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Winter 2026 course to introduce programs that improve youth mental health, well-being

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative, the College of Education and the School of Social Work are partnering to offer a two-credit General Studies course during winter quarter 2026 that will introduce students to a number of UW and community-based research and programs that are working to improve youth mental health and well-being. Undergraduates and graduate students may take this course for credit; graduate students will need to request an add code. The course, “Interdisciplinary Approaches to Youth Mental…

Fortifying cement with seaweed to reduce its carbon footprint

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Concrete is the second most-used material on Earth after water, but its key ingredient, cement, contributes up to 10% of global CO₂ emissions. To tackle this, researchers at the University of Washington and Microsoft developed a low-carbon concrete by incorporating powdered seaweed, which reduced its global warming potential by 21% without compromising strength. Machine learning accelerated the discovery process, allowing the team to identify an optimal formulation in just 28 days instead of years. The researchers aim to expand this…

An Initiative-funded team examines the ethics of a key genomic dataset

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University of Washington researchers are leading new research that focuses on the ethical and social implications of using legacy datasets in population health research. Developed through a collaboration between UW’s Department of Bioethics & Humanities and the Department of Biostatistics, the project focuses specifically on the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP), which is a dataset featuring immortalized cell lines from 52 distinct human populations. HGDP garnered significant criticism at its establishment in the 1990s, particularly from Indigenous communities and advocacy…

New data set helps to expand pedestrian infrastructure mapping

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Thanks to the new data set OS-CONNECT, Washington state pedestrians now have unprecedented access to customized accessible routes. Developed by researchers from the University of Washington’s Taskar Center for Accessible Technology, OS-CONNECT, uses machine learning with human verification to expand AccessMap, a statewide mapping project. OS-CONNECT allows AccessMap to cover pedestrian infrastructure throughout Washington, not just Seattle. The innovative platform allows users to plan routes based on specific accessibility requirements — while providing urban planners critical data to identify infrastructure…

UW researchers develop a novel approach for measuring biological age

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University of Washington Researchers have recently developed a new health assessment tool for measuring biological age. The “Health Octo Tool” uses eight metrics derived from clinical exams and lab tests to determine biological age. This tool differs from current approaches, which focus on individual diseases, and instead considers aging much more holistically. Led by Dr. Shabnam Salimi, a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, Health Octo Tool builds on a concept known as health entropy, which is…

Summer 2025 Applied Research Fellows study accessibility for King County Parks

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The 2025 University of Washington Population Health Initiative Applied Research Fellowship program recently concluded its research on park accessibility in urban unincorporated areas of King County. The team’s findings offered valuable insights for King County Parks and the King County Department of Natural Resources to inform future resource allocation and project planning. Now in its sixth year, the fellowship is a collaboration between the Population Health Initiative, UW Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology (CSDE) and King County. Training…

Summer 2025 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows develop strategic roadmaps for UW innovations

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The Population Health Initiative’s Summer 2025 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program concluded in August with fellows presenting their findings to students, faculty and staff from schools and colleges across the University of Washington campus. Over the course of 10 weeks, the fellows worked on population health innovations developed by UW researchers, exploring how these innovations could be financially sustainable while delivering meaningful societal impact. The Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program was created by the Population Health Initiative in partnership with the Buerk…

The role of family physicians in America’s maternal healthcare deserts

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University of Washington researchers Dr. Mae Dirac and Dr. Emily Godfrey are leading a project funded by the UW Population Health Initiative to investigate how family physicians impact maternal health outcomes in America’s “maternal care deserts” – counties lacking basic obstetrical services. America’s maternal healthcare crisis stands as the worst among wealthy nations, with particularly devastating effects on Black women, who stand three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The research aims to shine a…

New UW research reveals key benefits of mindful awareness

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Researchers from the University of Washington’s School of Nursing have recently completed a study focusing on the significant benefits mindful awareness in body-oriented therapy (MABT) has for individuals with chronic pain, trauma, and substance use disorders. Dr. Cynthia Price, a UW Professor and director of the Center for Mindful Body Awareness, led the study, which saw researchers teaching participants “interoceptive awareness,” or the ability to conceptualize their internal physical and emotional senses. The study was conducted across Seattle, Port Angeles…

Cancer therapy aims to eliminate cancer cells while restoring healthy tissue

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Cancer treatments can be exceptionally harsh on the body. Chemotherapy, a prominent cancer treatment, is well-known for the harm it inflicts on healthy cells in the body. Two University of Washington researchers, Miqin Zhang and Avik Som, are developing a cancer treatment that kills cancer cells while aiding the body in restoring healthy tissue. Zhang’s team is creating nanoparticles that can administer tailored cancer treatments that produce minimal side effects, while Som is working on placing therapeutic materials directly inside…