IRP Staff Blogger

Hello! Thank you for visiting the I Am Intramural Blog. Our goal is to bring you thoughts and experiences from scientists and clinicians of the NIH Intramural Research Program. If you have questions about the blog, please email IRPinfo@mail.nih.gov.

Posts By This Author

LabTV: Curious About Fatigue Related to Cancer Therapy

Reblogged from the NIH Director's Blog. Originally posted on September 10, 2015.

As this LabTV profile of an outstanding nurse-scientist shows, there are many different paths to a career in biomedical research. Leorey Saligan grew up in the Philippines, where the challenges and rewards of caring for sick family members inspired him to become a nurse. His first job was at a nursing home in Midland, TX, and the next at a nearby hospital. Later, Saligan moved to Norfolk, VA, where as a nurse practitioner he began caring for people with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that affects several organ systems.

Read more...

Last Blast for NIH’s 2015 Summer Interns

Every summer, the NIH hosts about 1,100 interns with interests across the biomedical spectrum. After working full-time within labs and clinics of the Intramural Research Program, interns wrap up their summer at NIH by unrolling scientific posters for an end-of-season sharing session about their research.

Amil Agarwal of NIAID presented ”Refolding, purification, and crystallization of Duffy-binding like Region II domains from Plasmodium yoelii erythrocyte binding proteins.”

Three Minutes to Better Science Communication

Most researchers have had conversations with non-scientist friends or family members that start with a seemingly innocent question: “So, what are you working on?” Answering directly can be a challenge, especially in basic biomedical research. What is the best way for scientists to share exactly what they’re studying, why, and how? NIH’s Three-Minute Talks (TmT) program just completed its second annual competition, aiming to help early career scientists develop the skills to wow and inform people they meet.

Kathryn Tabor TmT at NIH, NICHD

How to Thrive — Not Just Survive — in Science

Thrive. Originally from the Norse language, the word has evolved into the superlative of success. More than just doing well, it means to flourish, prosper, or bloom—words that set the bar very high in any profession, including science.

We believe that to thrive, you need to step outside what you already know and grasp what you don’t yet know—and to help you navigate that path we’ve compiled ten terrific tips for thriving as a scientist.

Karen Adelman and Lucy Williams, NIH NIEHS

IRP Resources Pop Quiz: What Can We Do for Your Science?

As an “I Am Intramural” Blog reader, you likely know that the IRP is comprised of more than 6,000 scientists conducting basic, translational, and clinical research in more than 50 buildings on six different IRP campuses around the U.S.But, do you know the answers to the questions in the following IRP Pop Quiz?

Researchers at the NIH IRP have access to:

a) Laboratory equipment sales, rental, repairs, and maintenance
b) Plants and marine organisms for research
c) High-throughput DNA sequencing
d) A and C
e) All of the above

Learn the answer...

Great IRP Events: How Do You Make Medical Decisions?

The Intramural Research Programs within 24 NIH Institutes and Centers offer a rich calendar of events highlighting research by people who are often leaders in their fields. One of this year’s great lectures is available to watch in the video linked below—its content very compelling, considering the social science research that many of our IRP scientists conduct.

Jerome Groopman and Pamela Hartzband at NIH

Enlisting mHealth in the Fight Against River Blindness

Reblogged from the NIH Director's Blog. Originally posted by Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director, on June 4, 2015.

When it comes to devising new ways to provide state-of-the art medical care to people living in remote areas of the world, smartphones truly are helping scientists get smarter. For example, an NIH-supported team working in Central Africa recently turned an iPhone into a low-cost video microscope capable of quickly testing to see if people infected with a parasitic worm called Loa loa can safely receive a drug intended to protect them from a different, potentially blinding parasitic disease.

Read more...

Postbac Poster Day Triumphs

If 580 posters displaying scientific data from research across the intramural programs at 24 NIH Institutes and Centers sounds like a lot to take in, have a look at the size of the crowds coming to see them. Walking into the Natcher Conference Center on Postbac Poster Day is like walking into a maze abuzz with urgency. Bulletin board after bulletin board of postbac research posters summarize months of work, each one surrounded by fellow scientists, NIH staff, and visitors staff who are interested in the research and asking questions.

This page was last updated on Thursday, January 20, 2022