Why Peyton Smith studies water in the desert

Peyton Smith, a junior in Environmental studies, talks about her experience with the Tucson community gardens and studying water in the desert. 

PhD Candidate Rebekah Waller Shows Us How Greenhouses Can Transform the Future of Agriculture

A third year PhD student, Rebekah Walker, talks about greenhouse research and getting involves on campus.

A Q&A with Ida Sami

Ida Sami is a Ph.D. student in the Arid Lands Resource Sciences program. Her research focuses on climate change adaptation planning and environmental science, she explores how heat stress affects pedestrian mobility patterns and their comfort level in multimodal corridors in hot and arid climates.

Q&A: Oscar Mendez's Parasite Research is the Cat's Meow

Get to know Oscar Mendez, a Ph.D. candidate who is studying how the parasite common in cat feces affects neurons in the brain.

On Student Success, This Astronomer Walks the Walk

Gurtina Besla, a UArizona assistant professor of astronomy, wants today’s students to have what she didn’t: community, paid internships, and clear paths to fulfilling careers—for which they’re actually prepared.

Q&A: Stephanie Stewart Crunches Data from an Asteroid in Orbit

Get to know Stephanie Stewart, an undergraduate student whose contributions to NASA’s first-ever asteroid sample return mission will help ensure a flawless 5-second operation to capture dust from the surface of the asteroid Bennu.

Q&A: Ayumi Pottenger's Got Research on the Brain

Ayumi Pottenger is an undergraduate student studying molecular and cellular biology in the hopes of developing treatments for those with Parkinson’s disease while elucidating some of the mysteries of the brain.

Q&A: Mastering the Nervous System with Briggs Carhart

Briggs Carhart is a Master of Public Health student who studies the nervous system and is particularly interested in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Q&A: Thomas Moon, Postdoc at the Molecular Level

Thomas Moon, a postdoctoral scholar who studies how enzymes function and interact with each other, talks about the process of research and getting out of one's comfort zone. 

Q&A: Sophie Church, Master Art Conservator

Sophie Church, a master's student who works to preserve art and cultural artifacts, remarks on the importance and diversity of art. 

Q&A: Lizard-Loving PhD Student Earyn McGee

Earyn McGee is a PhD student who studies the effects of stream drying on lizard communities.

Undergraduate Students Build Telescopes to Track Space Junk

Using less than a third of the money it’d take to buy them off the shelf, five UA undergraduates built two telescopes for satellite observation—one of which will live in a once abandoned observatory.

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Sleep disorders, refresh study.

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This study has two parts.

In Part 1, 15 gynecologic cancer survivors will receive three candidate intervention components known to reduce sleep disturbance (i.e., sleep restriction, stimulus control, systematic light exposure) simultaneously for six weeks. Participants will then complete semi-structured individual interviews to provide feedback about barriers to and facilitators of intervention adherence. Results of Part 1 will inform the design and delivery of the candidate components in Part 2.

Cardiovascular Health and Respiratory Training Study (CHART Study)

The Arizona Respiratory Neurophysiology Laboratory (ARNL) is investigating the effects of a novel exercise training known as Respiratory Muscle Training (RMT) on sleep and cardiovascular function in adults 50 years of age and older who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and elevated blood pressure.

The University of Arizona SCAN Lab is currently recruiting for a study on the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on insomnia. 

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Current Research

Summer Research Institute

 Applications are no longer being accepted for the summer of 2024. Please check back in August of 2024 to apply for our year-round and summer programs. 

Tianna Urrea MacMeans Program Coordinator, UROC Phone: (520) 621-1207 Email:  [email protected]

The University of Arizona Graduate College Summer Research Institute PO Box 210066 Tucson, AZ 85721-0066

The  Summer Research Institute  (SRI) offers you an outstanding opportunity to learn how to conduct research, enjoy your summer, and prepare for graduate studies at The University of Arizona (UA), a highly-ranked Research Extensive (Research I) Land Grant institution with a large multicultural student body and over 200 graduate programs in a myriad of fields. The program, fully sponsored by the University of Arizona, has been in existence for 20 years. Over 75% of participants have gone on to graduate, medical, law and other post-baccalaureate programs, both at The University of Arizona and at other prestigious universities.  Many have already obtained a graduate or professional degree. The purpose of SRI is:

• To provide you with the opportunity to work with faculty on a research project.
• To give you an understanding of the approaches, issues, and research methodologies in your chosen field.
• To encourage you to consider advanced study in the discipline of your choice at the University of Arizona.
• To prepare you to be competitive in the graduate application process and beyond.
• To enhance leadership skills through personal development workshops and interaction with peers.

This program runs June through August (10 weeks) over the summer. Non-UArizona students are encouraged to apply!

