Doc/Chef Robert Graham, Co–Founder of FRESH Medicine and Global Meatless Monday Nutrition Ambassador to hold educational session at the Healthy Food Expo New York

With the growing popularity of the plant-based movement, research shows that diners are increasingly requesting plant-based menu options for their personal health and the health of our planet. Doc/Chef Graham’s session will be enlightening. He’ll discuss how restaurants and foodservice venues can demonstrate their concern for the health of their customers.

Speakers announced for 2020 Experimental Biology meeting

Renowned scientists including Nobel laureates, research pioneers and celebrated educators will convene at the Experimental Biology (EB) 2020 meeting, to be held April 4–7 in San Diego. Bringing together more than 12,000 life scientists in one interdisciplinary community, EB showcases the latest advances in anatomy, biochemistry, molecular biology, investigative pathology, pharmacology and physiology.

Study: Diet Makes a Difference in Fight Against Hospital-Acquired Infection

Popular diets low in carbs and high in fat and protein might be good for the waistline, but a new UNLV study shows that just the opposite may help to alleviate the hospital-acquired infection Clostridioides difficile. The results appeared in a study published Feb. 11 in mSystems, an open access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Renamed Mount Sinai Morningside

New name clarifies the key role the hospital plays in the Mount Sinai Health System, honors the community the hospital serves, and reflects the considerable investments that have brought technologically advanced Mount Sinai-level care to the residents of Upper Manhattan, Westchester, New Jersey, and beyond.

New Robot Does Superior Job Sampling Blood

In the future, robots could take blood samples, benefiting patients and healthcare workers alike. A Rutgers-led team has created a blood-sampling robot that performed as well or better than people, according to the first human clinical trial of an automated blood drawing and testing device.

New Tool Monitors Real Time Mutations In Flu

A Rutgers-led team has developed a tool to monitor influenza A virus mutations in real time, which could help virologists learn how to stop viruses from replicating. The gold nanoparticle-based probe measures viral RNA in live influenza A cells, according to a study in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. It is the first time in virology that experts have used imaging tools with gold nanoparticles to monitor mutations in influenza, with unparalleled sensitivity.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss New Coronavirus Enzyme Structure

New Brunswick, N.J. (Feb. 5, 2020) – Stephen K. Burley, director of the RCSB Protein Data Bank headquartered at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, is available for interviews on the 3D structure of a key enzyme in the new coronavirus that has been made publicly available…

High-Tech Printing May Help Eliminate Painful Shots

Painful hypodermic needles may not be needed in the future to give shots, inject drugs and get blood samples. With 4D printing, Rutgers engineers have created tiny needles that mimic parasites that attach to skin and could replace hypodermic needles, according to a study in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss RNA Discovery

New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 29, 2020) – Nearly 30 years after scientists first showed that RNA molecules can act as biological catalysts, researchers at Rutgers have discovered how an important RNA enzyme works in unprecedented detail. The research, led by scientists…

Major Asian Gene Study to Help Doctors Battle Disease

“Under-representation of Asian populations in genetic studies has meant that medical relevance for more than half of the human population is reduced,” one researcher said.

New coalition to help hospitals nationwide become healthier in 2020

There’s a movement underway that’s putting the healthy back into health care by ensuring hospitals provide patients with nutritious plant-based food options. In 2020, a new coalition will help hospitals not just in New York but nationwide provide patients plant-based food options that combat rather than contribute to cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

‘Are Noncommunicable Diseases Communicable?’ Rutgers Experts Available to Discuss Paper in Science Today

New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 16, 2020) – Rutgers professors Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello and Martin J. Blaser are available to discuss a paper in the journal Science today on whether diseases long thought to be noncommunicable – such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer…

Global Team Enables Child With a Fatal Genetic Disease to Recover

A young boy with a rare genetic disease that typically kills within weeks of birth is now 3 years old and in remission thanks to a collaborative effort that included physicians at King Saud University Department of Pediatrics and immunologists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Study: How U.S. sewage plants can remove medicines from wastewater

A study of seven wastewater treatment plants points to two treatment methods — granular activated carbon and ozonation — as being particularly promising for reducing the concentration of pharmaceuticals including certain antidepressants and antibiotics.

Genetic Differences Help Distinguish Type 1 Diabetes in Children from “Type 1.5” Diabetes in Adults

A multi-center team of researchers led by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has discovered a genetic signature that could help distinguish an adult-onset form of diabetes sharing many type 1 diabetes (T1D) characteristics from pediatric-onset T1D, opening the door to potentially more straightforward diagnostic tests for the adult condition and improving responses by ensuring patients receive the most appropriate treatment.

