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NIH Announces Funding for New Epigenomics Initiative
9/30/2008
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces funding for the new NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Program. Epigenetic processes control normal growth and development, and epigenomics is a study of epigenetic processes at a genome-wide scale. The NIH will invest more than $190 million over the next five years to accelerate this emerging field of biomedical research. The first grants will total approximately $18 million in 2008.

Dietary Supplements Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin Fare No Better than Placebo in Slowing Structural Damage of Knee Osteoarthritis
9/30/2008
The dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, together or alone, appeared to fare no better than placebo in slowing loss of cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee, researchers from the Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) team report in the October issue of 'Arthritis & Rheumatism.' 'While these results are of interest, we cannot draw definitive conclusions about the utility of glucosamine or chondroitin in reducing joint space width loss, in part because the placebo group fared better than anticipated based on prior research results,' said Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one of the study’s funders.

Parkinson's Disease Information Added to NIHSeniorHealth Web Site
9/30/2008
More than half a million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease, a brain disorder that leads to tremor and difficulty with walking, movement, and coordination. Although not a normal part of aging, Parkinson's occurs most often among people 60 and older, and the risk increases with age. Older adults now can visit the NIHSeniorHealth Web site to learn more about Parkinson's disease at www.nihseniorhealth.gov/parkinsonsdisease/toc.html. The Web site from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is geared toward older adults and features clear language.

NIDDK Publishes Fact Sheets about Thyroid Disorders
9/27/2008
Thyroid problems affect as many as 27 million Americans. Among the most common problems are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. To help people learn more about thyroid disorders, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has produced four new fact sheets for consumers and health care providers.

New Pig Model of Cystic Fibrosis Lays Groundwork for Better Understanding of Human Disease
9/26/2008
For the first time, researchers have developed a genetically altered animal model for cystic fibrosis (CF) that closely matches the characteristics of the disease in humans. By studying the complex and multi-organ disease process in the pig model, researchers can now better understand how the complications of CF develop, an advancement that may lead to new avenues for research in prevention and treatment. The study, published in the Sept. 26 edition of 'Science,' was funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), along with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), both of the National Institutes of Health, as well as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

NIH's Genes Environment and Health Initiative Adds Six Studies
9/25/2008
The Genes, Environment and Health Initiative (GEI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) today awarded grants estimated to be up to $5.5 million over two years for six studies aimed at finding genetic factors that influence the risks for stroke, glaucoma, high blood pressure, prostate cancer and other common disorders.

NIH, DOD, and VA Host Two Day Conference on Trauma Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Gender, Race & Other Socioeconomic Factors
9/25/2008
The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is pleased to collaborate with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DoD/DCoE) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on a two day scientific conference entitled ' Trauma Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Gender, Race & Other Socioeconomic Factors.'

Elias A. Zerhouni to End Tenure as Director of the National Institutes of Health
9/25/2008
Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., the director of the National Institutes of Health, today announced his plans to step down at the end of October 2008 to pursue writing projects and explore other professional opportunities.

Promising Results in Phase 1 Gene Therapy Trial for Blinding Disease
9/24/2008
Three young adults with an inherited form of blindness showed evidence of improved day and night vision following a specialized gene transfer procedure in a phase 1 clinical trial funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. In addition no adverse effects from the therapy were reported. These findings are reported online in the Sept. 22 issue of 'Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences' and in the Sept. 7 issue of 'Human Gene Therapy.' These new reports extend the findings of two other papers published earlier this year in the 'New England Journal of Medicine.'

NIBIB Welcomes Two New Members to Advisory Council
9/23/2008
Two new members were recently appointed to the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). The Council serves as the principal advisory body to the NIBIB, a component of the National Institutes of Health. The Council, which meets three times a year, provides recommendations on research priority and opportunities in biomedical imaging and bioengineering and research training.

NIH Extends Its Commitment to Transformative Research with $138 Million for Director's Pioneer and New Innovator Awards in 2008
9/23/2008
The National Institutes of Health announced today that it has increased its support of high-impact research with 2008 NIH Director's Pioneer and New Innovator Awards to 47 scientists, many of whom are in the early stages of their careers. The grants, estimated to be up to $138 million over five years, enable recipients to pursue exceptionally innovative approaches that could transform biomedical and behavioral science.

