News on the money and policy behind biomedical research. Covers foundation and career-development awards, endocrine and neuroscience funding, and university royalties.
Researchers Seung Mun You and Hyejin Moon are using aluminum and nanopore technology to update an ancient evaporative process, known as zeer cooling, to cool vaccines and medicine without electricity. Their goal is to preserve vaccines and medicines in remote areas with limited access to electricity.
The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center has received a $36 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to fund its research programs and clinical trials. The center's excellence in laboratory, clinical, and population-based research was recognized by the NCI.
Researchers at Iowa State University are working on a project to help biologists cope with the challenges of big data in plant biology. The team has developed a microsystem instrument that can precisely control the environment for thousands of plants, allowing scientists to analyze the impact of different factors on plant growth.
A study by Harvard Medical School researchers found that physicians spend an average of 11% of their career waiting for malpractice claim resolution. Neurosurgeons face the longest delays, with open claims lasting nearly 27% of their careers.
Autism Speaks funds 14 new research projects, including technology-based initiatives, environmental epidemiology studies, and basic clinical research to better understand autism causes, prevention, treatment, and cure. These grants aim to enhance early screening, diagnosis, and access to interventions.
A new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that black and Hispanic patients are less likely to complete substance abuse treatment programs compared to white patients. The study suggests that socioeconomic factors, such as unemployment and housing instability, contribute to these disparities.
The UK government has allocated £21.5 million of public funding to commercialize graphene, a 'super material' with exceptional properties. Researchers at Imperial College London will explore ways to apply graphene in aerospace design, medical technologies, and other high-tech industries.
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has awarded two research grants to Group Health, a learning health system in Washington state, totaling $40.7 million. The projects focus on developing tools to improve care for back pain and connecting patients with community resources.
Drs. William Y. Kim and James W. Mier have received $250,000 grants to conduct innovative translational kidney cancer research. Their projects aim to personalize kinase therapy and explore the mechanism of HDM2 antagonists in blocking tumor angiogenesis.
The new dedicated network, Science DMZ, will enable WSU researchers to transmit and receive large amounts of data quickly, across the campus or around the world. This upgrade will greatly speed up their ability to work, moving research forward with faster downloads and improved collaboration.
Scientists at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute receive $16 million in funding to develop new methods for analyzing complex data sets and understand the adaptive immune response. The funding will support researchers in developing treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, malaria, and cancer.
A lack of consideration for older people's needs in emergency situations is hindering their response, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) and HelpAge International. This group faces unique challenges such as difficulty traveling and accessing relief supplies, leading to increased mortality and morbidity rates.
A meta-analysis of six studies involving nearly 120,000 people found that high perceived stress is associated with a 27% increased risk of incident coronary heart disease. The study suggests that reducing stress may improve heart health in the future, particularly for older individuals.
A new five-year grant will support research on the benefits of pre-pregnancy maternal nutrition for baby health. The project aims to compare daily supplements given at three months or 12 weeks gestation, as well as a control group with home visits and education.
The Life Sciences Discovery Fund has awarded over $1 million to support the development of new health and healthcare products. Two awards focus on diagnostic technologies, including a rapid test for hospital-acquired infections and a device to assess trauma patient risk.
Researchers at AxoGlia Therapeutics and the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine have received a grant to identify new neuroprotective therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease. The project aims to disrupt the CD40/CD40-Ligand neuroinflammatory pathway, which could lead to new avenues for therapeutic interventions.
The University of Illinois is developing ozone-resistant corn strains with the potential to increase yields and reduce costs, as estimated losses due to ozone damage in US corn production could be around $700 million. The research aims to improve crop resilience to environmental stressors.
The Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System (NNJTBIS) aims to improve quality of life for individuals with traumatic brain injury through a comprehensive system of care, research, education, and dissemination. The five-year grant funds cognitive rehabilitation strategies to help manage memory loss after TBI.
EMBO has awarded 10 life science researchers with Installation Grants to relocate and establish research groups in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Portugal, and Turkey. The grants aim to support talented young scientists and help reverse talent loss from these countries.
A survey of American researchers at the ASH annual meeting found that 63% relied on NIH funding for their studies. This reliance is seen across both U.S. and international respondents, with 75% expressing extreme concern about potential budget cuts.
