News on the money and policy behind biomedical research. Covers foundation and career-development awards, endocrine and neuroscience funding, and university royalties.
A new article in PLOS Biology argues that universities should support the sharing of educational resources to benefit society. The author proposes several ways institutions can counter practices that inhibit open information flow, including awarding faculty prizes for community engagement.
The Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine has launched a new program to improve access to diabetes care in West Virginia, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the Merck Foundation. The program aims to address healthcare disparities among vulnerable populations and promote health equity.
The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded grants to support the development of new agricultural products and technologies. These grants aim to increase consumer acceptance of whole grain wheat, improve shelf life, and commercialize innovative ventures.
A new deep learning approach has been developed to classify the shapes of red blood cells in a patient's blood, which could help monitor people with sickle cell disease. The system successfully classified red blood cell shape for both oxygenated and deoxygenated cells.
The University of Minnesota Medical School's Center for Magnetic Resonance Research has received a NIH R01 grant to investigate the underlying trajectory of brain chemistry in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease. The project aims to identify abnormal metabolic pathways in Alzheimer's disease.
The American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) has awarded $800,000 to seven junior faculty members to support their research on healthy aging and age-related diseases. The grants will provide flexible funding for one- to two-years to advance knowledge of the aging process and its associated diseases.
Researchers found a significant association between elevated systolic blood pressure and the development of mitral regurgitation, a condition where the heart valve leaks. The study suggests that controlling blood pressure may be crucial in preventing this common heart valve disorder.
A study in rural China found that healthcare providers fail to correctly manage tuberculosis cases, with a high proportion of antibiotics prescribed unrelated to TB treatment. The researchers highlight the need for reforms and improved training to address these gaps in care.
Researchers at Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) have received $1.3 million in critical funding to study immunotherapy and virotherapy for three deadly forms of cancer: glioblastoma, sarcoma, and ovarian cancer. The grants will support clinical trials to test innovative treatments using gene therapy.
The UMass Amherst TickReport service is expanding its public health mission with a recent NIH grant and collaboration with L2 Diagnostics to study Borrelia miyamotoi, a tick-transmitted bacterium causing infection and disease in the US, Europe, and Asia. Researchers will conduct human testing on people who submitted B. miyamotoi-positi...
Einstein researchers have been awarded a $9 million grant to study the genetic differences between healthy centenarians and people with no family history of extreme longevity. They aim to identify rare gene variants that contribute to longevity and develop drugs that mimic these effects, potentially leading to longer, healthier lifespans.
The NIH has awarded a $6.5 million grant to Berkeley Lab to integrate existing synchrotron structural biology resources, establishing the ALS-ENABLE center to guide researchers in determining biological structures. The initiative will provide rapid response crystallography, high-quality small-angle X-ray scattering, and specialized cry...
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine are developing an app to capture health data using mobile devices, with the goal of reducing cardiac risks. The project aims to test various approaches to getting people to use these technologies over long periods of time and compare mobile health data collected in the research center.
A study published in PLOS Medicine found that using cystatin C with creatinine to estimate GFR for chronic kidney disease diagnosis resulted in increased healthcare costs without improved risk prediction. The test led to a higher number of patients being reclassified to more advanced CKD, requiring more frequent monitoring and referrals.
The $900,000 NSF grant enables researchers to analyze large datasets describing gene responses to ethylene in Arabidopsis thaliana, revealing patterns and relationships. This work has significant agricultural implications as root structure affects plant water and nutrient uptake.
SUNY Downstate has been awarded a $10 million grant to form a translational health disparities research program, focusing on recruiting and training underrepresented minority scientists. The program will support junior faculty endowments, research fellowships, and recruit underrepresented minority students to study health disparities.
A multi-center study funded by the NIH will test silver diamine fluoride's effectiveness in stopping cavities in young children. The trial aims to provide data for a cavity arrest drug claim and expand access to a simple, non-invasive treatment.
Hao Wu, a Penn Medicine genetics researcher, has received a 2017 NIH New Innovator award to pursue high-risk research on epigenome editing. The grant will fund his study of how the epigenome of heart muscle cells respond and adapt to changing environmental oxygen levels.
Scientists from the University of Minnesota found that excessively fertilized lakes in Iowa had low algae growth due to the destructive effect of nitrate particles, resulting in increased water clarity. This study suggests that relying on water clarity to gauge water quality may not be effective in all regions.
