Chain Reaction

NIH Researchers Find Dynamic Ties among Epithelial Cells

BY SHARON REYNOLDS, NIDCD

A new finding from researchers at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders (NIDCD) has uncovered a never-before-seen method of intracellular physical communication among epithelial cells in the inner ear. The finding offers scientists a potential new pathway for developing ways to treat hearing loss and diseases in many different organ systems.

Diversity Course

Crucial Lessons for Scientists

BY IRENE AVILA, NIA

Participants stood silently in a circle, stepping forward in response to prompts that ranged from lighthearted statements about musical tastes—”I like rock and roll music”—to more serious ones—”I have more than five friends of a different racial or ethnic background,” “I or someone I care about is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered,” or “My parents paid for my college tuition.”

Wei Yang: Deciphering the Three Rs of DNA

BY JENNIFER SARGENT, NIAMS

Fifteen years ago, the scientific world was skeptical when structural biologist Wei Yang reported she had identified unexpected enzymatic activity in one of the proteins that played an essential role in maintaining genome stability. Other scientists attributed her findings to contamination during protein purification procedures.

Celebrating the Global Community of Scientists at the NIH

BY MICHAEL GOTTESMAN, DDIR

The United States has benefited from a huge influx of highly educated and talented biomedical researchers from other countries. Their desire for an outstanding research experience is matched by our open and inclusive attitude towards our international colleagues in providing opportunities (including salary and research support) to pursue important research. The NIH intramural research program is perceived as being one of the top research facilities in the world.

Sunrise

darkened trees against purplish sky

Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) visited NIH on June 17, 2013, and met with Clinical Center Director John Gallin (left) and NIH Director Francis Collins (right) and others to tour the Clinical Center (model shown) and to learn about recent advances in NIH science.

BY ROLAND A. OWENS, OIR

Great mentoring produces great scientists, great science, and more great mentoring. Nowhere is this adage more evident than at the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), where four successful mentors were recognized at its annual Poster Day and Mentoring Awards Ceremony, held on May 8, 2013, in Baltimore. And three of the awardees represent a line of four generations of mentors.

An Interview with Hynda Kleinman

The Matrigel-Maker’s Story

BY LAURA STEPHENSON CARTER

Hynda Kleinman, who worked at NIH from 1975 to 2006, revolutionized cell-culture research when she co-invented Matrigel at NIH in the 1980s. Until then, scientists mainly grew cells in a flat layer in plastic culture dishes, but Matrigel made it possible to grow cells in a three-dimensional matrix that closely resembles the natural environments in which most mammalian cells grow. In a recent interview with the NIH Catalyst, Kleinman shared some of the secrets of her success, including how she came to be listed in the credits of a classic movie.

Tee L. Guidotti, a former clinical associate in the National Institute of Metabolism and Digestive Diseases (1977 to 1979) who is considered a thought leader in the field of occupational and environmental medicine, was recently awarded the William S. Knudsen Award for Lifetime Career Achievement in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Meet your recently tenured colleagues: Michael Grigg (NIAID) and Sushil Rane (NIDDK)

Blogging About Your Science

BY KATHERINE BRICCENO, NINDS

Do you blog and tweet for work? NIH Director Francis Collins does both: On his NIH Director’s Blog, he highlights new discoveries in, and fascinating facts about, biology and medicine; you can also follow him on Twitter as he tweets about biomedical research and health. Several institutes and centers (ICs) are also using social media as a part of their overall communication strategy. Have you considered blogging about your research? Here are a few things you need to know.

NIH announced recently that it plans to substantially reduce the use of chimpanzees in NIH-funded biomedical research and to designate for retirement most of the chimpanzees it currently owns or supports. In addition, NIH researchers report on such discoveries as how HIV kills immune cells; the link between allergic and autoimmune diseases; how anti-smoking medication may help treat alcohol dependence; and more.

NIH's early HIV Test Kit on Display in NYC until September 15

FROM THE OFFICE OF INTRAMURAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The NIH Academy

BY CASEY LYONS, FDA

For the past eight months, I have been one of more than 100 postbacs who attend the NIH Academy’s weekly meetings to wrestle with the hottest topic in public health: health disparities. The term “health disparities” refers to inequalities in vulnerable populations in rates of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality.