Stories by Kristen Thometz

“I’d like more people to be interested in science,” said Chicago student photographer Kaylee Costello. “These images will hopefully grab their attention, so they also know there is art within science.”

A first-of-its-kind center brings together physicians, advanced practice nurses, certified sex therapists and pelvic floor therapists to address two often unmet areas of women’s health care.

“There’s a whole lot of women out there, likely millions of women, who were affected and now they have the opportunity to raise their voice and talk about it,” said Kristie Paskvan, founder of Chicago Says No More.

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago will investigate how social determinants like poverty and living in a food desert contribute to the health of marginalized groups. 

One woman’s “chemo shoes” inspired two friends to create a Chicago-based shoe and apparel company designed to empower women battling cancer.

With the national spotlight on issues surrounding women’s health, a newly opened exhibit explores how a woman’s body is connected with health and wellness.  

Organizers of the Women’s March on Chicago, which drew 250,000 people downtown in January, will mark the one-year anniversary of the event with another march and rally designed to engage and empower voters.

Researchers analyzed 1,000 birds collected over the last 135 years by the Field Museum and other institutions to track the amount of soot in the air of Rust Belt cities. 

Considered one of the founding fathers of behavioral economics, a field that bridges the gap between economics and psychology, Richard Thaler is known for illustrating how human behavior often contradicts traditional economic logic.

With mental illness affecting 1 in 5 people, Chicagoan Veronica Padilla hopes addressing the topic in a playful manner will make it more accessible. “Humor can be very therapeutic. Humor has gotten me out of so many binds in my life when things got heavy,” she said.

The University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the University of Chicago Medicine will join forces to conduct clinical trials designed to improve outcomes for patients with life-threatening emergencies as part of a newly formed national network. 

Is there a connection between losing the ability to smell and a greater risk of dementia? A co-author of a new University of Chicago study says it “may be an important early sign.” 

Low-income pregnant women are more likely than their wealthy counterparts to experience chronic placental inflammation, which is linked to preterm birth and low birth weight, a new study finds. 

Can Illinois stop the spread of HIV infections? A statewide initiative aims to do just that. “We have a real chance of stopping the spread of HIV once and for all,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said.

A miniature female reproductive system will help researchers better understand the cause of polycystic ovary syndrome, and advance the development of drugs to treat the disease.

Meet DiaBetty, the voice-enabled diabetes coach and educator developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago to help newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes patients manage the condition.

Some call him a progressive publisher. Others, lewd. But late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner was undeniably successful at building his brand. We take a look at his legacy.

Researchers from the University of Chicago and University of Illinois at Chicago will join forces to study the health effects of pollution on local residents, thanks to a $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The governor said a bill requiring mobile apps to seek users’ permission before collecting and sharing their geolocation data would cost the state jobs without “materially” improving privacy protections.

If you tuned in to watch any NFL game Sunday, you saw nearly all the football players in the league—and even some owners—join in a silent protest during the national anthem. Sports columnist Rick Telander weighs in on the controversy.

After losing a patient to colon cancer, a local doctor strapped a sign to his back urging people to get screened for the disease. The reaction to his unusual move was instant – and widespread.

University of Chicago researchers have discovered that lymphatic vessels, which are often blamed for enabling cancer to spread, can also boost a type of cancer treatment. 

Actors take action by taking the stage once a month to raise money for organizations that could lose funding under the Trump administration. Meet the program’s founder and find out what’s on tap in September.

Universities and other publicly funded institutions will soon be required to make “reasonable efforts” to get research dogs and cats adopted once they are no longer needed.

Counties in Illinois will soon be able to tap into their animal population control funds to support programs aimed at reducing feral cat populations.

Should cellphone users be better notified when apps seek their location data? Proponents of a new bill say more transparency is needed, but opponents say the measure is bad for business.