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Epidemics and Pandemics Can Exacerbate Xenophobia, Bigotry
In a pair of studies, ecologist Jessica Stephenson found that both animals and humans instinctually hunker down in small groups when infection looms—but that impulse can come with a price.
Pitt Scientists Discover Tiny Antibody Component That is Highly Effective in Preventing and Treating SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Animal Models
The discovery in animals is being used to make a drug for potential therapeutic and preventive use against COVID-19 in humans.
University of Pittsburgh Selected to Lead NIH Trials in COVID-19 Care
The National Institutes of Health has selected Pitt to lead a trio of Phase 3 clinical trials involving COVID-19 patients that will explore the use of blood thinners in saving lives and improving care
Survey Shows Research-Related Staff and Postdocs Comfortable with Restart Efforts
A recent survey of University research-related staff and postdocs shows that nearly two-thirds of respondents felt that Pitt’s research restart had gone at least as well as or better than they
Student Fills Void of Black Hair Care Products for Kids in Foster Care, Peers
Social work graduate student Ashlé Hall (SOC WK ’18) is a busy entrepreneur with a new line of hair care products designed to fill two very important needs.
International Group Working on ‘Google Maps for the Body’
The Human BioMolecular Atlas Program is developing an open, global platform to map healthy cells so doctors, scientists and educators can better understand disease and the workings of the human body.
Plexiglass Alone Can't Protect Against Aerosolized Virus
Intubating COVID-19 patients can be dangerous for the health care provider. A new biocontainment unit developed by a Pitt-UPMC team trapped more than 99.99% of simulated virus-sized aerosols and
Editing Immune Response Could Make Gene Therapy More Effective
A study led by pathology’s Samira Kiani and published today in Nature Cell Biology showed that a new approach to CRISPR briefly suppressed genes to control the immune response in mice, making gene
Pitt Study of COVID-19 Patients Leads to WHO Treatment Guidance Changes
Published as part of a four-article package today in JAMA, research led by Pitt’s Derek Angus found that an inexpensive treatment of steroids can substantially improve survival in critically ill COVID
Student Researcher Documents History of U.S. Quarantines
While Pennsylvania was in the midst of COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders, Pitt senior Gina Watkins was digging into the reasoning behind past quarantine measures—finding racism and xenophobia were
A Man Was Reinfected with Coronavirus After Recovery—What Does This Mean for Immunity?
Virologist Megan Culler Freeman has been curious about reinfections since the pandemic began. For The Conversation, she addressed some questions raised by a man who reportedly was reinfected with SARS
Constant Dieters Might Be Choosing the Wrong Way to Lose Weight
Should dieters worry about portion sizes or “light” versions of a snack? Assistant Professor Peggy Liu led a series of studies to find out.
Innovation Institute Reports Record Number of Invention Disclosures, Despite Pandemic
From swimming devices to rare disease gene therapies, Pitt inventors never stop: The Innovation Institute reported a record 394 invention disclosures for last fiscal year, and Director Evan Facher
Bioengineering Student Plugs in to Complex Tech
Ever wondered how to move a mechanical arm using only your mind? Third-year student Audrey Case can explain.
New Research Sheds Light on How Body Parts ‘Talk’ to Each Other
MicroRNAs, tiny molecules that circulate in the bloodstream, could be the key to how diseases from pulmonary hypertension to cancer spread throughout the body, a new study led by Stephen Chan has
New AI Research Looks to Better Diagnose Heart Attacks Before Hospital Arrival
Diagnosing a heart attack can be difficult, especially for prehospital emergency personnel. Using computer modeling, a team led by nursing’s Salah Al-Zaiti identified 37% more heart attacks in a study
Non-Invasive Nerve Stimulation Boosts Learning of Foreign Language Sounds
Native English speakers often have trouble with tonal languages like Chinese. A new study showed that vagus nerve stimulation allowed research participants to pick up some Mandarin tones more quickly.
Study: Men Scoring Higher on ‘Man Box’ Scale are Prone to Violence, Mental Illness
New research published in Preventive Medicine shows men who subscribe to strong gender norms are more likely to harm themselves and others.
‘There’s Just No Voice for Us’: Pandemic Creates More Difficulties for Caregivers
A new report from Pitt’s National Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Family Support has found that caregivers of all ages are facing increased worry, mental health issues and financial
Answers About Universe’s Age Could Be Found in the Dark
A multinational team including Professor Arthur Kosowsky, graduate student Yilun Guan and alum Simone Aiola from the Department of Physics and Astronomy is making progress toward solving mysteries of
