Spotlight
Letter from Dr. Stephen I. Katz: NIAMS 2013 A Year of Health Planners
Dear Colleagues:
With almost every household in America affected in some way by conditions of the bones, joints, muscles and skin, the NIAMS is committed to continuing its efforts to make health information more accessible to people from multicultural communities, so they can benefit from the gains made in scientific research. As part of our efforts to reach underserved populations, the NIAMS is offering a new health information resource in 2013, created as part of the NIAMS National Multicultural Outreach Initiative.
Image: Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.
News
NIH Scientists Uncover How Immune Cells Sense Who They Are
Scientists at the NIAMS, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have demonstrated that DNA previously thought to be “junk” plays a critical role in immune system response. The team’s findings were published in Cell and may lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of immune-related disorders.
NIAMS Website Updated With Additional Information About Its Center Grants: Research Core Centers (P30); Centers of Research Translation (P50); and Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Centers (P60)
The NIAMS website now provides information about NIAMS-funded research at various institutions receiving P30, P50 and P60 grants. Each entry lists basic information such as institution, principal investigator and project dates, then links directly to the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT) for additional details about the projects and subprojects involved in each grant.
The deadline to provide comments on the evaluation of NIAMS Centers Programs has been extended to February 15, 2013. Read more information.
NIH Proposes Critical Initiatives To Sustain Future of U.S. Biomedical Research: Actions Would Aim To Strengthen the Biomedical Research Workforce and Manage Deluge of Data
The NIH is seeking to launch multiple initiatives designed to help strengthen the biomedical research enterprise and sustain the global competitiveness of the U.S. scientific community well into the future. Faced with significant challenges affecting the biomedical research workforce and the storage and use of large biomedical datasets, the NIH Director charged the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) to develop recommendations. The ACD used three specialized committee working groups, each of which included additional outside experts on the relevant topics.
Please note the current press releases related to this announcement:
- NIH To Recruit Associate Director for Data Science
- NIH To Recruit Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity
Forbes 30 Under 30 Highlights NIH Stars
Mitchell Guttman, Gregory Sonnenberg, Adam de la Zerda and Daniela Witten are recent recipients of the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award—a “skip the postdoc” grant that allows young minds to unleash their creativity, talent, independence and drive.
Coordinated Care Can Address Disabled Adults’ High Rates of Emergency Department Use
Working-age adults with disabilities account for a disproportionately high amount of annual emergency department visitors, reports a comparison study from NIH researchers. As emergency department care may not be the best to address non-urgent concerns and is higher in cost, finding a way to decrease these visits is of interest to many stakeholders.
NIH Plans To Relocate Its Chimpanzees From New Iberia to the Federal Sanctuary System
The NIH—after extensive collaboration with the Chimp Haven federal sanctuary, New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) and other organizations—has developed a plan to formally retire directly to the Federal Sanctuary System all of its chimpanzees at New Iberia that were recently designated as permanently ineligible for biomedical research. The NIH animals housed at the NIRC in New Iberia, Louisiana, will be transferred to the Chimp Haven sanctuary in Keithville, Louisiana, over the next 12 to 15 months.
Other Federal News
Patient Decision Aids Can Reduce Uncertainty in Decisions About Whether To Undergo Total Knee Replacement
Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a serious medical procedure that results in substantial pain relief and functional improvement for the patient. Despite its benefits, TKA is not without risks and, since it is an elective procedure, patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis must carefully weigh potential benefits and risks. A new study found that certain patient decision aids can reduce the level of uncertainty or “decisional conflict.”
Researchers tested three types of patient decision aids in a group of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who were considering TKA. They examined scores on a decisional conflict scale ranging from 0 (no conflict) to 100 (most conflict). They found a 21-point reduction in decisional conflict in the group receiving a video booklet compared with two other groups receiving the video booklet plus the adaptive conjoint analysis tool (14-point reduction) or an educational booklet on OA management (10-point reduction).
NEW PUBLICATIONS
NIH Research Matters
NIH Research Matters is a review of NIH research from the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, Office of the Director, NIH.
NIH News in Health
Read practical health information in NIH News in Health, which is reviewed by the NIH’s medical experts and is based on research conducted either by the NIH’s own scientists or by its grantees at universities and medical schools around the country.
MEETINGS
Save the Date: NIAMS Advisory Council Meeting
The next NIAMS Advisory Council Meeting will be held February 5, 2013, in Building 31, 6th floor, C Wing, Conference Room 6, NIH Campus. See the agenda.
NIH Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series
The NIH’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series offers weekly lectures every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Masur Auditorium, Building 10, NIH Campus. Renowned scientists from around the globe present research on a variety of topics. The lectures are continuing medical education certified, open to the public and available live via webcast.
Upcoming lecture:
January 30, 2013
Eva Nogales, University of California at Berkeley
“Molecular Visualization of the Process of Gene Transcription Initiation in Eukaryotes: A cryoEM Perspective”
NIAMS Exhibit Schedule
The NIAMS exhibit is traveling to several events. See the schedule of health fairs and exhibits.
Image: The NIAMS Exhibit
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS
NIH Common Fund Initiative Announcements
Collaborative Activities To Promote Metabolomics Research (Admin Supp)
(PA-13-041)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: Not Applicable
Application Receipt Date: March 15, 2013
FY13 Solicitation of Applications to the Bridging Interventional Development Gaps (BrIDGs) Program
(NOT-RM-13-003)
Notice of Intent To Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for NIH Director’s Workforce Innovation Award (DP7)
(NOT-RM-13-005)
Other Funding Announcements
NIH Revision Applications for Research Relevant to the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (P30)
(RFA-OD-12-007)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date: February 26, 2013
Application Receipt Date: March 26, 2013
Notice of Assistance Available to Institutions Impacted by Super Storm Sandy
(NOT-OD-13-013)
Cancellation of RFA-OD-12-002: Research Resource for Human Organs and Tissues (U42)
(NOT-OD-13-015)
NIH Operates Under a Continuing Resolution—UPDATE
(NOT-OD-13-018)