Latest News
Roth Leads $26.9 Million Project to Create Better Psychiatric Medications
Funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a team of internationally acclaimed researchers led by UNC School of Medicine’s Bryan L. Roth, MD, PhD, aims to create new medications to effectively and rapidly treat depression, anxiety, and substance abuse without major side effects.
UNC Researchers Create New Type of Accurate COVID-19 Antibody Test
UNC School of Medicine researchers Aravinda de Silva, PhD, and Prem Lakshmanane, PhD, and colleagues developed a COVID-19 test that pinpoints human antibodies specific to a particular part of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The test can be ramped up to document past and recent COVID-19 infections and possibly used to identify asymptomatic virus infection and the level of immunity in individuals.
Foundation of Hope Funds Nearly Half a Million Dollars to UNC Mental Illness Research
The Foundation of Hope for Research and Treatment of Mental Illness (FOH) will award almost $475,000 to 13 investigators from the UNC Department of Psychiatry at the UNC School of Medicine.
Strahl Lab Decodes Another Piece of the Histone Code Puzzle
In the journal Cell Reports, Brian Strahl, PhD, and colleagues engineered a genome regulator to reveal its important biological functions of genome access.
FARE Clinical Network Selects UNC Allergy and Immunology as FCN Discovery Center of Distinction
The UNC Allergy and Immunology Clinic has been selected to become an FCN Discovery Center of Distinction. With this new designation, lead principal investigator, Edwin Kim, MD, MS, will receive a $100,000 stipend to help develop critical infrastructure necessary to deliver optimal clinical care and leadership in the community to patients with food allergy.
FNIH Launches Project Testing Antibiotic to Prevent Infections in Mothers, Newborns
The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) has announced a new project to test whether an antibiotic taken during labor can prevent infections in mothers and newborns in seven countries. The UNC-Chapel Hill site leader is Carl Bose, MD.
North Carolina Healthcare Heroes Join Online Research Community to Help Fight COVID-19
North Carolina researchers call for a diverse group of essential workers in health care to join HeroesResearch.org to share experiences and evaluate prevention strategies. The UNC site leader for this effort is Ross Boyce, MD.
UNC Researchers Collaborate on Project to Study Pandemic’s Impact on People with Eating Disorders
Cynthia Bulik, PhD, founding director of the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (CEED) is leading a study with Christine Peat, PhD, director of the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (NCEED), to characterize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with eating disorders. Preliminary data from the U.S. and the Netherlands are being published to share with clinicians and caregivers to provide a roadmap forward as the pandemic evolves.
Researchers Map SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Cells of Nasal Cavity, Bronchia, Lungs
Major study of coronavirus infection in human airways adds to evidence that wearing a mask is an important protective step toward limiting transmission of COVID-19. The lead authors of the study in the journal Cell are UNC-Chapel Hill pulmonary expert Richard Boucher, MD, and virology expert Ralph Baric, PhD.
A message from Dr. Burks: A time to pull together
Dr. Wesley Burks, CEO of UNC Health and Dean of the UNC School of Medicine, shares a message with the UNC Health community.
Experimental Drug Found to Improve Symptoms of Generalized Myasthenia Gravis
James F. Howard Jr., MD, professor in the UNC Department of Neurology, was principal investigator of the phase 3 trial for the experimental drug efgartigimod, developed by Belgian pharmaceutical company Argenx.
Gathering Big Data to Accelerate COVID-19 fight
Scientists around the country are creating a secure, central database of electronic health records from coronavirus patients to aid in the ongoing effort to treat patients effectively. The UNC-Chapel Hill site leader is John Buse, MD, PhD, director of the NC TraCS Institute.
Researchers Discover Key Player in Hepatitis A Virus Infection
The UNC School of Medicine lab of Stanley M. Lemon, MD, and colleagues used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to pinpoint a sugar-fatty acid molecule that acts like a gatekeeper to hepatitis A virus infection of human cells.
Ting Elected President of American Association of Immunologists
Jenny P. Ting, PhD, was selected as the 2020-2021 President of the American Association of Immunologists. Established in 1913, AAI has become the most prestigious association of immunologists in the world with nearly 8,000 scientists in 71 countries.
Novant Health, UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine announce intent to partner at New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Novant Health, UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine have signed a letter of intent to enhance medical education and clinical services at New Hanover Regional Medical Center (“NHRMC”), in the event the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners ultimately chooses to affiliate or form a joint venture with, or sell to Novant Health.
Novant Health, UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine announce intent to partner at New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Per the letter of intent, the organizations are committed to expanding the medical education program at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, including enhancing the long-standing pediatric program and other service lines as appropriate.
High COVID-19 Mortality Rates Among Those with Liver Disease
A. Sidney Barritt IV, MD, MSCR, and Andrew Moon, MD, MPH, in UNC's division of gastroenterology and hepatology, are co-authors of a study of patients with COVID-19 and liver disease.
Samantha Meltzer-Brody named 2020 O. Max Gardner Award Winner
Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, MPH, chair of the UNC Department of Psychiatry, recieved the 2020 Oliver Max Gardner Award, the highest honor conferred by the University of North Carolina system.
Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir Highly Effective at Preventing HIV Infection
The global randomized, controlled and double-blinded study, co-led by Myron Cohen, MD, showed that the drug cabotegravir lowered HIV incidence among cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men.
New Study Sheds Light on IBD Patients with Covid
Erica Brenner, MD, a pediatric gastroenterology fellow at UNC Children's Hospital, is a co-lead author of the study.