News on the money and policy behind biomedical research. Covers foundation and career-development awards, endocrine and neuroscience funding, and university royalties.
Researchers have successfully detected conical intersections in polyatomic molecules, a crucial step towards understanding energy flow in large molecules. The breakthrough uses ultrafast X-ray spectroscopy and offers new insights into the behavior of critical biological processes.
An interdisciplinary team investigates how individual building blocks arrange into regular patterns during embryonic development or healing processes. Researchers use high-resolution video microscopy and novel biomolecules to test findings on fruit flies and human stem cells.
A Johns Hopkins study analyzed 250 user reviews and found that high star ratings do not guarantee medical accuracy. Despite disclaimers warning users against relying on the app for medical monitoring, diagnosis, or treatment effectiveness, many people continued to use it for these purposes.
A new computational model accurately predicts the gradual progression of metabolic syndrome in mice, identifying two disease subtypes and their underlying metabolic differences. The model also correctly predicts comorbidities like fatty liver disease, offering new insights into preventing the disease.
A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases found that rice and cattle farming are associated with acute infection. The research suggests that controlling Leptospira infection in livestock could play a role in preventing human leptospirosis in Africa.
A new scoring criteria, INSPECT, aims to improve identification of high-quality proposed research that promotes the uptake of evidence-based practices in real-world settings. The tool was tested on 30 grant proposals, showing promising results but highlighting the need for education and training in implementation science.
The ASCB has awarded seven 'Science Sandbox' grants to public engagement projects, including programs that promote STEM education and community outreach. These initiatives aim to increase public scientific literacy and engage local communities in the process of science.
UT Health San Antonio will receive funding for pilot projects in various areas, including cancer, heart disease, and regenerative medicine. The university aims to translate research discovery into improved patient care and develop biomedical professionals.
The lab aims to design and develop MVSOT technologies using synthetic spider silk and other biomaterials for stronger, more effective, and environmentally friendly designs. USU's expertise will also be shared with the Navy on how to produce synthetic slime from hagfish proteins.
The MIECHV program has established six benchmarks for organizations to demonstrate improvement, but research suggests only three constructs - preterm birth, breastfeeding, and well-child visits - are supported by evidence-based research. The review identifies 16 other non-mandated constructs that have evidence of home visiting improvin...
The Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology aims to connect mathematical theory with biological data, educating a new generation of scientists at the math-biology interface. The center will train graduate students and post-doctoral fellows in interdisciplinary research.
Two new Collaborative Research Centers at Charité will investigate the use of diagnostic imaging technology to visualize pathological changes in the extracellular matrix. This research may contribute to the early detection of diseases and improve therapy monitoring. The centers aim to uncover new insights into memory consolidation and ...
Research on permanent pacemaker implantation after TAVR shows a significant impact on patient outcomes, with those requiring implants experiencing poorer survival rates and longer hospital stays. The study's findings highlight the need for closer monitoring and management of conduction disturbances following TAVR procedures.
A SLU scientist is using a $150,000 grant to research human pancreas cells and develop new therapies for people at risk of life-threatening hypoglycemia. The goal is to mimic a protein that drives glucagon release in response to low blood sugar.
A new genome study reveals that effective population sizes dropped substantially after European and African immigration, but rebounded later, with the smallest bottleneck occurring in Puerto Rico. The study's findings can help understand health risks and select populations for disease studies.
The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute has received a $33 million grant to tackle the state's greatest health challenges. Researchers are collaborating with Indiana residents of all ages and backgrounds to reverse poor health trends.
The study identifies at least three major waves of human migration into Southeast Asia, shaping the genetics of the region to a remarkable extent. The research complements archaeological, historical and linguistic studies, illuminating another critical portion of the story of ancient population dynamics around the world.
Researchers have discovered that mosquito saliva can trigger a prolonged immune response in humans, detected up to 7 days after a bite. The study found that the proteins in mosquito saliva interact with human immune cells, leading to changes in cytokine levels and T helper cell responses.
Researchers are developing fucosylation inhibitors to enhance the targeting and killing of cancer cells by making cancer therapies more selective. Dr. Robert Britton's project aims to create molecules that do not attach to themselves, allowing for improved stability and cytotoxicity.
The DFG is establishing 15 new Research Training Groups to support early career researchers. The groups cover a broad spectrum of topics and research questions. They will receive approximately €70 million in funding for four and a half years, with three international groups partnering with China and the USA.
