From The NIH: The Director’s Blog
The National Institutes of Health (@NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.
About the NIH Director
Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. (@NIHDirector) was appointed the 16th Director of NIH by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate. He was sworn in on August 17, 2009. In this role, Dr. Collins oversees the work of the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world, spanning the spectrum from basic to clinical research. Here are some excerpts from the his latest blog posts with links to read in entirety.
Meet an Inspiring Researcher Who Helped Create COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines
More than 170 million Americans already have received COVID-19 vaccines. As this number continues to grow and expand to younger age groups, I’m filled with overwhelming gratitude for all of the researchers who worked so diligently, over the course of decades, to build the scientific foundation for these life-saving vaccines. One of them is Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, who played a central role in the fact that, in the span of less than a year, we were able to develop safe and effective mRNA-based vaccines to protect against this devastating infectious disease.
Could a Nasal Spray of Designer Antibodies Help to Beat COVID-19?
There are now several monoclonal antibodies, identical copies of a therapeutic antibody produced in large numbers, that are authorized for the treatment of COVID-19. But in the ongoing effort to beat this terrible pandemic, there’s plenty of room for continued improvements in treating infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
How COVID-19 Can Lead to Diabetes
Along with the pneumonia, blood clots, and other serious health concerns caused by SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 virus, some studies have also identified another troubling connection. Some people can develop diabetes after an acute COVID-19 infection. What’s going on? Two new NIH-supported studies, now available as pre-proofs in the journal Cell Metabolism, help to answer this important question, confirming that SARS-CoV-2 can target and impair the body’s insulin-producing cells.
Taking Down COVID-19
I recently spoke with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Drew McIntyre to take down COVID-19. I made the case to all WWE fans that the best way to get past the COVID-19 pandemic is for as many people as possible to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated. I also told everyone listening about We Can Do This, four words to type into their browsers to access evidence-based answers to questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. We spoke virtually on May 13.
Studies Confirm COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines Safe, Effective for Pregnant Women
Clinical trials have shown that COVID-19 vaccines are remarkably effective in protecting those age 12 and up against infection by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The expectation was that they would work just as well to protect pregnant women. But because pregnant women were excluded from the initial clinical trials, hard data on their safety and efficacy in this important group has been limited.
