Massachusetts General Hospital

02/10/2012: EEG pattern reflects brain's shift into low-energy, protective mode

A distinctive pattern of brain activity associated with conditions including deep anesthesia, coma and congenital brain disorders appears to represent the brain's shift into a protective, low-activity state in response to reduced metabolic energy.

02/08/2012: Some physicians do not agree with, uphold standards on communication with patients

A significant minority of physicians responding to a national survey disagreed with or admitted not upholding accepted standards of professionalism for open and honest communication with patients.

02/06/2012: Mass. General, Jackson Laboratory researchers find clues to common birth defect in gene expression data

Researchers at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, The Jackson Laboratory and other institutes have uncovered 27 new candidate genes for congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a common and often deadly birth defect.

02/06/2012: Supporting the Mental Health of Veterans and Families

A series of 14 free, live, on-line trainings for primary care, VA, community mental health, and other providers begins Thursday, February 23, 2012.

02/01/2012: Blood test accurately distinguishes depressed patients from healthy controls

The initial assessment of a blood test to help diagnose major depressive disorder indicates it may become a useful clinical tool. A team including MGH researchers reports that analyzing levels of nine biomarkers accurately distinguished patients diagnosed with depression from control participants without significant false-positive results.

01/31/2012: Mass. General study defines a new genetic subtype of lung cancer

MGH Cancer Center investigators have defined the role of a recently identified gene abnormality – rearrangements in the ROS1 gene – in non-small-cell lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. They also show that these tumors can be treated with crizotinib and describe the remarkable response of one patient to such treatment.

01/19/2012: Color-coding, rearranging food products improves healthy choices in hospital cafeteria

A simple program involving color-coded food labeling and adjusting the way food items are positioned in display cases was successful in encouraging more healthful food choices in a large hospital cafeteria.

01/18/2012: Novel gene mutations associated with bile duct cancer

Investigators at the MGH Cancer Center have identified a new genetic signature associated with bile duct cancer, a usually deadly tumor for which effective treatment currently is limited.

01/16/2012: Combining two anti-HER2 drugs may provide better preoperative breast cancer treatment

Using two drugs that inhibit the growth factor HER2 for preoperative treatment of early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer appears to have better results than treatment with a single agent.

01/15/2012: Mass. General researchers find novel way to prevent drug-induced liver injury

MGH investigators have developed a novel strategy to protect the liver from drug-induced injury and improve associated drug safety. The team reports that inhibition of a type of cell-to-cell communication can protect against the damage caused by liver-toxic drugs such as acetaminophen.

01/12/2012: Newly identified type of immune cell may be important protector against sepsis

Investigators in the MGH Center for Systems Biology have discovered a previously unknown type of immune cell, a B cell that can produce the important growth factor GM-CSF, which stimulates many other immune cells. They also found that these novel cells may help protect against the overwhelming, life-threatening immune reaction known as sepsis.

01/11/2012: Participating in marathons, half-marathons not found to increase risk of cardiac arrest

A new study finds that participating in these races actually is associated with a relatively low risk of cardiac arrest, compared to other forms of athletics. The study also identifies bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation as a key factor in patient survival.

01/10/2012: How can pediatric HIV be eliminated in Zimbabwe?

Eliminating new infant HIV infections in Zimbabwe will require not only improved access to antiretroviral medications but also support to help HIV-infected mothers continue taking their medication and safely reduce or eliminate breastfeeding, according to study led by MGH investigators.

12/19/2011: Commentary calls for greater awareness of Internet pharmacies' role in prescription drug abuse

In a commentary in the December 20 Annals of Internal Medicine, investigators from MGH, the University of Southern California, and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University describe the probable contribution of Internet pharmacies to prescription drug abuse and outline potential strategies for addressing the problem.

12/19/2011: What makes patients complex? Ask their primary care physicians

Being able to define and measure patient complexity has important implications for how care is organized, how physicians and health care systems are paid, and how resources are allocated. A study by MGH researchers finds that primary care physicians define patient complexity using more factors than are used in common approaches.

12/18/2011: Increased expression of regulatory enzyme may protect against neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease

Treatment that increases brain levels of an important regulatory enzyme may slow the loss of brain cells that characterizes Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

12/10/2011: Run to Home Base Presented by New Balance Adds a Walk Option for 2012 Event; Fenway Park’s Famed Home Plate is Finish Line in May

3rd Annual Run-Walk benefits Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and Families Affected by Combat Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury

12/07/2011: Traumatic injury sets off a "genomic storm" in immune system pathways

Serious traumatic injuries, including major burns, set off a "genomic storm" in human immune cells, altering around 80 percent of the cells' normal gene expression patterns.

12/01/2011: Mass. General study finds amplification of multiple cell-growth genes in some brain tumors

A small percentage of the deadly brain tumors called glioblastomas, which usually resist treatment with drugs targeting mutations in cell-growth genes, appears to contain extra copies of two or three of these genes at the same time. The surprising discovery has major implications for the understanding of tumor biology and for targeted cancer therapies.

11/29/2011: Growth Hormone Increases Bone Formation in Obese Women

In a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, growth hormone replacement for six months was found to increase bone formation in abdominally obese women.

11/24/2011: Rebuilding the Brain’s Circuitry

Neuron transplants have repaired brain circuitry and substantially normalized function in mice with a brain disorder, an advance indicating that key areas of the mammalian brain are more reparable than was widely believed.

11/20/2011: Novel ALS drug slows symptom progression, reduces mortality in phase 2 trial

Treatment with dexpramipexole – a novel drug believed to prevent dysfunction of mitochondria, the subcellular structures that provide most of a cell's energy – appears to slow symptom progression in the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease.

11/15/2011: Denosumab delays development of prostate cancer bone metastasis

An international clinical trial has found that treatment with a drug that suppresses the normal breakdown of bone can delay the development of bone metastases in men with prostate cancer.

11/13/2011: Newly identified gene mutation adds to melanoma risk

A major international study has identified a novel gene mutation that appears to increase the risk of both inherited and sporadic cases of malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. The identified mutation occurs in the gene encoding MITF, a transcription factor that induces the production of several important proteins in melanocytes, the cells in which melanoma originates.

11/06/2011: Combined arterial imaging technology reveals both structural and metabolic details

A new device that combines two microimaging technologies can reveal both the detailed anatomy of arterial linings and biological activities that, in coronary arteries, could indicate the risk of heart attacks or the formation of clots in arterial stents.

10/27/2011: Massachusetts General Hospital: 2011 Winner of American Association of Medical Colleges’Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Service

The Association of American Medical Colleges, representing medical schools and teaching hospitals and health systems, has awarded MGH its 2011 Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Service. (Scroll down for video).

10/17/2011: Biomarker-guided heart failure treatment significantly reduces complications

Adding regular testing for blood levels of a biomarker of cardiac distress to standard care for the most common form of heart failure may significantly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular complications, a new MGH study finds.

10/09/2011: Novel technique uses RNA interference to block inflammation

MGH researchers – along with collaborators from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals – have found a way to block, in an animal model, the damaging inflammation that contributes to many disease conditions.

10/06/2011: Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells

Investigators at the MGH Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have found that Sox2 – one of the transcription factors used in the conversion of adult stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells – is expressed in many adult tissues where it had not been previously observed.

10/05/2011: Health Affairs article focuses on health care disparities facing people with disabilities

In the October issue of Health Affairs, Lisa Iezzoni, MD, director of the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at MGH, analyzes available information on disparities affecting people with disabilities and highlights barriers that continue to restrict their access to health services.

10/03/2011: Biomarker for Huntington's disease identified

In a new research paper BWH and MGH researchers identify a transcriptional biomarker that may assist in the monitoring of Huntington's disease activity and in the evaluation of new medications.

09/27/2011: Saw palmetto no better than placebo in relieving prostate symptoms, even at high doses

Long-term administration of the dietary supplement saw palmetto, even at three times the usual dose, did not reduce symptoms of prostate enlargement significantly better than placebo in a large group of middle-aged men.

09/21/2011: Common stimulant may speed recovery from general anesthesia

Administration of the commonly used stimulant drug methylphenidate was able to speed recovery from general anesthesia in an animal study conducted at MGH. The report is the first demonstration in mammals of what could be a safe and effective way to induce arousal from general anesthesia.

09/20/2011: Christopher J. McDougle named director of the Lurie Center for Autism

Christopher J. McDougle, MD has been named director of the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital and MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

09/12/2011: Social contacts, self-confidence crucial to successful recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous

Among the many ways that participation in Alcoholics Anonymous helps its members stay sober, two appear to be most important – spending more time with individuals who support efforts towards sobriety and increased confidence in the ability to maintain abstinence in social situations.

09/11/2011: International study identifies new gene targets for hypertension treatment

A new report from MGH scientists and colleagues around the world finds that common variants in 28 regions of DNA are associated with blood pressure in human patients. Most of the identified regions were completely unsuspected, and several may lead to a totally new class of hypertension drugs.

09/05/2011: Study confirms that living with a smoker increases absenteeism in school children

Children who live in households where they are exposed to tobacco smoke miss more days of school than do children living in smoke-free homes. A report from MGH investigators also finds such children have higher rates of respiratory illnesses caused by second-hand smoke and details the probable economic costs of increased their school absences.

08/21/2011: Imaging probe allows noninvasive detection of dangerous heart-valve infection

A novel imaging probe developed by MGH investigators may make it possible to diagnose accurately a dangerous infection of the heart valves

08/17/2011: Most physicians will face malpractice claims, but risk of making payment is low

While most U.S. physicians will face a malpractice lawsuit at some time in their careers, a new study finds, the vast majority of those suits will not result in payment to a plaintiff. The report provides the most comprehensive analysis of the risk of malpractice claims by specialty in more than two decades.

08/10/2011: Could an 'ankle hotline' relieve strain on health care demands?

MGH investigators suggest that – since strains and sprains, which account for over a third of lower extremity injuries treated at emergency departments, are not life-threatening – telephone triage and scheduled care appointments might be a better use of precious emergency healthcare resources.

08/03/2011: Natural killer cells participate in immune response against HIV

A new study shows for the first time that natural killer cells, which are part of the body's first-line defence against infection, can contribute to the immune response against HIV. The findings may help develop new preventive or treatment strategies.

08/02/2011: Pilot study suggests new approach to treat preeclampsia

A novel therapy that reduces elevated blood levels of a potentially toxic protein in women with preeclampsia, a dangerous complication of pregnancy, may someday address the therapeutic dilemma posed by the condition – balancing life-threatening risks to the mother with the dangers that early delivery poses to an immature fetus.

07/15/2011: New guide helps doctors identify signs of trouble in military families

New tool is designed to help pediatricians and other clinicians identify and address the signs of deployment-related stress among children and families.

07/14/2011: Mass. General Hospital to Deploy Staff to Haiti in Response to Rising Cholera Cases

On Sunday, July 17, The MGH Center for Global Health will deploy 6 clinicians to Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti, in response to resurging cases of cholera.

07/13/2011: Large clinical trial shows short-term hormone therapy plus radiation increases survival for men with early-stage prostate cancer

Short-term hormone therapy given in combination with radiation therapy for men with early-stage prostate cancer increases their chance of living longer and not dying from the disease, compared with patients who receive the same radiation therapy alone.

07/13/2011: Taking out a cancer’s co-dependency

Scientists at the Broad Institute and MGH have discovered a novel compound that selectively blocks the ability of cancer cells to block the oxidative stress produced by rapid tumor growth, killing cancer cells more effectively than a currently used chemotherapy drug.

07/12/2011: Changes in family history of cancer can impact screening recommendations

A multi-institutional research team has found that details of a family history of cancer – which can affect recommendations for screening examinations such as colonoscopies and mammograms – frequently change in adults aged 30 to 50.

07/10/2011: High-resolution imaging technology reveals cellular details of coronary arteries

Researchers at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at MGH have developed a one-micrometer-resolution version of the intravascular imaging technology optical coherence tomography that can reveal cellular and subcellular features of coronary artery disease.

07/08/2011: Red Sox Foundation and Mass General Hospital Home Base Program wins national grant from McCormick Foundation and Major League Baseball to expand services

A $1.1 million competitive national grant from the McCormick Foundation and Major League Baseball will be used to support the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program to expand access to care for veterans with traumatic brain injury or combat stress and support services for their families.

07/07/2011: Study suggests new strategy to prevent infertility, birth defects

A strategy that has been shown to reduce age-related health problems in several animal studies may also combat a major cause of age-associated infertility and birth defects.

07/01/2011: Mass. General team identifies new class of antiangiogenesis drugs

MGH researchers have discovered the first of an entirely new class of antiangiogenesis drugs – agents that interfere with the development of blood vessels. The compound, derived from a South American tree, uses a novel mechanism to block blood vessel formation.

06/30/2011: Mass General Imaging brings 3D mammography to Worcester

Mass General Imaging - Worcester now introduces 3D mammography technology that promises to improve breast cancer detection.

06/24/2011: Mass. General Hospital, Iacocca Foundation announce promising results of Phase I diabetes trial

Promising results of a Phase I clinical trial of the generic drug BCG to treat advanced type I diabetes are being announced today at the American Diabetes Association scientific sessions. An MGH research team is describing the apparent reproduction in human patients of a mechanism that reversed type 1 diabetes in a mouse model.

06/24/2011: ICER Releases Comprehensive Appraisal of Management Options for Patients with Low Back Disorders

A comprehensive appraisal of management options for patients with low-back disorders was released today by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, based within the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment.

06/23/2011: Rare genetic disorder provides unique insight into Parkinson’s disease

MGH investigators may have found the mechanism behind a previously reported link between the rare genetic condition Gaucher disease and the common neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson's disease.

06/21/2011: Scientists reveal HIV weakness

In a new finding that may allow vaccine designers to sidestep HIV's rapid mutation rate, researchers at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard have identified sections of an HIV protein where mutations would actually undermine the virus’ fitness – its ability to survive and reproduce.

06/20/2011: Mental Health of Returning Veterans is Focus of 3rd Annual Boston Conference

Many of the nation’s top experts in mental health care for veterans gather in Boston to assist community-based healthcare professionals to effectively identify and treat returning veterans who suffer from psychological and physical wounds of deployment.

06/20/2011: Free Conference for Clergy and Spiritual Leaders Focuses on Mental Health of Returning Veterans Affected by Combat Stress

Clergy members and spiritual leaders of all denominations are invited to attend an innovative symposium that focuses on understanding and guiding the recovery of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as their families.

06/17/2011: The Wonder of Lunder

Celebrating 200 years of medical innovation and advancement, Massachusetts General Hospital designates June 20-24, 2011, Lunder Dedication Week, to highlight the opening of the new 14-floor building that will expand clinical space at the heart of the main campus.

06/14/2011: Ride for our Heroes

New England-area motorcycle enthusiasts are kick starting their bikes and riding in the first Ride for Our Heroes on Saturday September 24. Ride for Our Heroes supports the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program’s services for veterans and families affected by combat stress and traumatic brain injury.

06/12/2011: Single GFP-expressing cell is basis of living laser device

Two investigators at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital have developed a living laser, in which a single cell genetically engineered to express green fluorescent protein is used to amplify photons into nanosecond-long pulses of laser light

06/06/2011: Women's risk of heart disease after gestational diabetes differs by race

New research finds that gestational diabetes, or pregnancy-related diabetes, may not raise the risk of heart disease independent of other cardiovascular risk factors except in certain high-risk populations.

06/05/2011: Athletic girls more likely to have impaired bone structure if menstrual cycle stops

Young female athletes who have stopped menstruating have a weakening in the quality of their bone structure that may predispose them to breaking a bone, despite getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise, a new study finds.

06/04/2011: Anorexic girls have increased bone density after physiological estrogen treatment

Estrogen therapy improves low bone density in teenage girls with anorexia nervosa when given as a patch or at an oral dose close to the form or amount the body makes naturally.

06/01/2011: Physicians Call For New Approach To Address National “Epidemic Of Mass Incarceration”

The authors of a New England Journal of Medicine Perspective article link the U.S. “epidemic of mass incarceration” to inadequate treatment of addiction and mental illness.

05/31/2011: Long-term study data supports association between childhood ADHD and substance abuse risk

An analysis of more than 10 years of data confirms that ADHD alone significantly increases the risk of future cigarette smoking and substance abuse in both boys and girls.

05/25/2011: Mass General Imaging leads charge to reduce CT radiation with launch of research center, publication of clinical protocols

First-of-its-kind Webster Center for Advanced Research and Education in Radiation devoted to achieving the lowest radiation dose for every patient. Availability of CT exam protocols gives radiology practitioners worldwide access to more than a decade’s worth of clinical expertise on reducing radiation exposure

05/22/2011: The Dance of the Cells: A Minuet or a Mosh?

The physical forces that guide how cells manage to get from place to place inside the living body are poorly understood. Now scientists have for the first time devised a way to measure these forces during collective cellular migration.

05/17/2011: Deer tick bacteria DNA in joint fluid not reliable marker of active lyme arthritis

New research shows that PCR testing for Borrelia burgdorferi DNA—the spirochetal bacteria transmitted by deer ticks—in joint fluid may confirm the diagnosis of Lyme arthritis, but is not a reliable indicator for active joint infection in patients whose arthritis persists.

05/12/2011: Increase in Internet access parallels growth in prescription drug abuse

Increasing access to rogue online pharmacies that dispense medications without a doctor's prescription may be an important factor behind the rapid increase in the abuse of prescription drugs.

05/12/2011: African Americans and the General Public Support Banning Menthol in Cigarettes

According to a new study released online today, a majority of Americans, including most African Americans, stand together in support of banning menthol in cigarettes just as other cigarette flavorings have now been banned by the FDA.

05/11/2011: Mild obesity appears to improve survival in ALS patients

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be an exception to the rule that being overweight is a health hazard. In a retrospective study of over 400 ALS patients, MGH researchers found that those who were mildly obese survived longer than patients who were normal weight, underweight or even overweight.

05/09/2011: Important step in breakdown of HIV proteins is critical to immune system recognition, destruction of infected cells

Researchers at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard have found that – as HIV proteins are broken down within cells, a process that should help label infected cells for destruction – the stability of resulting protein segments varies greatly, variations that may change how well cells are recognized by the immune system.

05/05/2011: Combination of ADHD and poor emotional control runs in families

A subgroup of adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also exhibit excessive emotional reactions to everyday occurrences, and this combination of ADHD and emotional reactivity appears to run in families, an MGH study finds.

05/01/2011: Children held captive in smoky vehicles

Study led by MGHfC investigator Jonathan Winickoff, MD, MPH, finds that children of parents who smoke are often exposed to tobacco in their parent's cars.

04/21/2011: Meditation may help the brain "turn down the volume" on distractions

The positive effects of mindfulness meditation on pain and working memory may result from an improved ability to regulate a crucial brain wave called the alpha rhythm, which is thought to "turn down the volume" on distracting information.

04/19/2011: Severe obesity not seen to increase risk of depression in teens

According to a new study, severely obese adolescents are no more likely to be depressed than normal weight peers. The study, which has been released online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, did find that white adolescents may be somewhat more vulnerable to psychological effects of obesity.

04/13/2011: Differences in brain structure indicate risk for developing Alzheimer's disease

Subtle differences in brain anatomy among older individuals with normal cognitive skills may be able to predict both the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in the following decade and how quickly symptoms of dementia would develop.

04/04/2011: Special Military Discount and New Fundraising Prizes Announced for the 2011 Run to Home Base

In addition to crossing home plate, runners will be able to win terrific prizes including Green Monster tickets, New Balance gift cards and autographed Red Sox jerseys.

03/30/2011: Alzheimer's-like brain changes found in cognitively normal elders with amyloid plaques

Researchers using two brain-imaging technologies have found that apparently normal older individuals with brain deposits of amyloid beta – the primary constituent of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients – also had changes in brain structure similar to those seen in Alzheimer's patients.

03/27/2011: Advanced technology reveals activity of single neurons during seizures

The first study to examine the activity of hundreds of individual human brain cells during seizures has found that seizures begin with extremely diverse neuronal activity, contrary to the classic view that they are characterized by massively synchronized activity.

03/24/2011: BrainGate neural interface system reaches 1,000-day performance milestone

An investigational implanted system being developed to translate brain signals toward control of assistive devices has allowed a woman with paralysis to accurately control a computer cursor at 2.7 years after implantation, providing a key demonstration that neural activity can be read out and converted into action for an unprecedented length of time.

