January–February 2025 | NIH Intramural Research Program

What’s Cooking With CRISPR?

Simmering Advances in Genome Editing at NIH

Invented in 2012, CRISPR gene editing has proven curative in an exceptionally brief timeframe with the arrival of the first gene therapy to treat sickle cell disease in 2023. Read about how NIH has been in the midst of the CRISPR revolution and how researchers are expanding the technology to benefit more people.

From the Deputy Director for Intramural Research

Science Will Light Our Way in 2025 and Beyond

Happy New Year, everyone! A new year often brings new ideas, new hope, and resolutions for turning over a new leaf. Newness augers change in so many dimensions, and change marks both opportunity and fear. How do we leverage the former and overcome the latter?

Breakthrough Research

A Showcase of Discoveries from NIH Intramural Labs and Clinics

On December 18, 2024, the scientific directors and clinical directors from each institute and center had three minutes and one slide to present a standout intramural research accomplishment from the past year. We highlight some of our favorites.

Snapshots

AstroKate Inspires Young Scientists During STEM Panel, NCATS Tour

NCATS landed NASA Astronaut Kathleen “Kate” Rubins for an inspiring day of scientific career discussions and a firsthand look at NCATS’ earthbound and space-tested biotechnologies.

NIH–Rwandan Partnership ‘Graduates’ Eighth Fellow

Global Collaboration Grows Expertise in Rwanda, Expands Research for Diabetes, Health Disparities, and More

Since 2016, the NIMHD–NIDDK–Rwandan Health Program has offered a yearlong opportunity for an early-career clinician scientist from Rwanda to train at the NIH, learn from our global community, and return to the country with first-hand experience in clinical research.

Research Briefs

Read about scientific advances and discoveries by NIH intramural scientists: CAR T cells target solid tumors; CRISPR deletion scanning reveals protein function; stress influences social behavior; high-resolution thymic map added to Human Cell Atlas; and how living neurons and artificial intelligence systems filter input in similar ways.

Building Bridges: It’s What Engineers Do

NIBIB-led Conference Leveraged Partnerships Across Engineering, Technology, and Biomedical Research

On October 22, 2024, the NIBIB hosted a daylong conference on the NIH campus, “Building Bridges Across NIH and the Broader Engineering Community,” to tap into the excitement surrounding the fantastic advances happening in the field of biomedical engineering.

Slaying Sickle Cell

Foundational Work at NIH and Today’s Transformative Treatments

For the 100,000 people in the United States and 8 million people worldwide with sickle cell disease (SCD), there are now two big reasons to be optimistic: Two FDA-approved gene therapies for SCD have been added to the armament of potentially curative therapies. We report on how NIH has been at the forefront of SCD research for decades and is advancing today's curative therapies.

News You Can Use

A World of Clinical Regulatory Information at Your Fingertips

NIAID’s ClinRegs website is a free, online database designed to save intramural and other clinical research professionals time by providing a central resource for country-specific clinical research regulatory information.

Colleagues: Recently Tenured

Meet your recently tenured colleagues: Andre Ballesteros-Tato (NIAID), Yarimar Carrasquillo (NCCIH, NIDA), Beatriz León (NIAID), and Chuan Wu (NCI).

NIH Obituaries

Paying Tribute

Each year, the NIH Catalyst pays tribute in the January–February issue to NIH employees past and present who are no longer with us. Our condolences are with their friends, family, and colleagues who knew and loved them.

From the Annals of NIH History

Jacqueline Whang-Peng Visits Clinical Center Display Featuring Her Work

Jacqueline Jia-Kang Whang-Peng returned to the NIH this October to claim her slice of NIH history. Accompanied by family members, former colleagues, NIH scientists, and the curatorial staff of the Office of NIH History and Stetten Museum, Whang-Peng visited a new display in the Clinical Center featuring her work and life.

Photographic Moment

Gary Felsenfeld (1929–2024), scientist emeritus in NIDDK’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology, displayed correspondence he received throughout his 62-year NIH career on his office door.

Announcements

News and updates on policy, resources, happenings around NIH, and more.

Catalytic Events

News about lectures, symposia, and more.

Announcements: Kudos

Congratulations to NIHers honored with Norman P. Salzman Memorial and Meritorious Presidential Rank Awards, the NIH Clinical Center for earning a Magnet with Distinction recognition, and Parinaz Fathi who was selected for the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 North America List.

This page was last updated on Monday, January 6, 2025