NEWS
Celebration of Life of Dr. Stephen I. Katz To Take Place May 3
A special event commemorating the career of former NIAMS Director Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D., will be held on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Friday, May 3. The event will remember Dr. Katz for his achievements as an exemplary biomedical researcher, steadfast leader and dedicated public servant. For those unable to attend in person, the program will be available for viewing worldwide via videocast, and you do not need to register in order to view the videocast.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Funding Plan
The NIAMS is operating under the FY 2019 Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act. The interim funding plan for research and training grants represents the most current information as of February 13, 2019.
NIAMS Is Recruiting for Extramural Research Division Director
The NIAMS is seeking candidates for the position of Director, Division of Extramural Research. Among other responsibilities, the incumbent will lead the scientific management of the largest federal investment on arthritis, musculoskeletal and skin diseases research conducted in academic institutions across the country. Applications must be received by May 30, 2019.
3D-printed Bioreactor Builds Bone
A team of researchers led by Antonios G. Mikos, Ph.D., of Rice University set out to use 3D printing to create bioreactors that could form bone tissue into precise shapes to heal jaw defects. Their study appeared on March 18, 2019, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research was supported in part by the NIH’s National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and the NIAMS.
Blocking a Pathway to Heart Failure
Previous studies have associated the activin type II receptor (ActRII) pathway with muscle wasting and other aging-related conditions. A team led by Jason Roh, M.D., and Anthony Rosenzweig, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital set out to more closely investigate this pathway in heart failure. The study, which was supported by multiple NIH components, including the NIAMS, appeared in Science Translational Medicine on March 6, 2019.
Scientists Explore New Roles for RNA
Thanks to a program supported by the NIH, researchers have now defined how ribonucleic acid (RNA) also participates in transmitting information outside cells, known as extracellular RNA or exRNA. This new role of RNA in cell-to-cell communication has led to new discoveries of potential disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
FDA Approves New Treatment for Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women at High Risk of Fracture
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Evenity (romosozumab-aqqg) to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk of breaking a bone (fracture). These are women with a history of osteoporotic fracture or multiple risk factors for fracture, or those who have failed or are intolerant to other osteoporosis therapies.
New Report on Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention Published
An independent panel developed a draft report following the 2018 NIH Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Appropriate Use of Drug Therapies for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention. The report, issued in late April, summarizes the workshop discussions and identifies future research priorities.
RESOURCE
Spotlight on Scientific Imagery: Lab-Grown Muscle
This is a microscopic view of lab-grown human muscle bundles stained to show patterns made by basic muscle units and their associated proteins (red), which are a hallmark of human muscle. These lab-grown human muscle tissues will allow researchers to test new drugs and study diseases in muscle tissues outside of the human body.
Photo credit: Nenad Bursac, Ph.D., Duke University
EVENTS
February NIAMS Advisory Council Meeting Available on Videocast
A video recording of the February 5 NIAMS Advisory Council Meeting is available. The next NIAMS Advisory Council Meeting will be held June 5, 2019.
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 Lectures:
May 29, 2019
Brigitte Kieffer, Ph.D., Professor, Douglas Hospital Research Center
“Opiates on the Brain”
June 5, 2019
Jodi Nunnari, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, University of California, Davis
“Mitochondrial Behavior”
NIH Science Lectures and Events Available via Internet
The NIH hosts a number of science seminars and events that are available online through real-time streaming video (videocast). The NIH calendar notes these videocast events with a video icon .