03/23/2011: Mass. General study reveals how lung cancers evolve in response to targeted treatment

A detailed analysis of lung tumors that became resistant to targeted therapy drugs has revealed two previously unreported resistance mechanisms. The report also describes how the cellular nature of some tumors can change in response to treatment and finds how resistance-conferring mutations can disappear after treatment is discontinued.

03/23/2011: Epigenomic findings illuminate veiled variants

Genes make up only a tiny percentage of the human genome, but the rest may hold vital clues about the genetic origins of disease. Using a new mapping strategy, a research team has begun to assign meaning to the regions beyond our genes and has revealed how minute changes in these regions might be connected to common diseases.

03/21/2011: Most Parents Support Testing Children for Tobacco Smoke Exposure

A new study, to be published in the April 2011 issue of Pediatrics, shows that 60 percent of parents -- smoking and non-smoking -- indicate that they would like their children tested for tobacco smoke exposure during pediatric visits.

03/20/2011: Metabolite levels may be able to improve diabetes risk prediction

Measuring the levels of small molecules in the blood may be able to identify individuals at elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes as much as a decade before symptoms of the disorder appear.

03/18/2011: Mass General publishes book outlining 200 years of medical care and progress

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) today celebrates the launch of its new history book, Something in the Ether: A Bicentennial History of Massachusetts General Hospital, 1811-2011, by local author Webster Bull and his daughter, Martha Bull. The 527-page hardcover volume commemorates 200 years of medicine, capturing the spirit of the nation’s third oldest general hospital as conveyed through work of some of the most captivating, colorful and inspiring characters in health care, past and present.

03/15/2011: Current projections greatly underestimate impact of Haitian cholera epidemic

A new mathematical model of the Haitian cholera epidemic, based on current knowledge about the transmission and course of the disease, finds that current projections regarding the size and extent of the epidemic may greatly underestimate the eventual number of cases.

03/14/2011: Tumor suppressor blocks viral growth in natural HIV controllers

Elevated levels of p21, a protein best known as a cancer fighter, may be involved in the ability of a few individuals to control HIV infection with their immune system alone.

03/09/2011: Aspirin's ability to protect against colorectal cancer may depend on risk-associated inflammatory pathways

The reduced risk of colorectal cancer associated with taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be limited to individuals already at risk because of elevations in a specific inflammatory factor in the blood.

03/07/2011: Massachusetts General Hospital is first in the nation to do mammography screening using 3D breast tomosynthesis

The Breast Imaging Program at Massachusetts General Hospital today welcomes its first patient to undergo three-dimensional breast tomosynthesis screening. Also known as 3D mammography, this technology promises to improve cancer detection and reduce false positives.

03/07/2011: Increased, mandatory screenings help identify more kids with emotional/behavioral problems

An MGHfC study published in the March 2011 Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine shows that Massachusetts' new court-ordered mental health screening and intervention program led to more children being identified as behaviorally and emotionally at risk.

03/06/2011: International collaborative identifies 13 new heart-disease-associated gene sites

An international research collaboration has identified 13 new gene sites associated with the risk of coronary artery disease and validated 10 sites found in previous studies. Several of the novel sites discovered do not appear to relate to known risk factors, suggesting previously unsuspected mechanisms for cardiovascular disease.

03/04/2011: MGH Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Breakthrough Findings Honored with Research Award

Dr. Young-Min Kwon honored with Kappa Delta Investigator Award for outstanding research in Orthopaedic surgery.

03/03/2011: Brain rhythm predicts real-time sleep stability, may lead to more precise sleep medications

A new study finds that a brain rhythm considered the hallmark of wakefulness not only persists inconspicuously during sleep but also signifies an individual's vulnerability to disturbance by the outside world.

02/22/2011: Protective strategy shields primate ovaries from radiation-therapy-induced damage

A strategy developed by MGH researchers to shield the ovaries of female mammals from the damaging effects of radiation and chemotherapy has passed an important milestone with the report that brief pretreatment with an FDA-approved drug preserved the fertility of female rhesus monkeys exposed to potentially lethal doses of radiation.

02/16/2011: Enzyme helps prepare lung tissue for metastatic development

An MGH study has identified a new role for an important enzyme in preparing lung tissue for the development of metastases. The findings may help development of strategies to slow or halt the process.

02/10/2011: Tumor microvesicles reveal detailed genetic information

The MGH research team that previously discovered tumor-associated RNA in tiny membrane-enclosed sacs released into the bloodstream by cancer cells has now found that these microvesicles also contain segments of tumor DNA, including so-called "jumping genes" that copy and insert themselves into other areas of the genome.

02/03/2011: Homeless people without enough to eat are more likely to be hospitalized

Homeless people who do not get enough to eat use hospitals and emergency rooms at very high rates, according to a new study from MGH and Boston Health Care for the Homeless.

02/02/2011: Generic drug may improve the effectiveness of cancer nanotherapies

Low doses of an inexpensive, FDA-approved hypertension medication may improve the results of nanotherapeutic approaches to cancer treatment.

01/26/2011: Growth-factor-containing nanoparticles accelerate healing of chronic wounds

Massachusetts General Hospital investigators have developed a novel system for delivery of growth factors to chronic wounds such as pressure sores and diabetic foot ulcers.

01/21/2011: Mindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in 8 weeks

Participating in an 8-week mindfulness meditation program appears to make measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.

01/21/2011: CT scanning aids rapid diagnosis, treatment planning for abdominal pain

The use of CT scanning to evaluate abdominal pain in emergency departments can help physicians arrive at a diagnosis quickly and decisively.

01/18/2011: Massachusetts General Hospital leading nationwide, comparative study of common bipolar medications

The Massachusetts General Hospital Bipolar Clinic and Research Program is launching a 10-site nationwide trial evaluating the real-world advantages and disadvantages of second generation mood stabilizing medications compared to lithium.

01/13/2011: Overexpression of repetitive DNA sequences discovered in common tumor cells

MGH Cancer Center researchers have discovered a previously unknown feature of common tumor cells – massive overexpression of satellite repeats, which are DNA sequences that do not code for proteins. The findings may improve understanding of tumor development and provide a new cancer biomarker.

01/10/2011: Statin risks may outweigh benefits for patients with a history of brain hemorrhage

A computer decision model suggests that for patients with a history of bleeding within the brain, the risk of recurrence associated with statin treatment may outweigh the benefit of the drug in preventing cardiovascular disease, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of Neurology.

01/03/2011: Mass. General Hospital enters collaboration to develop new approach to capturing circulating tumor cells

MGH has entered into a collaborative agreement with Veridex LLC to establish a center of excellence in research on circulating tumor cell technologies.

12/29/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital celebrates 200 years in 2011

January 1, 2011, marks the start on Mass General's bicentennial anniversary. Find out how the hospital is celebrating this momentous milestone.

12/29/2010: Uncovering the neurobiological basis of general anesthesia

Emery Brown, MD, PhD, author of a New England Journal of Medicine review article, lays out a conceptual framework for understanding general anesthesia by discussing its relation to sleep and coma.

12/27/2010: Newborns with low vitamin D levels at increased risk for respiratory infections

Vitamin D levels of newborn babies appear to predict their risk of respiratory infections during infancy and the occurrence of wheezing during early childhood, but not the risk of developing asthma.

12/27/2010: Structure deep within the brain may contribute to a rich, varied social life

Scientists have discovered that the amygdala, a small almond shaped structure deep within the temporal lobe, is important to a rich and varied social life among humans.

12/22/2010: A Run Like No Other: Fenway Park’s Famed Home Plate is Finish Line for “2011 Run to Home Base Presented by New Balance” on Sunday, May 22, 2011

Thousands of fans who participate in the annual run will be able to experience the thrill of crossing home plate at Fenway Park while raising funds to support clinical treatment for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

12/22/2010: Mortality rates are an unreliable metric for assessing hospital quality, study finds

A comparative analysis found wide disparities in the results of four common measures of hospital-wide mortality rates, with competing methods yielding both higher- and lower-than-expected rates for the same hospitals during the same year.

12/16/2010: Mass. General Hospital's Warren Triennial Prize to honor pioneers of cellular reprogramming

The 2011 Warren Triennial Prize – the top scientific award presented by the MGH – will be awarded to Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, and Rudolf Jaenisch, MD, pioneers in developing methods to reprogram adult cells into pluripotent cells with the developmental potential of embryonic stem cells.

12/14/2010: The effects of spirituality in Alcoholics Anonymous on alcohol dependence

A new study shows that, as attendance at AA meetings increases, so do the participants' spiritual beliefs, especially in those individuals who had low spirituality at the beginning of the study.

12/13/2010: Apartment-dwelling children in nonsmoking units still exposed to tobacco

A new study from MassGeneral Hospital for Children and the University of Rochester Medical Center shows significant evidence of tobacco smoke exposure in the blood of children who live in multi-unit housing.

12/12/2010: MGH researchers develop faster method of engineering zinc-finger nucleases

A team led by MGH researchers has developed a faster way to engineer synthetic enzymes that target specific DNA sequences for inactivation, repair or alteration.

12/09/2010: Cholera strain in Haiti matches bacteria from South Asia

A team of researchers has determined that the strain of cholera erupting in Haiti matches bacterial samples from South Asia and not those from Latin America. The scientists conclude that the bacteria introduced into Haiti most likely came from an infected human, contaminated food or other item from outside of Latin America.

12/06/2010: Psychotic-like symptoms associated with poor outcomes in patients with depression

Among patients with depression, the presence of symptoms associated with bipolar disorder does not appear to be associated with treatment resistance, according to a study from MGH investigators. However, many patients with depression also report psychotic-like symptoms, such as hearing voices or believing they are being spied on or plotted against, and those patients are less likely to respond to treatment.

12/02/2010: Patriots and Mass General Hospital to raise awareness for colorectal cancer at Monday night's game

As part of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's season-long "Kick Cancer" initiative, and in partnership with Mass General Hospital, the Patriots will promote colorectal cancer awareness at the December 6 Monday night matchup at Gillette Stadium versus the New York Jets.

12/01/2010: Tumors bring their own support cells when forming metastases

A new study from MGH Cancer Center researchers finds that circulating tumor cells bring along from the original tumor site noncancerous cells that facilitate the development of metastases.

11/30/2010: Dr. Peter Slavin to chair AAMC council of teaching hospitals administrative board

MGH President Peter L. Slavin appointed chair of a council representing the interests of major teaching hospitals in the United States and Canada.

11/30/2010: Belly Fat Puts Women at Risk for Osteoporosis

A study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America found that having too much internal abdominal fat may have a damaging effect on bone health.

11/23/2010: Probiotics under study as treatment for IBS and depression

A new study will measure the ability of probiotic bacteria GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GB1-30, 6086) to help people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and major depressive disorder (MDD).

11/22/2010: ICER Publishes Systematic Review of Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography

A systematic review of the use of Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography for patients with suspected coronary artery disease found that the technology has high diagnostic accuracy but was unable to determine its effectiveness in supporting clinical decision-making or improving patient outcomes.

11/18/2010: Culturally sensitive treatment model helps bring depressed Chinese immigrants into treatment

A treatment model designed to accommodate the beliefs and concerns of Chinese immigrants increased the percentage of depressed patients entering treatment nearly sevenfold.

11/18/2010: ICER Launches RAPiD Initiative through Formation of New England Healthcare Advisory Council

With backing from a consortium of New England state health policy leaders, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review - the based at the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment - will spearhead the formation of a New England Healthcare Advisory Council to provide objective, independent guidance on the application of medical evidence to clinical practice and payer policy decisions across New England.

11/12/2010: Mathematical model of the life cycle of red blood cells may predict risk of anemia

An MGH physician-researcher and a Harvard University mathematician have collaborated to develop a mathematical model reflecting how red blood cells change during their four-month lifespan. The model uses data from routine blood tests and may be able to predict the development of anemia.

11/11/2010: MassGeneral Hospital for Children celebrates 10 years of excellence in pediatrics

MGH celebrates 100 years of comprehensive pediatric services, 50 years of pediatric surgery, and a decade as Mass General Hospital for Children.

11/10/2010: Romiplostim more effective than standard care for immune thrombocytopenia

A new study finds that an FDA-approved drug to treat the rare autoimmune disorder immune thromobocytopenia (ITP) is more effective than earlier medical therapies in helping patients avoid surgical treatment and significantly improving their quality of life.

11/09/2010: Combined Imaging Technologies May Better Identify Cancerous Breast Lesions

By combining optical and x-ray imaging, radiologists may be better able to distinguish cancer from benign lesions in the breast, according to an MGH study.

11/08/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health to Host Inaugural Symposium

Broadening the Response: The Role of Academic Medical Centers in Global Health, will bring together the foremost global health leaders and policy makers to discuss how best to build, strengthen and expand on global partnerships.

11/08/2010: Although less prevalent, physician-industry relationships remain common

A new survey finds that, while the number of physicians who report having relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers or other industrial companies has dropped in recent years, the vast majority of them still maintain such relationships.

11/05/2010: President Honors Outstanding Early-Career Scientists

President Obama today named 85 researchers as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

11/04/2010: Small protein changes may make big difference in natural HIV control

Tiny variants in a protein that alerts the immune system to the presence of infection may underlie the rare ability of some individuals to control HIV infection without the need for medications.

11/03/2010: Half of those travelling internationally not aware of potential health risks

International travel is the primary way many infections traverse the world. Despite these potential risks, a recent study conducted by the Division of Infectious Diseases found that 46 percent of travelers to resource-limited countries did not seek health advice or vaccinations prior to departure.

10/28/2010: Tighter ethics rules have reduced industrial relationship of NIH scientists

The 2005 ethics rules that govern relationships between researchers within the National Institutes of Health and pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other industrial companies have significantly reduced the prevalence of such collaborations without affecting standard measures of research productivity.

10/28/2010: Study identifies flaws in Medicare prescription drug program

Millions of Medicare recipients have been forcibly reassigned to different prescription drug plans because Part D reimbursements to insurance companies covering low-income patients are lower than the actual costs incurred, according to a study from the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at MGH.

10/27/2010: New targeted lung cancer drug produces 'dramatic' symptom improvement

A clinical trial of a potential new targeted treatment drug has provided powerful evidence that it can halt or reverse the growth of lung tumors characterized by alterations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene.

10/18/2010: EACH and ICER Launch Prostate Cancer Decision Aid Website

The Employers Action Coalition on Healthcare and the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, part of the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Institute for Technology Assessment, are launching a new website designed to give patients recently diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer objective information about treatment choices.

10/18/2010: Intestinal enzyme helps maintain population of beneficial bacteria

An enzyme that keeps intestinal bacteria out of the bloodstream may also play an important role in maintaining the normal microbial population of the gastrointestinal system.

10/15/2010: Health care education collaboration builds on relationships between Maine health care providers, patients and Massachusetts General Hospital

A new educational collaboration between Maine and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) seeks to expand the range of health care education programs, materials and opportunities available to providers, patients, families and veterans throughout the state of Maine.

10/15/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital launches $1.5 billion fundraising campaign

Massachusetts General Hospital today formally launched the largest fundraising campaign in its history and the most ambitious capital campaign ever among health care institutions in New England.

10/14/2010: Molecular switch controls melanin production, may allow true sunless tanning

Discovery of a molecular switch that turns off the natural process of skin pigmentation may lead to a novel way of protecting the skin – activating the tanning process without exposure to cancer-causing UV radiation.

10/12/2010: Second-generation device more effective in capturing circulating tumor cells

A redesigned version of the CTC-Chip – a microchip-based device for capturing rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) – appears to be more effective and should be easier to manufacture than the original. Called the HB-(herringbone) Chip, the new device also may provide more comprehensive and easily accessible data from captured tumor cells.

10/10/2010: Studies provide new insights into the genetics of obesity and fat distribution

An international consortium has made significant inroads into uncovering the genetic basis of obesity by identifying 18 new gene sites associated with overall obesity and 13 that affect fat distribution. The studies include data from nearly a quarter of a million participants, the largest genetic investigation of human traits to date.

09/30/2010: ICER Completes Comprehensive Appraisal of Common Strategies for Atrial Fibrillation Management

A comprehensive appraisal of the management options for the irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, prepared by the MGH-based Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, details the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of several strategies for restoring rhythm control and preventing stroke.

09/27/2010: The Patriots Aim to Kick Cancer

Nearly 70,000 fans pack the stands at Gillette Stadium for every Patriots home game and, statistically, far too many of them will develop cancer in their lifetimes. With support from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital – the founding hospitals of Partners HealthCare – and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation has launched Kick Cancer, a season-long initiative to increase cancer awareness among Patriots fans.

09/24/2010: Disparities in heart attack treatment may begin in the emergency room

The well-documented disparities in cardiac care may begin almost as soon as patients arrive at hospital emergency rooms, Mass. General investigators find.

09/15/2010: $40 million awarded to trace human brain's connections

The National Institutes of Health has awarded grants totaling $40 million to map the human brain's connections in high resolution. Better understanding of such connectivity promises improved diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders.

09/14/2010: Present imperfect: Doctors in training work even when ill

Researchers report that three out of five resident physicians responding to a survey came to work in the previous year while sick, possibly exposing their patients and colleagues to suboptimal performance and, in many cases, communicable disease.

09/07/2010: Quality measurement programs could shortchange physicians caring for at-risk patients

Evaluating the quality of care delivered by individual physicians without accounting for such factors as their patients' socioeconomic status or insurance coverage risks undervaluing the work of those caring for a higher proportion of vulnerable patients.

08/31/2010: Driver's education for the brain teaches social and emotional competency in the classroom

The Massachusetts General Hospital School Psychiatry Program announces the creation of an educational curriculum to help teachers train their students' brains. Doctors say such efforts could curb bullying by helping students develop core social and emotional skills.

08/30/2010: Microfluidic device allows collection, analysis of hard-to-handle immune cells

A team led by MGH scientists has developed a new microfluidic tool for quickly and accurately isolating neutrophils – the most abundant type of white blood cell – from small blood samples, an accomplishment that could provide information essential to better understanding the immune system's response to traumatic injury.

08/25/2010: Targeted drug leads to rapid regression of metastatic melanoma in patients with mutated BRAF gene

Use of an experimental targeted drug to treat metastatic melanoma tumors with a specific genetic signature was successful in more than 80 percent of patients in a phase 1 clinical trial.

08/25/2010: Grapefruit's bitter taste holds a sweet promise for diabetes therapy

A team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Massachusetts General Hospital report that the antioxident naringenin seems to mimic the actions of other drugs including the anti-diabetic rosiglitazone.

08/24/2010: Cognitive behavior therapy improves symptom control in adult ADHD

Adding cognitive behavioral therapy – an approach that teaches skills for handling life challenges and revising negative thought patterns – to pharmaceutical treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder significantly improved symptom control in adult patients.

08/18/2010: Lung cancer patients receiving palliative care had improved quality of life, extended survival

Integrating palliative care early in the treatment of patients with advanced lung cancer not only improved their mood and quality of life, it also extended their lives.

08/12/2010: Merlin protein found to control liver stem cells, prevent tumor development

A protein known to be involved in a rare hereditary cancer syndrome may have a role in the regulation of liver stem cells and the development of liver cancer.

08/09/2010: Brain rhythm predicts ability to sleep through a noisy night

People who have trouble sleeping in noisy environments often resort to strategies like earplugs or noise-canceling headphones that muffle the sound, but a new study from MGH investigators may lead to ways to block disturbing sounds within the brain.

08/04/2010: MicroRNA molecule increases number of blood stem cells, may help improve cancer treatment

MGH investigators have identified a new mechanism that controls the number of the stem cells that give rise to all blood and immune system cells, an advance that may improve treatment of blood system cancers.

08/04/2010: Sorting out the genetic and biological links between cholesterol and coronary heart disease

Two papers in the current issue of Nature describe 95 gene variations that contribute to cholesterol and triglyceride levels and reveal the unexpected role of a metabolic pathway in lipid metabolism.

08/04/2010: New drug shown safe, effective in treating hereditary angioedema

Clinical trials from two international research teams have shown that icatibant, a new drug that blocks the action of an inflammatory protein known as bradykinin, is safe and effective in treating acute attacks of hereditary angioedema, a potentially life-threatening condition.

