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2020 Research Highlights - Promising Medical Findings
NIH findings with potential for enhancing human health include new approaches to COVID-19, a universal mosquito vaccine, and advances in restoring vis...
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2020 Research Highlights - Human Health Advances
NIH accomplishments in disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment include COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, better diagnosis of prostate cancer, and...
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2020 Research Highlights - Basic Research Insights
Noteworthy NIH advances in basic research include progress in understanding SARS-CoV-2, discovery of an exercise-induced protein that generates new br...
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May 25, 2021 Edition
Ear tubes or antibiotics for repeat infections in children?
A study found that placing tympanostomy tubes in young children did not reduce the overall number of ear infections any more than oral antibiotic treatment.
Airway-on-a-chip screens drugs for use against COVID-19
Researchers used an airway-on-a-chip that mimics living lung tissue to screen approved drugs for use against SARS-CoV-2.
Gene therapy for children born with rare immune disorder
Gene therapy restored immune system function to children with an inherited immune disorder with fewer side effects than existing therapies.
May 18, 2021 Edition
Nanoparticle vaccine against various coronaviruses
A nanoparticle-based vaccine protected monkeys against SARS-CoV-2 and elicited antibodies that could neutralize a range of coronaviruses.
System turns imagined handwriting into text
Researchers developed a system for people with paralysis that quickly translates brain signals for handwriting into text.
Delivering RNA therapies to brain tumors
A combination of nanoparticle packaging and focused ultrasound allowed an RNA therapy to be delivered across the blood-brain barrier in mice.
May 11, 2021 Edition
Biosensor advances drug discovery
Researchers developed a sensor that helped them identify a psychedelic-related drug with antidepressant-like effects that wasn’t hallucinogenic.
App may help identify children with autism spectrum disorder
Researchers developed a prototype app that screens toddlers for autism spectrum disorder by tracking eye movements during videos on a tablet or smartphone.
Supplement improves glucose metabolism in women's muscle
The muscles of women who took a supplement called nicotinamide mononucleotide for 10 weeks had improvements in the ability to process sugar.
May 4, 2021 Edition
Uncovering the origins of brown fat
Researchers identified previously unknown origins of brown fat, which burns energy to create heat for the body.
The genetic effects of Chernobyl radiation exposure
Studies of people exposed to radiation from the Chernobyl accident and their children further our understanding of the genetic effects of radiation exposure.
Boosting brain's waste removal system could improve Alzheimer's outcomes
A study in mice showed that antibody therapies targeting amyloid-beta protein were more effective after enhancing the brain's waste drainage system.
April 27, 2021 Edition
Oral antiviral drug effective against COVID-19 in hamsters
An oral antiviral drug called MK-4482 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in hamsters. It is currently being tested in people.
Targeted treatments for small-cell lung cancer
A rapid screening process identified a two-drug combination that shrank small-cell lung tumors, which are often fatal within weeks of recurrence.
Lack of sleep in middle age may increase dementia risk
People who slept six hours or less per night in their 50s and 60s were more likely to develop dementia later in life.
April 20, 2021 Edition
Supplement targets gut microbes to boost growth in malnourished children
Malnourished children who received a food supplement designed to boost normal gut microbes gained more weight than those given a standard nutritional supplement.
Study finds link between red hair and pain threshold
A study in mice revealed the mechanisms that may link red hair with greater pain tolerance.
Tracking hallucinations in mice
After developing a method to detect hallucination-like events in mice, researchers demonstrated a link in the brain between hallucinations and elevated dopamine.
April 13, 2021 Edition
"Sweat sticker" for diagnosing cystic fibrosis
Researchers created a "sweat sticker" for measuring chloride concentrations in sweat, a sign of cystic fibrosis.
Immune response to vaccination after COVID-19
After a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, people with a prior COVID-19 infection had antibody levels similar to those of people without prior infection after two vaccine doses.
How stress causes hair loss
Researchers found that a stress hormone impairs stem cells necessary for hair growth in mice. The findings suggest potential ways to treat hair loss caused by chronic stress.
April 6, 2021 Edition
Drug prescriptions in older adults with dementia
An analysis found that almost 14% of older adults with dementia had long-term prescriptions for three or more medications that affect the nervous system.
SARS-CoV-2 may infect mouth cells
Researchers found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect cells in the mouth, yielding insights into the mouth’s role in infection
Nanoparticle-based flu vaccine
A nanoparticle-based vaccine protected against a broad range of flu virus strains in animals. The vaccine may prevent flu more effectively than current vaccines.
March 30, 2021 Edition
Fungi may impair wound healing in Crohn's disease
A fungus called Debaryomyces hansenii impaired gut wound healing in mice, and was also found in damaged gut tissue in people with Crohn's disease.
Measles vaccine used as base for experimental COVID vaccine
Scientists developed a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine by adding a key coronavirus gene to the measles vaccine.
Gene therapy for chronic pain relief
Turning off a particular gene prevented or alleviated chronic pain in mice. The results could lead to an alternative to opioids for treating chronic pain.