Articles from Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research

Neuropathic pain affects up to 10 percent of the global population and can be challenging to manage effectively with existing medications. As a possible alternative treatment option, scientists at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research have discovered that ultrasound precisely targeted at the spinal cord can reduce neuropathic pain and neuroinflammation in preclinical models.

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research has been awarded $3 million from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with imec, to pioneer a novel approach to vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). This research aims to develop more precise, safe and effective methods for stimulating specific fibers inside the vagus nerve, potentially transforming treatments for a range of chronic diseases.

Chaminade High School students earned the title “Medical Marvels” at the 13th annual STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) research competition, hosted by Northwell Health’s The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Career Services. More than 180 freshmen and sophomores from Long Island and New York City entered the competition by submitting research papers and presentations focused on ways to better educate others on the effects of social media use and mental health. The winning team was announced on Feb. 28, following final presentations at the Feinstein Institutes headquarters in Manhasset, NY.

The sixth annual Bioelectronic Medicine Summit, hosted by Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, brought together leading scientists, engineers, clinicians and innovators in the fields of translational medicine, neuromodulation and bioengineering. The Summit was co-chaired by Stavros Zanos, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine, and Hubert Lim, PhD, professor at the University of Minnesota, and focused on the transformative potential of neurotechnology to improve the lives of individuals and communities facing a range of health challenges rooted in chronic disease.

Nearing five years since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, scientists continue to uncover the risk factors of blood clots and potential death for hospitalized and recently discharged patients with COVID-19. A new international study reveals that therapeutic doses of the common blood thinner heparin could significantly improve the survival rate of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and the journal Bioelectronic Medicine announced that Michael Kilgard, PhD, Robert Rennaker, PhD, and Seth Hays, PhD, distinguished researchers and professors at the University of Texas at Dallas, have been awarded the Anthony Cerami Award in Translational Medicine. This marks the first time the award will go to scientists who have made significant strides in translational bioelectronic medicine research.

A drug commonly used to treat breast cancer might be able to help people living with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) – a rare genetic bleeding condition that causes enlargements and tangles of veins and arteries, as well as other malformations of the blood vessels – according to new research from The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. The study, which published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, also shows that HHT could cause certain cells in the endothelium of the blood vessels to multiply via a cancer-like mechanism of abnormal cell growth.

A wunderkind is someone who succeeds in a competitive or highly difficult field or profession at an early age. In recognition of their great scientific achievements, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s Carlos E. Bravo-Iñiguez, MD, PhD, has been named a 2024 STAT Wunderkind. According to STAT, this esteemed recognition celebrates the brightest young minds in life sciences research who are pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation.

Northwell Health's home of medical research, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, announced today the formation of its sixth institute, the Institute of Translational Research. In collaboration with the other institutes of Behavioral Science, Bioelectronic Medicine, Cancer Research, Health System Science, and Molecular Medicine, the Institute of Translational Research will bridge the understanding of basic molecular mechanisms of chronic diseases to the development of innovative clinical therapies and interventions – those working in the institute will actualize the “bench-to-bedside” approach.

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are commonly used medications that help prevent blood clots, which can be dangerous for those suffering from heart conditions or at risk of venous thromboembolism. However, these medications can also increase the likelihood of bleeding, especially during surgeries. Researchers at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) protocols to effectively manage the administration of DOACs and minimize bleeding and clotting risks – suggesting new conventions for patients pre- and post-surgery.

Thanks to a generous endowment from women’s health advocates and philanthropists Iris and Saul Katz, Northwell Health and its home of medical research, the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, have established the Iris and Saul Katz Professor in Women’s Health Research in response to a national movement aimed at addressing the health care disparities facing women. Elizabeth Cohn, RN, PhD, FAAN, vice president of health equity research in the Institute of Health System Science at the Feinstein Institutes, has been appointed the inaugural recipient of the position, the first of its kind at Northwell.