2024 Dates:  June 2 - August 7

Program Attributes include:

• A stipend of $5,000
• Six units of upper-division undergraduate course credit (tuition and fees paid by the Graduate College)
• A writing course designed to help with the basics of writing a research paper and creating graduate application materials 
• A UA Faculty mentor in your chosen field of study (may or may not be available for in person meetings) NOTE: we have a team of staff members to support scholars to achieve the objectives of the summer program
• Coursework and workshops on organizing research, research ethics, public speaking/communication skills training, creating and presenting an outstanding research poster, and crafting a successful graduate school application
• The opportunity to join with like-minded scholars in preparation for graduate school

SRI Eligibility

All students that meet the following criteria may apply.  Students who have faced challenges in gaining access to higher education, e.g. pell eligible, first-generation college students are highly encouraged to apply. SRI is open to UArizona and non-UArizona students.

To qualify for this program, students must have:

• Academic status of and undergraduate rising junior or senior
• Enrollment during the previous year in an accredited four year university or community college
• U.S. Citizenship, Permanent Residence or Refugee status
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
• Time to commit to a full-time schedule of 40 hours a week

SRI Research

The Summer Research Institute seeks to provide you an opportunity to engage in research with a professor in your field at the University of Arizona. SRI students will most likely be invited to participate in your mentor's ongoing research project or a focused project will be discussed.  

The research objectives of the program are substantial and will require your full-time commitment. You will be expected to work on your research project and writing class for a total of 40 hours a week and attend required workshops and seminars.

"I am glad I was given the chance to participate; it truly changed my life and opened doors for me." -SRI Alumni

Sponsored By:

Trans Studies Research Cluster (TSRC)

More than a journal or a conference, the Trans Studies Research Cluster (TSRC)  at the University of Arizona's LGBTQ+ Institute seeks to support, encourage, and promote trans studies - both at the University of Arizona and elsewhere. Working with professors, researchers, and students across disciplines and borders, we develop resources, programming, and exchanges of information. Our TSRC faculty, including 6 professors in 4 different departments, teach courses at undergraduate and graduate levels while publishing and presenting research which challenges the limits of trans studies. At the same time, the TSRC strives to link the University's transgender studies faculty with a global network of researchers, activists, and artists through  TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly  (Duke Press) and the Trans*Studies Conference.

Spring 2024 Planetary Geology Field Studies: Death Valley

2024 Spring Department News

By Jack Holt , PTYS 590 instructor, Spring 2024

In spite of a very windy first day and rain on the second, PTYS 590 had a successful trip to Death Valley and its vicinity. We visited and discussed a multitude of planetary-relevant sites including dunes, playas, alluvial fans, volcanics, a phreatomagmatic crater, paleo-shorelines, ventifacts, Snowball Earth glacial deposits, stromatolites, hot springs, and more. There was still a giant shallow lake at Badwater Basin , which was quite a sight. UArizona Regents Professor Victor Baker provided great insights at many stops and LPL Research Scientist Dr. Joe Schools supported the trip. 

Perhaps the most amazing, unprecedented outcome is that we had zero flat tires on the road to Racetrack Playa ! 

Support the LPL Graduate Field Trip by donating to the Wilkening-Sill endowment.  

ASU, UA rank in top 1% of global universities, per a recent study. Here’s why

Both Arizona State University and the University of Arizona ranked among the top 1% of schools across the world in this year’s Center for World University rankings , putting them ahead of schools like the University of Connecticut and Georgetown University.

The group compiled data from more than 20,000 institutions internationally, studying graduate employability and academics. Among the U.S. rankings, UA landed in 48th, ASU in 67th and NAU in 185th. All three schools were credited for their research influence.

That was key in developing the overall rankings according to the organization. Faculty citations and research made up 40% of the scores given.

In fiscal year 2022, ASU spent $797.2 million on research, growing by 18% from the year prior. In fiscal year 2023, UA spent even more with $954 million in investments. Both schools are in the top 4% nationally for research spending. A large portion of research funding in the state is from federal investments.

While NAU spent less at around $77.5 million in fiscal year 2023, the school has continued to expand its research budget. NAU is also likely to reach R1 status next year after the new criteria goes into effect . An R1 institution is a school recognized within the highest tier of research universities.

The Arizona Board of Regents, the body overseeing the state's public university system, sets research spending targets for each year to support what the board said is "essential to our state’s economic future" in a 2023 report . The system has surpassed those benchmarks.

This year’s rankings come at a critical point for UA, which is working to recover from a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall discovered last fall. Through a hiring freeze and several other budget cuts, school officials now expect to bring a deficit that was once $117 million down to $52 million by next year.

The fiscal headaches were blamed on a variety of issues including a decentralized budgeting model and inflation. But in the fall, UA President Robert Robbins acknowledged large investments on merit scholarships for out-of-state students and research initiatives also made an impact.

"We made a bet on spending money," Robbins said in a November meeting. "We just overshot."

In February, Robbins told The Arizona Republic the school would grow its research spending to $1 billion in the coming years. He said he didn’t regret the move but admitted the school had been using money from its reserves to fund it.