Monitoring Exhaled Nitric Oxide Does Not Help Manage Asthma
9/20/2008
A new study shows that monitoring levels of exhaled nitric oxide in adolescents with asthma and adjusting treatment accordingly does not improve the course of their disease. The study was conducted by the Inner City Asthma Consortium (ICAC), which is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Sept. 20 issue of 'The Lancet' reports the ICAC findings.

Li to Step Down as Director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
9/19/2008
Ting-Kai Li, M.D., director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) since November 2002, announced today that he will step down from his post and retire from Federal service, effective October 31, 2008. Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., the NIAAA Deputy Director since February 2008, will serve as Acting Director of the Institute while a search for a new Director is initiated.

Four New Members Named to National Neurology Advisory Council
9/19/2008
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has appointed four new members to its major advisory panel, the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. The NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the nation&s primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous system. NINDS Director Story Landis, Ph.D., formally introduced the new members, who will serve through July 2012, at the Council&s September 18, meeting.

Large, Multi-Center Trial Demonstrates Comparable Accuracy for Virtual Colonoscopy and Standard Colonoscopy
9/19/2008
Computerized tomographic (CT) colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy, is comparable to standard colonoscopy, which uses a long, flexible tube with a camera to view the lining of the colon, in its ability to accurately detect cancer and precancerous polyps and could serve as an initial screening exam for colorectal cancer, according to the results of the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) National CT Colonography Trial.

Roughly One Quarter of U.S. Women Affected By Pelvic Floor Disorders
9/18/2008
Nearly 24 percent of U.S. women are affected with one or more pelvic floor disorders, report researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health. Their analysis is the first to document in a nationally representative sample the extent of pelvic floor disorders, a cluster of health problems that causes physical discomfort and limits activity.

New NIH Research Initiative to Test Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
9/18/2008
Women troubled by hot flashes and night sweats during the years around menopause want safe, effective treatment options. A new research initiative from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will establish a multisite research network to conduct clinical trials of promising treatments for the most common symptoms of the menopausal transition.

NIEHS Invests $21.25 Million to Find Environmental Causes of Parkinson's Disease
9/17/2008
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced today that it will award three new grants totaling $21.25 million over a five-year period to study how environmental factors contribute to the cause, prevention and treatment of Parkinson's disease and other related disorders.

NIH, DoD, and VA host two day conference on Trauma Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Gender, Race & Other Socioeconomic Factors, October 1-2, 2008
9/16/2008
The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is pleased to collaborate with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DoD/DCoE) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on a two day scientific conference entitled 'Trauma Spectrum Disorders: The Role of Gender, Race & Other Socioeconomic Factors.'

Two New Members Added to NINR's National Advisory Council for Nursing Research
9/16/2008
Two new members to the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research (NACNR), the principal advisory board for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), were announced today. The NACNR meets three times a year to provide recommendations on the conduct and support of biomedical, social, and behavioral research that provides an evidence base for nursing practice. NINR, one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supports basic and clinical research to establish a scientific basis for the care of individuals across the lifespan.

Newer Antipsychotics No Better Than Older Drug in Treating Child and Adolescent Schizophrenia
9/16/2008
Two newer atypical antipsychotic medications were no more effective than an older conventional antipsychotic in treating child and adolescent schizophrenia and may lead to more metabolic side effects, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Study Provides Clues about How Cancer Cells Develop Resistance to Chemotherapy Drug
9/16/2008
The SIRT1 gene, which regulates several important cellular processes including nutrient use and metabolism, appears to contribute to the development of cisplatin resistance by reducing the uptake and use of glucose by cells and by altering the function of their mitochondria, which are cellular structures that produce most of the energy in cells. These findings, by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and colleagues, were published in the Sept. 15, 2008, issue of Molecular Cancer Research.

Newly Identified Gene Variations Account for Increased Burden of Kidney Disease among African-Americans
9/16/2008
For the first time, researchers have identified variations in a single gene that are strongly associated with kidney diseases disproportionately affecting African-Americans. This work was conducted by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and by NIH-funded investigators at the Johns Hopkins University.

Wilder Named OPASI Division Director
9/13/2008
Elizabeth L. Wilder, Ph.D., has been appointed director of the Division of Strategic Coordination in the Office of Portfolio Analysis and Strategic Initiatives (OPASI). Dr. Wilder served as division director in an acting capacity for the last year and a half and officially assumed the post in August.

The NIH Reform Act of 2006: Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps
9/12/2008
In 1944, Congress passed the Public Health Service Act, which laid the foundation for a modern National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support biomedical research through extramural grants, largely to academic research institutions. This basic system remains in place and has served the Nation -- indeed the world -- very well.