07/29/2010: Resting brain activity associated with spontaneous fibromyalgia pain

A recent study from researchers at Mass. General and University of Michigan provides the first direct evidence of linkage between elevated intrinsic (resting-state) brain connectivity and spontaneous pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia.

07/27/2010: CTC screening for colorectal cancer not cost-effective when reimbursed at same rate as colonoscopy

Computed tomographic colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy, is not cost-effective if reimbursed at the same rate as colonoscopy, according to a study from the Institute for Technology Assessment at MGH.

07/19/2010: Reprogrammed cells 'remember,' retain characteristics of their cells of origin

Investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine have confirmed that induced pluripotent stem cells retain some characteristics of the cells from which they were derived, something that could both assist and impede potential clinical and research uses.

07/15/2010: Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's ranked on U.S. News National Honor Roll

Massachusetts General Hospital ranks third on the U.S. News & World Report annual 2010-11 Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals.

07/15/2010: Largest study of genomes and cancer treatments releases first results

The largest study to correlate genetics with response to cancer drugs releases its first results today. The researchers behind the study, based at the MGH Cancer Center and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, describe the responses of 350 cancer samples to 18 anticancer therapeutics.

07/14/2010: Researchers Identify Possible New Treatment for Severe Vasculitis

Investigators have made a major advance in treating people with a rare but devastating disease of blood vessels.

07/13/2010: Many physicians do not accept responsibility to report incompetent, impaired colleagues

More than one-third of surveyed U.S. physicians did not agree that physicians should always report colleagues who are incompetent or impaired by conditions such as substance abuse or mental health disorders. Many also felt unprepared to report or otherwise deal with impaired or incompetent colleagues.

07/09/2010: Universal HIV testing and immediate treatment could reduce but not eliminate HIV/AIDS epidemic

Implementing universal HIV testing and immediate antiretroviral treatment for infected individuals could have a major impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, DC but not halt the epidemic, which a previous report had projected.

07/05/2010: Study finds higher STD rates among users of erectile dysfunction drugs

An analysis of insurance records of more than 1.4 million U.S. men over 40 found that those who used ED drugs were more likely to have sexually transmitted diseases than were non-users.

06/30/2010: When food intake stops, enzyme turns off production of fats, cholesterol

MGH investigators have found that an enzyme with several important roles in energy metabolism also helps to turn off the body's generation of fats and cholesterol under conditions of fasting. The findings could lead to new approaches to treating conditions involving elevated cholesterol and lipid levels.

06/28/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital Launches iPhone App to Locate Emergency Rooms

FindER uses the iPhone’s global positioning system to quickly direct patients to emergency rooms anywhere within the United States.

06/28/2010: Mass. General Hospital, Iacocca Foundation announce completion of Phase I diabetes trial

MGH and the Iacocca Foundation announce today the completion of the Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes, as well as the submission of all safety reports to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the MGH data safety monitoring boards.

06/23/2010: Radiology Offers Opposing Views on Mammography Guidelines

The July issue of Radiology contains an editorial by MGH radiologist Daniel B. Kopans, MD, challenging the recent United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for mammography screening and asserting that the task force ignored important scientific evidence when making its recommendations.

06/16/2010: Puffing in public housing poses serious health risks to tenants

In an effort to protect children from harmful tobacco smoke exposure, health and medical professionals are pushing for a ban on smoking in public housing in a report appearing in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine.

06/16/2010: Defects in immune system enzyme may increase risk of autoimmune disorders

A multi-institutional research team has found that rare variants in the gene coding an enzyme that controls the activity of a key immune cell occur more frequently in individuals with autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.

06/15/2010: Combined BRAF-targeted and immunotherapy shows promise for melanoma treatment

Combined targeted therapy against the BRAF/MAPK pathway with immunotherapy shows promise as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of melanoma, according to results of a preclinical study by MGH researchers.

06/14/2010: Novel ultrasound technique can help doctors detect heart muscle damage in chemotherapy patients

Mass General researchers unveiled a non-invasive ultrasound technique to help detect heart muscle damage in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

06/14/2010: Study finds heart and circulation ultrasound can better determine heart disease risk in obese women

Researchers found that heart and circulation ultrasounds are an important tool in assessing the risk of heart disease in women who are obese or have metabolic syndrome.

06/13/2010: Mass. General researchers develop functional, transplantable rat liver grafts

A team led by researchers from the Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital has developed a technique that someday may allow growth of transplantable replacement livers.

06/09/2010: Genome-wide study identifies factors that may affect vitamin D levels

An international research consortium has identified four common gene variants that are associated with blood levels of vitamin D and with an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.

06/09/2010: Heart Attacks Declined 24 Percent in Kaiser Permanente Northern California Since 2000

Heart attacks declined by 24 percent within a large, ethnically diverse, community-based population since 2000, and the relative incidence of serious heart attacks that do permanent damage declined by 62 percent, according to a study in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

06/08/2010: New type of human stem cell may be more easy to manipulate

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine and Harvard Stem Cell Institute have a developed a new type of human pluripotent stem cell that can be manipulated more readily than currently available stem cells. The new cells could be used as better disease models and eventually to repair disease-associated mutations.

06/03/2010: Study finds epigenetic similarities between Wilms tumor cells and normal kidney stem cells

A detailed analysis of the epigenetics – factors controlling when and where genes are expressed – of Wilms tumor reveals striking similarities to stem cells normally found in fetal kidneys. These findings by MGH Cancer Center researchers reveal new cellular pathways critical for Wilms tumor development that may apply to other pediatric cancers.

05/26/2010: Detailed metabolic profile gives "chemical snapshot" of the effects of exercise

Using a system that analyzes blood samples with unprecedented detail, a team led by MGH researchers has developed the first "chemical snapshot" of the metabolic effects of exercise.

05/26/2010: Study finds “law-like” patterns in human preference behavior

In a study appearing in the journal PLoS ONE, MGH scientists describe finding mathematical patterns underlying the way individuals unconsciously distribute their preferences regarding approaching or avoiding objects in their environment.

05/25/2010: Simple Change Results in Fewer Unnecessary Imaging Exams for Patients

A new rule preventing medical support staff from completing orders for outpatient imaging exams that were likely to be negative resulted in a marked decrease in low-yield exams for patients, according to a study appearing in the June issue of Radiology.

05/21/2010: Over 2000 Runners Cross Home Plate this Sunday

Fans Race to Help Wounded Veterans at Fenway Park in Run to Home Base presented by New Balance

05/17/2010: New study characterizes cognitive and anatomic differences in Alzheimer’s disease gene carriers

In the most comprehensive study to date, neurologists have clearly identified significant differences in the ways that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects patients with and without the apolipoprotein E ε4 gene, a known genetic risk factor for the neurodegenerative disease.

05/14/2010: Homeless adults have significant unmet health care needs

The vast majority of homeless adults surveyed in a national study had trouble accessing at least one type of needed health care service in the preceding year, according to what may be the first broad-based national study of factors related to unmet health needs among homeless people.

05/13/2010: MicroRNA and host gene play key role in regulating cholesterol pathways

MGH researchers have identified tiny segments of RNA that may play an important role in the body's regulation of cholesterol and lipids.

05/11/2010: Many pregnant women not getting enough Vitamin D

Seven out of every ten pregnant women in the United States are not getting enough Vitamin D according to a study from researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and MGH.

05/10/2010: Studies document risks associated with common acid-suppressing medications

Proton pump inhibitors, medications that suppress acid in the stomach, appear to be associated with fractures in postmenopausal women and bacterial infections in many patients.

05/05/2010: New insights into the mystery of natural HIV immunity

Researchers from the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard discover how a genetic factor increases the immune system's ability to control HIV.

05/04/2010: New Balance Named as Presenting Sponsor of the Run to Home Base: Fans Race to Help Wounded Veterans - Fenway's Famed Home Plate is Finish Line Run to Home Base Presented by New Balance

Local company teams up with Mass General and Red Sox Foundation to support veterans.

05/03/2010: Are poor workspace ergonomics causing radiologists pain?

A lack of attention to workspace ergonomics could be to blame for radiologists' musculoskeletal symptoms, including lower back pain, wrist pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, and headaches, according to a study to be presented at the American Roentgen Ray Society 2010 Annual Meeting.

04/27/2010: Long-term anabolic steroid use may weaken heart more than previously thought

Long-term anabolic steroid use may weaken the heart more than previously thought and may increase the risk of heart failure, according to a study led by MGH investigator Aaron Baggish, MD.

04/26/2010: Patients, clinicians favor disclosure of financial ties to industry

MGH investigator Eric Campbell comments on study finding that patients, research participants and journal readers believe financial relationships between medicine and industry should be disclosed.

04/25/2010: Gene silencing may be responsible for induced pluripotent stem cells' limitations

Investigators from the MGH Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have found that an important cluster of genes is inactivated in induced pluripotent stem cells — cells generated from adult tissue that have many characteristics of embryonic stem cells — that do not have the full development potential of embryonic stem cells.

04/19/2010: Patients with acne may get electronic follow-up care

Follow-up visits conducted via a secure Web site may result in similar clinical outcomes as in-person visits among patients with acne, according to a report from investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Partners HealthCare Center for Connected Health.

04/18/2010: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Cancer Detection and Treatment: What’s On the Horizon

Cancer is a multifaceted disease that requires multiple approaches to diagnosis and management. At the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010, scientists and clinicians will present more than 6,300 abstracts dealing with innovative aspects of biology, technology and emerging therapies.

04/14/2010: Novel artificial pancreas successfully controls blood sugar more than 24 hours

An artificial pancreas system that closely mimics the body's blood sugar control mechanism was able to maintain near-normal glucose levels without causing hypoglycemia in a small group of patients.

04/06/2010: Electronic health record alone may have limited ability to improve quality, costs of care

The implementation of electronic health record systems may not be enough to significantly improve health quality and reduce costs.

04/01/2010: Treatment resistance in some cancer cells may be reversible

The ability of cancer cells to resist treatment with either targeted drug therapies or traditional chemotherapy may, in some cases, result from a transient state of reversible drug "tolerance."

03/31/2010: Even highly qualified women in academic medicine paid less than equally qualified men

Women conducting research in the life sciences continue to receive lower levels of compensation than their male counterparts, even at the upper levels of academic and professional accomplishment, according to a study conducted by the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital.

03/31/2010: Improved device provides more rapid, comprehensive analysis of circulating tumor cells

Technical improvements to a microchip-based device for detecting and analyzing tumor cells in the bloodstream are revealing cellular differences that may reflect a tumor's aggressiveness and long-term response to treatment.

03/25/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital to create international registry for coronary optical coherence tomography

Mass General researchers are spearheading an international effort to study optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technology that could help doctors identify the vulnerable coronary plaques that cause heart attacks.

03/22/2010: Blacks less likely than whites, Hispanics to get evidence-based stroke care

Blacks hospitalized with the most common type of stroke are less likely than white or Hispanic patients to receive evidence-based stroke care, according to a new study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

03/21/2010: "Good" cells can go "bad" in a "bad neighborhood"

A new study by Harvard researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital indicates that “good” cells can become cancerous because of exposure to a “bad” environment within the body — similarly to the way a “good boy” may turn to crime when exposed to the pressures of life in a crime-ridden neighborhood.

03/16/2010: Increased radiation dose does not increase long-term side effects for prostate cancer patients

Boosting the radiation dose given to prostate cancer patients to a level that cut recurrence in half did not increase the severity of side effects reported by patients up to a decade later. Patients also found the impact of continuing side effects on their quality of life to be less bothersome than would be expected, based on earlier studies.

03/02/2010: Alzheimer's-associated protein may be part of the innate immune system

Amyloid-beta protein – the primary constituent of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients – may be part of the body's first-line system to defend against infection. In their report in the March 3 issue of PLoS One, a team led by MGH researchers describe their evidence that amyloid-beta protein is an antimicrobial peptide.

03/02/2010: Mass. General Researchers Seek Participants for Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Trial

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital are seeking recently diagnosed Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to participate in a clinical trial investigating whether inosine taken to raise the body’s level of urate — a naturally occurring antioxidant — can be used to slow the progress of PD.

03/01/2010: Adding ECG to health exams may prevent sudden cardiac death in young athletes

A new study by researchers at the MGH Heart Center found the addition of electrocardiogram testing to the standard medical history and physical examination for young athletes may better identify key cardiovascular abnormalities responsible for sports-related sudden death.

03/01/2010: Different fat types can help or hinder obese girls' bone health

According to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, obese teenage girls with a greater ratio of visceral fat (fat around internal organs) to subcutaneous fat (fat found just beneath the skin) are likely to have lower bone density than peers with a lower ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat.

02/25/2010: Proton beam therapy shows encouraging long-term outcome for patients with locally advanced sinonasal cancers

Proton beam radiation therapy shows encouraging results for patients with locally advanced sinonasal malignancies, according to a study led by Annie Chan, MD, a radiation oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

02/23/2010: Combined Mammography and Breast MRI Useful for Some High-Risk Women

Annual breast cancer screening with both mammography and magnetic resonance imaging is likely to be a cost-effective way to improve life expectancy in women with an increased risk of breast cancer.

02/23/2010: Study Should Prove Helpful in Quest for Safer, More Effective Blood Substitutes

A study published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Anesthesiology gives researchers new insights in how to better understand and control a severe side effect of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, often referred to as "artificial blood."

02/21/2010: Common gene variant may increase risk for a type of cardiac arrhythmia

An international research team has identified a common gene variant associated with a form of the irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation that is seen in younger individuals with no other heart disease.

02/16/2010: Rates of childhood obesity, chronic health problems increase, but conditions may not persist

A new study confirms that rates of obesity and other chronic health problems have risen in American children in recent years, but it also shows that many children's conditions will improve or resolve over time.

02/16/2010: A Race Like No Other - Fans Race in Honor of Veterans

This May, some 3,500 Red Sox fans will be able to know the thrill of running across home plate at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark, while at the same time raising funds to support services for local veterans with deployment-related stress disorders and traumatic brain injuries.

02/14/2010: Shifting cellular energy metabolism may help treat cardiovascular disease

Drugs that target the way cells convert nutrients into energy could offer new approaches to treating a range of conditions including heart attack and stroke. Using a new way to screen for potential drugs, a team of researchers has identified several FDA-approved agents that can shift cellular energy metabolism processes in animals.

02/05/2010: Study finds screening for spinal muscular atrophy not cost effective

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, researchers will unveil findings that show it is not cost effective to screen for spinal muscular atrophy, the most common genetic cause of infant mortality and the second most common inherited autosomal recessive disorder.

02/04/2010: Dr. Michael R. Jaff invited to chair a California health task force

Dr. Michael R. Jaff named chairman and moderator of a task force aimed at increasing awareness of peripheral artery disease.

02/01/2010: Children more likely to visit the dentist if their parents do too

Whether or not children receive regular dental care is strongly associated with their parents' history of seeking dental care. A new report to appear in the journal Pediatrics, which has been released online, is the first to analyze the relationship between parents' and childrens' dental visits in a nationally represntative sample.

01/28/2010: Attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings may reduce depression symptoms

One of many reasons that attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings helps people with alcohol use disorders stay sober appears to be alleviation of depression. A team of researchers has found that study participants who attended AA meetings more frequently had fewer symptoms of depression – along with less drinking – than did those with less AA participation.

01/27/2010: Biochemical profile may help diagnose, determine aggressiveness of prostate cancer

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy – which analyzes the biochemistry rather than the structure of tissues – may someday be able both to pinpoint the precise location of prostate cancer and to determine the tumor's aggressiveness, information that could help guide treatment planning.

01/27/2010: Workers' Compensation Patients Get Less Benefit from Back Surgery

Surgery provides better results than nonsurgical treatment for most patients with back pain related to a herniated disk - but not for those receiving workers' compensation for work-related injuries, according to a study in the journal Spine.

01/21/2010: Lack of cellular enzyme triggers switch in glucose processing

A study investigating how a cellular enzyme affects blood glucose levels in mice provides clues to pathways that may be involved in processes including the regulation of longevity and the proliferation of tumor cells.

01/19/2010: Combination therapy may benefit patients with specific genetic subtype of non-small cell lung cancer

Even when their tumors are shrinking in response to therapy, some non-small cell lung cancer patients have a scattering of cancer cells that are undeterred by the drug, causing the tumor to resume its growth.

01/17/2010: New gene variants associated with glucose, insulin levels, some with diabetes risk

A major international study with leadership from MGH researchers has identified 10 new gene variants associated with blood sugar or insulin levels. Two of these novel variants and three that earlier studies associated with glucose levels were also found to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

01/13/2010: Words used to describe substance-use patients can alter attitudes, contribute to stigma

Changing the words used to describe someone struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction may significantly alter the attitudes of health care professionals, even those who specialize in addiction treatment.

01/07/2010: Study finds increased presence, severity of coronary artery plaques in HIV-infected men

A Massachusetts General Hospital study has found that relatively young men with longstanding HIV infection and minimal cardiac risk factors had significantly more coronary atherosclerotic plaques - some involving serious arterial blockage - than did uninfected men with similar cardiovascular risk.

01/05/2010: ICER Report Suggests Similar Levels of Effectiveness among Management and Treatment Options for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

A comprehensive appraisal of the management and treatment options for low-risk prostate cancer found that the rates of survival and tumor recurrence are similar among the most common treatment approaches, although costs can vary considerably.

12/17/2009: Scientists discover natural flu-fighting protein in human cells

Researchers have identified a small family of flu-fighting proteins that somehow increases natural resistance to viral infection. The proteins block most virus particles from infecting the cell at the earliest stage in the virus lifecycle.

12/16/2009: New Web Tool May Help Predict Risk of Second Stroke

Scientists have developed a new web-based tool that may better predict whether a person will suffer a second stroke within 90 days of a first stroke.

12/15/2009: Smaller is Better for Finger Sensitivity

People who have smaller fingers have a finer sense of touch, according to new research in the Dec. 16 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. This finding explains why women tend to have better tactile acuity than men, because women on average have smaller fingers.

12/14/2009: Study finds increased risk of death, stroke in postmenopausal women taking antidepressants

Women participating in the Women's Health Initiative study who reported taking an antidepressant drug had a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of stroke and of death compared with participants not taking antidepressants.

12/14/2009: Connecting the Dots

A team of researchers led by Daniel Haber, MD, PhD, director of the MGH Cancer Center, recently announced that they have revealed a unique molecular mechanism that might control the growth of cancer cells.

12/08/2009: Possible ovarian cancer treatment target identified

A multi-institutional study has identified a potential personalized treatment target for the most common form of ovarian cancer.

12/02/2009: Videos can help cancer patients choose level of care they prefer

Patients with terminal brain cancer who watched a brief video illustrating options for end-of-life care were significantly more likely to indicate a preference for comfort measures only than were patients who listened to a verbal description of treatment choices.

11/13/2009: Nicotine vaccine to be tested at Massachusetts General Hospital

People tackling the daunting task of trying to quit smoking could find help through a novel approach being tested at MGH.

11/09/2009: Discussing adverse events with patients improves how they rate their hospital care

A survey of patients had who experienced some sort of adverse event during their hospitalization found that, although caregivers discussed the event with patients less than half the time, those patients to whom the adverse event had been disclosed rated the quality of their care higher than did patients whose caregivers did not address the problem.

11/06/2009: Psychiatric impact of torture could be amplified by head injury

Depression and other emotional symptoms in survivors of torture and other traumatic experiences may be exacerbated by the effects of head injuries, according to a study from the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, based at Massachusetts General Hospital.

11/03/2009: Industry support of academic life science research may be declining

While more than half the academic life science researchers responding to a 2007 survey indicated having some relationship with industrial entities, the prevalence of such relationships – particularly direct funding for research studies – appears to be dropping.

10/28/2009: A Decade Later, Lifestyle Changes or Metformin Still Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Intensive lifestyle changes aimed at modest weight loss reduced the rate of developing type 2 diabetes by 34 percent compared with placebo in people at high risk for the disease, researchers conclude based on 10 years of data.

10/21/2009: Sexual problems rarely addressed by internists caring for cancer survivors

More than half the internists responding to a survey indicated they rarely or never discussed sexual problems with their patients who had survived cancer.

10/19/2009: Clots traveling from lower veins may not be the cause of pulmonary embolism in trauma patients

A report from a team of Massachusetts General Hospital physicians calls into question the longstanding belief that pulmonary embolism – the life-threatening blockage of a major blood vessel in the lungs – is caused in trauma patients by a blood clot traveling from vessels deep within the legs or lower torso.

