News

Sunday, April 19, 2020
SCIENCE: Clinicians aim to trace coronavirus from brain to toes

Sherry Chou, MD, has organized a worldwide consortium that now includes 50 centers to draw neurological data from care that COVID-19 patients receive. Learn More

Friday, April 10, 2020
Anniversary of polio vaccine a source of hope for COVID-19

Sunday marks 65 years since Jonas Salk and his team developed their polio vaccine.  Pitt's Peter Salk, Don Burke and Randy Juhl relate that effort to today's hunt for protection against COVID-19. Learn More

Monday, March 30, 2020
Weber honored by American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering

Douglas Weber, PhD, was elected to the group's College of Fellows for contributions to neurorehabilitation engineering, translational neuroscience, and leadership in the field of neural engineering. Learn More

Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Symposium on neurobiology of violence to be rescheduled

Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the Brain Institute's Neurobiology of Violence symposium, originally scheduled on March 20, has been postponed. Learn More

Wednesday, February 5, 2020
New map charts pathways of neurons in marmoset brain

Afonso Silva, PhD, and his team used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging at high resolution to correct misconceptions about white-matter connectivity. Learn More

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
How do you tell seasonal depression from a simple desire to slow down?

Kathryn Roecklein, PhD, tells NBC: “The difference comes down to whether your urge to hibernate interferes with your job, your home, your relationships or your health.” Learn More

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Polymer tube repairs large gaps in damaged peripheral nerves

A study in Science Translational Medicine shows that a biodegradable nerve guide filled with growth-promoting protein can regenerate long sections of damaged nerves in monkeys.     Learn More

Wednesday, January 22, 2020
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN opinion: 'Psychosomatic' doesn't mean imaginary

Recent experiments in the Strick laboratory have begun mapping neuronal connections between mind and body that show a biological basis for psychosomatic illness.  Learn More

Tuesday, January 14, 2020
UPMC implants first US patient with wireless retinal device

The PRIMA system is designed to restore partial sight in patients blinded by retinal degeneration, and works in tandem with augmented reality glasses with a built-in miniaturized camera. Learn More

Thursday, January 9, 2020
Advance in neuroprosthetics: Using light to stimulate the brain

TK Kozai, PhD, is developing a precise, light-activated electrode that can be used to stimulate neurons without causing the tissue damage that often follows implantation of electrical stimulators. Learn More

Friday, December 13, 2019
Pitt Medcast: Hear some of the 'child pioneers' of the polio vaccine

Former schoolkids from the clinical trials of Jonas Salk’s killed-virus vaccine talk about their part in the struggle against one of the most crippling diseases in history. Learn More

Thursday, December 12, 2019
MPR: First 3 years crucial for brain development

Judy Cameron, PhD, describes the development of brain networks that are the foundation for learning and emotional response throughout life.  Learn More

Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Engineer receives NSF CAREER Award to advance AI neural network technology

Feng Xiong, PhD, is developing a dynamic synapse to improve energy efficiency, bandwidth and cognitive capabilities of artificial spiking neural networks. Learn More

Monday, December 2, 2019
$3.7M NIH grant supports imaging research of early Alzheimer's disease

Tamer Ibrahim, PhD, and colleagues will use next-generation Tic Tac Toe 7T MRI to investigate connections between small-vessel disease, cerebrospinal-fluid clearance and preclinical Alzheimer’s. Learn More

Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Strick receives Cajal Club discovery award

Peter L. Strick, PhD, was recognized with a 2019 Krieg Cortical Kudos Discoverer Award for his research on cortical circuits involved in motor control. Learn More

Friday, November 1, 2019
In SCIENCE: Sharpening artificial vision

Whether trial participants with retinitis pigmentosa will gain useful vision from an optogenetics technique should become clear next year, says José-Alain Sahel, MD, PhD, chair of ophthalmology. Learn More

Thursday, October 31, 2019
Cui, Stauffer team with CMU to 'hear' how neurons communicate

Xinyan Tracy Cui, PhD, and William Stauffer, PhD, plan to combine optical imaging with electrical recording and focal chemical stimulation, all from a small neural probe. Learn More

Thursday, October 31, 2019
Caroline Runyan receives NIH Director's Award

Runyan uses imaging and cell manipulation to examine the brain’s ability to flexibly control perception and behavior in different situations. Learn More

Thursday, October 24, 2019
Augmented-reality system may improve rehab after stroke

Pitt and Northeastern received a $1.2M NSF award to develop the portable system, which would use real-time EEG to detect and monitor one-sided visual neglect. Learn More

Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Tracy Cui receives $2.3M award to improve neuroelectrode technology

The NIH BRAIN Initiative grant will allow Cui and colleagues to improve and test a biocompatible coating for implantable microelectrode arrays used in brain-computer interfaces. Learn More

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