American Society for Microbiology News
A 2024 McKinsey report found that women spend 25% more time in "poor health" compared to men, due, in part, to diagnostic delays, lack of tailored treatments and historic under-investment in women's health research. "We know that if we increase the health of women, we are increasing the health of our communities because women give birth to all of humanity," said Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, PhD, director of the Women's Health Research Program and Microbiome Initiative and professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Basic Medical Sciences at the College of Medicine – Phoenix. She will discuss her research on host-microbe interactions in the female reproductive tract and their implications for gynecologic health and cancer during ASM Microbe 2025, the American Society for Microbiology's annual conference next month in Los Angeles.
About the College
Founded in 2007, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix inspires and trains exemplary physicians, scientists and leaders to advance its core missions in education, research, clinical care and service to communities across Arizona. The college’s strength lies in our collaborations and partnerships with clinical affiliates, community organizations and industry sponsors. With our primary affiliate, Banner Health, we are recognized as the premier academic medical center in Phoenix. As an anchor institution of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, the college is home to signature research programs in neurosciences, cardiopulmonary diseases, immunology, informatics and metabolism. These focus areas uniquely position us to drive biomedical research and bolster economic development in the region.
As an urban institution with strong roots in rural and tribal health, the college has graduated more than 1,000 physicians and matriculates 130 students each year. Greater than 60% of matriculating students are from Arizona and many continue training at our GME sponsored residency programs, ultimately pursuing local academic and community-based opportunities. While our traditional four-year program continues to thrive, we will launch our recently approved accelerated three-year medical student curriculum with exclusive focus on primary care. This program is designed to further enhance workforce retention needs across Arizona.
The college has embarked on our strategic plan for 2025 to 2030. Learn more.