10/15/2009: From stem cells to functioning strip of heart muscle

A team of Harvard Stem Cell Institute scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and collaborators at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has taken a giant step toward the possibility of using human stem cells to repair damaged hearts.

10/12/2009: Study supports possible role of urate in slowing Parkinson’s disease progression

By examining data from a 20-year-old clinical trial, a research team based at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Harvard School of Public Health, has found evidence supporting the findings of their 2008 study – that elevated levels of the antioxidant urate may slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

10/08/2009: NHLBI supports consortium exploring stem-cell-based tools and treatments

Two teams led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, also members of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, are among 18 groups receiving National Heart Lung and Blood Institute grants for the development of stem-cell based tools and treatments to understand and treat cardiovascular and blood disorders. The Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium will consist of nine research hubs, each involving multidiscplinary teams from two academic medical centers.

10/07/2009: Genome-wide study of autism published in Nature

In one of the first studies of its kind, an international team of researchers has uncovered a single-letter change in the genetic code that is associated with autism.

10/05/2009: Jack W. Szostak, PhD – 2009 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine

Prestigious prize honors Mass General scientist for role in discovery of telomerase, enzyme that protects chromosome tips

09/21/2009: Vitamin D and Elderly Health

A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital shows vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death associated with older age.

09/17/2009: Red Sox Foundation, Mass General Team Up to Help Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq Wars

The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital today will announce a multifaceted initiative aimed at helping veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

09/15/2009: Comprehensive cardiac CT scan may give clearer picture of significant heart disease

A team of researchers led by Massachusetts General Hospital radiologists has developed a computed-tomography-based protocol that identifies both narrowing of coronary arteries and areas of myocardial ischemia - restricted blood flow to heart muscle tissue - giving a better indication of clinically significant coronary artery disease.

09/11/2009: David Ortiz Committed to Helping Critically Ill Children

The Red Sox great is officially partnering his David Ortiz Children’s Fund with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to serve critically ill children in New England and the northeast.

09/09/2009: MassGeneral Hospital for Children study explains some mysteries of neonatal seizures

A study led by MassGeneral Hospital for Children investigators is providing new insight into the mechanism of neonatal seizures, which have features very different from seizures in older children and adults.

09/04/2009: Cardiac biomarker levels strongly predict outcome of bypass surgery

Levels of a biomarker used in the diagnosis of heart attacks are almost universally elevated in patients who have undergone coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) and, when markedly elevated, powerfully predict the risk of complications.

09/03/2009: Large-scale study probes how cells fight pathogens

Scientists have deciphered a key molecular circuit that enables the body to distinguish viruses from bacteria and other microbes, providing a deep view of how immune cells in mammals fend off different pathogens. The research offers a practical approach for unraveling the circuits that underpin other important biological systems.

09/02/2009: A breath of fresh air could improve drug toxicity screening

A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers has developed an innovative way to culture liver cells for drug toxicity screening.

09/01/2009: New assessment quantifies risks and benefits of warfarin treatment for atrial fibrillation

Warfarin therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation - the most common type of significant heart rhythm disorder - appears to be most beneficial for the oldest patients, those who have had a prior stroke and for patients with multiple risk factors for stroke.

09/01/2009: New report describes types of research conducted at academic medical centers

A study from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Policy gives the first detailed look at the types of research currently being conducted within U.S. academic medical centers - medical schools and their affiliated hospitals.

08/27/2009: Blood thinner causes stroke in some dialysis patients

The blood thinner warfarin can prevent strokes in most individuals with abnormal heart rhythms but may have the opposite effect in kidney disease patients on dialysis, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

08/24/2009: Twitter and health care - can a tweet a day keep the doctor away?

Twitter, the increasingly popular social networking tool that was at first merely a convenient way to stay in touch with friends and family, is emerging as a potentially valuable means of real-time, health care communication.

08/14/2009: NIH renews Harvard Center for AIDS Research grant for another five years

The National Institutes of Health has renewed for five years - and $18.1 million - the funding for the Harvard University Center for AIDS Research (Harvard CFAR). Harvard is one of only 20 NIH CFAR sites in the U.S. and first received the designation in 2004.

08/11/2009: Denosumab increases bone density, cuts fracture risk in prostate cancer survivors

Twice-yearly treatment with denosumab, a new targeted therapy to stop bone loss, increased bone density and prevented spinal fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

08/11/2009: Postdiagnosis aspirin use reduces risk of dying from colorectal cancer

Regular use of aspirin after colorectal cancer diagnosis may reduce the risk of cancer death, report investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

07/30/2009: Unexpected reservoir of monocytes discovered in the spleen

Mass. General researchers discovered an unexpected reservoir of the immune cells called monocytes in the spleen and showed that these cells are essential to recovery of cardiac tissue in an animal heart attack model.

07/27/2009: Intensive Glucose Control Halves Complications of Longstanding Type 1 Diabetes

Near-normal control of glucose beginning as soon as possible after diagnosis would greatly improve the long-term prognosis of type 1 diabetes, concludes a study published in the July 27, 2009, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, which updates information about the clinical course of type 1 diabetes.

07/23/2009: Mass. General team develops potentially safer general anesthetic

07/22/2009: Mass. General-based research center will investigate why immune system fails to control hepatitis C

A research consortium based at Massachusetts General Hospital has been awarded $15 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to investigate how the hepatitis C virus resists suppression and clearance by the immune system.

07/22/2009: Recovery Act Funding Supports 23 Fellowships for Early Career Scientists

Mass. General investigator Joseph Tucker, MD, is among recipients of NIH Early Career Scientist fellowships.

07/20/2009: Study suggests earlier HIV antiviral treatment saves lives and is cost effective, even in areas of limited resources

Early initiation of lifesaving antiretroviral therapies should be the standard of care for all HIV-infected patients, even those in countries with limited medical and financial resources, according to a study led by researchers at MGH and the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

07/15/2009: MGH study identifies first molecular steps to childhood leukemia

A Massachusetts General Hospital-based research team has identified how a chromosomal abnormality known to be associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia – the most common cancer in children – initiates the disease process.

07/13/2009: Differences in immune response may explain why HIV-1 disease progresses faster in women than in men with same viral load

A research team based at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard has found a gender-based difference in the response of a first-line immune cell to HIV that may explain why the infection usually progresses faster in women than in men with the same viral loads.

07/08/2009: Antiangiogenesis treatment improves hearing in some NF2 patients

Treatment with the angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab improved hearing and alleviated other symptoms in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). The study by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) represents the first report of a successful NF2 treatment not involving surgery or radiation.

07/01/2009: Large study strongly supports many common genetic contributions to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder

An international research consortium has discovered that many common genetic variants contribute to a person’s risk of schizophrenia and are also involved in bipolar disorder.

07/01/2009: Human cardiac master stem cells identified

Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have identified the earliest master human heart stem cell from human embryonic stem cells - ISL1+ progenitors - that give rise to a family of cells that form the essential portions of the human heart.

06/30/2009: Biomarkers’ ability to improve prediction of cardiovascular risk is modest

Measurement of known biomarkers of cardiovascular disease slightly improves the ability to predict future heart attack or stroke in healthy individuals, but not enough to change preventive therapies.

06/30/2009: Study provides greater understanding of Lyme disease-causing bacteria

A new study finds that a particular strain of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease may be more virulent, leading to increased inflammation in joints that persists after antibiotic treatment.

06/23/2009: Common ECG finding may indicate serious cardiac problems

A common electrocardiogram finding that has largely been considered insignificant may actually signal an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, the future need for a permanent pacemaker and an increased risk for premature death.

06/23/2009: Biomarkers Predict Brain Tumor’s Response to Therapy

A report in Cancer Research highlights a new biomarker that may be useful in identifying patients with recurrent glioblastoma who would respond better to antiangiogenesis therapy.

06/22/2009: Intensive in-hospital support doubles likelihood of smoking cessation in heart patients

Patients admitted to hospital with coronary artery disease are twice as likely to quit smoking after receiving intensive smoking cessation support compared to minimal support.

06/11/2009: Depression Medications May Reduce Male Fertility

As many as half of all men taking the antidepressant medication paroxetine (trade names Seroxat, Paxil) may have increased sperm DNA fragmentation — a predictor of compromised fertility. The study also found that the changes are reversible with normal levels of sperm returning after discontinuation of the drug.

06/10/2009: Brain-computer interface begins new clinical trial for paralysis

Scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have initiated the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial to expand restorative neurotechnology research for some patients with paralysis.

06/07/2009: Recruitment of reproductive features into other cell types may underlie extended lifespan in animals

MGH researchers have found that certain genetic mutations known to extend the lifespan of the C. elegans roundworm induce 'mortal' somatic cells to express some of the genes that allow the 'immortality' of reproductive germline cells.

06/02/2009: Joren C. Madsen inducted as president of American Transplantation Society

Joren C. Madsen, MD, D.Phil, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Transplant Center, was inducted president of the American Society of Transplantation during the 2009 American Transplant Congress.

06/01/2009: Hitting where it hurts

A new study uncovers a gene expression signature that reliably identifies cancer cells whose survival is dependent on a common signaling pathway, even when the cells contain multiple other genetic abnormalities. The study from MGH Cancer Center researchers identifies critical molecular vulnerabilities, thereby revealing promising therapeutic targets for a common and notoriously treatment resistant cancer.

05/28/2009: Video can help patients make end-of-life decision

Viewing a video showing a patient with advanced dementia interacting with family and caregivers may help elderly patients plan for end-of-life care, according to a study led by MGH researchers.

05/26/2009: Mass. General’s Rudy Tanzi a “Rock Star of Science”

Alzheimer’s disease researcher Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital adds another distinction to his scientific career when he joins Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and other rock celebrities in a designer menswear photo shoot as a “Rock Star of Science” in the June issue of GQ Magazine.

05/21/2009: Automated analysis of MR images may identify early Alzheimer’s disease

Analyzing MRI studies of the brain with software developed at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Mass. General Hospital may allow diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and of mild cognitive impairment, a lesser form of dementia that precedes the development of Alzheimer's by several years.

05/21/2009: Genetic testing for breast or ovarian cancer risk may be greatly underutilized

Although a test for gene mutations known to significantly increase the risk of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer has been available for more than a decade, a new study finds that few women with family histories of these cancers are even discussing genetic testing with their physicians or other health care providers.

05/19/2009: Study suggests TB screening needs to be targeted for maximum public health benefit

New estimates of the likelihood that a latent case of tuberculosis will become active have resulted in a roughly 50 percent increase over previous estimates of the number of people needed to be screened to prevent an active infection.

05/18/2009: Study examines trends in gallbladder cancer over 4 decades

Overall prognosis for gallbladder cancer appears to be improving, although many patients still have incurable disease and poor survival rates.

05/15/2009: Study finds virtual doctors visits satisfactory for both patients and clinicians

Someday, even doctor visits could be among the conveniences offered via the Internet. In a comparison of desktop videoconferencing to conventional face-to-face general medical evaluations, patients found virtual visits similar to face-to-face visits on most measures. This study suggests that both patients and physicians could benefit if virtual visits were used as an alternative method of accessing primary care services.

05/12/2009: Enriched environment improves wound healing in rats

Improving the environment in which rats are reared can significantly strengthen the physiological process of wound healing, according to a report in the open-access journal PLoS ONE. MGH researchers found that giving rats living in isolation the opportunity to build nests led to faster and more complete healing of burn injuries.

05/10/2009: International study identifies potential treatment targets for hypertension

Scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), as part of a major international research collaboration, have associated common variants in eight regions of DNA with blood pressure levels in human patients. Six of the identified regions have not previously been implicated in blood pressure regulation.

05/08/2009: Videoconferencing can increase patient access to stroke specialists

High-quality videoconferencing can increase patient access to stroke specialists; and a transient ischemic attack, once known as a “mini” or “warning” stroke, should be treated with the same urgency as a full-blown stroke, according to two separate statements published today in Stroke.

04/29/2009: Researchers Develop New Technique For Modifying Plant Genes

Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Massachusetts General Hospital have used a genome engineering tool they developed to make a model crop plant herbicide-resistant without significant changes to its DNA.

04/23/2009: Non-invasive test accurately identifies gynecologic malignancies

Diffusion weighted MR can accurately identify benign from malignant pelvic lymph nodes in patients with gynecologic malignancy, according to an MGH study.

04/06/2009: Simple bedside test improves diagnosis of chronic back pain, could guide treatment

A simple and inexpensive method of assessing pain, developed by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, is better than currently used techniques for distinguishing neuropathic pain – pain caused by damage to the nervous system – from other types of chronic back pain.

04/03/2009: Model tissue system reveals cellular communication via amino acids

A team of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Engineering in Medicine has found the first evidence of cell-to-cell communication by amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, rather than by known protein signaling agents such as growth factors or cytokines.

04/02/2009: Modification of mutant huntingtin protein increases its clearance from brain cells

A new study has identified a potential strategy for removing the abnormal protein that causes Huntington’s disease from brain cells, which could slow the progression of the devastating neurological disorder.

03/30/2009: Intestinal parasites alter immunity in cholera patients

Results of the study from a collaborative team led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh suggest that parasitic infection could reduce the immune response to cholera, which may compromise the effectiveness of cholera vaccines.

03/30/2009: Angiogenesis inhibitor improves brain tumor survival by reducing edema

The beneficial effects of anti-angiogenesis drugs in the treatment of the deadly brain tumors called glioblastomas appear to result primarily from reduction of edema – the swelling of brain tissue – and not from any direct anti-tumor effect.

03/26/2009: HHMI Gives 50 Early Career Scientists a Jump on Their Next Big Idea

Two MGH investigators – Bradley E. Bernstein, MD, PhD, and Konrad Hochedlinger, PhD – are among 50 receipients of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Awards.

03/25/2009: Intensive summer program helps physicians build clinical research careers

Graduates of the Program in Clinical Effectiveness, which has trained almost 1,900 physicians to be clinical investigators since 1986, have achieved significant success in receiving grant support from the National Institutes of Health and other funders, along with other accomplishments considered key to establishing a research career.

03/25/2009: Policies regarding IRB members’ industry relationships often lacking

At a time of heightened concern about conflicts of interest posed by relationships between academic medical researchers and commercial firms, a new study finds that a significant number of academic institutions do not have clear policies covering the industrial relationships of members of Institutional Review Boards, committees charged with ensuring that clinical studies uphold patient rights and follow ethical guidelines.

03/23/2009: Common gene variants influence risk factor for sudden cardiac death

A new study has identified several common genetic variants related to a risk factor for sudden cardiac death. The report receiving early online release in the journal Nature Genetics identifies variants in genes, some known and some newly discovered, that influence the QT interval measured on the electrocardiogram (EKG) performed routinely in doctors’ offices.

03/20/2009: HHS Names David Blumenthal as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

The Department of Health and Human Services today announced the selection of David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P. as the Obama Administration’s choice for National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

03/19/2009: New Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV Research Created in South Africa

A groundbreaking partnership between the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa will establish an international research center focused on the worldwide effort to control the devastating co-epidemic of tuberculosis and HIV.

03/18/2009: Study identifies human genes required for hepatitis C viral replication

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers are investigating a new way to block reproduction of the hepatitis C virus – targeting not the virus itself but the human genes the virus exploits in its life cycle.

03/06/2009: Both Latino and non-Latino women likely to accept HPV vaccination for selves and children

Most women responding to a survey conducted at MGH clinics indicated they would be willing to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus and to have their daughters and even sons vaccinated in order to prevent cancer in their children. The report also found that Latino women are just as likely, if not more so, to accept HPV vaccine as non-Latinos.

03/02/2009: Patient-Physician "Connectedness" Affects Quality of Care

A new study finds that patients who are connected to a specific primary care physician are more likely to receive guideline-consistent care than those who are connected to a practice but not a physician.

02/26/2009: Alzheimer’s-associated plaques may have impact throughout the brain

The impact of the amyloid plaques that appear in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease may extend beyond the deposits’ effects on neurons– the cells that transmit electrochemical signals throughout the nervous system.

02/26/2009: International collaboration identifies new gene associated with ALS

A collaborative research effort spanning nearly a decade between researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and King’s College London has identified a novel gene for inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

02/25/2009: HIV is evolving to evade human immune responses

HIV is evolving rapidly to escape the human immune system, an international study has shown. The findings demonstrate the challenge of developing an HIV vaccine that keeps pace with the changing nature of the virus.

02/23/2009: Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of colds, flu

Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children’s Hospital Boston.

02/18/2009: A Compass for Navigating the Mental Health Journey in Troubled Times

Although many people affected by the economic downturn could benefit from mental health treatment and services, two factors typically discourage them from seeking help: the stigma often associated with mental health conditions, and the feeling of not knowing how to find the right mental health care providers, information, and services. A web site (www.moodandanxiety.org) recently re-launched by Massachusetts General Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry addresses both of these issues.

02/15/2009: Common gene variants increase risk of hypertension, finding may lead to new therapies

A new study has identified the first common gene variants associated with an increased incidence of hypertension – a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

02/09/2009: Stroke Therapy Window Might Be Extended Past Nine Hours for Some

Some patients who suffer a stroke as a result of a blockage in an artery in the brain may benefit from a clot-busting drug nine or more hours after the onset of symptoms.

02/08/2009: International study identifies gene variants associated with early heart attack

The largest study ever completed of genetic factors associated with heart attacks has identified nine genetic regions - three not previously described - that appear to increase the risk for early-onset myocardial infarction.

02/04/2009: Mass General, MIT and Harvard launch innovative effort to search for AIDS vaccine

01/29/2009: MGH Cancer Center now offers pencil-beam proton therapy treatment

The MGH Cancer Center has added pencil-beam scanning to the radiation therapy modalities offered at the hospital’s Burr Proton Therapy Center.

01/19/2009: Virtual communities may provide valuable support for psoriasis patients

Online support communities appear to offer both a valuable educational resource and a source of psychological and social support for individuals with psoriasis, according to a report from the Center for Connected Health at Partners HealthCare System.

01/14/2009: New model system may better explain regulation of body weight

A new mathematical model of the physiological regulation of body weight suggests a potential mechanism underlying the difficulty of losing weight, one that includes aspects of two competing hypotheses of weight regulation.

01/14/2009: Hospital pilot sites demonstrate surgical safety checklist drops deaths and complications by more than one third

A group of hospitals in eight cities around the globe has successfully demonstrated that the use of a simple surgical checklist during major operations can lower the incidence of deaths and complications by more than one third.

01/05/2009: Nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord sense pain caused by physical insult

Mass. General researchers and the colleagues add to understanding of the role of the protein COX2 in pain associated with inflammation.

12/29/2008: Third-hand Smoke: Another Reason to Quit Smoking

12/17/2008: Supply of board-certified emergency physicians unlikely to meet projected needs

The number of physicians with board certification in emergency medicine is unlikely to meet the staffing needs of U.S. emergency departments in the foreseeable future, if ever; according to a study from a research team based at Massachusetts General Hospital

12/17/2008: Researchers compile ‘molecular manual’ for hundreds of inherited diseases

An international research team has compiled the first catalogue of tissue-specific pathologies underlying hundreds of inherited diseases.

12/17/2008: Supply of board-certified emergency physicians unlikely to meet projected needs across the U.S.

12/10/2008: Hormone therapy for prostate cancer does not appear to increase cardiac deaths

Treating prostate cancer patients with drugs that block hormonal activity does not appear to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to a study led by MGH researchers

12/09/2008: New Research on Combat Veteran Twins Unlocks Brain Mysteries of PTSD

12/09/2008: Research team explores causes of death on Mount Everest

In the first detailed analysis of deaths during expeditions to the summit of Mt. Everest, a research team led by MGH investigators has conducted found that most deaths occur during descents from the summit in the so-called “death zone” above 8,000 meters and identified factors associated with a greater risk of death.

12/07/2008: Study associates 11 new gene sites with cholesterol, triglyceride levels

12/05/2008: Some blood-system stem cells reproduce more slowly than expected

MGH investigators have found a subpopulation of hematopoietic stem cells, the source of all blood and immune system cells, that reproduce much more slowly than previously anticipated. Use of these slow-cycling cells may improve the outcome of stem-cell transplants for the treatment of leukemia and other bone-marrow-based diseases.

