(Reuters)—The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is testing a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines in people with autoimmune diseases who have not responded well to the primary vaccine course. The mid-stage study will be conducted among about 600 participants aged 18 and above who have been fully vaccinated with shots from either Pfizer Inc.,…
NIH Taps Lindsey Criswell, MD, MPH, DSc, as Director of NIAMS
National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, has selected Lindsey A. Criswell, MD, MPH, DSc, as director of NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). A rheumatologist, Dr. Criswell is currently the vice chancellor of research at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is a professor…
Verily, Vanderbilt to Test Enrollment in U.S. Precision Medicine Pilot
(Reuters)—The National Institutes of Health on Thursday named Verily, formerly Google Life Sciences, as advisor to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University in a pilot program to launch the Precision Medicine Initiative outlined by President Barack Obama last year. The program aims to enroll 79,000 volunteer participants by the end of this year to supply personal data that…
U.S. House Passes Bill to Speed New Drugs to Market
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill aimed at speeding new drugs to the market after lawmakers defeated last-minute amendments that threatened to derail it. The House voted 344 to 77 in favor of the bill, known as the 21st Century Cures Act, which would require the FDA to streamline the…
The ACR, Rheumatology Research Foundation Address Research Funding Shortfall
I have spent my entire academic career as a clinical investigator and have grown to recognize the importance of a strong and vibrant rheumatology workforce. However, I am deeply concerned about our ability as a subspecialty to sustain our research enterprise and take advantage of the modern breakthroughs in science. The reduction in federal funding…
Rheumatology Research Foundation Support Helps Investigator Advance Study into Osteoclasts
Researcher Julia Charles, MD, PhD, gets additional funding support from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Tight NIH Budget Makes Research Careers Tough
Lack of research funding a challenge for researchers, especially those early in their careers. (posted June 13, 2013)
ACR Research and Education Foundation Meets with NIAMS and AF to Discuss Funding
The ACR Research and Education Foundation (REF) has been working with the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (NIAMS) to lead discussions about how to best develop the careers of physician-scientists involved in rheumatic disease research.
Setting Goals for Future Growth
Perhaps the most personally rewarding aspect of working with the ACR Research and Education Foundation (REF) is seeing the success that can come from setting lofty goals. First and foremost, the REF is a goal-oriented organization. The staff and volunteers are not only committed to the goal of ensuring the future of rheumatology, but they aspire to reach high and to lead in this effort.
Cuts to NIH Funding Affect Programs and Careers
Medical schools tap philanthropic organizatinos and the VA for research dollars