School of Public Health News
The School of Public Health is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of people worldwide. Our departments, programs, and research units work to provide a diverse education, practical training experience, and numerous community involvement opportunities to prepare students to become leaders and professionals in the field of public health.
Current Public Health News
A collection of top headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.
Plus: Watch the Spring 2026 Commencement recap video.
Common professors, life lessons, and support shaped one family's experience at UNLV.
Through a public health class project tied to the Neon to Nature app, students are updating outdoor route information across the valley.
Through travel and research, soon-to-be graduate Makenzi Perkins found her path in public health.
A flowery collection of top headlines featuring UNLV faculty and students.
Public Health In The News
Statistically speaking, the 5-year relative survival rate for Stage IIA colorectal cancer is generally high, estimated at over 90%.
Louisa Messenger, a researcher at UNLV’s mosquito lab, said less than 1 percent of people with West Nile virus develop neuroinvasive cases. The virus crosses the blood-brain barrier and causes symptoms like meningitis and inflammation of the tissues of the brain.
Thanks to moist environments (like your kitchen sink) and food particles, the kitchen is full of objects that make a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. So how can you ensure you aren’t spreading germs the next time you serve a meal? According to the food safety experts we spoke with, it starts with knowing where to look—and giving some often-overlooked tools a thorough cleaning. The items below are some of the most surprising offenders.
From deploying natural predators like bats to the strategic release of genetically modified mosquitoes, discover the cutting-edge science and "biological hacking" being used to protect Southern Nevada from unpredictable diseases like the West Nile virus.
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are dietary products usually containing multiple treated industrial ingredients, including substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch) and additives like artificial flavors, colors, or emulsifiers. They are designed to be greatly palatable, convenient, and shelf-stable, and are rapidly replacing fresh foods. Examples include sugary beverages, packaged snacks, ready-to-eat products, packaged breads and cereals, reconstituted meats, and so on. UPFs, including beverages, have now become the leading food consumption patterns around the world. Consumption of UPFs increases the risks for overweight/obesity, heart disease, metabolic disease, diabetes, and cancers.
The Class of 2026 includes graduates from 34 states and U.S. territories and 62 countries. Of the graduates, 87% are Nevada residents, with 67% coming from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Nearly half of all students are the first in their family to earn a degree.