12/03/2008: Robotic Technology Improves Stroke Rehabilitation

MGH scientists have used a novel, hand-operated robotic device and functional MRI to track the rehabilitation of chronic stroke patients, showing that the brain can continue to regain function even six months or more after a stroke.

11/30/2008: Combining targeted therapy drugs may treat previously resistant tumors

A team of cancer researchers from several Boston academic medical centers has discovered a potential treatment for tumors driven by mutations in the K-Ras gene, which have resisted previous targeted therapy approaches.

11/30/2008: Discoveries May Help Scientists Understand Why Disease Turns Soft Tissue Into Bone

Scientists have created a new mouse model that may help researchers explain how a rare disease causes otherwise supple soft tissue and joints to turn into bone.

11/24/2008: Sealing off portion of intestinal lining treats obesity, resolves diabetes in animal model

Lining the upper portion of the small intestine with an impermeable sleeve led to both weight loss and restoration of normal glucose metabolism in an animal model of obesity-induced diabetes.

11/19/2008: Genetic screening no better than traditional risk factors for predicting type 2 diabetes

Screening for a panel of gene variants associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes can identify adults at risk for the disorder but is not significantly better than assessment based on traditional risk factors.

11/17/2008: Technology gives three-dimensional view of human coronary arteries

For the first time researchers are getting a detailed look at the interior of human coronary arteries, using an optical imaging technique developed at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

11/16/2008: Tiny sacs released by brain tumor cells carry information that may guide treatment

MGH researchers have found that tiny membrane-covered sacs released from glioblastoma cells contain molecules that may help guide treatment of the deadly brain tumor.

11/12/2008: Common anesthetic induces Alzheimer’s-associated changes in mouse brains

For the first time researchers have shown that a commonly used anesthetic can produce changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease in the brains of living mammals, confirming previous laboratory studies.

11/07/2008: Interaction between gene variants may alter brain function in schizophrenia

A collaborative study led by investigators from MGH is giving what may be the first look at how interactions between genes underlie a key symptom of schizophrenia, impaired working memory.

10/31/2008: While prevalent, sexual problems in women not always associated with distress

The largest such study ever published finds that, while about 40 percent of women surveyed report having sexual problems, only 12 percent indicate that those issues are a source of significant personal distress

10/30/2008: Gene scan of Alzheimer’s families identifies four new suspect genes

The first family-based genome-wide association study in Alzheimer’s disease has identified the sites of four novel genes that may significantly influence risk for the most common late-onset form of the devastating neurological disorder.

10/27/2008: Meta-analysis examines cardiovascular effects of diabetes medications

The diabetes medication metformin may be associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the October 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

10/21/2008: ADHD appears to increase level of nicotine dependence in smokers

Young people with ADHD are not only at increased risk of starting to smoke cigarettes, they also tend to become more seriously addicted to tobacco and more vulnerable to environmental factors such as having friends or parents who smoke.

10/16/2008: Gene therapy restores vision to mice with retinal degeneration

MGH researchers have used gene therapy to restore useful vision to mice with degeneration of the light-sensing retinal rods and cones, a common cause of human blindness.

10/08/2008: Study finds abnormalities in cerebral cortex of cocaine addicts

A brain imaging study carried out at MGH reveals abnormalities in the cerebral cortex – the outer surface of the brain – of cocaine addicts that appear to correlate with dysfunction in areas responsible for attention and for reward-based decision-making.

10/06/2008: ADHD stimulant treatment may decrease risk of substance abuse in adolescent girls

MGH researchers have found that treatment with stimulant drugs does not increase and appears to significantly decrease the risk that girls with ADHD will begin smoking cigarettes or using alcohol or drugs.

10/01/2008: Thompson Reuters Predicts the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Since 1989, Thomson Reuters has developed a list of likely winners in medicine, chemistry, physics, and economics. Those chosen are named Thomson Reuters Scientific Laureates.

10/01/2008: New Questions Raised About Lung Cancer Screening

In response to new concerns about a study supporting the use of CT screening to detect early-stage lung cancer in smokers and other people at risk, the Editor-in-Chief of "The Oncologist" has called for an independent audit of the research data.

09/30/2008: Extra copies of EGFR gene signal poor prognosis for vulvar cancer

MGH researchers report that women with vulvar carcinoma whose tumors have extra copies of the EGFR gene are at increased risk of dying from their cancer, information that could indentify patients who should be treated with targeted therapy drugs.

09/25/2008: New approach to gene therapy may shrink brain tumors, prevent their spread

MGH researchers are investigating a new approach to gene therapy for brain tumors – delivering a cancer-fighting gene to normal brain tissue around the tumor to keep it from spreading.

09/23/2008: Hospital residents report patient-handoff problems common, can lead to patient harm

A significant percentage of resident physicians report that patient handoffs – transfer of responsibility for a hospitalized patient from one resident to another – contributed to incidents in which harm was done to patients.

09/22/2008: NIH extends commitment to transformative research with 2008 Pioneer, New Innovator Awards

The National Institutes of Health announced today that it has increased its support of high-impact research with 2008 NIH Director's Pioneer and New Innovator Awards to 47 scientists, many of whom are in the early stages of their careers.

09/22/2008: Study confirms benefit of combination therapy for Alzheimer’s disease

Treatment with Alzheimer’s disease drugs can significantly slow the rate at which the disorder advances, and therapy with two different classes of drugs is even better at helping patients maintain their ability to perform daily activities.

09/22/2008: Proton therapy lowers chance of later cancers

Treating cancer patients with proton therapy instead of standard photon radiation decreases the risk of developing a secondary cancer by two-fold

09/19/2008: Cathy E. Minehan elected chair of the MGH Board of Trustees

Cathy E. Minehan, managing director of Arlington Advisory Partners, today was named chair of the Massachusetts General Hospital Board of Trustees, succeeding Edward P. Lawrence, Esq.

09/18/2008: More than skin deep

There may be no such thing as a 'safe' tan based on ultraviolet (UV) radiation, according to a series of papers published in the October issue of Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research.

09/16/2008: Mixed Results for Personal Health Record System

An online personal health record system that allowed people with diabetes to check their lab results and get guidance about medication proved to be of only limited use in improving their health outcomes, researchers found.

09/13/2008: MGH researcher Gary Ruvkun named a co-recipient of the Lasker Award

MGH investigator Gary Ruvkun, PhD, is one of three co-recipients of the 2008 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research. The scientists are being honored for discovering that tiny molecules of RNA can control the activity of critical genes in animals and plants.

09/10/2008: Mass. General’s Warren Triennial Prize honors discoverers of microRNAs

Two investigators who helped to uncover a previously unsuspected world of tiny RNA molecules will be recognized next month by Massachusetts General Hospital with its highest award for research.

09/09/2008: Advanced blood analysis may speed diagnosis of heart attacks

Someday doctors may be able to use a blood test to confirm within minutes, instead of hours, if a patient is having a heart attack, allowing more rapid treatment that could limit damage to heart muscle.

08/28/2008: Risk of fracture is significantly higher in HIV-infected patients

As antiviral treatment for HIV infection allows patients to live longer, many will be confronted with additional health challenges. A new study shows for the first time that one of these may be significantly increased risk of bone fractures.

08/25/2008: Potential diabetes treatment selectively kills autoimmune cells from human patients

In experiments using blood cells from human patients with diabetes and other autoimmune disorders, MGH researchers have confirmed the mechanism behind a potential new therapy for type 1 diabetes

08/20/2008: Bone marrow stem cells may help control inflammatory bowel disease

MGH investigators have found that infusions of a particular bone marrow stem cell appeared to protect gastrointestinal tissue from autoimmune attack in a mouse model.

08/19/2008: Obese prostate cancer patients may benefit more from brachytherapy

Brachytherapy, also called seed implants, may be a more beneficial treatment than surgery or external beam radiation therapy for overweight or obese prostate cancer patients.

08/19/2008: Prostate Cancer Foundation Commits $4.3 Million to Young Investigators

The Prostate Cancer Foundation today announced 19 Young Investigators Awards for 2008.

08/18/2008: Largest Study of Its Kind Implicates Gene Abnormalities in Bipolar Disorder

The largest genetic analysis of its kind to date for bipolar disorder has implicated machinery involved in the balance of sodium and calcium in brain cells.

08/18/2008: Expanding the exam room

In the first study of its kind, researchers find both patients and physicians react positively to real-time, virtual check-ups using videoconferencing technology.

08/07/2008: Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers create 20 disease-specific stem cell lines

Harvard Stem Cell Institute researcher George Q. Daley, has with HSCI colleagues Chad Cowan and Konrad Hochedlinger of Massachusetts General Hospital produced a robust new collection of disease-specific stem cell lines, all of which were developed using the new induced pluripotent stem cell technique.

08/06/2008: Study finds connections between genetics, brain activity and preference

A team of MGH researchers has used brain imaging, genetics and experimental psychology techniques to identify a connection between brain reward circuitry, a behavioral measurement of preference and a gene variant that appears to influence both.

08/06/2008: Hormone level may reflect mortality risk among dialysis patients

A new study suggests that monitoring levels of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 23 may provide information crucial to the treatment of patients with kidney failure.

08/03/2008: Growth hormone reduces abdominal fat, cardiovascular risk factors in HIV patients on antiviral therapy

Low-dose growth hormone treatment reduced abdominal fat deposits and improved blood pressure and triglyceride levels but also appeared to increase blood sugar levels in a group of patients with HIV lipodystrophy.

08/01/2008: Pediatricians Help Parents CEASE Smoking

The, Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) program aims to teach pediatricians to help parents quit smoking and establish and enforce no-smoking rules in the home and car.

07/30/2008: Large study uncovers surprisingly diverse genome alterations that contribute to schizophrenia

A multinational group of investigators has discovered that people suffering from schizophrenia are far more likely to carry rare chromosomal structural changes of all types, particularly those that have the potential to alter gene function.

07/30/2008: MGH study shows how amyloid plaques may damage brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease

Using an advanced imaging technique that reveals how brain cells are functioning, researchers from the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease have found that levels of intracellular calcium are significantly elevated in neurons close to plaques in the brains of an Alzheimer’s mouse model.

07/30/2008: MGH receives $8.5 million grant from Schwartz Foundation to expand HIV/AIDS work in Africa

MGH today announced plans to greatly expand its HIV/AIDS clinical and research efforts in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa – often considered the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic – and establish a state-of-the-art academic and research facility in Uganda.

07/24/2008: Consortium develops new method enabling routine targeted gene modification

A multi-institutional team led by MGH investigators has developed a powerful new tool for genomic research and medicine – a robust method for generating synthetic enzymes that can target particular DNA sequences for inactivation or repair.

07/21/2008: Viral recombination another way HIV fools the immune system

When individuals infected with HIV become infected with a second strain of the virus, the two viral strains can exchange genetic information, creating a third, recombinant strain of the virus. Now a study from the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital shows that how and where viral strains swap DNA may be determined by the immune response against the original infecting strain.

07/14/2008: Patient reports can add to efforts to identify, reduce adverse events in hospitals

A study by a group of Massachusetts researchers finds that surveying patients about their experiences can add important information to hospital efforts to improve patient safety.

07/10/2008: Middle Eastern families yield intriguing clues to autism

Research has implicated a half-dozen new genes in autism and strongly supports the idea that autism stems from disruptions in the brain's ability to form new connections in response to experience.

07/02/2008: Circulating tumor cells can reveal genetic signature of dangerous lung cancers

An MGH-developed, microchip-based device that detects and analyzes tumor cells in the bloodstream can be used to determine the genetic signature of lung tumors, facilitating targeted therapies and monitoring genetic changes that occur during therapy.

07/01/2008: Relaxation response can influence expression of stress-related genes

A new study finds that eliciting the relaxation response – a physiologic state of deep rest – influences the activation patterns of genes associated with the body’s response to stress.

07/01/2008: CIMIT Names Recipients of Young Clinician Research Awards

CIMIT is pleased to announce that six bright and promising medical professionals have been named recipients of the Young Clinician Award for 2008.

07/01/2008: Depression Ups Risk of Complications Following Heart Attack

People who suffer from severe depression following a heart attack might be more likely to experience cardiac complications while hospitalized, according to a new study.

06/29/2008: International team identifies 21 new genetic risk factors for Crohn’s disease

An international consortium of Crohn’s disease researchers has combined data from three independent studies to identify 21 new genetic variants associated with the inflammatory bowel disorder, bringing the total number of risk factors to 32.

06/20/2008: Cardiovascular risk assessment, treatment vital for HIV patients on therapy

Antiretroviral medications have dramatically reduced the overall death rate among patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but those same patients may now face an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

06/18/2008: Physician Adoption of Electronic Health Records Still Extremely Low, But Medicine May be at a Tipping Point

Despite the promises it offers health care and quality improvement, only a small minority of U.S. physicians have embraced electronic health records (EHR) as a routine part of practice, says a study in the June 19 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

06/16/2008: Hormone disorder may contribute to lack of menstruation in teenage athletes

Researchers from MGH have found a way to predict which teenage female athletes will stop menstruating, an important risk factor for bone thinning, according to a preliminary study.

06/10/2008: CT Lung Cancer Screening No Cure-All for Smokers

Screening for lung cancer with computed tomography (CT) may help reduce lung cancer deaths in current and former smokers, but it won't protect them from other causes of death associated with smoking.

06/04/2008: Simple membranes could have allowed nutrients to pass into primitive cells

An MGH research team has found that the sort of very simple membrane that may have been present on primitive cells can easily allow small molecules – including the building blocks of RNA and DNA – to pass thorough.

06/02/2008: Report confirms increased risk of smoking, substance abuse in bipolar adolescents

An MGH study - the largest and first controlled such investigation - supports previous reports that adolescents with bipolar disorder are at increased risk for smoking and substance abuse.

06/02/2008: NARSAD Researchers Identify Specific Genes and Family Traits Linked to Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Depression

New findings from research conducted by Harvard-affiliated scientists are providing important clues into how genes work to impair various aspects of attention, memory and perception -- the behaviors associated with many psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.

02/06/2012: Supporting the Mental Health of Veterans and Families

A series of 14 free, live, on-line trainings for primary care, VA, community mental health, and other providers begins Thursday, February 23, 2012.

12/10/2011: Run to Home Base Presented by New Balance Adds a Walk Option for 2012 Event; Fenway Park’s Famed Home Plate is Finish Line in May

3rd Annual Run-Walk benefits Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and Families Affected by Combat Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury

10/27/2011: Massachusetts General Hospital: 2011 Winner of American Association of Medical Colleges’Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Service

The Association of American Medical Colleges, representing medical schools and teaching hospitals and health systems, has awarded MGH its 2011 Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Service. (Scroll down for video).

09/20/2011: Christopher J. McDougle named director of the Lurie Center for Autism

Christopher J. McDougle, MD has been named director of the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital and MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

07/15/2011: New guide helps doctors identify signs of trouble in military families

New tool is designed to help pediatricians and other clinicians identify and address the signs of deployment-related stress among children and families.

07/14/2011: Mass. General Hospital to Deploy Staff to Haiti in Response to Rising Cholera Cases

On Sunday, July 17, The MGH Center for Global Health will deploy 6 clinicians to Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti, in response to resurging cases of cholera.

07/08/2011: Red Sox Foundation and Mass General Hospital Home Base Program wins national grant from McCormick Foundation and Major League Baseball to expand services

A $1.1 million competitive national grant from the McCormick Foundation and Major League Baseball will be used to support the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program to expand access to care for veterans with traumatic brain injury or combat stress and support services for their families.

06/30/2011: Mass General Imaging brings 3D mammography to Worcester

Mass General Imaging - Worcester now introduces 3D mammography technology that promises to improve breast cancer detection.

06/20/2011: Mental Health of Returning Veterans is Focus of 3rd Annual Boston Conference

Many of the nation’s top experts in mental health care for veterans gather in Boston to assist community-based healthcare professionals to effectively identify and treat returning veterans who suffer from psychological and physical wounds of deployment.

06/20/2011: Free Conference for Clergy and Spiritual Leaders Focuses on Mental Health of Returning Veterans Affected by Combat Stress

Clergy members and spiritual leaders of all denominations are invited to attend an innovative symposium that focuses on understanding and guiding the recovery of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as their families.

06/17/2011: The Wonder of Lunder

Celebrating 200 years of medical innovation and advancement, Massachusetts General Hospital designates June 20-24, 2011, Lunder Dedication Week, to highlight the opening of the new 14-floor building that will expand clinical space at the heart of the main campus.

06/14/2011: Ride for our Heroes

New England-area motorcycle enthusiasts are kick starting their bikes and riding in the first Ride for Our Heroes on Saturday September 24. Ride for Our Heroes supports the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program’s services for veterans and families affected by combat stress and traumatic brain injury.

06/01/2011: Physicians Call For New Approach To Address National “Epidemic Of Mass Incarceration”

The authors of a New England Journal of Medicine Perspective article link the U.S. “epidemic of mass incarceration” to inadequate treatment of addiction and mental illness.

05/12/2011: African Americans and the General Public Support Banning Menthol in Cigarettes

According to a new study released online today, a majority of Americans, including most African Americans, stand together in support of banning menthol in cigarettes just as other cigarette flavorings have now been banned by the FDA.

04/04/2011: Special Military Discount and New Fundraising Prizes Announced for the 2011 Run to Home Base

In addition to crossing home plate, runners will be able to win terrific prizes including Green Monster tickets, New Balance gift cards and autographed Red Sox jerseys.

03/18/2011: Mass General publishes book outlining 200 years of medical care and progress

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) today celebrates the launch of its new history book, Something in the Ether: A Bicentennial History of Massachusetts General Hospital, 1811-2011, by local author Webster Bull and his daughter, Martha Bull. The 527-page hardcover volume commemorates 200 years of medicine, capturing the spirit of the nation’s third oldest general hospital as conveyed through work of some of the most captivating, colorful and inspiring characters in health care, past and present.

12/29/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital celebrates 200 years in 2011

January 1, 2011, marks the start on Mass General's bicentennial anniversary. Find out how the hospital is celebrating this momentous milestone.

12/22/2010: A Run Like No Other: Fenway Park’s Famed Home Plate is Finish Line for “2011 Run to Home Base Presented by New Balance” on Sunday, May 22, 2011

Thousands of fans who participate in the annual run will be able to experience the thrill of crossing home plate at Fenway Park while raising funds to support clinical treatment for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

12/16/2010: Mass. General Hospital's Warren Triennial Prize to honor pioneers of cellular reprogramming

The 2011 Warren Triennial Prize – the top scientific award presented by the MGH – will be awarded to Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, and Rudolf Jaenisch, MD, pioneers in developing methods to reprogram adult cells into pluripotent cells with the developmental potential of embryonic stem cells.

11/30/2010: Dr. Peter Slavin to chair AAMC council of teaching hospitals administrative board

MGH President Peter L. Slavin appointed chair of a council representing the interests of major teaching hospitals in the United States and Canada.

11/18/2010: ICER Launches RAPiD Initiative through Formation of New England Healthcare Advisory Council

With backing from a consortium of New England state health policy leaders, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review - the based at the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment - will spearhead the formation of a New England Healthcare Advisory Council to provide objective, independent guidance on the application of medical evidence to clinical practice and payer policy decisions across New England.

11/11/2010: MassGeneral Hospital for Children celebrates 10 years of excellence in pediatrics

MGH celebrates 100 years of comprehensive pediatric services, 50 years of pediatric surgery, and a decade as Mass General Hospital for Children.

11/08/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Global Health to Host Inaugural Symposium

Broadening the Response: The Role of Academic Medical Centers in Global Health, will bring together the foremost global health leaders and policy makers to discuss how best to build, strengthen and expand on global partnerships.

10/18/2010: EACH and ICER Launch Prostate Cancer Decision Aid Website

The Employers Action Coalition on Healthcare and the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, part of the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Institute for Technology Assessment, are launching a new website designed to give patients recently diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer objective information about treatment choices.

10/15/2010: Health care education collaboration builds on relationships between Maine health care providers, patients and Massachusetts General Hospital

A new educational collaboration between Maine and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) seeks to expand the range of health care education programs, materials and opportunities available to providers, patients, families and veterans throughout the state of Maine.

10/15/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital launches $1.5 billion fundraising campaign

Massachusetts General Hospital today formally launched the largest fundraising campaign in its history and the most ambitious capital campaign ever among health care institutions in New England.

