University of Colorado Anschutz

AURORA, Colo. – November 03, 2026 -- The NIH Common Fund Data Ecosystem now connects research datasets from 18 NIH programs, and University of Colorado Anschutz researchers are helping evaluate whether the shared infrastructure delivers measurable value, according to a new paper in Patterns.

The initiative spans human genetics, the microbiome and emerging technologies. It aims to make complex datasets easier to find, interpret and analyze, including for researchers without advanced programming or bioinformatics expertise.

Aurora, Colorado – October 19, 2026 -- Four University of Colorado Anschutz faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, the largest group the university has had elected in a single year.

The academy elects up to 100 new members annually: up to 90 regular members and 10 international members. Candidates go through a nomination and selection process that evaluates their professional achievements and contributions to health and medicine.

Four physician-researchers join the 2026 class

The 2026 inductees are Lilia Cervantes, Matthew Wynia, Vik Bebarta and Lauren S. Hughes. Their work spans kidney care, bioethics, combat medicine and rural health policy.

Cervantes is a physician-researcher whose work has documented inequities in kidney care for undocumented immigrants. She combines community-engaged research, clinical care and policy advocacy.

Aurora – October 15, 2026 -- Adults with type 2 diabetes who do not take insulin spent about five more hours per day within their target blood sugar range when using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) than patients receiving routine care, according to a randomized trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Nearly twice as many CGM users reached an A1c below 7%, a common treatment goal. The A1c gap between the two groups was 0.9 percentage points, which the researchers say greatly exceeds the threshold generally considered clinically meaningful.

Trial enrolled 283 adults across 22 primary care practices

Participants were followed for 26 weeks. The University of Colorado Anschutz team describes the study as the first large-scale, multicenter randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CGM in adults with type 2 diabetes who do not take insulin.

Aurora, Colo. – September 24, 2026 -- Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz report a 100% 24-hour survival rate among 26 Ukrainian military personnel who received drone-delivered freeze-dried plasma at the point of injury, a preliminary finding from an ongoing study testing whether unmanned aircraft can bring blood products to critically injured patients before conventional evacuation reaches them.

Drones carry Octapharma-donated plasma to front-line medics in Ukraine

The freeze-dried plasma, donated by global pharmaceutical company Octapharma, is packaged for transport and flown by drone to medical teams operating near the point of injury. Unlike fresh frozen plasma, which requires freezing and thawing, the freeze-dried version can be stored at room temperature and prepared rapidly for administration, addressing a logistical barrier the FDA has identified for battlefield, remote and disaster settings.

Aurora, Colo. – September 22, 2026 -- University of Colorado Anschutz has received an anonymous $50 million gift, one of the largest in campus history, to expand its CSF Leak Program into a world-leading center for diagnosis, treatment and research of cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

Patient survey reveals systemic diagnostic failures across the field

CU Anschutz researchers, working with the Spinal CSF Leak Foundation, conducted the largest patient survey ever done on the condition. Nearly 80% of patients reported being misdiagnosed, seeing a median of more than six clinicians before an accurate diagnosis. More than 60% said long waitlists blocked access to specialized care, forcing many to travel across state lines for treatment.

Aurora, Colo. – September 20, 2026 -- A new study from the University of Colorado Anschutz Marcus Institute for Brain Health finds that irritability following chronic mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in military veterans stems from a combination of PTSD symptoms, chronic pain and difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, not a single psychological cause.

Study of 124 veterans links irritability to three distinct factors

Published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, the research examined 124 military veterans, including 61 with chronic mTBI and 63 without any history of brain injury. Participants underwent standardized assessments measuring irritability, PTSD symptoms, chronic pain, balance and auditory processing, including speech-in-noise comprehension.