Three years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the risk factors of blood clots and potential death for recently discharged COVID-19 patients still remains poorly understood. To better explain the prevalence and cause of clots, researchers from The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research investigated the rates of clotting 90 days after patients leave the hospital. Results published in the journal Thrombosis and Haemostasis found that the increased rate of post-discharge arterial thromboembolism (ATE) was more than 27 percent, higher than previously publicly reported, and inpatients with cardiovascular disease experienced 15 times higher rates of ATE.

Now in its 13th year, the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s Advancing Women in Science and Medicine (AWSM – pronounced “awesome”) awards luncheon raised a record-breaking $1 million in funding to support medical research conducted by women scientists. Since AWSM’s 2010 inception, more than $4 million has been raised to support women scientists.

For her dedication to empowering women in science, breakthrough achievements in molecular medicine and research contributions, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s Betty Diamond, MD, has been awarded the 2022 Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Women in Medicine and Science Leadership Award. The honor will be presented in November during a special ceremony in Nashville, TN.

Sepsis affects at least 1.7 million Americans annually, causing the death of 270,000 patients and 30 percent of all hospital deaths. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of sepsis to develop treatments, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research has been awarded a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Together in person for the first time since the pandemic began, the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s 12th annual Advancing Women in Science and Medicine (AWSM – pronounced “awesome”) Awards Luncheon celebrated its mission by raising a record-breaking $755,000 to fund medical research conducted by women scientists. Since AWSM’s 2010 inception, more than $3 million has been raised to support women investigators.

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has elected The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s Betty Diamond, MD, in recognition of her breakthrough achievements in molecular medicine and original research. The announcement, made on May 3, included the election of 120 members and 30 additional international members.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) are inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) leading to eye pain, blindness and even paralysis. NMOSD mostly affects women of childbearing age and may cause abnormal pregnancies. Research from scientists at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research shed new clues into why offspring of mothers with NMOSD might be affected and published their findings in Science Translational Medicine.

Recent studies have highlighted the connection between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and the development of dementia. To identify additional factors putting individuals in danger of developing brain impairment, researchers from The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research conducted a first-of-its-kind study that shows a link between the use of psychotropic medication before COVID-19 and post-COVID dementia in older adults (age 65 and older).

Organ transplant recipients are at higher risk and have more severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes than the general public. To ensure safe, long-lasting organ transplants and quality of life, the need for COVID-19 vaccination is paramount, according to new recommendations. In an article published in JAMA Surgery, the co-leads of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons’ COVID-19 Strike Force, Northwell Health’s Lewis W. Teperman, MD, and University of Minnesota’s Timothy Pruett, MD, outline the risks, benefits and need for vaccine requirements of organ recipients, donors and families.

Christina Brennan, MD, MBA, vice president of clinical research at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, has been elected by members of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) to serve on its Board of Trustees for a second term.

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, the science arm of Northwell Health, recently received a $150,000 grant from TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, to launch a new research program and the first clinical trial to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Black community and determine the best behavioral interventions to lower cardiovascular disease.

In one-third of the world’s population, obesity and other metabolic disorders lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) which can result in cancer. To address this issue and help reduce obesity and the development of fatty liver diseases, scientists at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research identified new molecular targets that could lead to future treatment.

Haichao Wang, PhD, one of The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research’s leading inflammation and sepsis researchers, has earned the Shock Society’s 2021 Scientific Achievement Award for his years of commitment toward sepsis research and significant contributions to the Society. The award was presented virtually to Dr. Wang at the 2021 Shock Society 44th Annual Meeting on October 15, 2021.

Doubling down on efforts to prepare highly qualified young scientists for a career in immune disease-focused medical research, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, the science arm of Northwell Health, has been awarded a multi-year National Institutes for Health (NIH) grant totaling $1.5 million. The grant will support the development of a rigorous training program in translational immunology for two pre-doctoral and one post-doctoral candidates in the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes.

In a new clinical trial looking at the efficacy of a third Moderna vaccine dose for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in people living with an organ (liver or kidney) transplant, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research – the science arm of Northwell Health – administered the extra vaccine to the first set of patients in the United States on September 20. The multi-centered, nationwide clinical trial is sponsored by the vaccine-maker Moderna.