News on the money and policy behind biomedical research. Covers foundation and career-development awards, endocrine and neuroscience funding, and university royalties.
A recent study published in PLOS Computational Biology identifies molecular similarities between environmental allergens and parasitic worm proteins, suggesting that allergy is a flawed immune response. The research provides tools for predicting protein molecules that may cause allergic reactions and could lead to new treatments.
A group of 17 US scientists has formed the Unified Microbiome Initiative to coordinate microbial research and inform funding recommendations. The initiative aims to integrate research objectives across disciplines to better understand the role of microbes in human health and ecological systems.
Researchers found decreased signaling between brain regions in patients with chronic fatigue, correlating with greater fatigue levels. Abnormal brain connectivity at rest is strongly linked to the severity of symptoms.
Researchers at WSU will collaborate with Botanisol to study TAI-LCx, a newly identified active component of turmeric, and develop better means to isolate it. Early research showed TAI-LCx to be effective at reducing inflammation using biologic pathways different from NSAIDs.
Wayne State University has received a $3 million NSF grant to transform its STEM teaching approaches, incorporating evidence-based instructional practices. The goal is to enhance student engagement, retention, and graduation rates, particularly for underrepresented minorities.
MyICU provides a two-way communication platform for patients and family members to access important information, share updates, and request meetings with the care team. The app also includes a journal section where patients can record personal and medical information after discharge, facilitating healing and recovery.
A $4.2 million grant will support research on nine rivers in the US and Mongolia, with a focus on large-scale ecological processes and interactions between ecoregions. The study aims to improve understanding of river systems' condition and resilience to climate change.
Scientists at SDSU's CSNE are working on a brain chip that reroutes neural signals around injured nerves, allowing for the restoration of motor function. The center has received renewed funding from the National Science Foundation to further develop this technology.
A statewide shaken baby prevention effort implemented in 2007 reduced crying-related calls to a nurse advice line by 20% for children under 3 months and 12% for those ages 3-12 months. However, the study found no association between the intervention and state-level rates of abusive head trauma.
AOU is developing an aeroecology training program that will train graduate students in data science and its application of Earth-observation data for societal benefits. The program, supported by the National Science Foundation, aims to recruit and retain diverse high-quality graduate students across disciplines.
Researchers at Boston Medical Center have been awarded a $1.04 million grant to expand an education-based pilot program improving communication between pediatric physicians and their patients about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The intervention has shown significant increases in HPV vaccination rates among pilots.
The study aims to investigate a combination approach to help patients stop smoking, particularly those who are socially and economically disadvantaged. A randomized trial will be conducted in eight clinics serving over 25,000 patients to evaluate the effectiveness of pairing Teachable Moment Communication Process with Ask-Advise-Connec...
Rutgers Genetics Research Center has been awarded a five-year grant to provide comprehensive stem-cell related services, including iPSC derivation and quality control. The new grant will enhance access to high-quality stem cells for researchers investigating Parkinson's, ALS, and Huntington's diseases.
A study of 228 young women found that alcohol-involved first experiences were more likely to occur outside relationships, with less planning and higher risk of assault. Young women who used alcohol during their first sex were three times more likely to be victims of incapacitated rape.
A Belgian study compared dermatologist-conducted lesion-directed screening with standard total-body examination for skin cancer screening. The results showed that lesion-directed screening was an acceptable alternative method with a similar skin cancer detection rate, despite being less time-consuming.
The UI Cancer Center and Governors State University have received a joint grant to conduct community-based research on reducing cancer-related health disparities in the region's south suburbs. The program will provide training for GSU junior faculty and support minority undergraduate and graduate students in health disparities research.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine studied tiny DNA minicircles containing only 336 base pairs to understand biologically active DNA. They found that the coiling caused many different shapes, including sharp bends and figure-8s, and showed how these structures facilitate DNA interactions with proteins and anticancer drugs.
A new system is being developed to understand the three-dimensional structure of the human genome, which is intricately looped and packed into microscopic nuclei. The Nucleome Positioning System (NPS) will deliver complex interaction network maps that can provide insight into gene expression in normal development and disease.
A UCLA study analyzed over 6 million scholarly publications in biomedicine and chemistry, finding that most researchers prioritize established knowledge over innovative questions. This 'publish or perish' pressure leads to a tradeoff between traditional productivity and riskier innovation.