UA searching for its next president Here's what students, faculty want to see

UA was ranked among the top 0.5% of schools internationally this year, compared to ASU in the top 1% and NAU in the top 4%. The study placed UA faculty highly, at 69th globally, making it one of the school’s standout characteristics in the rankings.

Throughout ongoing budget discussions, faculty have long called on university leaders to protect its academic staff, citing it as the “engine” of the R1 land-grant university. While the school’s president and interim chief financial officers have said they too are committed to protecting UA’s academic mission, many faculty are uneasy, saying cuts on the horizon would go on to hurt students.

Hundreds of people attended a general faculty meeting last month to go over the school’s deficit. The group later passed a resolution asking the administration to stop ongoing layoffs until “detailed, transparent, and clear financial data and guidance on financial rules” is available.

Helen Rummel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at [email protected] . Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel .

This federal rule change could kill UA research — and cost Arizona billions

Opinion: if patents come with the risk that government could step in, that would hurt a lot more than arizona's groundbreaking university research..

A proposal that gives federal government great powers on the relicensing of patents could inadvertently suppress research — including by Arizona’s world-class universities — and hurt local startups and small businesses.

Officials at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, are trying to change how the federal government implements a hugely influential, 43-year-old law that empowers universities to patent their federally funded discoveries and license them to private companies.

Absent this ability, many world-changing innovations — from therapeutics to medical devices and more — would never reach the public.

The proposed changes would deter companies from licensing those research discoveries — thereby jeopardizing a system that supports  tens of thousands of high-tech jobs for Arizonans and spurs billions in economic activity.

The old system stymied new technology

Tech Launch Arizona, the organization I lead, works on a daily basis with companies to license the University of Arizona’s patented discoveries and develop them into products that improve, even save, Americans’ lives.

As we recently warned in a public comment letter to NIST, this new policy could kill much of this beneficial licensing activity. 

To see the consequences clearly, we have to look back nearly 50 years.

In the 1970s, the federal government was devoting billions to basic research, much of it at university labs. The research the government funded resulted in thousands of discoveries and inventions.

But Washington retained the patent and licensing rights — and typically refused to grant “exclusive” licenses to companies that could have turned the research discoveries into useful products for consumers and businesses. 

Fewer than 5% of nearly 30,000  government-held patents were licensed . 

The system discouraged the further development of countless new medicines and technologies.

University patents generate billions in Arizona

The Bayh-Dole Act, passed in 1980, aimed to restore American technological leadership and revive our moribund innovation ecosystem. The act allowed universities and researchers to retain those intellectual property rights, and provided incentives for investors and licensees to help move these ideas into the marketplace.

Bayh-Dole exceeded all expectations. More than  17,000 startups emerged from it — and today the act is credited with supporting 6.5 million jobs. 

In Arizona alone, Tech Launch has secured since our inception in 2012 more than 600 patents for inventions from our brilliant researchers and spun off more than 130 startups.

Just in the five-year span between 2017-2021, this activity has contributed more than $1.6 billion to our state’s economy. Our license partners are working to commercialize revolutionary inventions, including:

• Nontoxic batteries made of metal-free electrolytes.
• Improved brain cancer treatments .
• Water-saving, vertical farming methods .
• Quantum-enhanced gyroscopes .
• Thermal energy storage using molten salt.

NIST would allow government to march in

Over the next 10 years, we’re projected to generate another $4.7 billion in economic output and more than $172 million in tax revenues for our state. 

Now, however, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has essentially proposed that federal agencies have greater flexibility to “march-in” and relicense patents when a product’s price is challenged.

This change could hurt: Critical cancer research

This change would constitute a huge departure from precedent and would flout congressional intent. The federal government has never asserted this march-in authority based solely on the price of an already developed product. 

Indeed, price is mentioned nowhere in the legislative text as a potential trigger for march-in, and the law’s drafters, Sens. Birch Bayh, D-Ind., and Bob Dole, R-Kansas, explicitly stated that “this omission was intentional.”

Why is this so important?

Change could undermine UA's research

Entrepreneurs and investors are willing to take a chance on risky technologies only if they are certain they can reap the rewards of any successful efforts.

If patents that touched federal research funding come with the risk that the government can step in if it doesn’t agree with the pricing set by the company, Tech Launch Arizona and similar institutions nationwide will find it much harder to identify partners willing to take a chance on bringing inventions to market.

The proposal doesn’t just affect the funding of university research. Any federal funding — including Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer program funding — would be impacted.

The march-in proposal would undermine the work of University of Arizona researchers and our community of entrepreneurs.

President Biden can still direct his Department of Commerce to reverse course before the proposed guidance becomes final.

For the sake of thousands of world-changing products that are still early in the R&D pipeline, let’s hope he does so.

Doug Hockstad is associate vice president for Tech Launch Arizona at the University of Arizona . Reach him at [email protected] .