The electronic Rothamsted Archive provides long-term series of data on yields, weather, and soil analyses, relevant for sustainable agriculture, agroecology, and food security. Users have access to supporting specialist background information and are fully supported by the curating team.
BU researcher Duo Zhang has received a highly competitive $100,000 NIH Pathway to Independence Award to investigate a previously unidentified RNA molecular in lung inflammation. The grant will assist him in launching independent research on bacterial-induced pneumonia.
A study published in BMJ Open reveals a large gender imbalance in cancer research funding, with male researchers receiving far greater funding than their female equivalents. The analysis of public and philanthropic funding data showed that men received 1.3 times more grants and £38% higher average grant values than women.
A holistic, community-based approach to detection and case management improves disease prognoses in mycetoma patients. The study successfully trained over 300 care providers and implemented free treatment, reducing patient delay and dropout rates.
A team of researchers used machine-learning techniques to reconstruct a short movie of small, randomly moving discs from signals produced by rat retinal neurons. Nonlinear decoding methods outperformed linear decoders in accurately reconstructing the movie.
Ants working together use switching between two types of motion to overcome barriers, with smaller groups favoring squeezing through a narrow hole and larger groups using sideways motions around the barrier. The size of the food item determines which mode of motion will dominate.
A new study led by Dr. Olga Boukrina of Kessler Foundation investigates the neural mechanisms behind recovery of impaired reading after stroke. The research aims to predict reading recovery using neuroimaging and may lead to improved rehabilitation outcomes.
The University of Utah Seed Fund will allocate up to $1 million to support early stage technology development and commercialization. The first recipient is Djordje Atanackovic, who received funding for a groundbreaking CAR-T therapeutic treatment for multiple myeloma.
The US will gain better capabilities to respond to a nuclear attack thanks to Penn State's research on nuclear forensics, which will analyze special nuclear materials for unique signatures. The project will enhance national response in the face of a nuclear detonation and contribute to broader applications in nuclear science.
A flexible and stretchable wireless sensing system was developed to measure sodium consumption in people with hypertension. The device is designed to be comfortably worn in the mouth and can report sodium intake to a smartphone or tablet.
A University of Oklahoma led research team is working on a $5.7 million NIH grant to develop more effective approaches against Gram-negative bacteria resistant to conventional treatment. The team aims to overcome the challenge of developing antibiotics that can penetrate through multi-drug efflux pumps and low-permeability membranes.
The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research training grant, providing funding for interdisciplinary research training in otolaryngology. The five-year grant will support individual awardees with research training in ba...
A study finds that ophthalmology residents face substantial burnout and depression burdens, affecting patient care. Hospitals can improve support by offering wellness programs and ensuring free time for residents.
The Keck School of Medicine of USC has received $4 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health and US Department of Defense to support basic and pre-clinical research on osteoarthritis. Researchers hope to translate foundational knowledge into clinical therapies that can improve millions of lives.
Researchers found that immune cells in the bloodstream can worsen heart disease when they migrate to the heart. Blocking their migration improved symptoms in mouse models of heart disease, offering a novel therapeutic approach for non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Todd Holmes, UCI professor, receives NIH grant to study phototransduction in insects, aiming to design safer light-based insect control strategies. The research could lead to environmentally friendly alternatives to toxic pesticides, reducing health and environmental harm.
The Scripps Translational Science Institute has received a renewed $34 million funding from the National Institutes of Health to advance individualized medicine through genomic and digital technologies. The institute will form partnerships with other institutions to improve translational research and train future leaders in biomedicine.
Biologist Judy Simon develops a system to observe interactions between tree roots in 3D, enabling the study of nitrogen uptake and communication. The transparent substrate allows for the observation of root activities, potentially contributing to sustainable forest management.
A global project is underway to map every type of cell in the human body as a resource for investigating health and disease. Penn bioinformatics researcher Casey Greene will use this funding to develop open, shared computational tools and algorithms to analyze large data sets without being instructed what features to look for.
The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has received a $46.5 million NIH grant to enhance its translational science workforce and research environment. The grant will support the development of novel methodologies and resources to tackle rare diseases, improve health screenings in underserved communities, and reduce mortalit...
The UNC-Chapel Hill-led Clinical and Translational Science Award Program will broaden its reach across North Carolina by continuing its alliance with RTI International and NC A&T State University and adding a formal partnership with North Carolina State University. The grant will support the advancement of clinical and translational re...