The Philadelphia Pediatric Medical Device Consortium has awarded $50,000 in seed grants to Voxello and InfraScan for developing speech-generating systems and handheld scanners for detecting intracranial bleeding in children.
Jessica Blackburn, a University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researcher, has received a $1.5 million NIH New Innovator Award to study leukemia relapse in zebrafish models and patient samples.
Three WSU research teams received $1.1 million in funding to develop innovative biomedical technologies, including a smart artificial urinary sphincter and zwitterionic hydrogel-based islet encapsulation technology. The award complements Wayne State's Technology Commercialization Office and MTRAC Program.
Montana State researchers are studying the role of the human gut microbiome in detoxifying arsenic after ingestion. They aim to understand how microorganisms metabolize arsenic and potentially lower cancer risk through this process.
The $1-million upgrade will enhance the Palmetto Cluster's power, supporting over 370 faculty members and students in various research fields. The new hardware is expected to enable state-of-the-art innovations in materials science, medicine, environment, and energy economy.
Researchers found that accurately transcribing DNA overrides DNA repair, with bacteria becoming hundreds of times more efficient at repairing DNA damage when the transcription fidelity factor GreA is absent. This discovery challenges traditional understanding and has significant implications for cancer research and evolution.
A new study found that gabapentin co-use with opioids increases the risk of fatal opioid overdose. The study analyzed data from Ontario, Canada and found that patients prescribed both gabapentin and opioids were more likely to die from an opioid overdose.
A researcher at the University of Pennsylvania will conduct a randomized, controlled study comparing home-based and office-based phototherapy treatments for psoriasis. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of these treatments and fill an evidence gap in the treatment of this chronic autoimmune disease.
CU Anschutz and CU Boulder scientists have won a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to refine their unique 2P-FCM microscope, which allows deeper brain imaging and dynamic focus capability. The researchers will deploy the microscope to laboratories across the country to study neural activity in various species.
The US Department of Energy has awarded the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center $16 million to develop stress-tolerant sorghum lines for bioenergy production. The project aims to optimize photosynthesis and water use efficiency, leveraging recent investments from DOE to accelerate sorghum feedstock enhancements.
A nanotechnology-enhanced biochip developed by NJIT engineer Eon Soo Lee can detect deadly diseases such as ovarian cancer and pneumonia early in their progression. The device, which analyzes a tiny amount of blood within two minutes, has the potential to improve treatment outcomes significantly.
The University of Louisville has received a $13.8 million grant from the NIH to study a promising new adult cardiac stem cell that may treat heart failure. The research aims to repair damaged heart tissue and make the heart stronger, potentially revolutionizing heart disease treatment.
The University of Minnesota Medical School's Center for Magnetic Resonance Research has been awarded a $3.5 million NIH grant to develop new, efficient, and safe stimulation paradigms for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). The project aims to improve treatment quality for patients with disabling neurological symptoms by increasing the preci...
The UNC School of Medicine will use the grant to develop a new protocol for Afib patients, allowing them to receive care in outpatient settings. The goal is to reduce hospitalizations and improve patient engagement in their own health.
A study published in PLOS Genetics found that lethal genetic disorders are more common than expected due to factors such as balancing selection, disease severity, and errors in estimates. This research may help identify overlooked mutations causing these disorders.
Researchers at the University of Huddersfield are developing a new form of treatment based on CD40 protein to target cancers in young people. The Laura Crane Youth Cancer Trust has funded a doctoral researcher and contributed to the upgrade of a scanning device crucial to the lab research.
UTHealth's Jim Zheng has been awarded a $5.8 million CPRIT grant to analyze cancer data and develop tools for analyzing cancer, with the goal of finding potential cures. The grant will fund the establishment of the Data Science and Informatics Core for Cancer Research at UTHealth.
The OU research group, led by Ann West, has received a five-year, $10.5 million NIH COBRE grant to support structural biology research and build on Phase I successes with 57 research publications and over $7 million in new grants awarded.
The University of Hawaii has received a nearly $6.3 million grant to develop a heat-stable, trivalent Ebola vaccine that can protect against three related viruses in the same family. The vaccine, developed by Axel Lehrer, PhD, has the potential to speed up protection for health workers and others during outbreaks.
A multi-institutional research center has been awarded by the NIH to study ME/CFS, a debilitating disease affecting millions of Americans. The research aims to understand and develop treatments for this complex condition by analyzing patient data and microbiome changes.