Spinning Inequality

Analysis of more than 6 million clinical and life science papers shows articles with male lead authors are up to 21 percent more likely to use language that frames their research positively
Papers that use positive framing, including words like “promising,” “novel” and “unique,” in headlines and abstracts are more likely to be cited by other authors than papers without positive framing
Differences in the way men and women describe, discuss and convey their research could contribute to persistent gender gaps in pay and career advancement in life sciences and medicine
This is the first large-scale study to quantify gender differences in linguistic framing in biomedical research

UM SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CELEBRATES LONGTIME BOARD OF VISITORS CHAIR MICHAEL E. CRYOR

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean, E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, kicked off a celebration and recognition of longstanding Chair of the UMSOM’s Board of Visitors (BOV), Michael E. Cryor, President of The Cryor Group and recognized strategic counselor and public leader, for his distinguished service to the UMSOM for the past 10 years. At the celebration, Dean Reece announced that current UMSOM Board Member Cynthia L. Egan has been selected as the new Chair of the UMSOM Board.

Genetic Breakthrough Identifies Heart Failure Risk in African and Latino Americans

Findings may inform genetic screening test for patients at risk and medically under-served

A Robot and Software Make it Easier to Create Advanced Materials

A Rutgers-led team of engineers has developed an automated way to produce polymers, making it much easier to create advanced materials aimed at improving human health. The innovation is a critical step in pushing the limits for researchers who want to explore large libraries of polymers, including plastics and fibers, for chemical and biological applications such as drugs and regenerative medicine through tissue engineering.

Intestinal Stem Cell Genes May Link Dietary Fat and Colon Cancer

Two genes that appear to help stem cells in the intestine burn dietary fat may play a role in colon cancer, according to a Rutgers study. The study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, describes a new connection between the way cells consume fat and how genes regulate stem cell behavior in the intestines of mice.

Bone breakthrough may lead to more durable airplane wings

Cornell researchers have made a new discovery about how seemingly minor aspects of the internal structure of bone can be strengthened to withstand repeated wear and tear, a finding that could help treat patients suffering from osteoporosis. It could also lead to the creation of more durable, lightweight materials for the aerospace industry.

FAU Schmidt College of Medicine Launches Genomics and Predictive Health Certificate

The lack of understanding of health providers and patients is a major barrier to the integration of genomics into personalized medicine. This innovative certificate program will provide health professionals and scientists with the requisite skills they need to interpret and incorporate this new knowledge into a patient care model that emphasizes individually tailored prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Mount Sinai Researchers Uncover New Molecular Drivers of Parkinson’s Disease

New Approach Will Lead to a Better Understanding of Most Cases

Mount Sinai Researcher’s Examine the Metabolic Effects of an Oral Blood Cancer Drug

Recent study found that an effective blood cancer treatment was associated with weight gain, obesity, and increased systolic blood pressure

Save the Date: Major Scientific Meeting on Sound Next Month in San Diego

The Acoustical Society of America will hold its 178th meeting, Dec. 2-6, at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. This major scientific conference brings together interdisciplinary groups of researchers spanning many fields, including physics, medicine, music, psychology, architecture and engineering, to discuss their latest research. Reporters are invited to attend the meeting for free and participate in a series of press conferences featuring a selection of newsworthy research.

Mount Sinai Researchers Develop Novel Method to Identify Patterns Among Patients With Multiple Chronic Conditions

A study by researchers at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai proposes a novel method for identifying patterns in the frequency and cost of multiple chronic conditions (MCC).

Scientists Discover New Antibiotic in Tropical Forest

Scientists from Rutgers University and around the world have discovered an antibiotic produced by a soil bacterium from a Mexican tropical forest that may help lead to a “plant probiotic,” more robust plants and other antibiotics. Probiotics, which provide friendlier bacteria and health benefits for humans, can also be beneficial to plants, keeping them healthy and more robust. The new antibiotic, known as phazolicin, prevents harmful bacteria from getting into the root systems of bean plants, according to a Rutgers co-authored study in the journal Nature Communications.

Protein Intake, Physical Function in Older Adults Differs Dramatically by Ethnicity/Race

A cross-sectional study examined differences in protein intake, nutritional status, and physical health (muscle strength and function) among older African Americans, European Americans and Hispanic Americans. The study is the first to evaluate these physical health indicators in association with protein intake among different racial/ethnic groups. A contributing factor to the age-related changes in muscle is insufficient protein intake by older adults. Findings highlight the need for further education and evidence-based interventions to support this vulnerable population.

Getting New Medical Treatments to Patients Can be Harder Than Landing on Mars

It takes about 10 years and $100 million to get a new medical device to market – $1 billion for a new drug. Most new solutions fail. The biggest foils are not the science or pre-clinical trials but the lack of finances, market miscalculation, bad business models, and regulatory snags. They can all be overcome.