Health & Medicine

The new dye, called Washington Red, will help medical researchers track the progression of a wide array of diseases, such as cancer.

People love their pets, but for senior citizens, a companion animal can also be powerful medicine.

A growing number of small-scale studies are identifying barometric pressure — the weight of the atmosphere that surrounds us, or simply the weight of air — as the leading culprit.

New research led by Marian Wilson, Ph.D., of the Washington State University College of Nursing found that frequent marijuana use seems to strengthen the relationship between pain and depression and anxiety, not ease it.

Some patients are nonverbal, for example, or can’t communicate with health care providers because of a language barrier. Some patients are a little scary. And horses, like patients, react to a person’s body language and can sense when someone isn’t “truly with them,” explains Jayne Beebe, a senior instructor at the WSU College of Nursing in Yakima.

During your morning coffee, noon-time salad, or even that Thanksgiving meal, the honey bee is your constant companion. About a third of our diet depends on pollinated crops, not just fruit and vegetables but also the alfalfa that feeds dairy herds.

The Washington State Twin Registry is a powerful aid in promoting better health. For researchers trying to distinguish between genetic and environmental conditions, twins offer a promising stream of data that can serve up remarkably solid inferences and conclusions.

The symposium brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, physicians, patients, and caregivers to share knowledge about treatment innovations and key issues related to brain diseases.

Looking back at her freshman year Nicolle Peterson is still surprised by how quickly her new life at WSU unraveled. She credits the staff at the Access Center with helping her get back on track, determining what accommodations she needed and coaching her on how to talk with her professors.

WSU researchers Shannon Tushingham and David Gang are using a combination of archeology and high-end molecular chemistry to help identify and restore wild tobacco and other indigenous smoke plants used by Northwest Native groups. Their work also supports a nationwide effort to design culturally-sensitive smoking cessation programs that emphasize the differences between traditional and commercial tobacco use.

M. Kariuki Njenga, a Washington State University professor in the Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health and a leader in the effort to address emerging zoonotic diseases, has been elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)

Flu Shot Fridays began Sept. 29 in Pullman and enable students, faculty, staff and community members to get vaccinated at the Washington Building. It takes about two weeks for your body to develop the antibodies that will protect against the flu virus, so health experts advise getting vaccinated as early as possible.

The new “Culture of Health” partnership unites thousands of communities in a 10-year effort to tackle the challenges they face when it comes to health.

Feel the burn – or not. Whether you want to build core strength, improve cardiovascular function or meditate on a mat, WSU offers faculty and staff at several campuses a range a classes to promote physical and mental well-being.