09/27/2010: The Patriots Aim to Kick Cancer

Nearly 70,000 fans pack the stands at Gillette Stadium for every Patriots home game and, statistically, far too many of them will develop cancer in their lifetimes. With support from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital – the founding hospitals of Partners HealthCare – and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation has launched Kick Cancer, a season-long initiative to increase cancer awareness among Patriots fans.

07/15/2010: Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women's ranked on U.S. News National Honor Roll

Massachusetts General Hospital ranks third on the U.S. News & World Report annual 2010-11 Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals.

06/28/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital Launches iPhone App to Locate Emergency Rooms

FindER uses the iPhone’s global positioning system to quickly direct patients to emergency rooms anywhere within the United States.

06/16/2010: Puffing in public housing poses serious health risks to tenants

In an effort to protect children from harmful tobacco smoke exposure, health and medical professionals are pushing for a ban on smoking in public housing in a report appearing in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine.

05/21/2010: Over 2000 Runners Cross Home Plate this Sunday

Fans Race to Help Wounded Veterans at Fenway Park in Run to Home Base presented by New Balance

05/04/2010: New Balance Named as Presenting Sponsor of the Run to Home Base: Fans Race to Help Wounded Veterans - Fenway's Famed Home Plate is Finish Line Run to Home Base Presented by New Balance

Local company teams up with Mass General and Red Sox Foundation to support veterans.

02/16/2010: A Race Like No Other - Fans Race in Honor of Veterans

This May, some 3,500 Red Sox fans will be able to know the thrill of running across home plate at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark, while at the same time raising funds to support services for local veterans with deployment-related stress disorders and traumatic brain injuries.

02/04/2010: Dr. Michael R. Jaff invited to chair a California health task force

Dr. Michael R. Jaff named chairman and moderator of a task force aimed at increasing awareness of peripheral artery disease.

10/05/2009: Jack W. Szostak, PhD – 2009 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine

Prestigious prize honors Mass General scientist for role in discovery of telomerase, enzyme that protects chromosome tips

09/17/2009: Red Sox Foundation, Mass General Team Up to Help Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq Wars

The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital today will announce a multifaceted initiative aimed at helping veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

09/11/2009: David Ortiz Committed to Helping Critically Ill Children

The Red Sox great is officially partnering his David Ortiz Children’s Fund with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to serve critically ill children in New England and the northeast.

06/02/2009: Joren C. Madsen inducted as president of American Transplantation Society

Joren C. Madsen, MD, D.Phil, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Transplant Center, was inducted president of the American Society of Transplantation during the 2009 American Transplant Congress.

03/20/2009: HHS Names David Blumenthal as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

The Department of Health and Human Services today announced the selection of David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P. as the Obama Administration’s choice for National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

02/18/2009: A Compass for Navigating the Mental Health Journey in Troubled Times

Although many people affected by the economic downturn could benefit from mental health treatment and services, two factors typically discourage them from seeking help: the stigma often associated with mental health conditions, and the feeling of not knowing how to find the right mental health care providers, information, and services. A web site (www.moodandanxiety.org) recently re-launched by Massachusetts General Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry addresses both of these issues.

02/04/2009: Mass General, MIT and Harvard launch innovative effort to search for AIDS vaccine

10/06/2008: ADHD stimulant treatment may decrease risk of substance abuse in adolescent girls

MGH researchers have found that treatment with stimulant drugs does not increase and appears to significantly decrease the risk that girls with ADHD will begin smoking cigarettes or using alcohol or drugs.

09/19/2008: Cathy E. Minehan elected chair of the MGH Board of Trustees

Cathy E. Minehan, managing director of Arlington Advisory Partners, today was named chair of the Massachusetts General Hospital Board of Trustees, succeeding Edward P. Lawrence, Esq.

09/16/2008: Mixed Results for Personal Health Record System

An online personal health record system that allowed people with diabetes to check their lab results and get guidance about medication proved to be of only limited use in improving their health outcomes, researchers found.

09/13/2008: MGH researcher Gary Ruvkun named a co-recipient of the Lasker Award

MGH investigator Gary Ruvkun, PhD, is one of three co-recipients of the 2008 Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research. The scientists are being honored for discovering that tiny molecules of RNA can control the activity of critical genes in animals and plants.

09/10/2008: Mass. General’s Warren Triennial Prize honors discoverers of microRNAs

Two investigators who helped to uncover a previously unsuspected world of tiny RNA molecules will be recognized next month by Massachusetts General Hospital with its highest award for research.

08/03/2008: Growth hormone reduces abdominal fat, cardiovascular risk factors in HIV patients on antiviral therapy

Low-dose growth hormone treatment reduced abdominal fat deposits and improved blood pressure and triglyceride levels but also appeared to increase blood sugar levels in a group of patients with HIV lipodystrophy.

08/01/2008: Pediatricians Help Parents CEASE Smoking

The, Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) program aims to teach pediatricians to help parents quit smoking and establish and enforce no-smoking rules in the home and car.

07/30/2008: MGH receives $8.5 million grant from Schwartz Foundation to expand HIV/AIDS work in Africa

MGH today announced plans to greatly expand its HIV/AIDS clinical and research efforts in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa – often considered the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic – and establish a state-of-the-art academic and research facility in Uganda.

07/14/2008: Patient reports can add to efforts to identify, reduce adverse events in hospitals

A study by a group of Massachusetts researchers finds that surveying patients about their experiences can add important information to hospital efforts to improve patient safety.

07/01/2008: Depression Ups Risk of Complications Following Heart Attack

People who suffer from severe depression following a heart attack might be more likely to experience cardiac complications while hospitalized, according to a new study.

06/18/2008: Physician Adoption of Electronic Health Records Still Extremely Low, But Medicine May be at a Tipping Point

Despite the promises it offers health care and quality improvement, only a small minority of U.S. physicians have embraced electronic health records (EHR) as a routine part of practice, says a study in the June 19 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

05/25/2011: Mass General Imaging leads charge to reduce CT radiation with launch of research center, publication of clinical protocols

First-of-its-kind Webster Center for Advanced Research and Education in Radiation devoted to achieving the lowest radiation dose for every patient. Availability of CT exam protocols gives radiology practitioners worldwide access to more than a decade’s worth of clinical expertise on reducing radiation exposure

03/07/2011: Massachusetts General Hospital is first in the nation to do mammography screening using 3D breast tomosynthesis

The Breast Imaging Program at Massachusetts General Hospital today welcomes its first patient to undergo three-dimensional breast tomosynthesis screening. Also known as 3D mammography, this technology promises to improve cancer detection and reduce false positives.

12/02/2010: Patriots and Mass General Hospital to raise awareness for colorectal cancer at Monday night's game

As part of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's season-long "Kick Cancer" initiative, and in partnership with Mass General Hospital, the Patriots will promote colorectal cancer awareness at the December 6 Monday night matchup at Gillette Stadium versus the New York Jets.

08/31/2010: Driver's education for the brain teaches social and emotional competency in the classroom

The Massachusetts General Hospital School Psychiatry Program announces the creation of an educational curriculum to help teachers train their students' brains. Doctors say such efforts could curb bullying by helping students develop core social and emotional skills.

06/23/2010: Radiology Offers Opposing Views on Mammography Guidelines

The July issue of Radiology contains an editorial by MGH radiologist Daniel B. Kopans, MD, challenging the recent United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for mammography screening and asserting that the task force ignored important scientific evidence when making its recommendations.

01/29/2009: MGH Cancer Center now offers pencil-beam proton therapy treatment

The MGH Cancer Center has added pencil-beam scanning to the radiation therapy modalities offered at the hospital’s Burr Proton Therapy Center.

10/01/2008: New Questions Raised About Lung Cancer Screening

In response to new concerns about a study supporting the use of CT screening to detect early-stage lung cancer in smokers and other people at risk, the Editor-in-Chief of "The Oncologist" has called for an independent audit of the research data.

09/23/2008: Hospital residents report patient-handoff problems common, can lead to patient harm

A significant percentage of resident physicians report that patient handoffs – transfer of responsibility for a hospitalized patient from one resident to another – contributed to incidents in which harm was done to patients.

09/22/2008: Proton therapy lowers chance of later cancers

Treating cancer patients with proton therapy instead of standard photon radiation decreases the risk of developing a secondary cancer by two-fold

09/18/2008: More than skin deep

There may be no such thing as a 'safe' tan based on ultraviolet (UV) radiation, according to a series of papers published in the October issue of Pigment Cell & Melanoma Research.

08/18/2008: Expanding the exam room

In the first study of its kind, researchers find both patients and physicians react positively to real-time, virtual check-ups using videoconferencing technology.

07/01/2008: Relaxation response can influence expression of stress-related genes

A new study finds that eliciting the relaxation response – a physiologic state of deep rest – influences the activation patterns of genes associated with the body’s response to stress.

06/20/2008: Cardiovascular risk assessment, treatment vital for HIV patients on therapy

Antiretroviral medications have dramatically reduced the overall death rate among patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but those same patients may now face an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

06/16/2008: Hormone disorder may contribute to lack of menstruation in teenage athletes

Researchers from MGH have found a way to predict which teenage female athletes will stop menstruating, an important risk factor for bone thinning, according to a preliminary study.

06/10/2008: CT Lung Cancer Screening No Cure-All for Smokers

Screening for lung cancer with computed tomography (CT) may help reduce lung cancer deaths in current and former smokers, but it won't protect them from other causes of death associated with smoking.

02/10/2012: EEG pattern reflects brain's shift into low-energy, protective mode

A distinctive pattern of brain activity associated with conditions including deep anesthesia, coma and congenital brain disorders appears to represent the brain's shift into a protective, low-activity state in response to reduced metabolic energy.

02/08/2012: Some physicians do not agree with, uphold standards on communication with patients

A significant minority of physicians responding to a national survey disagreed with or admitted not upholding accepted standards of professionalism for open and honest communication with patients.

02/06/2012: Mass. General, Jackson Laboratory researchers find clues to common birth defect in gene expression data

Researchers at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, The Jackson Laboratory and other institutes have uncovered 27 new candidate genes for congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a common and often deadly birth defect.

02/01/2012: Blood test accurately distinguishes depressed patients from healthy controls

The initial assessment of a blood test to help diagnose major depressive disorder indicates it may become a useful clinical tool. A team including MGH researchers reports that analyzing levels of nine biomarkers accurately distinguished patients diagnosed with depression from control participants without significant false-positive results.

01/31/2012: Mass. General study defines a new genetic subtype of lung cancer

MGH Cancer Center investigators have defined the role of a recently identified gene abnormality – rearrangements in the ROS1 gene – in non-small-cell lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. They also show that these tumors can be treated with crizotinib and describe the remarkable response of one patient to such treatment.

01/19/2012: Color-coding, rearranging food products improves healthy choices in hospital cafeteria

A simple program involving color-coded food labeling and adjusting the way food items are positioned in display cases was successful in encouraging more healthful food choices in a large hospital cafeteria.

01/18/2012: Novel gene mutations associated with bile duct cancer

Investigators at the MGH Cancer Center have identified a new genetic signature associated with bile duct cancer, a usually deadly tumor for which effective treatment currently is limited.

01/16/2012: Combining two anti-HER2 drugs may provide better preoperative breast cancer treatment

Using two drugs that inhibit the growth factor HER2 for preoperative treatment of early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer appears to have better results than treatment with a single agent.

01/15/2012: Mass. General researchers find novel way to prevent drug-induced liver injury

MGH investigators have developed a novel strategy to protect the liver from drug-induced injury and improve associated drug safety. The team reports that inhibition of a type of cell-to-cell communication can protect against the damage caused by liver-toxic drugs such as acetaminophen.

01/12/2012: Newly identified type of immune cell may be important protector against sepsis

Investigators in the MGH Center for Systems Biology have discovered a previously unknown type of immune cell, a B cell that can produce the important growth factor GM-CSF, which stimulates many other immune cells. They also found that these novel cells may help protect against the overwhelming, life-threatening immune reaction known as sepsis.

01/11/2012: Participating in marathons, half-marathons not found to increase risk of cardiac arrest

A new study finds that participating in these races actually is associated with a relatively low risk of cardiac arrest, compared to other forms of athletics. The study also identifies bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation as a key factor in patient survival.

01/10/2012: How can pediatric HIV be eliminated in Zimbabwe?

Eliminating new infant HIV infections in Zimbabwe will require not only improved access to antiretroviral medications but also support to help HIV-infected mothers continue taking their medication and safely reduce or eliminate breastfeeding, according to study led by MGH investigators.

12/19/2011: Commentary calls for greater awareness of Internet pharmacies' role in prescription drug abuse

In a commentary in the December 20 Annals of Internal Medicine, investigators from MGH, the University of Southern California, and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University describe the probable contribution of Internet pharmacies to prescription drug abuse and outline potential strategies for addressing the problem.

12/19/2011: What makes patients complex? Ask their primary care physicians

Being able to define and measure patient complexity has important implications for how care is organized, how physicians and health care systems are paid, and how resources are allocated. A study by MGH researchers finds that primary care physicians define patient complexity using more factors than are used in common approaches.

12/18/2011: Increased expression of regulatory enzyme may protect against neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease

Treatment that increases brain levels of an important regulatory enzyme may slow the loss of brain cells that characterizes Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

12/07/2011: Traumatic injury sets off a "genomic storm" in immune system pathways

Serious traumatic injuries, including major burns, set off a "genomic storm" in human immune cells, altering around 80 percent of the cells' normal gene expression patterns.

12/01/2011: Mass. General study finds amplification of multiple cell-growth genes in some brain tumors

A small percentage of the deadly brain tumors called glioblastomas, which usually resist treatment with drugs targeting mutations in cell-growth genes, appears to contain extra copies of two or three of these genes at the same time. The surprising discovery has major implications for the understanding of tumor biology and for targeted cancer therapies.

11/29/2011: Growth Hormone Increases Bone Formation in Obese Women

In a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, growth hormone replacement for six months was found to increase bone formation in abdominally obese women.

11/24/2011: Rebuilding the Brain’s Circuitry

Neuron transplants have repaired brain circuitry and substantially normalized function in mice with a brain disorder, an advance indicating that key areas of the mammalian brain are more reparable than was widely believed.

11/20/2011: Novel ALS drug slows symptom progression, reduces mortality in phase 2 trial

Treatment with dexpramipexole – a novel drug believed to prevent dysfunction of mitochondria, the subcellular structures that provide most of a cell's energy – appears to slow symptom progression in the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease.

11/15/2011: Denosumab delays development of prostate cancer bone metastasis

An international clinical trial has found that treatment with a drug that suppresses the normal breakdown of bone can delay the development of bone metastases in men with prostate cancer.

11/13/2011: Newly identified gene mutation adds to melanoma risk

A major international study has identified a novel gene mutation that appears to increase the risk of both inherited and sporadic cases of malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. The identified mutation occurs in the gene encoding MITF, a transcription factor that induces the production of several important proteins in melanocytes, the cells in which melanoma originates.

11/06/2011: Combined arterial imaging technology reveals both structural and metabolic details

A new device that combines two microimaging technologies can reveal both the detailed anatomy of arterial linings and biological activities that, in coronary arteries, could indicate the risk of heart attacks or the formation of clots in arterial stents.

10/17/2011: Biomarker-guided heart failure treatment significantly reduces complications

Adding regular testing for blood levels of a biomarker of cardiac distress to standard care for the most common form of heart failure may significantly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular complications, a new MGH study finds.

10/09/2011: Novel technique uses RNA interference to block inflammation

MGH researchers – along with collaborators from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals – have found a way to block, in an animal model, the damaging inflammation that contributes to many disease conditions.

10/06/2011: Expression of pluripotency-associated gene marks many types of adult stem cells

Investigators at the MGH Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have found that Sox2 – one of the transcription factors used in the conversion of adult stem cells into induced pluripotent stem cells – is expressed in many adult tissues where it had not been previously observed.

10/05/2011: Health Affairs article focuses on health care disparities facing people with disabilities

In the October issue of Health Affairs, Lisa Iezzoni, MD, director of the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at MGH, analyzes available information on disparities affecting people with disabilities and highlights barriers that continue to restrict their access to health services.

10/03/2011: Biomarker for Huntington's disease identified

In a new research paper BWH and MGH researchers identify a transcriptional biomarker that may assist in the monitoring of Huntington's disease activity and in the evaluation of new medications.

09/27/2011: Saw palmetto no better than placebo in relieving prostate symptoms, even at high doses

Long-term administration of the dietary supplement saw palmetto, even at three times the usual dose, did not reduce symptoms of prostate enlargement significantly better than placebo in a large group of middle-aged men.

09/21/2011: Common stimulant may speed recovery from general anesthesia

Administration of the commonly used stimulant drug methylphenidate was able to speed recovery from general anesthesia in an animal study conducted at MGH. The report is the first demonstration in mammals of what could be a safe and effective way to induce arousal from general anesthesia.

09/12/2011: Social contacts, self-confidence crucial to successful recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous

Among the many ways that participation in Alcoholics Anonymous helps its members stay sober, two appear to be most important – spending more time with individuals who support efforts towards sobriety and increased confidence in the ability to maintain abstinence in social situations.

09/11/2011: International study identifies new gene targets for hypertension treatment

A new report from MGH scientists and colleagues around the world finds that common variants in 28 regions of DNA are associated with blood pressure in human patients. Most of the identified regions were completely unsuspected, and several may lead to a totally new class of hypertension drugs.

09/05/2011: Study confirms that living with a smoker increases absenteeism in school children

Children who live in households where they are exposed to tobacco smoke miss more days of school than do children living in smoke-free homes. A report from MGH investigators also finds such children have higher rates of respiratory illnesses caused by second-hand smoke and details the probable economic costs of increased their school absences.

08/21/2011: Imaging probe allows noninvasive detection of dangerous heart-valve infection

A novel imaging probe developed by MGH investigators may make it possible to diagnose accurately a dangerous infection of the heart valves

08/17/2011: Most physicians will face malpractice claims, but risk of making payment is low

While most U.S. physicians will face a malpractice lawsuit at some time in their careers, a new study finds, the vast majority of those suits will not result in payment to a plaintiff. The report provides the most comprehensive analysis of the risk of malpractice claims by specialty in more than two decades.

08/10/2011: Could an 'ankle hotline' relieve strain on health care demands?

MGH investigators suggest that – since strains and sprains, which account for over a third of lower extremity injuries treated at emergency departments, are not life-threatening – telephone triage and scheduled care appointments might be a better use of precious emergency healthcare resources.

08/03/2011: Natural killer cells participate in immune response against HIV

A new study shows for the first time that natural killer cells, which are part of the body's first-line defence against infection, can contribute to the immune response against HIV. The findings may help develop new preventive or treatment strategies.

08/02/2011: Pilot study suggests new approach to treat preeclampsia

A novel therapy that reduces elevated blood levels of a potentially toxic protein in women with preeclampsia, a dangerous complication of pregnancy, may someday address the therapeutic dilemma posed by the condition – balancing life-threatening risks to the mother with the dangers that early delivery poses to an immature fetus.

07/13/2011: Large clinical trial shows short-term hormone therapy plus radiation increases survival for men with early-stage prostate cancer

Short-term hormone therapy given in combination with radiation therapy for men with early-stage prostate cancer increases their chance of living longer and not dying from the disease, compared with patients who receive the same radiation therapy alone.

07/13/2011: Taking out a cancer’s co-dependency

Scientists at the Broad Institute and MGH have discovered a novel compound that selectively blocks the ability of cancer cells to block the oxidative stress produced by rapid tumor growth, killing cancer cells more effectively than a currently used chemotherapy drug.

07/12/2011: Changes in family history of cancer can impact screening recommendations

A multi-institutional research team has found that details of a family history of cancer – which can affect recommendations for screening examinations such as colonoscopies and mammograms – frequently change in adults aged 30 to 50.

07/10/2011: High-resolution imaging technology reveals cellular details of coronary arteries

Researchers at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at MGH have developed a one-micrometer-resolution version of the intravascular imaging technology optical coherence tomography that can reveal cellular and subcellular features of coronary artery disease.

07/07/2011: Study suggests new strategy to prevent infertility, birth defects

A strategy that has been shown to reduce age-related health problems in several animal studies may also combat a major cause of age-associated infertility and birth defects.

