New Role for RNA Splicing in Insulin Regulation
The gene transcription machinery that controls circadian rhythms also regulates insulin release in the pancreas, according to a Northwestern Medicine study.
Exploring Protein Vital for Bone Marrow Transplants
A protein called mDia2 is vital for proper bone marrow transplantation, according to a new study.
New Assistant Deans Named in Medical Education
In recognition of their track record of excellence and achievement, three Feinberg faculty members have been promoted to the position of assistant dean of medical education.
Strategies for Evaluating Breast Cancer with Machine Learning
Machine-learning technology could help pathologists more accurately assess how a patient’s immune system is responding to breast cancer, according to a recent series of reports authored in part by Feinberg faculty.
Remembering James Houk, PhD
James Houk, PhD, former chair and professor of Physiology whose Feinberg career spanned more than 40 years, passed away on June 11.
New Genetic Regulators Could Improve Cancer Immunotherapy
A genetic screen has revealed previously unknown regulators of Foxp3, a transcription factor that, when deactivated, may improve patient response to aggressive cancers.
Comforting and Monitoring 7,600 COVID-19 Patients at Home
Northwestern Medicine investigators undertook a massive, new, daily home-monitoring program of patients presumed positive for COVID-19 with the assistance of nurses, nurse practitioners, a large workforce of medical students, physicians’ assistants and daily questionnaires delivered through electronic health records.
Brain Synchronization Improves Odor Perception
Neurons in the olfactory cortex coordinate to boost the sense of smell when anticipating an odor, according to a Northwestern Medicine study.
Propelling Synthetic Biology into the Future
In the past decade, synthetic biology — the reengineering of organisms and their genetic information so they can produce a new substance or gain a new ability — has rapidly emerged to the forefront of modern-day science. Northwestern’s Center for Synthetic Biology has been leading the way.
Feet on the Ground
Building equitable relationships with community leaders and framing research questions around residents’ priorities is the core principle of community-engaged research, and IPHAM, along with ARCC, have been leaders in the field.
Surmeier Receives Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award
D. James Surmeier, PhD, chair and the Nathan Smith Davis Professor of Physiology, has received the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award for demonstrated scientific excellence and productivity in the field of neurological research.
Advancing Health Equity for the LGBTQ Community
Northwestern University’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing has become a leader in sexual and gender minority health research and intervention programs with the goal of advancing health equity for the LGBTQ community.
New Insights into Left Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Genetic mutations in desmoplakin cause left ventricular cardiomyopathy, rather than right ventricular cardiomyopathy as previously believed, according to a recent study.
Combating Discrimination in Medical Education
Medical schools can help combat discrimination by creating safe spaces for underrepresented minority (URM) medical students, according to Quentin Youmans, ’15 MD, who founded the STRIVE program which connects URM medical students at Feinberg with URM resident mentors.
Faculty Share Insights on COVID-19 Response Efforts and Treatment
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, recent editorials published by Feinberg faculty explore COVID-19 and its impact on medicine, including potential drug targets and the need for more clinical trials to maximizing trainee education.
Antibody Testing Project Receives NSF RAPID Grant
Northwestern investigators have received a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to examine the determinants of SARS-CoV-2 exposure with a minimally invasive approach to community-based serological testing.
Study Finds Nearly One in Five Surgical Residents Report Frequent Bullying
A Northwestern Medicine survey found that nearly one in five surgical surgical residents have experienced frequent bullying and that women and racial or ethnic minorities were more likely to report frequent bullying in surgical residency programs.
Novel Method Maps Virus-Host Protein Interactions
A novel method to map protein-protein interactions between viruses and their hosts more precisely than current methodologies may help improve the design of antiviral drugs and therapeutic strategies.
New Mechanism for Oncogenic Gene Splicing
Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered an alternate mechanism for aberrant gene splicing that contributes to T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia, according to a recent study.
Racial Residential Segregation Associated with Lower Cognitive Performance
African Americans who were exposed to segregation in their neighborhoods during young adulthood are more likely to have poor cognitive performance as early as midlife.
Kneeling for Racial Justice
Hundreds of Northwestern Medicine leaders, physicians, trainees, students, administrators and healthcare workers knelt for 10 minutes outside of Prentice Women’s Hospital on Friday, June 5. The White Coats For Black Lives event was a solemn moment for the community to remember and honor George Floyd, to stand against racial injustice, and to express solidarity with those who suffer from racial discrimination.
Students Help Combat Food Insecurity During Pandemic
Fueling Our Communities, started by a group of fourth-year medical students, has been working to address food insecurity among vulnerable patient populations in Chicago.
Lung Transplant Performed on a COVID-19 Patient at Northwestern Medicine
For the first time, Northwestern Medicine surgeons performed a double-lung transplant on a patient whose lungs were irreversibly damaged by COVID-19.
Study Reveals Molecular Mechanisms Behind Genetic Kidney Disease
A Northwestern Medicine study has uncovered the molecular mechanisms behind the development of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and a potential drug target.
Children with Chronic Health Problems Face Greater Challenges at Home
Children with difficult medical issues are more likely to experience social challenges at home, demonstrating the need for additional support and resources for these children in clinical settings.
Reassessing How Light Impacts Behavior
Northwestern Medicine investigators have found that a small subset of cells in the retina inhibit the communication of light signals from the eyes to the brain, impacting how light affects daily activity and how the pupils constrict to light.
John Lumpkin, a Pioneer of Emergency Medicine, Receives Distinguished Medical Alumnus Award
John Lumpkin, ’73 BMS, ’74 MD, is the recipient of this year’s Feinberg Distinguished Medical Alumnus Award, presented annually to recognize an alumnus or alumna whose outstanding professional achievements bring honor to the medical school and merit special recognition.
Feinberg Launches Starzl Academy to Support Physician-Scientist Training
To help support and develop the next generation of physician-scientists, Feinberg has established the Thomas Starzl Academy, and named Elizabeth M. McNally, MD, PhD, its inaugural director.
Specialized Immune Cells May Improve Early Detection of Parkinson’s Disease
An elevated presence of specialized immune cells were found in patients prior to developing motor symptoms and receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, which may help improve early detection.
Medical Education in the Time of COVID-19
The persistence of SARS-Cov-2 may fundamentally alter the landscape of medical education and hospital training, according to a Northwestern Medicine editorial published in Science Advances.