NIH NCATS E-Newsletter: October 2019
October 31, 2019
Director’s Message
NIH recently awarded $945 million through the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM Initiative, or NIH HEAL InitiativeSM, to support 375 projects across the country in developing and applying evidence-based solutions to reverse the national opioid crisis. NCATS Director Christopher P. Austin, M.D., describes the NIH HEAL Initiative and highlights NCATS-supported projects now underway.
Top Stories
Four Years and $89 Million to Further Genome Editing Research
Advances in genome editing hold game-changing potential in offering new treatments or cures for diseases. NIH has awarded $89 million to fund four years of research projects across the country through the Somatic Cell Genome Editing (SCGE) Program. Learn about the strong promise this field holds and challenges that remain.
NIH Funding Bolsters Rare Diseases Research Collaborations
Collaboration is key! NIH awarded approximately $38 million in grants to 20 teams and a data management center to study a wide range of rare diseases. The teams, which are part of the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), include scientists, clinicians, patients, families and advocates who will collaborate to develop improved approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Learn more about the RDCRN consortia and their research.
Ketogenic Diet Leads to Cognitive Improvement in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease
CTSA Program-supported researchers tested the hypothesis that ketones could provide an alternate source of energy for the brain in people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study found improved brain function in people with mild AD after a three-month ketogenic diet. Ketones are being explored because the brain’s ability to use glucose, its primary source of energy, declines in individuals with AD. Read more about the study.
What’s the Role of Artificial/Machine Intelligence in the Future of Medicine?
Machine Intelligence (MI) is rapidly becoming an important data-science tool that could allow health care providers and patients to make more informed care decisions and achieve better medical outcomes. To provide experts and the community the opportunity to share their perspectives on incorporating MI into health care, NCATS sponsored an MI Workshop in July 2019. Read highlights from the workshop.
Announcements:
9/5: Register for the Repurposing Off-Patent Drugs: Research & Regulatory Challenges Workshop
9/19: Don’t miss NCATS Day 2019: Conversations on Responsible Data Sharing
Research Opportunities and Announcements
NCATS in the News
Collaborate with NCATS Scientists
Meet More NCATS Staff
Eric Sid, M.D., M.H.A., is a program officer in the NCATS Office of Rare Diseases Research. Kanny Wan, Ph.D., is a medicinal chemistry research scientist in the Early Translation Branch within NCATS’ Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation.
Learn more about these and other staff members >