Research Extras

Martin Sanda, MD, has been named new chair of the Department of Urology.

The National Academy of Inventors has named Emory President James Wagner and scientist Raymond Schinazi as NAI Charter Fellows.

The Emory/Georgia Tech Regenerative Medicine and Engineering Center has awarded seed grants focused on how the body—including bone, muscle, nerves, blood vessels and tissues—can harness its own potential to heal or regenerate following trauma or disease. The grants were funded by the two institutions, and in part through the NIH-supported Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI).

Emory scientists Xiaodong Cheng, Huw Davies, and Shuming Nie were named 2012 AAAS Fellows.

Queensland Emory Alliance Will Boost Drug and Vaccine Development
A new partnership called the Queensland Emory Development Alliance will identify joint research opportunities in cancer and infectious diseases that could lead to the development of new drugs or vaccines. The alliance includes Emory, the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, and the University of Queensland. Read more...

Ebola Virus Uses Protein Decoy to Thwart the Immune Response
The deadly Ebola virus uses a newly discovered strategy to evade the immune response. This has made the virus a challenge, and the new clue is a critical first step in developing an effective vaccine. Ebola virus infection results in up to 90 percent mortality. Human outbreaks have been confined to Africa, but infection has been found in European and Asian bats and in Southeast Asian pigs. Read more..

Molecule May Protect Against Nerve Cell Damage in Parkinson's Disease
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) contributes to chronic inflammation and nerve death, the hallmarks of Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. A molecule that neutralizes TNF and potentially promotes nerve cell survival and central nervous system function could help treat Parkinson's and other neurologic diseases in which chronic inflammation plays a role. Read more...

Certain Mutations Give HIV an Advantage That Sticks
Varieties of HIV that reproduce more quickly can cause infected individuals' immune systems to decline faster. This information, which is available very early in the infection, could help researchers track the course of the immune system's decline and develop a vaccine to slow the virus early and positively impact disease progression. Read more...

New Prenatal Test Provides More Information Than Current Method
A new method of prenatal testing, using chromosomal microarray analysis, was found to detect more chromosomal deletions and duplications than are detected by G-band karyotype, the current test for women having invasive prenatal testing. The result was found in a clinical trial of more than 4,400 women. Read more...