The LA BioMed's Catalina Island Clinic has received a $10,000 grant to provide confidential, free, and no-cost reproductive health care services to uninsured women and adolescent girls. The clinic offers a range of services, including family planning, STI testing, and counseling.
The University of Houston will acquire a new high-performance computer with accelerators, benefiting at least 23 research groups across diverse departments. The grant also offers training opportunities for students to learn programming skills and utilize the new technology.
A new study reveals that FUS proteins do not assume a regular shape but instead form dynamic droplets with RNA, which are crucial for organizing genetic material. This finding challenges the assumption that preventing FUS-related diseases like ALS and cancer can be achieved by targeting its static forms.
The ThriveWell Cancer Foundation will receive an $8,500 grant from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) to support its Patient Assistance Program. The program provides financial and transportation assistance to low-income cancer patients in San Antonio.
A five-year trial found that emergency department-based brief interventions significantly reduced underage drinking and related consequences among patients aged 14-20. The study suggests that a single-session intervention can play a role in decreasing underage drinking among youth.
Five researchers have been awarded Ferring Innovation Grants to support groundbreaking research in Reproductive Health, Gastroenterology, and Urology. The winners are working on innovative projects including immunomodulation of RELMβ for IBD and targeting Cripto in castration-resistant prostate cancer.
The University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) has been awarded a $20 million CDC grant to expand its efforts in preventing another Ebola outbreak in Liberia. The two-year grant will support training of healthcare workers, improvement of public health laboratory systems and hospital diagnostic services.
The FRESH AIR project will adapt and test innovative ways to implement evidence-based practice in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic lung disease. Researchers from Plymouth University will use experience gained from previous projects involving pulmonary rehabilitation clinics and smoking cessation programmes.
The NIH Common Fund has awarded three grants totaling over $30 million to researchers at University of California, San Diego. The 4D Nucleome Program aims to determine how DNA is organized within the cell's nucleus and its impact on human health and disease.
UT Dallas researchers aim to develop a new therapy using targeted plasticity therapy with vagus nerve stimulation to reduce anxiety in PTSD patients. The four-year DARPA grant will support research at nine labs and a team of 30 researchers.
Northwestern Medicine researchers aim to develop new treatments for uterine fibroids using novel targets and pathways. The NIH grant supports projects focused on progesterone effects, nuclear receptors, and AKT pathway modification.
Two NIH grants will support Cathy Wu's work on protein ontology and big data analysis to improve understanding of human disease and identify potential diagnostic targets. Researchers will use natural language processing tools to retrieve targeted therapy information from scientific literature and clinical trials.
Researchers at Einstein College of Medicine will partner with Head Start to promote healthy sleep among preschoolers, aiming to improve social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. The study's goal is to embed 'sleep health literacy' into early childhood education policy.
The study found that teleconference settings reduced discussion times but had little impact on funding decisions. Panel discussions often resulted in poorer scores compared to initial pre-meeting scores.
A Pitt analysis reveals that nearly 1 in 10 U.S. for-profit health care company board positions are held by individuals with an academic affiliation. These board members receive significant compensation and often hold substantial company stock, potentially leading to conflicts of interest with their academic duties.
Researchers at UCSC are conducting field trials of two strategies to protect bats from white-nose syndrome, a deadly fungal disease that has devastated bat populations in eastern North America. The team aims to understand how some populations are surviving and develop effective treatments to improve their chances of survival.
The NCI has renewed a five-year, $13 million grant to support joint research projects between San Diego State University and UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. The partnership aims to address cancer health care disparities among Hispanic/Latinos in the region, with a focus on innovative research and community outreach.
USF researchers received over $1.2 million in federal grants from NOAA to develop new technologies for predicting and identifying red tide. The research aims to improve forecasting capabilities, mitigate the effects of harmful algal blooms, and protect public health and marine life in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation has awarded $13.3 million in NARSAD Young Investigator Grants to 191 promising young scientists working on groundbreaking neurobiological research to identify causes, improve treatments and develop prevention strategies for psychiatric disorders affecting one in four people.
Researchers have identified crucial metabolic genes that enable cheese-making fungi to thrive on cheese, while also raising concerns about food safety. The study provides insights into the evolutionary history of these fungi and their ability to adapt to domesticated environments.
The Brown University Superfund Research Program will advance research on toxicant exposures and safety, focusing on biomedical and engineering solutions for regulatory uncertainty. Researchers will investigate physiological effects of toxicants on the male reproductive system and explore graphene's potential to block toxicant releases.
