Research at CU Boulder encompasses thousands of scholarly, scientific and creative endeavors at any given time, resulting in new knowledge, technologies and creative work that advance the economy, culture and health of Colorado, the nation and the world. This week's top research stories include a potential breakthrough for future diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia, findings from the MAVEN mission and a professor's appearance in a new documentary on the criminal justice center.
Annual research report highlights Grand Challenge and other inspiring work
The Research & Innovation Office, previously the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, creates impact by cultivating and supporting collaboration, transformation and leadership across CU Boulder. The听recently released听听includes an array of research highlights from fiscal 2015-16. Among the highlights is CU Boulder's Grand Challenge:听Our Space. Our Future.听This cross disciplinary initiative听combines CU Boulder鈥檚 strengths in earth and space sciences with those of industry partners to forge solutions to environmental problems.
Neural signature for fibromyalgia may aid diagnosis, treatment
University of Colorado Boulder researchers have discovered a brain signature that identifies fibromyalgia sufferers with 93 percent accuracy, a potential breakthrough for future clinical diagnosis and treatment of the highly prevalent condition.
Fibromyalgia is commonly defined as chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety and mood disorders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that fibromyalgia affects more than five million adults annually in the U.S., with significantly higher occurrence rates in women than in men.
MAVEN mission gives unprecedented view of Mars
New global images of Mars from NASA鈥檚 Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission being led by CU Boulder show the ultraviolet glow from the Martian atmosphere in unprecedented detail, revealing dynamic, previously invisible behavior.
Center for Study and Prevention of Violence featured in PBS documentary
Black and Latino Coloradans are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system, according to a new Rocky Mountain PBS documentary,听. The documentary analyzes the impact of incarceration for minority populations through personal stories and research. Beverly Kingston, director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV) at CU Boulder, contributed her research on social disorganization theory and appeared in the film.
MAVEN scientists observe ups and downs of water escape from Mars
After investigating the upper atmosphere of the Red Planet for a full Martian year, NASA鈥檚 MAVEN mission scientists, including several from the University of Colorado Boulder, have determined that the escaping water does not always go gently into space.
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An MRI image showing the multivariate brain pattern that听predicts fibromyalgia听status on the basis of brain activation during multisensory stimulation. Image:听Cognitive and Affective Control Laboratory / University of Colorado Boulder.
Beverly Kingston, director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence听at CU Boulder, and her research appear听in听a new Rocky Mountain PBS documentary, .听The documentary analyzes the impact of incarceration for minority populations through personal stories and research.