The University of Illinois System

06/17/2026

A University of Illinois Department of Animal Sciences team made history by creating the world's first-ever transgenic cow that produces human insulin in her milk. 🐄

Could this process ramp up for large-scale insulin production? Team lead Dr. Matthew Wheeler discusses the possibilities for patients with diabetes worldwide.

University of Illinois' Dr. Matthew Wheeler discusses developing insulin-producing dairy cows and the potential of livestock biotechnology to address future healthcare challenges.

06/15/2026

Summertime's longer days and hotter temperatures tend to raise air pollution levels in Chicago. 📈

A network of 277 monitoring sensors placed across the city by Open Air Chicago — led by the UIC School of Public Health — are collecting publicly-available data to guide urban planning initiatives and target specific hotspots for air-quality control.

🌆Learn more: https://ow.ly/lpbl50Z7GOw

06/12/2026

As we reflect on National Cancer Survivors Day, observed June 7, we’re amplifying the incredible team at UI Health. Part of the University of Illinois System’s urban health enterprise, UI Health serves patients across Chicago — including colorectal cancer patient Donald Barge.

06/11/2026

You're invited to attend our presidential search town halls next week at our three universities! These sessions are an opportunity to share your perspective and help inform the search for the next president of the U of I System.

🔴 University of Illinois Chicago — Tuesday, Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum, 2-4 p.m.
🔵 University of Illinois Springfield — Wednesday, UIS Brookens Library, 10 a.m. to noon
🟠 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — Thursday, I Hotel & Conference Center, 10 a.m. to noon

Get more details on our official presidential search page: https://www.uillinois.edu/about/presidential_search

06/09/2026

You can’t see it. You can’t smell it. And most people have never tested their home for it.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, so a University of Illinois Springfield epidemiologist and her students are bringing free test kits, health education, and lung cancer screening resources to Sangamon County residents.

Only 1 in 5 at-risk Americans ever gets screened. Professor Jessica Madrigal and her team are working to change that — one conversation, one kit, one community event at a time.
“This experience has strengthened my interest in environmental health, cancer prevention, and community-centered risk communication,” student Sneha Gupta said.

This is the University of Illinois Springfield doing what public universities exist to do: https://ow.ly/pJeB50Z9pkl

06/04/2026

This May, your engaged voices reached Springfield, global partnerships took flight, and the joy of commencement season spread across our campuses. Read more about it in Stay Connected, and subscribe below!

🎓 May edition: https://ow.ly/y2QO50Z7Jko
📩 Subscribe here: https://ow.ly/mHZo50Z7Jkp

06/03/2026

The Morrow Plots will have a fresh look at the young age of 150, after this summer's makeover is completed. ✨🌽

By the beginning of the fall semester, North America's oldest experimental agricultural field will be easier to see for passers-by on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus.

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Changes are coming to the University of Illinois’ Morrow Plots — North America’s oldest experimental agricultural field — which have been putting…

06/02/2026

Great leaders. Great moments. Great convenings.

We're proud to have relaunched the University of Illinois System's David Dodds Henry Lecture Series: The Future of Higher Education. Building on years of tradition, the Chicago gathering brought together higher education leaders and changemakers to explore how to navigate unprecedented times.

A keynote from Robert J. Jones, former University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor and University of Washington president, set the stage for vital conversations on leadership, public trust, and the evolving relationship between society and higher education.

Each panel raised bold questions, shaped new ideas, and lifted the room with a shared passion for meaningful change. We look forward to continuing the tradition next year.

06/02/2026

05/29/2026

As data centers expand, so does their need for energy. Right now, nearly 30% of their energy usage is connected to cooling. But a Mechanical Science and Engineering at Illinois team created a 3D-printed plate—with structures thinner than human hair—that could slash that ratio to a mere 1.1%. ⚡

Computer chips are becoming increasingly high powered, which means they produce more heat. This, combined with the increase in data centers, is putting a strain on the energy grid. For the past 40–50 years, computer chips have been cooled by circulating air, but air is insufficient for dissipating...