Stem cells. Few research discoveries hold as much promise of single-handedly expanding medical treatment options as they do. Miraculously able to act as transformers—either re-creating or morphing into a variety of cell types found within the organisms they originate from—stem cells offer humanity hope for new, more effective therapies against a number of chronic and terminal diseases. And finding them is surprisingly easy.

“Stem cells can be extracted from nearly any living tissue,” said Dr. James Mah, director of UNLV’s advanced education program in orthodontics, doctor of dental surgery, and dental researcher. “In fact, stem cells can even be found in tissues of the deceased.”

The UNLV Harry Reid Research & Technology Park in the southwest valley appears ready to begin construction on a new building. Representatives of the Gardner Co., a Utah-based developer that signed onto the project northeast of Sunset Road and Durango Drive last year, said work should begin before the end of the year.

UNLV is the first major university to offer an academic course and lab centered on esports.

Amber Alexis Turner looks forward to graduating from UNLV next year with a degree in geology. The Las Vegas native — and Army reservist — comes from a strong family of college graduates, and her scientific brilliance has delivered unique opportunities: an internship at UNLV’s High Pressure Science Engineering Center, under the guidance of Dr. Oliver Tschauner, which ultimately led to an internship opportunity at NASA in Houston.

UNLV has partnered with Millennial Esports this semester to teach students about the business side of the competitive video game circuit.

UNLV is getting a new laser-scanning microscope, which officials say might help recruit researchers and will be available to other Nevada students.

When AI developer called OpenAI – co-founded and chaired by Elon Musk – announced in mid-August that its bot had managed to beat some of the world’s best players in head-to-head match-ups, it sent shockwaves through the esports community.

Amber Turner tried to balance working and going to school full time, but when she passed out in her economics class from exhaustion, she knew it wasn’t possible. “I realized I was lost when I was working at McDonald’s trying to pay my tuition,” Turner said. “I thought: I don’t like what I’m studying enough to be this exhausted. If I’m going to work that much, I want to love what I’m doing.”

This isn’t your average microscope.
Carrying a price tag of nearly $1 million, a high-speed, laser-scanning microscope — the first of its kind in the state — will be coming to UNLV next spring.

Participants at next month’s Nevada Economic Development Conference might be forgiven for tossing in some high-fives along with their handshakes.

A UNLV student has created a variation on blackjack that's now being played on the Strip. Matt Stream invented Easy Jack, a simplified version of the popular table game.