Computational method predicts new uses for existing medicines
For the first time ever, scientists are using computers and genomic information to predict new uses for existing medicines.
MedicareCard Replacement
Blueprint empowers drug development for nervous system disorders
The National Institutes of Health has made awards to investigators across the United States for an ambitious set of projects seeking to develop new drugs for disorders of the nervous system.
Blog Post | Striving for Diversity
Dr. Insel discusses achieving diversity in the NIMH workforce and grantee population in light of a report in Science today.
Commissioned study identifies gaps in funding success rates for black researchers
Black applicants from 2000-2006 were 10 percentage points less likely than white applicants to be awarded research project grants from the National Institutes of Health after controlling for factors that influence the likelihood of a grant award, according to an NIH-commissioned study in the journal Science. In an accompanying commentary, NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D., … Read more
Baby Name Playroom App
With the Social Security Administration’s Baby Name Playroom App, you can browse or search over 130 years of baby name data. Save and share your favorite names, view baby name popularity trends, play a trivia game, and view family-related services and info.
Funded study shows reduction in death for men with intermediate-grade prostate cancer
Short-term hormone therapy given in combination with radiation therapy to men with early-stage prostate cancer increased their chances of living longer compared to treatment with radiation therapy alone, according to a clinical trial supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Benefits of the combined treatment were limited mainly … Read more
Science News NIMH RAISE Project Makes Progress as Teams Refine Research Approaches
Researchers continue to make progress in the NIMH Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) Project, which seeks to intervene at the earliest stages of illness in order to prevent long term disability. Recent refinements to the two RAISE studies will ensure that RAISE continues efficiently, and generates results that will be relevant to consumers … Read more
Brain electrical activity spurs insulation of brain’s wiring
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered in mice a molecular trigger that initiates myelination, the process by which brain cell networks are reinforced with an insulating material called myelin that speeds their ability to transmit messages.
Led Team Maps Route for Eliciting HIV Neutralizing Antibodies
Researchers have traced in detail how certain powerful HIV neutralizing antibodies evolve, a finding that generates vital clues to guide the design of a preventive HIV vaccine, according to a study appearing in Science Express this week. The discoveries were made by a team led by the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at the National Institute … Read more
New model of ALS is based on human cells from autopsied tissue
By isolating cells from patients’ spinal tissue within a few days after death, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed a new model of the paralyzing disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). They found that during the disease, cells called astrocytes become toxic to nerve cells — a result previously found in animal … Read more
Blog Post Mental Illness Defined as Disruption in Neural Circuits
Research on neural circuits is changing how mental illnesses are understood and may ultimately lead to new ways to treat brain disorders early enough to prevent symptoms.
HIV/AIDS researcher David Ho wins NIDA’s 2011 Avant-Garde Award
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, announced today that Dr. David Ho of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in New York, NY, has been selected as the 2011 recipient of the NIDA Avant-Garde Award for HIV/AIDS Research.
National Children’s Study upgrading data gathering, analysis
The National Children’s Study is changing its approach to informatics — the science of classifying, cataloging, storing, analyzing, and retrieving information, study officials announced today.
Investigators discover new mechanism that may be important for learning and memory
New findings in mice suggest that the timing when the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is released in the brain’s hippocampus may play a key role in regulating the strength of nerve cell connections, called synapses. Understanding the complex nature of neuronal signaling at synapses could lead to better understanding of learning and memory, and novel treatments for … Read more
Encourage Kids to Read
Through summer reading, kids may discover a favorite author who sparks a lifelong love of reading. Summer reading can also prevent learning loss and help prepare a child for the next academic year. Find a variety of reading resources on Kids.gov.
Funded study proposes new method to predict fertility rates
Researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health have developed a new statistical technique to forecast changes in fertility rates. The new method mathematically compensates for uncertainty and is expected to allow governments to plan more reliably for the infrastructure and social services needed to accommodate large-scale population changes.
Zinc ‘sparks’ fly from egg within minutes of fertilization
At fertilization, a massive release of the metal zinc appears to set the fertilized egg cell on the path to dividing and growing into an embryo, according to the results of animal studies supported by the National Institutes of Health.