Herpes Virus Changes Anti-Herpes Drug to Form that Hinders AIDS Virus
9/11/2008
The drug acyclovir has long been used to suppress outbreaks of oral and genital herpes. Herpes viruses change acyclovir to a form that prevents them from reproducing. Now, it appears that after acyclovir is altered by herpes viruses, it also interferes with the AIDS virus's ability to reproduce, report researchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

NIH Awards $4.6 Million to Expand Global Health Network
9/11/2008
The Fogarty International Center, part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced it will award $4.6 million over three years to expand its network of global health education programs to include 12 additional campuses in the United States, China and Mexico.

NIH Announces New Transformative R01 Funding Program
9/10/2008
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to invest more than $250 million over the next five years to foster bold and creative investigator-initiated research through a new transformative R01 (T-R01) Program.

NIH Nominates Scientific Management Review Board Members
9/10/2008
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., has nominated individuals to serve as members of the Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB). The SMRB will examine the NIH's organizational structure and balance and will provide recommendations for enhancing the agency's mission through greater agency flexibility and responsiveness.

NIH Supports Research Careers by Repaying Student Loan Debt
9/10/2008
NIH is now accepting applications for its extramural Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs), and is letting applicants know through it awareness-raising campaign slogan that 'You do the research. NIH will repay your student loans.'

NTP Finalizes Report on Bisphenol A
9/10/2008
Current human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is of'some concern' for effects on development of the prostate gland and brain and for behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children, according to a final report released today by the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

NIH Launches Effort to Advance Study of Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Disorders
9/9/2008
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announces awards to eight academic research centers to conduct collaborative studies of urologic chronic pelvic pain disorders by looking for clues outside the bladder and prostate. The total research investment for the five-year project is estimated to be up to $37.5 million.

NIH Launches Unique Effort to Advance Study of Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Disorders
9/6/2008
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announces awards to eight academic research centers to conduct collaborative studies of urologic chronic pelvic pain disorders by looking for clues outside the bladder and prostate. The total research investment for the five-year project is estimated to be up to $37.5 million.

NIDA Announces Recipients of New Avant-Garde Award for Innovative HIV/AIDS Research
9/6/2008
The largest genetic analysis of its kind to date for bipolar disorder has implicated machinery involved in the balance of sodium and calcium in brain cells. Researchers supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, found an association between the disorder and variation in two genes that make components of channels that manage the flow of the elements into and out of cells, including neurons.

Study Reveals Link Between Apobec3 Gene and Neutralizing Antibody Response to Retrovirus
9/5/2008
Scientists have uncovered new evidence that strengthens the link between a host-cell gene called Apobec3 and the production of neutralizing antibodies to retroviruses. Published in the Sept. 5 issue of 'Science,' the finding adds a new dimension to the set of possible explanations for why most people who are infected with HIV do not make neutralizing antibodies that effectively fight the virus.

The Cancer Genome Atlas Reports First Results Of Comprehensive Study of Brain Tumors
9/5/2008
The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network, a collaborative effort funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today reported the first results of its large-scale, comprehensive study of the most common form of brain cancer, glioblastoma (GBM). In a paper published Sept. 4, 2008, in the advance online edition of the journal 'Nature,' the TCGA team describes the discovery of new genetic mutations and other types of DNA alterations with potential implications for the diagnosis and treatment of GBM.

NTP Finalizes Report on Bisphenol A
9/4/2008
Current human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is of'some concern' for effects on development of the prostate gland and brain and for behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children, according to a final report released today by the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

NIH Awards First EUREKA Grants for Exceptionally Innovative Research
9/4/2008
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $42.2 million to fund 38 exceptionally innovative research projects that could have an extraordinarily significant impact on many areas of science. The grants, the first made in a new program called EUREKA (for Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration), help investigators test novel, often unconventional hypotheses or tackle major methodological or technical challenges.

NIH Funds Nine Centers to Speed Application of Powerful New Research Approach
9/3/2008
The funding of a network of nine centers across the country that will use high tech screening methods to identify small molecules for use as probes to investigate the diverse functions of cells was announced today by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The network -- funded at approximately $70 million annually over the four-year production phase -- is designed to increase the pace of development and use of chemical (small molecule) probes, which have become invaluable tools for exploring biologic processes and for developing new therapies for disease.

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