Genetic mutation linked to inherited forms of ALS, dementia

National Institutes of Health scientists and worldwide teams of researchers have identified the most common genetic cause known to date for two neurological diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The discovery offers clues to underlying mechanisms of these diseases, and may eventually contribute to the design and testing of possible therapies.

Prescribed stimulant use for ADHD continues to rise steadily

The prescribed use of stimulant medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rose slowly but steadily from 1996 to 2008, according to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The study was published online ahead of print Sept. 28, 2011, in the … Read more

VOICE HIV prevention study in women

A large-scale clinical trial evaluating whether daily use of an oral tablet or vaginal gel containing antiretroviral drugs can prevent HIV infection in women is being modified because an interim review found that the study cannot show that one of the study products, oral tenofovir, marketed under the trade name Viread, is effective.

Darryl C. Zeldin named National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences scientific director

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is pleased to announce that physician-scientist Darryl C. Zeldin, M.D., will become the Institute’s new scientific director. Effective Oct. 23, Zeldin will lead and manage a $114 million biomedical research program focused on discovering how the environment … Read more

Program allows junior investigators to bypass traditional post-doc training

A program designed to accelerate the entry of outstanding junior investigators into independent researcher positions immediately following completion of their graduate research degree or clinical residency has announced its first recipients. The National Institutes of Health Director’s Early Independence Awards (EIA) is part of an NIH-wide effort to empower the biomedical research workforce, particularly through … Read more

Scientists find approach to enhance and prolong immune attack against tumor cells

Investigators have identified a new class of human immune cells that behave like stem cells. These cells, a subtype of T lymphocytes, which comprise a small fraction of white blood cells, may prove more effective than any previously reported type of T cell for treating tumors. The study, by scientists at the National Cancer Institute … Read more