The ATS Foundation and ResMed have partnered on a new two-year research fellowship to study sleep apnea and positive airway pressure. This funding will support future leaders in the sleep field and help patients with sleep apnea, a public health crisis that affects millions worldwide.
The University of Louisville will receive a five-year, $11.2 million federal grant to establish an interdisciplinary research program focused on the microbiome, inflammation, and disease development. Researchers will study various diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, periodontitis, and neurological disorders.
A new study published in PLOS Medicine found that early childhood interventions may have some efficacy in boosting measures of child health and development, particularly in language skills. However, the interventions did not significantly impact cognition, motor skills, or adaptive behavior, highlighting the need for further research o...
A study published in CMAJ found that peer reviewers' characteristics, including gender and previous success rates with grants, can introduce bias into grant applications. This bias results in lower scores, making applications less likely to be funded. The researchers suggest that training of reviewers, policy changes, and monitoring ma...
A recent $5 million NIH grant will fund a five-year research consortium aimed at reducing firearm injuries among US children and teens. The consortium, led by Michigan State University, brings together experts from various fields to investigate policy interventions and develop evidence-based solutions.
San Diego County has received a $1.3 million NIH grant to advance Alzheimer's research, aiming to find a treatment or cure for the disease. The funding will support a team of scientists in identifying prototype drugs that can bind to and modulate TREM2, a gene known to correlate with increased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's.
A $2 million grant from CPRIT will create a new lab focusing on breast cancer at TTUHSC El Paso, led by Shrikanth Gadad, Ph.D. The lab will conduct research on long noncoding RNAs to understand cancer growth and aggression.
The Mount Sinai team will develop software tools for efficient and interactive analysis of large amounts of single-cell data, accelerating progress toward curing all diseases by the end of the century. The CZI grant aims to provide a platform for scientists to analyze massive data sets interactively and quickly.
Manolis Pasparakis, a professor at the University of Cologne, has received a 2.5 million euro ERC Advanced Grant to investigate the role of necroptosis in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. His research focuses on the mechanisms regulating inflammation.
A new EU grant of EUR 2.5 million will fund research on the sexual biology of malaria parasites to develop novel intervention targets. The project aims to map the functions of approximately 700 parasite genes involved in sexual reproduction to prevent malaria transmission by mosquitoes.
Researchers at UPV/EHU's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have identified the changes in proteins altered by the UBE3A enzyme, which leads to Angelman syndrome. The study explains how a single gene can affect brain function, providing new insights into the disease's complexity.
A recent $5 million NIH grant has funded a research consortium at Michigan Medicine to address firearm-related fatalities among children in the US, known as the second leading cause of death. The five-year effort aims to develop evidence-based solutions through an interdisciplinary group of scientists and stakeholders.
Ural Federal University has been awarded several state grants for its scientific research projects, with seven grants going to the Institute of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The university's scientific groups are working on various topics, including remote sensing of the atmosphere and development of new hydro-metallurgical processes.
A team of scientists led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck at NUS has won a US$1.2 million Human Frontiers Science Program Research Grant for novel multidisciplinary work on cell collective migration on curved surfaces, aiming to advance tissue growth and repair in regenerative medicine.
Children's National Hospital is leading a $5 million NIH grant to develop solutions for reducing pediatric firearm-related injuries. The project, called the Firearm-Safety Among Children & Teens Consortium (FACTS), aims to identify effective strategies and policies to lower pediatric deaths and injuries due to firearms.
The National Academies' Gulf Research Program awarded over $340,000 to support the recovery of Gulf Coast scientific research efforts damaged or lost due to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Eleven grants were announced to help scientists recover from their losses and carry on with work strengthening the region's resilience.
Researchers Gary Lewin and Norbert Hübner are investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying neurological and heart diseases. They hope to identify ion channel anchors and characterize them at the molecular level, laying the groundwork for therapies that address tactile disorders and heart failure.
Computer simulations reveal that peregrine falcons' ability to execute maneuvers is enhanced by extreme speeds during dives from high altitudes. The research found that high-speed dives require precise tuning of mathematical laws for successful attacks.
Researchers found that participants saw a neutral face as smiling more when paired with an unseen positive image. The study suggests that our emotional experiences shape our perception of the world.