University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine

10/10/2026

A global campaign to break the silence around women’s mental health is drawing on expertise from .

Neill Epperson, MD, professor and chair of psychiatry at CU Anschutz, served as the lead U.S. reproductive psychiatrist for Lancôme’s new “I’m Fine” campaign, which aims to reduce stigma and encourage early intervention for anxiety and depression.

“The campaign encourages early intervention to help women get access to effective treatment so we can better support women’s mental health at every stage of life,” Epperson said.

Through her expertise in women’s brain health, Epperson is helping bring greater awareness to the unique mental health challenges women face throughout their lives.

10/08/2026

Many people agree that cannabis influences a person's appetite, but it may not be in the way we expect. Rather than boost a person’s consumption of food, researchers at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine are investigating whether cannabis might reduce the appetite of frequent, long-term users.

J. Megan Ross, PhD, explains that it is important to understand how cannabis affects appetite because some people, such as people with gastrointestinal disorders, may be using medical ma*****na in hopes of increasing their appetite.

“It’s unclear how cannabis affects our gastrointestinal function,” Ross says. “We need to figure that out and share information with the public so they can really understand whether cannabis may be helpful to them or not in boosting their appetite.”

Learn more:

CU Anschutz psychologist J. Megan Ross, PhD, is investigating why long-term cannabis use is associated with lower body mass index and other gut impacts.

10/04/2026

09/29/2026

For many students with asthma, the condition can impact various aspects of life, including education.

AsthmaCOMP is a statewide partnership with school nurses that supports asthma care in schools, and helps bridge the gap between access and health care that often exists for students with asthma.

During the 2025-2026 school year, AsthmaCOMP recognized 221 schools across the state as being “asthma-friendly,” meaning they demonstrate the use of a comprehensive approach to asthma management that prioritizes well-being and improves academic achievement.

Learn more about the program:

CU Anschutz School of Medicine faculty members help students with asthma so they miss less class and perform better in school.

09/25/2026

A team of CU Anschutz School of Medicine researchers received major grant award from the U.S. Department of Defense to help translate their research into a new treatment for thyroid cancers that resist standard medications known as BRAF inhibitors.

Rebecca Schweppe, PhD, Bryan Haugen, MD, and Jennifer Richer, PhD, previously won a DOD Cancer Idea Award for their work on thyroid cancer, and this DOD Impact Award will make this crucial next phase of the work possible. Haugen says he foresees a CU Anschutz-led clinical trial a few years down the line.

Learn more about their research:

Rebecca Schweppe, PhD, Bryan Haugen, MD, and Jennifer Richer, PhD, aim to advance their work to a clinical trial for patients with certain thyroid cancers.

09/21/2026

We are excited to announce that Wells Messersmith, MD, has been named director of the University of Colorado Anschutz Cancer Center, effective October 1.

He will be the fourth director in the 41-year history of Colorado’s only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

"Our cancer center has played a major role in the fight against cancer for more than 40 years, and we are poised to have even greater success in the future. Our impact will be broad and transformative," Messersmith says.

Read the full announcement: https://news.cuanschutz.edu/medicine/messersmith-director-cancer-center

09/18/2026

Medical students, Victoria Gonzales, Madi Clements, and Jessica Woon, wondered if the arts could help reduce burnout and stress, encourage reflection and foster connections between students, medical providers and the community where they live and work.

They curated an exhibit at the end of the school to explore how the arts and humanities play a vital role in healthcare and doctor training.

“Our voice lends credibility to the argument that the humanities belong in medical training,” medical student Victoria Gonzales told her classmates. “Growing up, we are taught that science and arts are on two ends of a spectrum. But that’s not really true. We are a testament to that.”

Read more about art as part of the curriculum for second-year students in the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine program in Colorado Springs:

Medical school students in Colorado Springs explore the benefits of art in both their careers and their own health.

09/16/2026

Congratulations to our partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado, who have again earned national recognition on the U.S. News & World Report 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to only 10 children’s hospitals in the United States.

Children’s Colorado has once again earned national recognition on the U.S. News & World Report 2026-2027 Best Children’s Hospitals Honor Roll.

09/10/2026

Brandon Schlauder, who has cerebral palsy, was told he’d never be able to walk, but now he’s training for a marathon.

When pain on his right side was making it hard to walk and impacting his way of life, he underwent surgery to correct deformities.

Now, with the help of his community and Daniel Moon, MD, associate professor of orthopedics, Schlauder is training for the upcoming Boulderthon 2026.

Watch his story on CBS Colorado: https://youtu.be/EiuPFNKOIiU?si=uD5wQDsY2xUGAwvk
CU Orthopedics

A Colorado man living with cerebral palsy is training to take on a ...

09/04/2026

Doctors told artist Diane Ciampa that she would lose her eye after a roller hockey accident in 2018. A second opinion from Scott Oliver, MD, a vitreoretinal surgeon at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center at CU Anschutz, gave her hope.

“Dr. Oliver helped save my peripheral vision, and I still have my eye,” she says. “He’s brilliant. And still, he can come down to my level and talk. His bedside manner is amazing.”

To show her gratitude, Ciampa has created several art pieces for Oliver. They serve as reminders to himself, colleagues, and patients of the transformative work being done by ophthalmologists.

Read more of Ciampa's story: https://news.cuanschutz.edu/ophthalmology/patient-eye-hockey-accident

CU Ophthalmology