Research Extras

Researchers have started moving into labs in the new Health Sciences Research Building on Haygood Drive. Research in the 200,000-sq.-ft. building will focus on drug discovery, immunology and vaccines, neurosciences, cancer, gastroenterology, nephrology, biomedical engineering, and human genetics, with nearly 60 percent of research related to pediatrics through a partnership with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

An article in Emory's Academic Exchange by David Stephens, vice president for research in the WHSC, describes the impact of sequestration on the research, teaching, and patient care missions at Emory, other academic instituions, and the nation as a whole.

An Emory Magazine article highlights investments by the Marcus Foundation, creating the Marcus Society in Pediatrics, a partnership of faculty experts and the "intellectual home" for 15 Marcus Professors in Pediatrics.

Emory's School of Nursing and the Atlanta VA Medical Center received $4 million to train nurses for the specialized field of veterans health care.

DRIVE links academic drug discovery to business ventures
Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE) is a new, not-for-profit company that combines the business expertise of biotech leaders with the drug discovery talents of Emory scientists. The new model will add value to discoveries and move them into the marketplace and to patients by bypassing the legendary “Valley of Death” that often dooms early-stage research innovations. Read more...

Brain scans may help predict best depression treatment
The treatment choice for depression is often based on patient or physician preference, but patients often don't respond to their initial treatment. Patterns of brain activity seen with positron emission tomography (PET) may show whether a depressed patient will or won't respond to medication or psychotherapy. The research could help link types of depression to the highest likelihood of treatment success. Read more...

VA obesity study shows lifestyle change can work in a large health care system
Data from 400,000 veterans enrolled in a VA weight management program show lifestyle change can be achieved when health providers direct their patients to interventions during routine medical visits. Participants lost weight, maintained the loss, and were less likely to develop diabetes. The health care system should be part of the solution, say the researchers. Read more...

Study links PTSD and cardiovascular disease
A study of male twins who were Vietnam War veterans found that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to increased risk of heart disease. The twin pairs did not report heart disease at the beginning of the study, but after 13 years of follow-up the incidence of coronary heart disease, as seen through PET scanning and clinical history, was more than double in those with PTSD. Read more...

New AIDSVu maps give detailed view of HIV impact in the United States
The annual update of AIDSVu was launched in June on National HIV Testing Day, with new interactive online maps that show the latest HIV prevalence for 20 U.S. cities by ZIP code or census tract. AIDSVu is the most detailed publicly available view of HIV in the country, with demographics such as age, race, and sex, along with social determinants of health including poverty, health insurance, and education. Read more...