A/Prof Shane Grey's team aims to make significant improvements in islet transplantation therapy, making it a clinically realistic option for more individuals with type 1 diabetes. They focus on calming the immune response of patients to islet transplantation, which could lead to treated individuals living drug-free in the long term.
A large cohort study found that increased fruit and vegetable consumption is associated with lower weight gain in adults. The study of over 133,000 participants found that eating more fruits and certain non-starchy vegetables was inversely linked to weight change over 24 years.
Researchers are developing a breathalyzer-type device to detect hypoglycemia in people with diabetes. The device will identify signature odorants produced in human breath by specific volatile organic compounds created by metabolic processes leading to low blood sugar.
Researchers at ASU will use honey bees and fruit flies to better understand the physical space of odors and how brains represent them. This study aims to reveal new information about neural representations of odor and their link to brain diseases.
The Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network aims to increase innovation by making nanotechnology accessible to faculty, students, businesses, and educators across the Triangle and nation. The initiative provides graduate students with peer-to-peer training opportunities and 'Nano-Nights' programs for grades 7-12 classrooms.
Researchers Ivona Pandrea and Cristian Apetrei are investigating the relation between accelerated aging characteristics linked to HIV infection and non-AIDS comorbidities. They aim to develop treatments tackling these processes, aiming to improve quality of life for people on HIV medications.
The Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) has launched an online patient application portal called the UDN Gateway. The new system streamlines the application process and allows patients to be matched with top diagnostic teams and advanced diagnostic tools, aiming to improve diagnosis and care for those with undiagnosed diseases.
Researchers at Brown University are conducting a five-year study on mindfulness and patient treatment adherence, funded by a $4.7 million NIH grant. The study aims to determine whether mindfulness interventions can influence self-regulation related to medical regimen adherence, with the goal of improving health outcomes.
A research team led by Dr. Saumya Das will investigate microRNA-30d as a potential biomarker to predict patient outcomes in heart disease. They aim to use microRNA-based tests to identify patients at risk of complications and intervene with medications or implantable devices.
A new computational model measures disparities between biomedical research resources and disease burden, identifying unmet medical needs. The Research Opportunity Index (ROI) provides a data-driven framework to assess resource investment and allocate funds efficiently.
Women are less likely to hold full-professor appointments and receive start-up support for biomedical research compared to men. The studies found that women face challenges in finding effective mentors, receiving recognition, and accessing institutional resources.
A recent study found that nearly 1 in 5 high school seniors reported hookah smoking in the past year, with a significant proportion being regular users. The increasing prevalence of hookah use among adolescents is a growing public health concern, necessitating targeted interventions and surveillance efforts.
A study by Harvard Medical School researchers found that women are nearly 13% less likely to be full professors than their male peers with identical age, experience, and research productivity. Despite efforts to increase equity, the proportion of women at this rank has remained unchanged since 1980.
Hispanics struggle with depression, but cultural concerns and stigma hinder seeking care. A new project uses a culturally sensitive comic-book style education tool to overcome barriers and encourage treatment.
Georgia Regents University is among 15 institutions receiving federal funding to train the next generation of physician-scientists in obstetrics and gynecology. The program will support junior faculty, residents, and fellows in research, enabling them to focus on research for at least 30 hours weekly.
Researchers have identified a genetic variant regulating bone mineral density and fracture risk, which could lead to interventions that prevent fractures in older adults. The study found that the engrailed homeobox-1 gene plays a central role in regulating bone density.
The National Institutes of Health has awarded an Emory-led research consortium $15 million to improve human immune responses to vaccination. Researchers will focus on two primary projects: varicella zoster virus and pneumococcal vaccines in transplant patients.
A new Michigan State University study aims to identify early signs of Alzheimer's disease among Latinos and Hispanics, potentially delaying or preventing its onset. The $5.67 million grant will gather health data from nearly 7,000 middle-aged and older adults, with the goal of differentiating mild cognitive impairment from normal aging.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are exploring the use of soft robots in various fields, including medicine and disaster response. The goal is to develop intelligent surgical assistants that can help surgeons perform more effective manipulation during surgery.
A team of scientists linked children with rare genetic mutations to a shared complex of proteins, shedding light on the cause of their health issues. The study highlights the power of social media in connecting patients and researchers, driving innovation in genetics research.