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awards LSU Health a $1.4 million grant to prepare individuals from underrepresented backgrounds for PhDs in biomedical sciences. The program aims to enhance the diversity of the biomedical research workforce and provide hands-on exposure to medical research.
The University of New Hampshire has been awarded a $10 million NIH COBRE grant to establish an integrated biomedical and bioengineering research center. The grant will support the development of clinically relevant tools and treatments, as well as the mentoring and career development of junior faculty members.
The European Commission has announced prestigious EU grants for researchers at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Three SUND researchers have received grants totaling EUR 6.4 million to train PhD students in various fields.
The Technische Universität Dresden has been granted funding for 18 proposed tenure track chairs as part of the Federal and State government programme. This funding approval enables the university to offer career paths that are easier to plan, attracting top talent and retaining them early on.
The grant will create the Engineered nanoBIO Hub at IU, focusing on simulating interactions between nanoscale devices and biological cells and tissues. Researchers aim to develop medical devices that operate at the intersection of nanotechnology and biotechnology, with the ultimate goal of supporting human health.
A study of 74 patients found that the rate of anemia increased from 20% pre-surgery to 47% 10 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Patients with regular bariatric specialist follow-up had lower rates of anemia compared to those without
A new $5.4 million grant to JAX will fund research on cognitive resilience to Alzheimer's disease. Understanding the genetic factors behind this resilience could lead to targets for treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's.
A new study found an association between youth tackle football before age 12 and impaired mood and behavior later in life. The study, published in Nature's Translational Psychiatry, showed that participants who started playing at a younger age had twice the risk of behavioral regulation problems and three times the risk of depression.
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has awarded $275,000 in research grants to four early-career scientists to investigate the effects of radiation on breast cancer cells and tumor immune evasion. The awardees aim to develop innovative treatments that improve patient outcomes by modulating the immune response.
A Penn State researcher has received a $7.3 million grant to investigate the Ah receptor's impact on immune function and epithelial barrier integrity. The study aims to understand how activating the receptor enhances or disrupts the immune response in different tissues, with potential implications for diseases such as colon cancer.
A new ERC grant will support research into the health effects of acrylamide exposure in early life, examining connections between foetal exposure and later health outcomes. The study aims to clarify acrylamide's other effects on humans beyond carcinogenic risks.
Michigan State University will lead a $10 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to explore ways to boost camelina oilseed's yield. The team aims to achieve up to a 300-percent increase per acre in oil production by studying the plant's metabolic and gene expression networks.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Professor Songbai Ji is developing highly specific computer models of the head and brain to better diagnose concussions in real time. The models use neuroimaging data to assess injury risk and simulate real-time impact, providing athletic trainers with valuable tools to assess athlete safety.
The National Science Foundation has awarded $13 million to nine researchers studying socioecological system dynamics related to livelihoods, human migration and landscape evolution. The grants will help understand the complex interactions between humans and natural systems in deltas globally.
A new clinical trial aims to explore the effectiveness of modafinil, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a combination of both in reducing MS fatigue. The study will provide valuable insights to help patients and clinicians make informed decisions about treatment options.
The National Institutes of Health has awarded $15 million to support the development of 3-D microphysiological system platforms, called 'tissue chips,' that model human disease. These platforms will enable scientists to better understand disease mechanisms and predict how patients respond to specific drugs.
A new scoring tool, G-TRUST, evaluates guideline trustworthiness and identifies useful practice guidelines. The tool's reliability needs to be researched, especially when used with technology like smartphone applications.
Researchers at Kazan Federal University (KFU) have won a Russian Science Foundation grant to develop dry storage technology for biomaterials. They are studying the anhydrobiosis mechanism of mosquitoes, which can survive without water, and plan to apply it to store oocytes, proteins, or vaccines.
A systematic review of 35 studies found that over 26% of papers identified as systematic reviews or meta-analyses contained spin, while up to 84% of non-randomised trials did. Researchers highlight the need for better tools to identify and address 'spin' in scientific literature.
MSI-1436 has shown promise in adult zebrafish and mice by regenerating damaged heart muscle and improving heart function; a two-year grant will test its effectiveness in pigs to move the drug into clinical trials.
A CWRU researcher has received a five-year, $3.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to explore ways to augment the body's immune system after exposure to toxic chemicals, including mustard gas. The goal is to reduce skin swelling and pain while enhancing tissue repair.