News: Research

Read the latest news from the Department of Statistics and Data Sciences

Research

Newly Discovered Antimicrobial Could Prevent or Treat Cholera

Natural antimicrobials called microcins are produced by bacteria in the gut and show promise in fighting infection.

There are two images side-by-side. In the image on the left, a dark ring separates a blue disk in the middle from a field of grey surrounding the disk. The image on the right is similar, except there is no dark ring.

Research

AI Opens Door to Safe, Effective New Antibiotics to Combat Resistant Bacteria

Protein large language models identify ways to make antibiotics better at targeting dangerous bacteria, without being toxic to humans.

A green bacteria-shaped object with a red arrow piercing through its center. The bacteria is surrounded by concentric circles and smaller, blue, bacteria-like shapes. The background is a light blue grid with a pattern of binary code.

Research

Increased Use of Paxlovid Could Cut Hospitalizations, Deaths and Costs

Epidemiologists found that treating even 20% of symptomatic cases would save lives and improve public health.

A hand holding two white pills in the palm

Research

Coal Power Killed Half a Million People in U.S. over Two Decades

Deaths from coal were highest in 1999, but by 2020 decreased by about 95%, as coal plants have installed scrubbers or shut down.

A white plume of exhaust spews from power plant smokestacks

Research

AI Tech Accurately Diagnoses Knee Arthritis from Medical Images

Vagheesh Narasimhan and Prakash Jayakumar trained an AI on x-ray images from tens of thousands of people in the UK Biobank.

Two x-rays of knees

Research

Five Lessons from UT Austin Science about Planning for Living with Heat

In our endless summer, research on heat impacts offers insights on how best to adapt.

CNS Scientists have been applying their research in ways that will help communities respond to heat.

Research

Genes That Shape Bones Identified, Offering Clues About Our Past and Future

An application of AI to medical imaging datasets has revealed genetics of the skeletal form for the first time.

Image of human skeleton imposed over DNA double helix

Research

Vulnerable Neighborhoods Bore Brunt of Pandemic Well into its Second Year

A study in PLOS Computational Biology from University of Texas at Austin epidemiologists examined COVID infection and hospitalization rates by zip code.

A map of Travis County shows different Zip codes in different colors against a grid. Lines intersect higher and lower income areas.

Dell Medical School

Moving From Distressed Areas to Better-Resourced Neighborhoods Improves Kids’ Asthma

Roger Peng, a professor in the Department of Statistics and Data Sciences, contributed to a new study of childhood asthma in JAMA.

A family carries boxes into their new home