Five research projects with exceptional promise to deliver new life-changing and health-altering therapies have received the inaugural Blavatnik Therapeutics Challenge Awards (BTCA) at Harvard Medical School.
Harvard scientists discovered a key control mechanism that cells use to self-organize in early embryonic development. The findings shed light on a process fundamental to multicellular life and open new avenues for improved tissue and organ engineering .
Scientists have created a detailed cellular and molecular map of the healthy human heart to understand how this vital organ functions and to shed light on what goes awry in cardiovascular disease.
Researchers have demonstrated that a new x-ray microscopy technique could help accelerate efforts to map neural circuits and ultimately the brain itself.
• Researchers create a centralized electronic medical records tool to gather, monitor, analyze clinical trends in COVID-19 across multiple countries • Proof-of-concept platform overcomes key hurdles of decentralized EMR systems • Platform underscores the value of clinical record sharing in generating clinical insights, spotting trends to inform rapid response during pandemics
Study identifies genetic link between cholesterol alterations and autism. Lipid abnormalities found in nearly 7 percent of individuals diagnosed with an autism-spectrum disorder. Results can inform the design of precision-targeted therapies for this form of autism. Findings set the stage for studies to determine the clinical value of lipid abnormalities as biomarkers for autism.
• New drug regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis shows early effectiveness in 85 percent of patients in a cohort including many with serious comorbidities. • The results suggest a global need for expanded access to two recently developed medicines, bedaquiline and delamanid. • Study cohort included many people who would have been excluded from trials because of comorbidities, severity of disease or extent of drug resistance. • Findings highlight the importance of innovative regimens to improve outcomes for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
A team of researchers led by neuroscientists at Harvard Medical School has successfully used acupuncture to tame cytokine storm in mice with systemic inflammation.
At a glance: In a study of former NFL players, Black, Hawaiian, and athletes from other racial backgrounds report worse physical, mental health outcomes than white players The widest health gaps emerged between Black and white former NFL players Black former players reported worse health outcomes in all five health categories, compared with their white peers Presence of health disparities among former NLF players reflects the deep and pervasive nature of systemic inequities that persist even among elite athletes
• A study shows female physicians have more equitable income when they work in practices with more doctors who are women. • The analysis shows a 12 percent relative difference in income for practices with equal numbers of female and male physicians, compared with a 20 percent income difference in practices dominated by men. • The findings offer important evidence that workplace diversity can help reduce earnings gaps, other inequities.
PDE5 inhibitors, such as sildenafil, activate protein quality-control systems and improve cells’ ability to dispose of misfolded proteins. Researchers find lowered accumulation of mutant proteins and reduced cell death and anatomical defects in zebrafish models of neurodegeneration after treatment.
Researchers systematically surveyed the entire protein landscape of normal and nutrient-deprived cells to identify which proteins and organelles are degraded by autophagy, to shed light on the question of how cells decide what to recycle when they are starving.
Harvard Medical School has named Robert Gentleman as founding executive director of the newly established Center for Computational Biomedicine. Gentleman, an accomplished statistician and computational scientist with extensive experience in academia and industry, most recently served as vice president of computational biology at the genetic testing company 23andMe.
New findings reframe the traditional view of face blindness as a disorder arising strictly from deficits in visual perception of facial features Findings suggest prosopagnosia may be a more complex disorder rooted in multiple deficits Findings can help inform the design of tools to improve face recognition in those with the condition
Harvard Medical School receives a $5 million gift for Lyme disease research, education
Neuroscientists reveal for the first time how relationships between different odors are encoded in the brain. Findings may explain why individuals have common but highly personalized experiences with smell, and inform efforts to understand how odor chemistry is translated into perception.
• On average, a full-time primary care physician in the U.S. will lose more than $65,000 in revenue in 2020. • Overall, the U.S. primary care sector will lose nearly $15 billion. • Losses stem from drastic reductions in office visits and fees for services during COVID-19 shutdowns from March to May. • Losses threaten practice viability, reducing further an already insufficient number of primary care providers in the United States. • Findings underscore the need for a plan that provides support for independent primary care doctors, small independent practices.
The 2020 Warren Alpert Foundation Prize has been awarded to a trio of researchers for seminal discoveries about the function of key intestinal hormones, their effects on metabolism and the subsequent design of treatments for type 2 diabetes, obesity and short bowel syndrome.
At a glance: • Scientists develop AI-based tool to predict adverse drug events • Such events are responsible for some 2 million U.S. hospitalizations per year • The free, open-source system could enable safer drug design, optimize drug safety
Neuroscientists have discovered neurons that control hibernation-like behavior in mice, revealing for the first time the neural circuits that regulate this state. By better understanding these processes, the authors envision the possibility of one day working toward inducing torpor in humans.
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