The chroniclers of science

A few years ago, Julie Kiefer, director of science communications at University of Utah Health, experienced one of the most satisfying moments of her career. Kiefer was part of the team that produced One in a Million, a moving tale about a boy, Tyler, who had a debilitating disease that defied diagnosis.

As the film shows, University of Utah Health’s Penelope Program for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases cracked Tyler’s case using whole genome sequencing and created a treatment regimen that considerably improved his health. ‘We were working with [Tyler’s family], and seeing how that research changed everything for them was very touching,’ says Kiefer.