Fear of falling can lead to bigger health problems, particularly those with Parkinson’s disease  -- and there are more than 16,000 people in Southern Nevada affected by the disorder. According the Merrill Landers, chair of UNLV’s physical therapy department, that fear makes people more likely to have a sedentary life style, which results in loss of strength, social isolation, depression, and a greater risk of falls. Landers and his team are researching how to rebuild confidence in people with Parkinson’s and are also studying a brain chemical related to exercise that may help protect against the development of Parkinson’s.

Several donors, ranging from the MGM Grand Resort Foundation, to NASCAR, to Expedia, to Charles Schwab Bank, have made sizeable donations to support various UNLV programs that have played a key role in helping the community deal with the Oct. 1 mass shooting. The corporate contributions are a way of thanking and supporting university programs that have had a direct impact on the community in the aftermath of Oct. 1. The donations are supporting emergency medicine training, UNLV’s community mental health center, and hospitality emergency event planning. Individual donors are also recognizing the need as well and are contributing to healing efforts.

Sociologist Ranita Ray's research suggests that risk prevention programs targeted to improverished young people are less effective than educational enrichment and practical support needs like housing, transportation, and health care. She says, “When policies, intended to challenge poverty, start with a premise that black and brown kids are social problems that need solving, they actually end up perpetuating race and class inequalities.”

Communications Studies grad Sage Sammons, Director of Communications for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, is helping tell the story of the team’s improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals in its inaugural season. He’s seen firsthand how the team has come to embrace its new home in Las Vegas and support the community during its darkest time, an impressive story he's just as  determined to tell. He's also made a point to hire several UNLV interns and graduates, giving them valuable experience.

Funding from the National Institutes of Health will support human genetics research and develop a pipeline of scientists to develop a center of excellence in personalized medicine. The research will be spearheaded by the Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, which will be working with UNLV’s health sciences programs and School of Medicine.