07/01/2011: Mass. General team identifies new class of antiangiogenesis drugs

MGH researchers have discovered the first of an entirely new class of antiangiogenesis drugs – agents that interfere with the development of blood vessels. The compound, derived from a South American tree, uses a novel mechanism to block blood vessel formation.

06/24/2011: Mass. General Hospital, Iacocca Foundation announce promising results of Phase I diabetes trial

Promising results of a Phase I clinical trial of the generic drug BCG to treat advanced type I diabetes are being announced today at the American Diabetes Association scientific sessions. An MGH research team is describing the apparent reproduction in human patients of a mechanism that reversed type 1 diabetes in a mouse model.

06/24/2011: ICER Releases Comprehensive Appraisal of Management Options for Patients with Low Back Disorders

A comprehensive appraisal of management options for patients with low-back disorders was released today by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, based within the MGH Institute for Technology Assessment.

06/23/2011: Rare genetic disorder provides unique insight into Parkinson’s disease

MGH investigators may have found the mechanism behind a previously reported link between the rare genetic condition Gaucher disease and the common neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson's disease.

06/21/2011: Scientists reveal HIV weakness

In a new finding that may allow vaccine designers to sidestep HIV's rapid mutation rate, researchers at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard have identified sections of an HIV protein where mutations would actually undermine the virus’ fitness – its ability to survive and reproduce.

06/12/2011: Single GFP-expressing cell is basis of living laser device

Two investigators at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital have developed a living laser, in which a single cell genetically engineered to express green fluorescent protein is used to amplify photons into nanosecond-long pulses of laser light

06/06/2011: Women's risk of heart disease after gestational diabetes differs by race

New research finds that gestational diabetes, or pregnancy-related diabetes, may not raise the risk of heart disease independent of other cardiovascular risk factors except in certain high-risk populations.

06/05/2011: Athletic girls more likely to have impaired bone structure if menstrual cycle stops

Young female athletes who have stopped menstruating have a weakening in the quality of their bone structure that may predispose them to breaking a bone, despite getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise, a new study finds.

06/04/2011: Anorexic girls have increased bone density after physiological estrogen treatment

Estrogen therapy improves low bone density in teenage girls with anorexia nervosa when given as a patch or at an oral dose close to the form or amount the body makes naturally.

05/31/2011: Long-term study data supports association between childhood ADHD and substance abuse risk

An analysis of more than 10 years of data confirms that ADHD alone significantly increases the risk of future cigarette smoking and substance abuse in both boys and girls.

05/22/2011: The Dance of the Cells: A Minuet or a Mosh?

The physical forces that guide how cells manage to get from place to place inside the living body are poorly understood. Now scientists have for the first time devised a way to measure these forces during collective cellular migration.

05/17/2011: Deer tick bacteria DNA in joint fluid not reliable marker of active lyme arthritis

New research shows that PCR testing for Borrelia burgdorferi DNA—the spirochetal bacteria transmitted by deer ticks—in joint fluid may confirm the diagnosis of Lyme arthritis, but is not a reliable indicator for active joint infection in patients whose arthritis persists.

05/12/2011: Increase in Internet access parallels growth in prescription drug abuse

Increasing access to rogue online pharmacies that dispense medications without a doctor's prescription may be an important factor behind the rapid increase in the abuse of prescription drugs.

05/11/2011: Mild obesity appears to improve survival in ALS patients

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be an exception to the rule that being overweight is a health hazard. In a retrospective study of over 400 ALS patients, MGH researchers found that those who were mildly obese survived longer than patients who were normal weight, underweight or even overweight.

05/09/2011: Important step in breakdown of HIV proteins is critical to immune system recognition, destruction of infected cells

Researchers at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard have found that – as HIV proteins are broken down within cells, a process that should help label infected cells for destruction – the stability of resulting protein segments varies greatly, variations that may change how well cells are recognized by the immune system.

05/05/2011: Combination of ADHD and poor emotional control runs in families

A subgroup of adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also exhibit excessive emotional reactions to everyday occurrences, and this combination of ADHD and emotional reactivity appears to run in families, an MGH study finds.

05/01/2011: Children held captive in smoky vehicles

Study led by MGHfC investigator Jonathan Winickoff, MD, MPH, finds that children of parents who smoke are often exposed to tobacco in their parent's cars.

04/21/2011: Meditation may help the brain "turn down the volume" on distractions

The positive effects of mindfulness meditation on pain and working memory may result from an improved ability to regulate a crucial brain wave called the alpha rhythm, which is thought to "turn down the volume" on distracting information.

04/19/2011: Severe obesity not seen to increase risk of depression in teens

According to a new study, severely obese adolescents are no more likely to be depressed than normal weight peers. The study, which has been released online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, did find that white adolescents may be somewhat more vulnerable to psychological effects of obesity.

04/13/2011: Differences in brain structure indicate risk for developing Alzheimer's disease

Subtle differences in brain anatomy among older individuals with normal cognitive skills may be able to predict both the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in the following decade and how quickly symptoms of dementia would develop.

03/30/2011: Alzheimer's-like brain changes found in cognitively normal elders with amyloid plaques

Researchers using two brain-imaging technologies have found that apparently normal older individuals with brain deposits of amyloid beta – the primary constituent of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients – also had changes in brain structure similar to those seen in Alzheimer's patients.

03/27/2011: Advanced technology reveals activity of single neurons during seizures

The first study to examine the activity of hundreds of individual human brain cells during seizures has found that seizures begin with extremely diverse neuronal activity, contrary to the classic view that they are characterized by massively synchronized activity.

03/24/2011: BrainGate neural interface system reaches 1,000-day performance milestone

An investigational implanted system being developed to translate brain signals toward control of assistive devices has allowed a woman with paralysis to accurately control a computer cursor at 2.7 years after implantation, providing a key demonstration that neural activity can be read out and converted into action for an unprecedented length of time.

03/23/2011: Mass. General study reveals how lung cancers evolve in response to targeted treatment

A detailed analysis of lung tumors that became resistant to targeted therapy drugs has revealed two previously unreported resistance mechanisms. The report also describes how the cellular nature of some tumors can change in response to treatment and finds how resistance-conferring mutations can disappear after treatment is discontinued.

03/23/2011: Epigenomic findings illuminate veiled variants

Genes make up only a tiny percentage of the human genome, but the rest may hold vital clues about the genetic origins of disease. Using a new mapping strategy, a research team has begun to assign meaning to the regions beyond our genes and has revealed how minute changes in these regions might be connected to common diseases.

03/21/2011: Most Parents Support Testing Children for Tobacco Smoke Exposure

A new study, to be published in the April 2011 issue of Pediatrics, shows that 60 percent of parents -- smoking and non-smoking -- indicate that they would like their children tested for tobacco smoke exposure during pediatric visits.

03/20/2011: Metabolite levels may be able to improve diabetes risk prediction

Measuring the levels of small molecules in the blood may be able to identify individuals at elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes as much as a decade before symptoms of the disorder appear.

03/15/2011: Current projections greatly underestimate impact of Haitian cholera epidemic

A new mathematical model of the Haitian cholera epidemic, based on current knowledge about the transmission and course of the disease, finds that current projections regarding the size and extent of the epidemic may greatly underestimate the eventual number of cases.

03/14/2011: Tumor suppressor blocks viral growth in natural HIV controllers

Elevated levels of p21, a protein best known as a cancer fighter, may be involved in the ability of a few individuals to control HIV infection with their immune system alone.

03/09/2011: Aspirin's ability to protect against colorectal cancer may depend on risk-associated inflammatory pathways

The reduced risk of colorectal cancer associated with taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be limited to individuals already at risk because of elevations in a specific inflammatory factor in the blood.

03/07/2011: Increased, mandatory screenings help identify more kids with emotional/behavioral problems

An MGHfC study published in the March 2011 Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine shows that Massachusetts' new court-ordered mental health screening and intervention program led to more children being identified as behaviorally and emotionally at risk.

03/06/2011: International collaborative identifies 13 new heart-disease-associated gene sites

An international research collaboration has identified 13 new gene sites associated with the risk of coronary artery disease and validated 10 sites found in previous studies. Several of the novel sites discovered do not appear to relate to known risk factors, suggesting previously unsuspected mechanisms for cardiovascular disease.

03/04/2011: MGH Orthopaedic Surgeon’s Breakthrough Findings Honored with Research Award

Dr. Young-Min Kwon honored with Kappa Delta Investigator Award for outstanding research in Orthopaedic surgery.

03/03/2011: Brain rhythm predicts real-time sleep stability, may lead to more precise sleep medications

A new study finds that a brain rhythm considered the hallmark of wakefulness not only persists inconspicuously during sleep but also signifies an individual's vulnerability to disturbance by the outside world.

02/22/2011: Protective strategy shields primate ovaries from radiation-therapy-induced damage

A strategy developed by MGH researchers to shield the ovaries of female mammals from the damaging effects of radiation and chemotherapy has passed an important milestone with the report that brief pretreatment with an FDA-approved drug preserved the fertility of female rhesus monkeys exposed to potentially lethal doses of radiation.

02/16/2011: Enzyme helps prepare lung tissue for metastatic development

An MGH study has identified a new role for an important enzyme in preparing lung tissue for the development of metastases. The findings may help development of strategies to slow or halt the process.

02/10/2011: Tumor microvesicles reveal detailed genetic information

The MGH research team that previously discovered tumor-associated RNA in tiny membrane-enclosed sacs released into the bloodstream by cancer cells has now found that these microvesicles also contain segments of tumor DNA, including so-called "jumping genes" that copy and insert themselves into other areas of the genome.

02/03/2011: Homeless people without enough to eat are more likely to be hospitalized

Homeless people who do not get enough to eat use hospitals and emergency rooms at very high rates, according to a new study from MGH and Boston Health Care for the Homeless.

02/02/2011: Generic drug may improve the effectiveness of cancer nanotherapies

Low doses of an inexpensive, FDA-approved hypertension medication may improve the results of nanotherapeutic approaches to cancer treatment.

01/26/2011: Growth-factor-containing nanoparticles accelerate healing of chronic wounds

Massachusetts General Hospital investigators have developed a novel system for delivery of growth factors to chronic wounds such as pressure sores and diabetic foot ulcers.

01/21/2011: Mindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in 8 weeks

Participating in an 8-week mindfulness meditation program appears to make measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress.

01/21/2011: CT scanning aids rapid diagnosis, treatment planning for abdominal pain

The use of CT scanning to evaluate abdominal pain in emergency departments can help physicians arrive at a diagnosis quickly and decisively.

01/18/2011: Massachusetts General Hospital leading nationwide, comparative study of common bipolar medications

The Massachusetts General Hospital Bipolar Clinic and Research Program is launching a 10-site nationwide trial evaluating the real-world advantages and disadvantages of second generation mood stabilizing medications compared to lithium.

01/13/2011: Overexpression of repetitive DNA sequences discovered in common tumor cells

MGH Cancer Center researchers have discovered a previously unknown feature of common tumor cells – massive overexpression of satellite repeats, which are DNA sequences that do not code for proteins. The findings may improve understanding of tumor development and provide a new cancer biomarker.

01/10/2011: Statin risks may outweigh benefits for patients with a history of brain hemorrhage

A computer decision model suggests that for patients with a history of bleeding within the brain, the risk of recurrence associated with statin treatment may outweigh the benefit of the drug in preventing cardiovascular disease, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of Neurology.

01/03/2011: Mass. General Hospital enters collaboration to develop new approach to capturing circulating tumor cells

MGH has entered into a collaborative agreement with Veridex LLC to establish a center of excellence in research on circulating tumor cell technologies.

12/29/2010: Uncovering the neurobiological basis of general anesthesia

Emery Brown, MD, PhD, author of a New England Journal of Medicine review article, lays out a conceptual framework for understanding general anesthesia by discussing its relation to sleep and coma.

12/27/2010: Newborns with low vitamin D levels at increased risk for respiratory infections

Vitamin D levels of newborn babies appear to predict their risk of respiratory infections during infancy and the occurrence of wheezing during early childhood, but not the risk of developing asthma.

12/27/2010: Structure deep within the brain may contribute to a rich, varied social life

Scientists have discovered that the amygdala, a small almond shaped structure deep within the temporal lobe, is important to a rich and varied social life among humans.

12/22/2010: Mortality rates are an unreliable metric for assessing hospital quality, study finds

A comparative analysis found wide disparities in the results of four common measures of hospital-wide mortality rates, with competing methods yielding both higher- and lower-than-expected rates for the same hospitals during the same year.

12/14/2010: The effects of spirituality in Alcoholics Anonymous on alcohol dependence

A new study shows that, as attendance at AA meetings increases, so do the participants' spiritual beliefs, especially in those individuals who had low spirituality at the beginning of the study.

12/13/2010: Apartment-dwelling children in nonsmoking units still exposed to tobacco

A new study from MassGeneral Hospital for Children and the University of Rochester Medical Center shows significant evidence of tobacco smoke exposure in the blood of children who live in multi-unit housing.

12/12/2010: MGH researchers develop faster method of engineering zinc-finger nucleases

A team led by MGH researchers has developed a faster way to engineer synthetic enzymes that target specific DNA sequences for inactivation, repair or alteration.

12/09/2010: Cholera strain in Haiti matches bacteria from South Asia

A team of researchers has determined that the strain of cholera erupting in Haiti matches bacterial samples from South Asia and not those from Latin America. The scientists conclude that the bacteria introduced into Haiti most likely came from an infected human, contaminated food or other item from outside of Latin America.

12/06/2010: Psychotic-like symptoms associated with poor outcomes in patients with depression

Among patients with depression, the presence of symptoms associated with bipolar disorder does not appear to be associated with treatment resistance, according to a study from MGH investigators. However, many patients with depression also report psychotic-like symptoms, such as hearing voices or believing they are being spied on or plotted against, and those patients are less likely to respond to treatment.

12/01/2010: Tumors bring their own support cells when forming metastases

A new study from MGH Cancer Center researchers finds that circulating tumor cells bring along from the original tumor site noncancerous cells that facilitate the development of metastases.

11/30/2010: Belly Fat Puts Women at Risk for Osteoporosis

A study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America found that having too much internal abdominal fat may have a damaging effect on bone health.

11/23/2010: Probiotics under study as treatment for IBS and depression

A new study will measure the ability of probiotic bacteria GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GB1-30, 6086) to help people diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and major depressive disorder (MDD).

11/22/2010: ICER Publishes Systematic Review of Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography

A systematic review of the use of Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography for patients with suspected coronary artery disease found that the technology has high diagnostic accuracy but was unable to determine its effectiveness in supporting clinical decision-making or improving patient outcomes.

11/18/2010: Culturally sensitive treatment model helps bring depressed Chinese immigrants into treatment

A treatment model designed to accommodate the beliefs and concerns of Chinese immigrants increased the percentage of depressed patients entering treatment nearly sevenfold.

11/12/2010: Mathematical model of the life cycle of red blood cells may predict risk of anemia

An MGH physician-researcher and a Harvard University mathematician have collaborated to develop a mathematical model reflecting how red blood cells change during their four-month lifespan. The model uses data from routine blood tests and may be able to predict the development of anemia.

11/10/2010: Romiplostim more effective than standard care for immune thrombocytopenia

A new study finds that an FDA-approved drug to treat the rare autoimmune disorder immune thromobocytopenia (ITP) is more effective than earlier medical therapies in helping patients avoid surgical treatment and significantly improving their quality of life.

11/09/2010: Combined Imaging Technologies May Better Identify Cancerous Breast Lesions

By combining optical and x-ray imaging, radiologists may be better able to distinguish cancer from benign lesions in the breast, according to an MGH study.

11/08/2010: Although less prevalent, physician-industry relationships remain common

A new survey finds that, while the number of physicians who report having relationships with pharmaceutical manufacturers or other industrial companies has dropped in recent years, the vast majority of them still maintain such relationships.

11/05/2010: President Honors Outstanding Early-Career Scientists

President Obama today named 85 researchers as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

11/04/2010: Small protein changes may make big difference in natural HIV control

Tiny variants in a protein that alerts the immune system to the presence of infection may underlie the rare ability of some individuals to control HIV infection without the need for medications.

11/03/2010: Half of those travelling internationally not aware of potential health risks

International travel is the primary way many infections traverse the world. Despite these potential risks, a recent study conducted by the Division of Infectious Diseases found that 46 percent of travelers to resource-limited countries did not seek health advice or vaccinations prior to departure.

10/28/2010: Tighter ethics rules have reduced industrial relationship of NIH scientists

The 2005 ethics rules that govern relationships between researchers within the National Institutes of Health and pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other industrial companies have significantly reduced the prevalence of such collaborations without affecting standard measures of research productivity.

10/28/2010: Study identifies flaws in Medicare prescription drug program

Millions of Medicare recipients have been forcibly reassigned to different prescription drug plans because Part D reimbursements to insurance companies covering low-income patients are lower than the actual costs incurred, according to a study from the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at MGH.

10/27/2010: New targeted lung cancer drug produces 'dramatic' symptom improvement

A clinical trial of a potential new targeted treatment drug has provided powerful evidence that it can halt or reverse the growth of lung tumors characterized by alterations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene.

10/18/2010: Intestinal enzyme helps maintain population of beneficial bacteria

An enzyme that keeps intestinal bacteria out of the bloodstream may also play an important role in maintaining the normal microbial population of the gastrointestinal system.

10/14/2010: Molecular switch controls melanin production, may allow true sunless tanning

Discovery of a molecular switch that turns off the natural process of skin pigmentation may lead to a novel way of protecting the skin – activating the tanning process without exposure to cancer-causing UV radiation.

10/12/2010: Second-generation device more effective in capturing circulating tumor cells

A redesigned version of the CTC-Chip – a microchip-based device for capturing rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) – appears to be more effective and should be easier to manufacture than the original. Called the HB-(herringbone) Chip, the new device also may provide more comprehensive and easily accessible data from captured tumor cells.

10/10/2010: Studies provide new insights into the genetics of obesity and fat distribution

An international consortium has made significant inroads into uncovering the genetic basis of obesity by identifying 18 new gene sites associated with overall obesity and 13 that affect fat distribution. The studies include data from nearly a quarter of a million participants, the largest genetic investigation of human traits to date.

09/30/2010: ICER Completes Comprehensive Appraisal of Common Strategies for Atrial Fibrillation Management

A comprehensive appraisal of the management options for the irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, prepared by the MGH-based Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, details the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of several strategies for restoring rhythm control and preventing stroke.

09/24/2010: Disparities in heart attack treatment may begin in the emergency room

The well-documented disparities in cardiac care may begin almost as soon as patients arrive at hospital emergency rooms, Mass. General investigators find.

09/15/2010: $40 million awarded to trace human brain's connections

The National Institutes of Health has awarded grants totaling $40 million to map the human brain's connections in high resolution. Better understanding of such connectivity promises improved diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders.

09/14/2010: Present imperfect: Doctors in training work even when ill

Researchers report that three out of five resident physicians responding to a survey came to work in the previous year while sick, possibly exposing their patients and colleagues to suboptimal performance and, in many cases, communicable disease.

09/07/2010: Quality measurement programs could shortchange physicians caring for at-risk patients

Evaluating the quality of care delivered by individual physicians without accounting for such factors as their patients' socioeconomic status or insurance coverage risks undervaluing the work of those caring for a higher proportion of vulnerable patients.

08/30/2010: Microfluidic device allows collection, analysis of hard-to-handle immune cells

A team led by MGH scientists has developed a new microfluidic tool for quickly and accurately isolating neutrophils – the most abundant type of white blood cell – from small blood samples, an accomplishment that could provide information essential to better understanding the immune system's response to traumatic injury.

08/25/2010: Targeted drug leads to rapid regression of metastatic melanoma in patients with mutated BRAF gene

Use of an experimental targeted drug to treat metastatic melanoma tumors with a specific genetic signature was successful in more than 80 percent of patients in a phase 1 clinical trial.

08/25/2010: Grapefruit's bitter taste holds a sweet promise for diabetes therapy

A team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Massachusetts General Hospital report that the antioxident naringenin seems to mimic the actions of other drugs including the anti-diabetic rosiglitazone.

08/24/2010: Cognitive behavior therapy improves symptom control in adult ADHD

Adding cognitive behavioral therapy – an approach that teaches skills for handling life challenges and revising negative thought patterns – to pharmaceutical treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder significantly improved symptom control in adult patients.

