Monthly Friends Report: Rebecca Chopp smiles as she sits in front of an art easel containing a painting she is creating.

In this issue: When an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is wrong – one story, new tools and what you can do to protect your brain.

I’ll be honest – I had a hard time choosing what articles to include this month. There’s so much to report on! I hope you find value in what I’ve pulled together for you.

If you’re looking for updates in a particular field and don’t see it below, I want to let you know about an easy way to find it:

Go to news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories
Look for the "⌕" at the top of the page
Type your topic of interest into the "Search this newsroom" space and hit "Enter"

You’ll then see all the latest articles from our experts on that subject. And if you get stuck, please email me. I'm a real person who always likes hearing from our friends.

Yours in health and discovery,

Julia Patrick

CU Anschutz Advancement Team

P.S. If you want to make sure we continue to land in your inbox once a month, please subscribe and tell us what topics we should include in future issues.

HEALTH + WELLNESS ADVICE FROM OUR EXPERTS

Our understanding of Alzheimer’s and overall brain health is improving. New blood tests are helping doctors catch misdiagnoses, while everyday habits like diet, sleep, exercise and stress management remain some of the best tools for prevention.

Your mouthwash has a job – are you using the right one for you? The wrong mouthwash can dry your mouth or do little for your real problem, while the right ingredients can actively prevent cavities, calm gum disease and cut harmful bacteria linked to broader health risks.

UV exposure is stronger than most people think, especially at higher altitudes. The real risk isn’t just skipping sunscreen, it’s using too little and not reapplying consistently, even on cloudy days.

Busting myths about head and neck cancers. Can mobile phones cause head and neck cancer? Does mouthwash prevent oral cancer?

Research shows that fructose isn’t just empty calories but acts as a powerful metabolic signal that bypasses normal energy controls and actively drives fat storage, insulin resistance and metabolic disease.

Tetanus boosters are still recommended about every 10 years, not just for tetanus. They also protect against rising illnesses like whooping cough as vaccination rates slip.

Learn how to manage medications safely as you age. Be wary of harmful drug interactions. And tell your provider about supplements you're taking.

Millions of people in the U.S. who are ages 65 and older are officially considered “frail,” meaning they are much more vulnerable to suffering additional health problems. However, frailty is not inevitable. Steps can be taken to prevent or reverse frailty.

LATEST DISCOVERIES
+ BREAKTHROUGHS

A team is redesigning the classic walker into something sleek, intuitive and actually enjoyable to use. The goal – help people stay independent longer, and maybe even feel a little proud rolling into the room.

Osteoarthritis may be reversed using injectable and biomaterial therapies that regenerate cartilage and bone, rather than just manage pain. Human trials are planned within the next few years – and early studies showed joints returning to a healthy state in as little as four to eight weeks.

Struggling to follow conversations in noisy places can signal brain-level hearing changes tied to higher dementia risk. A new therapy now being tested combines sound-based brain training with a common medication. In early models, it nearly restored hearing in just 30 days, offering real hope for protecting long-term brain health.

New drug combination tests are showing better tumor response and longer survival for kidney cancer patients, including a 28% reduction in recurrence or death with one combo therapy.

A first-of-its-kind, evidence-based decision tool is helping Parkinson’s patients understand deep brain stimulation (DBS) so they can make more confident, informed choices about whether it’s right for them. Showing what DBS is likely (and not likely) to improve, it helps tackle confusion and unrealistic expectations around the surgery.

Chronic abdominal and pelvic pain may soon be easier to understand and catch earlier by finding patterns in patient data. Researchers are building models to test treatments more precisely, raising hopes that pain care could one day match the targeted, personalized breakthroughs seen in cancer therapy.

Scientists created and won FDA approval to test a new kind of personalized immune therapy designed to help the body hunt down aggressive leukemia cells when other treatments fail. The first patients are expected to begin receiving this treatment in a clinical trial starting this summer, offering a fresh option where few exist.

“Silent” reflux can quietly damage the esophagus and increase cancer risk even without heartburn, and many people diagnosed never knew they had reflux at all. New, non‑invasive screening tools are being developed to detect precancerous changes earlier and save lives.

Does marijuana work as medicine? Clinical trials aim to find answers. Chronic pain may be an exception, and Colorado researchers are working to see if that’s true.

Philanthropic Spotlight

How One Family Is Helping Change Who Gets to Be a Doctor

At this year's CU Anschutz School of Medicine Scholarship Celebration, Vicki Sakata shared reflections on behalf of herself and her mother, Joanne Sakata, whose life experiences continue to shape their family’s philanthropy.

Vicki spoke about her mother’s upbringing in rural Colorado, her resilience as the backbone of a family farming business and the values that led her to establish the Joanne Sakata Endowed Scholarship in 2019 to support rural healthcare.

Stories of Change

Tuesday, May 26
“Only Lazy Americans E-Bike” Documentary Discussion
Watch the film, then join a live discussion with researchers exploring the latest discoveries in neuropathy.

Reserve A Spot

RESEARCH STUDY
Struggling to Hear in Crowds?
A new study is testing whether a common FDA-approved drug, paired with sound therapy, can improve how we hear in noisy environments as we age.

View Study

BACKSTAGE PASS
CU Anschutz Research Building
Get a behind-the-scenes look inside a campus lab with 1,400+ active clinical trials. Explore it like you’re there – click and drag to look around in 360°.

Look Inside

A white bowl filled with chickpeas, red kidney beans and chopped vegetables sits on a tablecloth printed with a vintage design of vegetables.

Recipe: Lemon Parsley Bean Salad

A bright, satisfying dish with a hint of lemon, offering a good source of fiber to support digestion, along with protein and key nutrients like iron, potassium and magnesium to help maintain strength and steady energy.

Get the Recipe

Brain Teaser

What can you keep after giving to someone?

Riddles test logic, lateral thinking as well as memory, engaging the brain to see patterns and connections between different things and circumstances.

See the answer >>

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University of Colorado Anschutz
Office of Advancement | 303-724-8922

[email protected]
giving.cu.edu/anschutz

HEALTH + WELLNESS ADVICE FROM OUR EXPERTS

LATEST DISCOVERIES + BREAKTHROUGHS

LATEST DISCOVERIES
+ BREAKTHROUGHS