The SIG Beat: New SIGs

NEWS FROM AND ABOUT THE SCIENTIFIC INTEREST GROUPS

NEW: BIOMEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION DEVELOPMENT

Across the NIH intramural community, researchers and engineers develop novel hardware and software solutions that enable cutting-edge laboratory and clinical biomedical research. These researchers and engineers contribute to a wide variety of fields using research tools such as magnetic resonance imaging, positron-emission tomography, optical imaging, behavioral assays, animal studies, and clinical trials. Despite the diversity of applications, common threads exist in the technologies and methods used to develop novel systems, such as electronics, embedded and desktop programming, mechanical design and fabrication, optical design and assembly, automation, and algorithms.

The Biomedical Instrumentation Development SIG provides a forum for NIH’s intramural research program engineers and scientists who are developing custom biomedical instrumentation and related software solutions. Through meetings and a mailing list, the SIG facilitates collaborations and provides a mechanism for members to share expertise to solve emerging challenges in laboratory- and clinical-research applications. Meetings provide a venue for researchers to share their work and seek assistance in resolving problems as well as provide tutorials on methods, equipment, and best practices. For more information on the SIG, notices of meetings, and to join the LISTSERV, go to https://oir.nih.gov/sigs/biomedical-instrumentation-development-scientific-interest-group or contact John Kakareka (kakareka@nih.gov) or Randy Pursley (pursley@nih.gov).

NEW: SEX AND GENDER IN HEALTH AND DISEASE

The purpose of SGHD group is to explore the influences of sex (as a biological variable) and gender (as a social construct) on health and disease across the lifespan; to promote the dissemination of research and foster potential interdisciplinary collaborations among NIH scientists who work on, or are interested in, aspects of sex-based research across the research continuum or in sex-differences research relevant to health and disease; and to serve as a platform for cross-disciplinary connections to inform biomedical and social and behavioral research efforts. The SGHD SIG also aims to catalyze new collaborations by leveraging the scientific expertise and acumen at NIH and neighboring research institutions. The SIG co-chairs are Inna Belfer (inna.belfer@nih.gov) and Katrina Serrano (katrina.serrano@nih.gov), both in the Office of Research on Women’s Health. For more information about meetings and resources and how to join the SGHD LISTSERV, visit https://oir.nih.gov/sigs/sex-gender-health-disease or contact the co-chairs.

SCIENTIFIC INTEREST GROUPS

NIH Scientific Interest Groups (SIGs) are assemblies of scientists with common research interests. These groups engage with their members via a LISTSERV; sponsor symposia, poster sessions, and lectures; offer mentoring and career guidance for junior scientists; help researchers share the latest techniques and information; act as informal advisors to the Deputy Director for Intramural Research; provide advice for the annual NIH Research Festival; and serve as hosts for the Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series. Most of these groups welcome interested non-NIH scientists.

SIGs form and evolve regularly as new scientific trends arise. Information about group activities or new groups is published in The NIH Catalyst and on the DDIR Web Board (NIH-only). Central coordination for the groups is provided by the Office of Intramural Research. The NIH also hosts scientific LISTSERVs and intramural organizations. For a list of the SIGS and other information, go to https://oir.nih.gov/sigs.