Health & Science
Launched in 2025, the Institute for Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being brings together scholars and campus leaders to study young adult psychology and translate discoveries into programming. A defining feature of the institute is its strategic partnership with Northwestern’s Division of Student Affairs, which will launch a survey of students to assess mental health and track risk and resilience over time.
This fall, the Northwestern Alumni Association will present its highest honor, the Alumni Medal, to three graduates whose achievements and service exemplify leadership and excellence.
The natural world has long served as humanity’s pharmacy, says chemistry professor Karl Scheidt. Largely discovered through trial and error, the medicinal benefits of plants, fungi, bacteria and animals have been crucial to our survival and will continue to provide inspiration for new medical advances.
Northwestern researchers are using an old-school video game to aid in stroke recovery, with sensors to measure the speed and strength of electrical signals traveling through the participant’s nerves in their arm muscles. The new type of therapy saw improvement in patients’ arm range of motion, which continued one month after ending the therapy.
Sadiya Khan ’05, ’09 MD, ’12 GME, ’14 MS, ’16 GME specializes in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and has dedicated her career to helping patients understand their risk. In 2023, she helped launch the Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular Disease EVENTs (PREVENT) calculator, a free online tool that estimates an individual’s risk for heart attack, stroke and heart failure.
The Simpson Querrey Brain Health Institute (SQ-Brain), a new initiative at Northwestern, envisions a future where brain health can be continuously monitored, measured and modified across a person’s lifespan. The institute brings together physicians, scientists and engineers at the intersection of their fields to facilitate cross-boundary discoveries that address fundamental questions hindering brain health research.
Members of the Class of 2026 reflect on the clubs they joined, the communities they found and more.
Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective medical care, yet hundreds of thousands of Americans are harmed each year by misdiagnosis. Improving outcomes will require not just better technology but a renewed emphasis on bedside skills, observation and human connection.
Northwestern researchers discovered that an experimental drug called NU-9 shows promise as an early intervention for Alzheimer’s disease. Invented by chemistry professor Richard Silverman, NU-9 is a small molecule compound that is currently being tested as a treatment for ALS.
Lyme disease poses a serious threat to public health. Professor Brandon Jutras and his research team have made breakthrough discoveries that could improve treatment options and could also explain why some patients continue to experience chronic Lyme symptoms.
