Amanda Corbel
Manager, Communications Office
Email amanda.corbel@nih.gov or call 301-228-4489 for all media related questions.
Study offers guidance for targeting HIV’s viral reservoir
New research from the AIDS and Cancer Virus Program employed a novel nonhuman primate model using a barcoded virus that allows detailed tracking and dynamics of the biology of the RCVR.POSTED: 8/12/2024
Frederick made it possible to implement the first blood test for HIV
The expertise of a Frederick team studying cancer-causing viruses led to the development of the first successful blood test for HIV as the team’s large-scale virus production provided the needed basis for the tests. POSTED: 8/5/2024
Demographically diverse images are sought for national cancer resource
Scientists from the National Cancer Institute and the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research are urging medical professionals and researchers to contribute more demographically diverse images to a shared national cancer imaging database, so it better represents the at-large population and does not perpetuate health disparities in analysis of the data. This becomes even more important as artificial intelligence (AI) programs are trained on the database for potential use by doctors in diagnosing patients and by scientists to develop new treatments. Data from The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA) has already been leveraged in more than 3,000 peer-reviewed articles and is frequently used in studies that advance the accuracy and clinical relevance of cancer imaging through the development of AI algorithms designed to improve the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. TCIA hosts a large collection of de-identified medical images of cancer with supporting data on patient outcomes, treatment details, genetic POSTED: 8/5/2024
Black in Cancer Conference draws Black cancer research professionals to first U.S. event
The inaugural U.S. Black in Cancer Conference brought more than 300 oncologists, scientists, students, trainees, advocates, and supporters to the Natcher Conference Center in Bethesda, Md., in June. Expert speakers shared the latest advances in cancer drug discovery and delivery as well as cancer biology. They discussed the future of cancer care for the Black diaspora and presented strategies to boost enrollment of diverse populations into clinical trials. The event also fostered a genuine sense of community among attendees during the meeting’s two days. The event was co-hosted by the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research and the nonprofit organization Black in Cancer. Black in Cancer formed in 2020 to create a network of Black people in the cancer field, and to support a robust pipeline of future Black researchers and celebrate Black researchers’ critical contributions to cancer science and medicine. It began as an online movement, but the conference POSTED: 7/31/2024
'Empanada' is a leap forward in rapid 3-D image processing and annotation
AI program part of new wave in scientific imaging.POSTED: 7/10/2024
Newly identified antibodies block many influenza strains in laboratory tests
Seeking a universal flu vaccine, scientists have identified two antibodies that block a wide range of influenza viruses by targeting a region of the viral structure that was discovered 40 years ago but has yet to be successfully exploited. Flu vaccines typically target hemagglutinin, the most abundant and accessible protein on the surface of the virus. But the head of the hemagglutinin molecule mutates often. That means vaccines that target these regions must be reformulated each year based on a best guess of which influenza strain will emerge as dominant for that season. The new research, a very early step toward a vaccine, focuses on neuraminidase, a less-studied essential protein on the surface of influenza viruses and one that is less prone to mutation. This makes it a potential target for vaccines that might provide universal protection from the flu, but only a handful of neuraminidase antibodies have been POSTED: 7/8/2024
Microscopy mini-course teaches critical but often missing skills
Ru-ching Hsia, Ph.D., heard the same concern from colleagues across the country: There is a dearth of electron microscopy training opportunities in the United States, and it’s limiting biological sciences. Hsia, who heads the Electron Microscopy Laboratory at the Frederick National Laboratory (FNL), realized that FNL could help fill this need and train the next generation of researchers, so she decided to pilot an ultramicrotomy mini-course. Ultramicrotomy is the method for cutting specimens into ultra-thin sections (less than 100 nanometers), for analysis, typically done with a diamond knife. This technique enables the microscopist to capture the specimen’s internal structures at an extremely high resolution. Twelve students participated in the pilot course held earlier this year. They listened to presentations by experts in the field, watched technique demonstration, and engaged in hands-on practice at the ultramicrotomes in the Electron Microscopy Laboratory. The need for training Hsia said preparing electron microscopy specimens POSTED: 7/1/2024
Biotech Connector explores the high-resolution world of electron microscopy
The spring Biotech Connector, a quarterly networking and speaker series, on May 23 gave an overview of the electron microscope and its uses—from the first electron microscopy (EM) image of an intact cell published in 1944 to an array of modern techniques that are changing our understanding of cell biology. The event featured two speakers from the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNL) and one from ZEISS Microscopy. History of electron microscopy Ru-ching Hsia, Ph.D., head of the FNL’s Electron Microscopy Laboratory, leverages high-resolution EM to study cell biology, or as she joked, to “look for tiny things in a big instrument.” She provided an overview of the history of EM, explaining that since its development in the 1930s, EM has greatly advanced our understanding of cell biology and enabled the discovery of organelles, such as the mitochondria. She presented the two broad types of EM: the transmission EM POSTED: 6/27/2024
MAP2K4: New kid on the MAP Kinase block
Post-doc Robin A Jansen and her advisor Rene Bernards lay out a compelling argument for MAP2K4 inhibition as an effective combination therapy with RAS-targeted drugs.POSTED: 6/18/2024
Scientists say effective control of COVID-19 depends on universal use of serological standards
Experts say the differences among testing platforms mean the data is difficult to compare.POSTED: 5/29/2024
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