Tuesday, February 12, 2019
UMSOM Scientists Call for Unrestricted Usage of Public Genome Data
Researchers at the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) called for open access to genome data, stating that unrestricted usage is needed for progress in combating the world’s most serious diseases.
Friday, February 08, 2019
University of Maryland School of Medicine Genome Scientists Develop Novel Approaches to Studying the Most Widespread Form of Malaria
Scientists at the Institute of Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have developed a novel way with genome sequences to study and better understand transmission, treat and ultimately eradicate Plasmodium vivax, the most widespread form of malaria.
Tuesday, January 08, 2019
Top University of Maryland School of Medicine Genomics Scientist Claire M. Fraser, PhD, Appointed President-Elect of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Claire M. Fraser, PhD, a pioneer in the field of microbial genomics, who is the Dean’s Endowed Professor, Department of Medicine, and Director of the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS), has been chosen as president-elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS is the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting edge research through its Science family of journals.
Thursday, November 29, 2018
UMSOM’s 2018 Festival of Science Explores Intersection of Genomics and Medicine
“We are constantly exploring and trying to learn more about who we are. There really is an innate curiosity that allows us to become better informed and proactively plan for potential health issues. Indeed, when we know more, we can do more.”
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
UMSOM Expert Discovers Key Gene in Cells Associated with Age-Related Hearing Loss
An international group of researchers, led by Ronna Hertzano, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Anatomy and Neurobiology, at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and Michael Bowl, Ph.D., Programme Leader Track Scientist, Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, UK, have identified the gene that acts as a key regulator for special cells needed in hearing.
Thursday, September 27, 2018
University of Maryland School of Medicine Scientist Receives Prestigious Microbiome Award
Owen White, PhD, professor of epidemiology and public health, and Associate Director for Informatics at the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), has received the 2018 Microbiome Pioneer Award. The prestigious honor is part of the Bioinformatics for the Microbiome Symposium organized by Stanford University. The microbiome is the name given collectively to the community of trillions of microbial organisms that live on and within our bodies.
Monday, May 14, 2018
New Research: Some Gut Bacteria May Protect Against Intestinal Infection
Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have for the first time found evidence that the presence of a key species in the human gut microbiome is associated with protection from infection with typhoid fever. If the research is borne out, it could offer an exciting new way to reduce intestinal infections from microbes.
Thursday, March 22, 2018
With Big Data, Researchers Identify New Targets for Lung Disease Treatments
Every year, approximately 12 million adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and 120,000 die from it. For people with COPD, Haemophilus influenzae, a bacterium, can be particularly dangerous.
Friday, January 19, 2018
New Computer Programs Could Significantly Accelerate Drug Discovery
Many drugs work by inhibiting protein enzymes associated with a particular disease. Unfortunately, the same drugs can inhibit protein enzymes unrelated to the disease, resulting in harmful side effects. One potential solution is to better identify structural features that determine a protein enzyme’s function.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
University of Maryland School of Medicine Researchers Set Standards for What Diseases Should Be Called
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) are searching through medical journals, databases and other authoritative sources to establish standard terms for diseases as a way to help future researchers better understand a wide range of diseases like cancer. The work involves a time-intensive manual curation process, examining the breadth of information, naming systems and levels of evidence in order to integrate information and bridge data across resources.