This holiday season, resolve to discover your family health history
Family gatherings around the holidays are the perfect time to learn about your family's health history. A few thoughtful questions can reveal a pathway to preventing future disease and improving your health. Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A., the U.S. Surgeon General, has upheld this proud tradition, and encourages Americans to talk about their family health histories and eventually record their inherited health conditions. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 18, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NIH unveils FY2016-2020 Strategic Plan
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today released the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan, Fiscal Years 2016-2020: Turning Discovery Into Health, which will ensure the agency remains well-positioned to capitalize on new opportunities for scientific exploration and address new challenges for human health. Developed after hearing from hundreds of stakeholders and scientific advisers, and in collaboration with leadership and staff of NIH's Institutes, Centers and Offices (ICO), the plan is designed to complement ICOs' individual strategic plans, which are aligned with their congressionally mandated missions. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 16, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
A Quarter Century after the Human Genome Project's Launch:
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Human Genome Project (HGP), the NHGRI History of Genomics Program began the first in a series of seminars - A Quarter Century after the Human Genome Project's Launch: Lessons Beyond the Base Pairs on December 3rd. The program featured some of the first Human Genome Project participants, who shared their unique perspectives about the HGP and how the experience affected their careers. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 11, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Researchers identify gene variant involved in new inflammatory disorder
NHGRI researchers have identified a new childhood-onset disorder they've named Haploinsufficiency of A20 (HA20) that presents with general inflammation, including fevers, mouth and genital ulcers, and arthritis. The disease results from a variant of a gene (NF-kB regulatory protein TNFAIP3 (A20)) that regulates how the immune system responds to inflammation, infection and trauma. Published Dec. 7 in the advance online Nature Genetics. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 9, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Gene-editing technology harnessed to protect plants from viruses
Scientists are using an exciting gene editing tool called CRISPR/Cas9 to protect plants from harmful DNA viruses. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has previously been adapted for use in many organisms, and this latest iteration develops gene-editing for use in plants. The November Genome Advance of the Month describes how these scientists inserted the code for an ancient bacterial immune system into a plant's genome to successfully strengthen the plant's protection against viruses. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 4, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NHGRI Develops Path Forward to Address Health Disparities
This month's The Genomics Landscape, highlights NHGRI's efforts in developing a path toward addressing health disparities. Some other important topics include input about the future of NHGRI's Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) program, for which we recently issued a Request for Information (RFI). Comments for this are due by December 7. Other items include information on new staff, retiring staff and a career achievement award. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 2, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Cristina Kapustij joins NHGRI as policy chief
Cristina Kapustij, M.S., has been named chief of the Policy and Program Analysis Branch (PPAB) at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). She will oversee policy activities and evaluation as well as program reporting and assessment to support institute priorities. PPAB is a part of the Division of Policy, Communications and Education at NHGRI. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 1, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Dr. Bob Blakesley, director of the NISC sequencing group, rides
Robert Blakesley, Ph.D., director of the sequencing group at the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center (NISC) in Rockville, Maryland, will retire on December 31st after a long, distinguished and singularly productive career in DNA sequencing. Known for his meticulous attention to detail, technical expertise and calm nature, Dr. Blakesley credits most of his success to his NISC team, a "fine group of individuals who work very hard." (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 1, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Dr. Jeffery Schloss honored with HHS Career Achievement Award
Jeffery Schloss, Ph.D., director of the Division of Genome Sciences at the National Human Genome Research Institute, was honored with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Career Achievement Award for his work in genome sequencing technology. HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell presented the award to Dr. Schloss during the 2014 HHS Departmental Awards Ceremony held in Washington, D.C. on November 17. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - December 1, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
T-cell transcription factor may offer new pathway for vaccine research
The gold standard for a successful vaccine is the creation of long-lasting antibodies that will defend the body against disease for years. Now, a team headed by scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has found a promising new area for vaccine developers to explore in search of that gold.
The new discovery involves a protein called a transcription factor - a molecular switch that turns a gene or a cascade of genes on or off. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - November 24, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Charting a course for genomic sequencing in patient care
In the nearly four years since its launch, the Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) program has made significant strides in defining the role of genomics in medicine. CSER is nearing the end of its first round of research awards. To help identify the direction of a potential follow-up program, CSER investigators and colleagues recently met in Bethesda, Maryland, for a one-day conference, Integrating Genomic Sequencing into Clinical Care: CSER and Beyond. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - November 24, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
New study finds genomic risk factors for juvenile arthritis
Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is a potentially life-threatening childhood disease, characterized by persistent joint swelling, pain and stiffness. Now, NHGRI Scientific Director Daniel Kastner, M.D., Ph.D., and his fellow investigators and colleagues have identified genomic variants that confer at least a two-fold increased risk of sJIA, suggesting a role for certain immune system genes in disease development. The results appeared in the Nov. 23, Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - November 23, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Join NHGRI in celebrating Family Health History Day!
Since 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General has recognized Thanksgiving as National Family Health History Day. This year, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), along with Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A., encourages families to personalize their healthcare by sharing their family health history, and tracking illnesses from one generation to the next. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - November 16, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
This Thanksgiving, join NHGRI in celebrating Family Health History Day!
Since 2004, the U.S. Surgeon General has recognized Thanksgiving as National Family Health History Day. This year, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), along with Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A., encourages families to personalize their healthcare by sharing their family health history, and tracking illnesses from one generation to the next. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - November 16, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
The Newborn Sequencing in Genomic Medicine and Public Health (NSIGHT) Program Webinar
On Wednesday, Nov. 18, four teams from the Newborn Sequencing in Genomic Medicine and Public Health (NSIGHT) program will present research updates via a live, public webinar from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern. NSIGHT explores the use of genome sequencing information during the newborn period. For more information: (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - November 13, 2015 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
