Research advances from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Intramural Research Program (IRP) often make headlines. Read the news releases that describe our most recent findings:
An experimental aerosolized (inhalable) vaccine fully protected nonhuman primates against Ebola virus disease, according to new findings published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Aerosolized vaccines are delivered using a nebulizer, a device that transforms liquid into a mist that can be inhaled into the lungs. This type of noninvasive, needle-free vaccine may offer certain advantages for populations in remote areas. The study, conducted in part by scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is the first published test of aerosol delivery for an Ebola virus vaccine.
Findings may help improve understanding schizophrenia, depression and epilepsy
Stimulating a type of brain cell receptor launches a series of events that ultimately lead to the receptor’s deactivation in a subset of cells important for coordinating the activity of brain networks, report a team of scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
NIH research points to microglia as potential therapeutic target in retinitis pigmentosa
Spider-like cells inside the brain, spinal cord and eye hunt for invaders, capturing and then devouring them. These cells, called microglia, often play a beneficial role by helping to clear trash and protect the central nervous system against infection. But a new study by researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) shows that they also accelerate damage wrought by blinding eye disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.
Scientists have identified a group of genetic mutations in patients with aplastic anemia, which likely will help doctors optimize treatment for this rare and deadly blood condition. The study, appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, could lead to tailor-made treatment plans for aplastic anemia patients as part of the emerging precision medicine movement. It is the largest study of its kind to examine gene mutations in aplastic anemia, the scientists note.
The unprecedented Ebola epidemic in West Africa, which has claimed more than 11,000 lives, prompted many NIH physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and lab technicians to assist with the crisis both at home and abroad. Among them were NIAMS staffers Paul H. Plotz, MD; Cheryl Talar-Williams, MPH, PA-C; Alice Fike, NP; April Brundidge, BSN, RN; and Lorena Wilson, NP. Some, like Fike and Wilson, spent countless hours caring for the Ebola patients admitted to the NIH Clinical Center’s Special Clinical Studies Unit (SCSU) in Bethesda, Md. "Volunteering at the SCSU helped me gain an appreciation for those taking care of patients overseas, especially those working in high-risk areas with minimal resources and assistance," reflected Wilson.
A clinical trial investigating a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) was announced by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The study will assess the safety and efficacy of gabapentin enacarbil (HORIZANT) in extended-release tablets for treating moderate to severe AUD. NIAAA is part of the National Institutes of Health.
An HIV vaccine research team led by scientists from the National Institutes of Health has engineered a protein to maintain the particular shape predicted to be most effective at stimulating the immune system to produce powerful antibodies against the virus. The work was led by John R. Mascola, M.D., and Peter D. Kwong, Ph.D., of the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH.
NIH team and colleagues believe microdevice may improve upon existing placenta models
National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers and their colleagues have developed a “placenta-on-a-chip” to study the inner workings of the human placenta and its role in pregnancy. The device was designed to imitate, on a micro-level, the structure and function of the placenta and model the transfer of nutrients from mother to fetus. This prototype is one of the latest in a series of organ-on-a-chip technologies developed to accelerate biomedical advances.
Trial to examine long-term health effects of Ebola virus disease
The Liberia-U.S. clinical research partnership known as PREVAIL has launched a study of people in Liberia who have survived Ebola virus disease (EVD) within the past two years. The study investigators hope to better understand the long-term health consequences of EVD, determine if survivors develop immunity that will protect them from future Ebola infection, and assess whether previously EVD-infected individuals can transmit infection to close contacts and sexual partners. The study, sponsored by the Ministry of Health of Liberia and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, will take place at various sites in Liberia and is expected to enroll approximately 7,500 people, including 1,500 people of any age who survived EVD and 6,000 of their close contacts.
Clinicians are challenged every day to make difficult decisions regarding patients’ suicide risk. Using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health system electronic medical record data, Veterans Affairs (VA) and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) scientists were able to identify very small groups of individuals within the VHA’s patient population with very high, predicted suicide risk — most of whom had not been identified for suicide risk by clinicians. Such methods can help the VHA to target suicide prevention efforts for patients at high risk, and may have more wide-ranging benefits.
