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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Health + Wellness

Every person or animal that suffers from ill health and every pathogen that causes disease has its own genome. Research in this area examines how genome function directs the development of healthy bodies and how disorders disrupt that function.

Exploring the genomes of the microbes we live with also allows us to discover the molecular tools they use to aid or attack their hosts or to fight each other, knowledge that can act as a pathway to well-being.

Featured Stories

A newly established partnership between the OSF Healthcare Cancer Institute in Peoria, IL and the Cancer Center at Illinois, called Breakthrough and Advanced Treatment of (BEAT) Cancer Initiative, facilitates collaboration to improve cancer diagnostics, treatment, and prevention. Dr. Timothy Fan, fourth from left, is shown here at the BEAT Cancer kickoff, hosted by the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Research
Timothy Fan Awarded BEAT Cancer Grant to Mitigate Cancer Recurrence and Metastasis
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The Kellner Center for Neurogenomics, Behavior and Society
Research
Kellner Center launch: Interdisciplinary research to improve mental health
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From left: Paul Bonthuis, Howard Gritton, Yurii Vlasov, and Sihai Dave Zhao
Research
New NSF grant seeks to understand resilience to stress
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Brian Cunningham, Intel Alumni Endowed Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Ying Fang, professor of pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine (center) and lab members to develop portable point-of-use biosensor for detection of African swine fever virus in farm environments.
Research
Center for Genomic Diagnostics Receives First USDA Grant
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U. of I. psychology professor Brent Roberts, pictured, and his co-author, University of Toronto psychology professor Michael Inzlicht, argue that psychological science sometimes overemphasizes the role of willpower in human success and well-being. The personality trait “conscientiousness” is a better predictor of success, they write in a new review. Photo by Fred Zwicky
Research
Report: Conscientiousness, not willpower, is a reliable predictor of success
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Researchers in the lab Inspired by the evolution of some of the earliest lifeforms, University of Illinois professor Angad Mehta, left, Yang-Le Gao and Bidhan De led a proof-of-concept study verifying that natural metabolic processes within cyanobacteria-yeast hybrids can be bioengineered to produce important hydrocarbons and pharmaceutical precursors.
Research
Scientists use evolution to bioengineer new pathways to sustainable energy, pharmaceuticals
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