A study published in Archives of Ophthalmology found that the odds of visual field testing for glaucoma decreased significantly for Hispanic men and women in a large U.S. managed care network between 2001 and 2009, with decreases of 63% and 57%, respectively.
The University of Illinois has received a five-year, $25-million grant to boost the efficiency of key food crops like rice and cassava through improved photosynthesis. This project aims to increase crop productivity while reducing water and nitrogen usage, addressing the challenge of global food security.
The Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University has been awarded a three-year, $186,200 grant to advance the education and scientific discovery in physiology. The grant supports the exchange of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with the University of São Paulo-Ribeirão Preto in Brazil.
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has received a five-year, $7.6 million grant to explore the role of respiratory viral infections and allergy in asthma development. Researchers will investigate four inter-related projects centering on airway inflammation and lung function.
Researchers have created a 'network map' of genes involved in pain perception, identifying hundreds of potential therapeutic targets. The study provides a valuable tool for predicting pain genes in people and has the potential to lead to the development of new analgesic drugs.
Scientists identify novel disorder SPARCA1 associated with severe childhood ataxia and cognitive impairment due to altered beta-III spectrin gene. The study highlights the crucial role of spectrin in brain function beyond the cerebellum.
A study by Oregon Health & Science University found significant health care shortcomings among autistic adults, including lower rates of preventive services and higher emergency department use. The research highlighted the need for better primary care services for this population.
Researchers will study how maternal parasite infections affect fetal immune systems to identify effective interventions promoting healthy growth in children. The goal is to understand the causes of stunted growth and develop affordable solutions.
Dr Paul Kelly's research will identify and validate biomarkers to improve gut health in children, leading to new approaches to combat stunted growth in developing nations. The study aims to provide insights into environmental enteropathy and its consequences, ultimately guiding scaled-up interventions.
A CU-led team has been awarded a $9.2 million DOE grant to research modifying E. coli to produce biofuels like gasoline. The team aims to develop technologies that can efficiently and inexpensively convert E. coli into ethylene and isobutanol, widely used commodities for gasoline production.
Researchers identified four new gene regions linked to low birth weight, influencing adult height, type 2 diabetes risk, and blood pressure. The study's findings suggest a strong genetic influence on fetal growth and potential lifelong health benefits from prenatal interventions.
Researchers aim to understand how service members with spinal cord injuries reintegrate into society and rebuild their lives. The three-year grant will study 60 veterans at different stages of recovery, exploring their long-term goals and expectations for community reintegration.
The study reveals 94,000 to 96,000 genes, an abundance of gene fragments, and 132,000 SNPs, providing insights into bread wheat's evolution and future breeding strategies. The hexaploid genome has undergone rapid changes, including loss of gene family members during domestication.
A study suggests that eliminating payments for consultations commonly billed by specialists led to a net increase in spending on visits to both primary care physicians and specialists. The change was intended to be budget neutral, but it ultimately resulted in higher fees paid for office visits and increased intensity of coding.
A study of 279 children with autism and 245 control subjects found exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy and the first year of life was associated with an increased risk of autism. Children living in homes with high levels of modeled traffic pollution were three times more likely to have autism.
Research has shown a three-fold increase in autism risk associated with air pollution exposure during pregnancy and early childhood. Novel neuroimaging approaches have also confirmed an association between autism and immune function changes, shedding light on mechanisms behind the disorder.
Biomedical research faces a crisis due to flat government funding and reduced drug industry investment. Experts propose innovative private investment sources such as mutual funds, patent pools, and research bonds to support basic biology and translational research.
A study by University of California, San Diego researchers describes markers and a model that quantify how aging occurs at the level of genes and molecules. The findings provide a way to determine a person's actual biological age from just a blood sample.
The Arthritis National Research Foundation (ANRF) and American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) have collaborated to support research on the role of aging in the development of arthritis. The grant aims to expand our understanding of the connections between aging and arthritis, moving closer to effective treatments and cures.
Current risk models have modest-to-acceptable discriminatory performance but require better calibration and external validation to inform clinical guidelines. Few studies tested the models in diverse populations, highlighting the need for further research.
