July–August 2023 | NIH Intramural Research Program

Hail to the Helix

National DNA Day Celebrates Genomics Coming of Age

Like the elegant double helix itself, DNA Day 2023 at NIH wove together intersecting threads. “Threads of discovery from basic science and threads of necessity that spring from human disease,” said Lawrence Brody, Director of the Division of Genomics and Society at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), to kick off the 20th Anniversary Symposium at Lipsett Auditorium. National DNA Day was designated by Congress and is recognized annually on April 25 to commemorate the successful completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP) in 2003 and the discovery of DNA's double helix in 1953.

From the Deputy Director for Intramural Research

^{E PLURIBUS UNUM, BUT ONLY IF WE MAKE IT SO}

Did you ever notice how good Mother Nature is at taking a motif from one setting and repurposing it in another? In an analogous fashion, our intellectually, socially, and demographically diverse NIH workforce can only achieve its maximal potential through dialogue across fields, technologies, model systems, and approaches.

Conference Probes Essence of Aging, Frailty, and Disease

Geroscience Summit Turns Four

The fourth geroscience summit theme was “Geroscience for the Next Generation,” a nod to younger investigators taking more interest in aging research. Divided nearly evenly over nine sessions and three seven-hour days — all archived at videocast.nih.gov — the summit brought together dozens of scientific presenters from diverse backgrounds, including several from the NIH intramural research program.

NIDCR Celebrates 75 Years of “Scientific Strides”

During the Second World War, rampant tooth decay disqualified nearly 20 percent of military recruits from service. To address this issue, President Truman signed legislation on June 24, 1948, to create what would eventually become the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Today, NIDCR is celebrating its 75th anniversary by highlighting past accomplishments and presenting a vision for the future.

With an Eye to the Future

Kapil Bharti is NEI’s New Scientific Director

Kapil Bharti was named Scientific Director of the National Eye Institute (NEI) in May 2023. Bharti will support the NEI mission to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research.

Measuring Metabolism at the Speed of Light

Irene Georgakoudi’s WALS Lecture on Label-Free, High-Resolution Imaging

Bioengineers build tools, always pushing the envelope on what is possible. They make technology better, faster, or easier to use. A new, advanced imaging technique can—quite literally—shine light on the potential to detect cancer earlier, assess disease progression, and inform better treatments.

Bioengineering to Advance by Collaboration and Inclusion

Manu Platt and the Trans-NIH BETA Center

“I aim to be the science connector,” said Manu Platt of his role as director of the newly created trans-NIH Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA) Center. Established by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) in January, the BETA Center will serve as a hub for expert teams of technology developers at the NIH intramural program and beyond to work together to rapidly address pressing health needs.

Nurturing Diversity in STEM

Lessons Learned from Studying the Microbiota

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) are the pillars of innovation and discovery. The fruits of these fields impact us all, from the medicine that cures our ailments, to the technology we use daily. To combat biases in these innovations, is vital that the individuals designing protocols, performing studies, and developing novel technologies reflect the diverse populations that their products and discoveries will affect. This is particularly important here at the NIH.

From the Annals of NIH History

Inaugural Victoria A. Harden Lecture

The Art of Telling NIH History, Story by Story

Life may be like a box of chocolates. But the story of NIH history? That's more like a marble cake, according to Victoria Harden, founding Director of the Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum (ONHM).

News You Can Use

Three Years Trending: Curating COVID-19 Article Lists

Three years ago, I started sending lists of research articles about COVID-19 that were trending on social media to the NIH COVID19RESEARCH listserv. In this article, I reflect on how that started, how it has gone, and where it might be going.

COVID–19 Timeline at NIH (May–June 2023)

COVID–19 Research and Activities at NIH

Highlights of the COVID–19-related activities that were going on at NIH in May and June 2023.

Clinical Accolades

A Record Number of NIH Clinicians Elected to AAP, ASCI

In April, eight NIHers were elected to the Association of American Physicians (AAP), which constitutes nearly 15% of all AAP inductees worldwide this year—simply extraordinary.

A Ground-moving Groundbreaking

A remarkable groundbreaking event for the Clinical Center’s planned Surgery, Radiology, and Laboratory Medicine (SRLM) Wing, scheduled for completion in 2028.

Research Briefs

Read about scientific advances and discoveries by NIH intramural scientists: biglycan protein found to be essential to bone repair; association between cannabis use and schizophrenia; genetic risk factors that contribute to dementia risk; new human pangenome captures genetic diversity; music-based intervention toolkit guides future studies; how omega-3 fatty acids get delivered to the brain.

From the Fellows Committee

Building Professional Development Core Competencies While at NIH

NIH trainees have access to a plethora of professional development programming through the NIH Office of Training and Education (OITE). While it may be a daunting task to sift through the offerings—which include workshops, videocasts, training modules, articles, and resource pages—OITE staff do not recommend that you try to attend or consume everything. Rather, first determine which offerings will benefit you most and help build your core competencies.

NEWS FROM AND ABOUT THE SCIENTIFIC INTEREST GROUPS

NEW SIG: Cannabinoid Science and Medicine Interest Group

Colleagues: Recently Tenured

Meet your recently tenured colleagues: Astrid Haase (NIDDK) and Bin Zhu (NCI).

What We’re Reading

Articles That Capture the NIH’s Role in History or Society

Photographic Moment

Cajal Drawings on Display at NIH

At the turn of the 20th century, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, a Spanish physician and scientist, was the first to describe the structure of the nervous system with exquisite precision.

Announcements

News about lectures, symposia, and more.

Announcements: Kudos

FOUR NIHERS ARE SAMMIES FINALISTS; NIDCR SCIENTISTS RECOGNIZED BY INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR DENTAL RESEARCH

NIH is proud to have four finalists for the Partnership for Public Service 2023 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals, better known as the “Sammies.” Plus, three NIDCR researchers received Distinguished Scientist Awards from the International Association for Dental Research

This page was last updated on Wednesday, September 13, 2023