Dr. Don Torry’s career reads like a classic academic success story: a small-town kid from Washington, Ill., rises through the ranks to become a leading researcher in reproductive immunology. But behind each achievement lies a more complex narrative familiar to scientists: dealing with the unexpected.

Smith Alzheimer's Center executive director discusses the pursuit of a cure In the last decade, Alzheimer’s disease research has gained significant momentum. Scientists are uncovering how lifestyle factors influence risk, improving blood-based biomarker testing for earlier and less invasive diagnosis, and advancing treatment options that slow disease progression. But much remains unknown. Erin Hascup, PhD, executive director of the Smith Alzheimer’s Center at SIU Medicine, shares some insights on these developments and what the future holds. What are the latest advances in Alzheimer’s research

The 2025 Illinois Rural and Small-Town Health Summit will be held on October 15, 2025 , at the Memorial Learning Center in Springfield, Illinois . This year the summit is supported by SIU Simmons School of Law, SIU School of Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy and Institute of Rural Health, SIU School of Medicine. This year’s theme, "Health Care Workforce: Learnings and Transformation in a Post-Pandemic Environment," will focus on strengthening and sustaining the rural and small-town healthcare workforce. The event will bring together leaders from federal, state, and local

SIU has officially entered the ranks of the top research universities in the nation: It has been designated Research 1, or R1, in the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education.