The foundation has awarded $400,000 grants to researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to identify subsets of AML cells resistant to chemotherapy. Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and The University of Chicago will receive $400,000 to study a new type of AML.
A recent study suggests that diagnostic tests are frequently repeated among Medicare beneficiaries, with 55% of those undergoing echocardiography having a second test within three years. This finding raises questions about the routine repetition of diagnostic tests and their impact on healthcare costs and patient health.
Dr. Robert Green's project to explore genome sequencing of newborns won the $100,000 BRIght Futures Prize after six weeks of public voting. The project aims to determine if DNA sequencing of newborns would be perceived as useful to new parents and integrate genomic information into medical care.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Medicine are developing an educational program to educate residents, policy-makers, and scientists about the long-term social, economic, and health effects of hazardous industrial sites. The program aims to help communities like West and South Ambler recover from asbestos exposure.
The University of Michigan will establish M-STEM Academies with a five-year grant to attract diverse group of science, math and engineering students. The program aims to provide support system for high-ability students, increasing the number of STEM graduates with high GPAs.
Spatial cognition researchers will form a virtual institute to collaborate and advance the field of spatial intelligence and learning. The Thematic Network in Spatial Cognition aims to establish spatial cognition as a scientific discipline, with relevance to education in STEM fields and professional areas.
A GW researcher has received a grant to study the effectiveness of Tamsulosin as an alternative treatment for kidney stones, with the goal of reducing complications and speeding up stone passage. The four-year study will enroll patients in three Emergency Departments and randomize them to receive either Tamsulosin or a placebo.
The university will provide fellowships to six graduate students in chemistry, three in bioengineering, and three in electrical engineering. The programs aim to increase diversity among Ph.D. students and promote underrepresented populations.
The University of Oklahoma has received nearly $2 million in National Science Foundation grants to enhance its research capabilities in meteorology, high energy physics, and bioengineering. The grants will enable OU faculty and students to conduct cutting-edge research with state-of-the-art equipment.
A study at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston aims to enhance ER care by reducing information overload and improving communication among healthcare teams. The researchers will test new electronic health record systems and communication prototypes to help doctors make informed decisions.
Researchers have identified early liver function changes as a potential indicator of severe sepsis. The study found that these changes occur hours before conventional markers and are linked to clinical outcomes. This breakthrough has significant implications for diagnosing and treating patients with critical illness.
A study predicts that G6PD deficiency is widespread across malaria-endemic regions, affecting up to 350 million people. The deficiency poses a significant risk for severe complications when treated with primaquine, a key drug for malaria treatment.
Researchers at Rice University aim to inject scaffolds infused with living cells to repair damage inside tissues naturally. They plan to start trials of their dental hydrogel within two years, which could also be used for spinal cord regeneration and eye conditions.
The University of Nottingham has been awarded £2.9m to develop low-carbon fuel and address global challenges through synthetic biology. Researchers aim to convert carbon monoxide into useful chemicals and fuels without competing with food resources.
The ICTS will focus on translating genetic and genomic research into patient care, developing new therapeutics, and disseminating research findings. The grant supports Washington University's strengths in genetic and genomic research and its efforts to advance clinical and translational research.
Kessler Foundation stroke expert Dr. A.M. Barrett has received a $145,000 grant from the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey to study hidden disabilities after stroke. The research aims to improve care for stroke survivors and their healthcare providers in Newark, NJ.
The Carnegie Institution has received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to engineer broad-spectrum resistance against rice bacterial blight through genetic engineering. The project aims to create durable and environmentally friendly solutions to combat this disease in developing countries.
Baylor University has been awarded federal grants to support research on Gulf War illness, a complex medical condition affecting thousands of veterans. The grants will fund studies on biological processes causing symptoms and the development of a nationwide network for health research.
A recent study proposes redirecting $750 billion in wasteful healthcare spending towards various initiatives, including businesses, education, infrastructure, and job retraining. The potential outcomes include reducing deficit, funding preschool programs, improving transportation projects, and promoting rural development.
A new $2 million grant will support a pan-continental bioinformatics research network in Africa. The H3ABioNet project aims to aggregate and analyze large datasets, establish collaborations among preexisting centers, and train African students and scientists in bioinformatics.