08/18/2010: Lung cancer patients receiving palliative care had improved quality of life, extended survival

Integrating palliative care early in the treatment of patients with advanced lung cancer not only improved their mood and quality of life, it also extended their lives.

08/12/2010: Merlin protein found to control liver stem cells, prevent tumor development

A protein known to be involved in a rare hereditary cancer syndrome may have a role in the regulation of liver stem cells and the development of liver cancer.

08/09/2010: Brain rhythm predicts ability to sleep through a noisy night

People who have trouble sleeping in noisy environments often resort to strategies like earplugs or noise-canceling headphones that muffle the sound, but a new study from MGH investigators may lead to ways to block disturbing sounds within the brain.

08/04/2010: MicroRNA molecule increases number of blood stem cells, may help improve cancer treatment

MGH investigators have identified a new mechanism that controls the number of the stem cells that give rise to all blood and immune system cells, an advance that may improve treatment of blood system cancers.

08/04/2010: Sorting out the genetic and biological links between cholesterol and coronary heart disease

Two papers in the current issue of Nature describe 95 gene variations that contribute to cholesterol and triglyceride levels and reveal the unexpected role of a metabolic pathway in lipid metabolism.

08/04/2010: New drug shown safe, effective in treating hereditary angioedema

Clinical trials from two international research teams have shown that icatibant, a new drug that blocks the action of an inflammatory protein known as bradykinin, is safe and effective in treating acute attacks of hereditary angioedema, a potentially life-threatening condition.

07/29/2010: Resting brain activity associated with spontaneous fibromyalgia pain

A recent study from researchers at Mass. General and University of Michigan provides the first direct evidence of linkage between elevated intrinsic (resting-state) brain connectivity and spontaneous pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia.

07/27/2010: CTC screening for colorectal cancer not cost-effective when reimbursed at same rate as colonoscopy

Computed tomographic colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy, is not cost-effective if reimbursed at the same rate as colonoscopy, according to a study from the Institute for Technology Assessment at MGH.

07/19/2010: Reprogrammed cells 'remember,' retain characteristics of their cells of origin

Investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine have confirmed that induced pluripotent stem cells retain some characteristics of the cells from which they were derived, something that could both assist and impede potential clinical and research uses.

07/15/2010: Largest study of genomes and cancer treatments releases first results

The largest study to correlate genetics with response to cancer drugs releases its first results today. The researchers behind the study, based at the MGH Cancer Center and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, describe the responses of 350 cancer samples to 18 anticancer therapeutics.

07/14/2010: Researchers Identify Possible New Treatment for Severe Vasculitis

Investigators have made a major advance in treating people with a rare but devastating disease of blood vessels.

07/13/2010: Many physicians do not accept responsibility to report incompetent, impaired colleagues

More than one-third of surveyed U.S. physicians did not agree that physicians should always report colleagues who are incompetent or impaired by conditions such as substance abuse or mental health disorders. Many also felt unprepared to report or otherwise deal with impaired or incompetent colleagues.

07/09/2010: Universal HIV testing and immediate treatment could reduce but not eliminate HIV/AIDS epidemic

Implementing universal HIV testing and immediate antiretroviral treatment for infected individuals could have a major impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, DC but not halt the epidemic, which a previous report had projected.

07/05/2010: Study finds higher STD rates among users of erectile dysfunction drugs

An analysis of insurance records of more than 1.4 million U.S. men over 40 found that those who used ED drugs were more likely to have sexually transmitted diseases than were non-users.

06/30/2010: When food intake stops, enzyme turns off production of fats, cholesterol

MGH investigators have found that an enzyme with several important roles in energy metabolism also helps to turn off the body's generation of fats and cholesterol under conditions of fasting. The findings could lead to new approaches to treating conditions involving elevated cholesterol and lipid levels.

06/28/2010: Mass. General Hospital, Iacocca Foundation announce completion of Phase I diabetes trial

MGH and the Iacocca Foundation announce today the completion of the Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes, as well as the submission of all safety reports to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the MGH data safety monitoring boards.

06/16/2010: Defects in immune system enzyme may increase risk of autoimmune disorders

A multi-institutional research team has found that rare variants in the gene coding an enzyme that controls the activity of a key immune cell occur more frequently in individuals with autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes.

06/15/2010: Combined BRAF-targeted and immunotherapy shows promise for melanoma treatment

Combined targeted therapy against the BRAF/MAPK pathway with immunotherapy shows promise as a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of melanoma, according to results of a preclinical study by MGH researchers.

06/14/2010: Novel ultrasound technique can help doctors detect heart muscle damage in chemotherapy patients

Mass General researchers unveiled a non-invasive ultrasound technique to help detect heart muscle damage in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

06/14/2010: Study finds heart and circulation ultrasound can better determine heart disease risk in obese women

Researchers found that heart and circulation ultrasounds are an important tool in assessing the risk of heart disease in women who are obese or have metabolic syndrome.

06/13/2010: Mass. General researchers develop functional, transplantable rat liver grafts

A team led by researchers from the Center for Engineering in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital has developed a technique that someday may allow growth of transplantable replacement livers.

06/09/2010: Genome-wide study identifies factors that may affect vitamin D levels

An international research consortium has identified four common gene variants that are associated with blood levels of vitamin D and with an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.

06/09/2010: Heart Attacks Declined 24 Percent in Kaiser Permanente Northern California Since 2000

Heart attacks declined by 24 percent within a large, ethnically diverse, community-based population since 2000, and the relative incidence of serious heart attacks that do permanent damage declined by 62 percent, according to a study in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

06/08/2010: New type of human stem cell may be more easy to manipulate

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine and Harvard Stem Cell Institute have a developed a new type of human pluripotent stem cell that can be manipulated more readily than currently available stem cells. The new cells could be used as better disease models and eventually to repair disease-associated mutations.

06/03/2010: Study finds epigenetic similarities between Wilms tumor cells and normal kidney stem cells

A detailed analysis of the epigenetics – factors controlling when and where genes are expressed – of Wilms tumor reveals striking similarities to stem cells normally found in fetal kidneys. These findings by MGH Cancer Center researchers reveal new cellular pathways critical for Wilms tumor development that may apply to other pediatric cancers.

05/26/2010: Detailed metabolic profile gives "chemical snapshot" of the effects of exercise

Using a system that analyzes blood samples with unprecedented detail, a team led by MGH researchers has developed the first "chemical snapshot" of the metabolic effects of exercise.

05/26/2010: Study finds “law-like” patterns in human preference behavior

In a study appearing in the journal PLoS ONE, MGH scientists describe finding mathematical patterns underlying the way individuals unconsciously distribute their preferences regarding approaching or avoiding objects in their environment.

05/25/2010: Simple Change Results in Fewer Unnecessary Imaging Exams for Patients

A new rule preventing medical support staff from completing orders for outpatient imaging exams that were likely to be negative resulted in a marked decrease in low-yield exams for patients, according to a study appearing in the June issue of Radiology.

05/17/2010: New study characterizes cognitive and anatomic differences in Alzheimer’s disease gene carriers

In the most comprehensive study to date, neurologists have clearly identified significant differences in the ways that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects patients with and without the apolipoprotein E ε4 gene, a known genetic risk factor for the neurodegenerative disease.

05/14/2010: Homeless adults have significant unmet health care needs

The vast majority of homeless adults surveyed in a national study had trouble accessing at least one type of needed health care service in the preceding year, according to what may be the first broad-based national study of factors related to unmet health needs among homeless people.

05/13/2010: MicroRNA and host gene play key role in regulating cholesterol pathways

MGH researchers have identified tiny segments of RNA that may play an important role in the body's regulation of cholesterol and lipids.

05/11/2010: Many pregnant women not getting enough Vitamin D

Seven out of every ten pregnant women in the United States are not getting enough Vitamin D according to a study from researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and MGH.

05/10/2010: Studies document risks associated with common acid-suppressing medications

Proton pump inhibitors, medications that suppress acid in the stomach, appear to be associated with fractures in postmenopausal women and bacterial infections in many patients.

05/05/2010: New insights into the mystery of natural HIV immunity

Researchers from the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard discover how a genetic factor increases the immune system's ability to control HIV.

05/03/2010: Are poor workspace ergonomics causing radiologists pain?

A lack of attention to workspace ergonomics could be to blame for radiologists' musculoskeletal symptoms, including lower back pain, wrist pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, and headaches, according to a study to be presented at the American Roentgen Ray Society 2010 Annual Meeting.

04/27/2010: Long-term anabolic steroid use may weaken heart more than previously thought

Long-term anabolic steroid use may weaken the heart more than previously thought and may increase the risk of heart failure, according to a study led by MGH investigator Aaron Baggish, MD.

04/26/2010: Patients, clinicians favor disclosure of financial ties to industry

MGH investigator Eric Campbell comments on study finding that patients, research participants and journal readers believe financial relationships between medicine and industry should be disclosed.

04/25/2010: Gene silencing may be responsible for induced pluripotent stem cells' limitations

Investigators from the MGH Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have found that an important cluster of genes is inactivated in induced pluripotent stem cells — cells generated from adult tissue that have many characteristics of embryonic stem cells — that do not have the full development potential of embryonic stem cells.

04/19/2010: Patients with acne may get electronic follow-up care

Follow-up visits conducted via a secure Web site may result in similar clinical outcomes as in-person visits among patients with acne, according to a report from investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Partners HealthCare Center for Connected Health.

04/18/2010: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Cancer Detection and Treatment: What’s On the Horizon

Cancer is a multifaceted disease that requires multiple approaches to diagnosis and management. At the American Association for Cancer Research 101st Annual Meeting 2010, scientists and clinicians will present more than 6,300 abstracts dealing with innovative aspects of biology, technology and emerging therapies.

04/14/2010: Novel artificial pancreas successfully controls blood sugar more than 24 hours

An artificial pancreas system that closely mimics the body's blood sugar control mechanism was able to maintain near-normal glucose levels without causing hypoglycemia in a small group of patients.

04/06/2010: Electronic health record alone may have limited ability to improve quality, costs of care

The implementation of electronic health record systems may not be enough to significantly improve health quality and reduce costs.

04/01/2010: Treatment resistance in some cancer cells may be reversible

The ability of cancer cells to resist treatment with either targeted drug therapies or traditional chemotherapy may, in some cases, result from a transient state of reversible drug "tolerance."

03/31/2010: Even highly qualified women in academic medicine paid less than equally qualified men

Women conducting research in the life sciences continue to receive lower levels of compensation than their male counterparts, even at the upper levels of academic and professional accomplishment, according to a study conducted by the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital.

03/31/2010: Improved device provides more rapid, comprehensive analysis of circulating tumor cells

Technical improvements to a microchip-based device for detecting and analyzing tumor cells in the bloodstream are revealing cellular differences that may reflect a tumor's aggressiveness and long-term response to treatment.

03/25/2010: Massachusetts General Hospital to create international registry for coronary optical coherence tomography

Mass General researchers are spearheading an international effort to study optical coherence tomography (OCT), an imaging technology that could help doctors identify the vulnerable coronary plaques that cause heart attacks.

03/22/2010: Blacks less likely than whites, Hispanics to get evidence-based stroke care

Blacks hospitalized with the most common type of stroke are less likely than white or Hispanic patients to receive evidence-based stroke care, according to a new study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

03/21/2010: "Good" cells can go "bad" in a "bad neighborhood"

A new study by Harvard researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital indicates that “good” cells can become cancerous because of exposure to a “bad” environment within the body — similarly to the way a “good boy” may turn to crime when exposed to the pressures of life in a crime-ridden neighborhood.

03/16/2010: Increased radiation dose does not increase long-term side effects for prostate cancer patients

Boosting the radiation dose given to prostate cancer patients to a level that cut recurrence in half did not increase the severity of side effects reported by patients up to a decade later. Patients also found the impact of continuing side effects on their quality of life to be less bothersome than would be expected, based on earlier studies.

03/02/2010: Alzheimer's-associated protein may be part of the innate immune system

Amyloid-beta protein – the primary constituent of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients – may be part of the body's first-line system to defend against infection. In their report in the March 3 issue of PLoS One, a team led by MGH researchers describe their evidence that amyloid-beta protein is an antimicrobial peptide.

03/02/2010: Mass. General Researchers Seek Participants for Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Trial

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital are seeking recently diagnosed Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to participate in a clinical trial investigating whether inosine taken to raise the body’s level of urate — a naturally occurring antioxidant — can be used to slow the progress of PD.

03/01/2010: Adding ECG to health exams may prevent sudden cardiac death in young athletes

A new study by researchers at the MGH Heart Center found the addition of electrocardiogram testing to the standard medical history and physical examination for young athletes may better identify key cardiovascular abnormalities responsible for sports-related sudden death.

03/01/2010: Different fat types can help or hinder obese girls' bone health

According to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, obese teenage girls with a greater ratio of visceral fat (fat around internal organs) to subcutaneous fat (fat found just beneath the skin) are likely to have lower bone density than peers with a lower ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat.

02/25/2010: Proton beam therapy shows encouraging long-term outcome for patients with locally advanced sinonasal cancers

Proton beam radiation therapy shows encouraging results for patients with locally advanced sinonasal malignancies, according to a study led by Annie Chan, MD, a radiation oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

02/23/2010: Combined Mammography and Breast MRI Useful for Some High-Risk Women

Annual breast cancer screening with both mammography and magnetic resonance imaging is likely to be a cost-effective way to improve life expectancy in women with an increased risk of breast cancer.

02/23/2010: Study Should Prove Helpful in Quest for Safer, More Effective Blood Substitutes

A study published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Anesthesiology gives researchers new insights in how to better understand and control a severe side effect of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, often referred to as "artificial blood."

02/21/2010: Common gene variant may increase risk for a type of cardiac arrhythmia

An international research team has identified a common gene variant associated with a form of the irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation that is seen in younger individuals with no other heart disease.

02/16/2010: Rates of childhood obesity, chronic health problems increase, but conditions may not persist

A new study confirms that rates of obesity and other chronic health problems have risen in American children in recent years, but it also shows that many children's conditions will improve or resolve over time.

02/14/2010: Shifting cellular energy metabolism may help treat cardiovascular disease

Drugs that target the way cells convert nutrients into energy could offer new approaches to treating a range of conditions including heart attack and stroke. Using a new way to screen for potential drugs, a team of researchers has identified several FDA-approved agents that can shift cellular energy metabolism processes in animals.

02/05/2010: Study finds screening for spinal muscular atrophy not cost effective

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, researchers will unveil findings that show it is not cost effective to screen for spinal muscular atrophy, the most common genetic cause of infant mortality and the second most common inherited autosomal recessive disorder.

02/01/2010: Children more likely to visit the dentist if their parents do too

Whether or not children receive regular dental care is strongly associated with their parents' history of seeking dental care. A new report to appear in the journal Pediatrics, which has been released online, is the first to analyze the relationship between parents' and childrens' dental visits in a nationally represntative sample.

01/28/2010: Attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings may reduce depression symptoms

One of many reasons that attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings helps people with alcohol use disorders stay sober appears to be alleviation of depression. A team of researchers has found that study participants who attended AA meetings more frequently had fewer symptoms of depression – along with less drinking – than did those with less AA participation.

01/27/2010: Biochemical profile may help diagnose, determine aggressiveness of prostate cancer

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy – which analyzes the biochemistry rather than the structure of tissues – may someday be able both to pinpoint the precise location of prostate cancer and to determine the tumor's aggressiveness, information that could help guide treatment planning.

01/27/2010: Workers' Compensation Patients Get Less Benefit from Back Surgery

Surgery provides better results than nonsurgical treatment for most patients with back pain related to a herniated disk - but not for those receiving workers' compensation for work-related injuries, according to a study in the journal Spine.

01/21/2010: Lack of cellular enzyme triggers switch in glucose processing

A study investigating how a cellular enzyme affects blood glucose levels in mice provides clues to pathways that may be involved in processes including the regulation of longevity and the proliferation of tumor cells.

01/19/2010: Combination therapy may benefit patients with specific genetic subtype of non-small cell lung cancer

Even when their tumors are shrinking in response to therapy, some non-small cell lung cancer patients have a scattering of cancer cells that are undeterred by the drug, causing the tumor to resume its growth.

01/17/2010: New gene variants associated with glucose, insulin levels, some with diabetes risk

A major international study with leadership from MGH researchers has identified 10 new gene variants associated with blood sugar or insulin levels. Two of these novel variants and three that earlier studies associated with glucose levels were also found to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

01/13/2010: Words used to describe substance-use patients can alter attitudes, contribute to stigma

Changing the words used to describe someone struggling with alcoholism or drug addiction may significantly alter the attitudes of health care professionals, even those who specialize in addiction treatment.

01/07/2010: Study finds increased presence, severity of coronary artery plaques in HIV-infected men

A Massachusetts General Hospital study has found that relatively young men with longstanding HIV infection and minimal cardiac risk factors had significantly more coronary atherosclerotic plaques - some involving serious arterial blockage - than did uninfected men with similar cardiovascular risk.

01/05/2010: ICER Report Suggests Similar Levels of Effectiveness among Management and Treatment Options for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

A comprehensive appraisal of the management and treatment options for low-risk prostate cancer found that the rates of survival and tumor recurrence are similar among the most common treatment approaches, although costs can vary considerably.

12/17/2009: Scientists discover natural flu-fighting protein in human cells

Researchers have identified a small family of flu-fighting proteins that somehow increases natural resistance to viral infection. The proteins block most virus particles from infecting the cell at the earliest stage in the virus lifecycle.

12/16/2009: New Web Tool May Help Predict Risk of Second Stroke

Scientists have developed a new web-based tool that may better predict whether a person will suffer a second stroke within 90 days of a first stroke.

12/15/2009: Smaller is Better for Finger Sensitivity

People who have smaller fingers have a finer sense of touch, according to new research in the Dec. 16 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. This finding explains why women tend to have better tactile acuity than men, because women on average have smaller fingers.

12/14/2009: Study finds increased risk of death, stroke in postmenopausal women taking antidepressants

Women participating in the Women's Health Initiative study who reported taking an antidepressant drug had a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of stroke and of death compared with participants not taking antidepressants.

12/14/2009: Connecting the Dots

A team of researchers led by Daniel Haber, MD, PhD, director of the MGH Cancer Center, recently announced that they have revealed a unique molecular mechanism that might control the growth of cancer cells.

12/08/2009: Possible ovarian cancer treatment target identified

A multi-institutional study has identified a potential personalized treatment target for the most common form of ovarian cancer.

12/02/2009: Videos can help cancer patients choose level of care they prefer

Patients with terminal brain cancer who watched a brief video illustrating options for end-of-life care were significantly more likely to indicate a preference for comfort measures only than were patients who listened to a verbal description of treatment choices.

11/13/2009: Nicotine vaccine to be tested at Massachusetts General Hospital

People tackling the daunting task of trying to quit smoking could find help through a novel approach being tested at MGH.

11/09/2009: Discussing adverse events with patients improves how they rate their hospital care

A survey of patients had who experienced some sort of adverse event during their hospitalization found that, although caregivers discussed the event with patients less than half the time, those patients to whom the adverse event had been disclosed rated the quality of their care higher than did patients whose caregivers did not address the problem.

11/06/2009: Psychiatric impact of torture could be amplified by head injury

Depression and other emotional symptoms in survivors of torture and other traumatic experiences may be exacerbated by the effects of head injuries, according to a study from the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, based at Massachusetts General Hospital.

11/03/2009: Industry support of academic life science research may be declining

While more than half the academic life science researchers responding to a 2007 survey indicated having some relationship with industrial entities, the prevalence of such relationships – particularly direct funding for research studies – appears to be dropping.

10/28/2009: A Decade Later, Lifestyle Changes or Metformin Still Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Intensive lifestyle changes aimed at modest weight loss reduced the rate of developing type 2 diabetes by 34 percent compared with placebo in people at high risk for the disease, researchers conclude based on 10 years of data.

10/21/2009: Sexual problems rarely addressed by internists caring for cancer survivors

More than half the internists responding to a survey indicated they rarely or never discussed sexual problems with their patients who had survived cancer.

10/19/2009: Clots traveling from lower veins may not be the cause of pulmonary embolism in trauma patients

A report from a team of Massachusetts General Hospital physicians calls into question the longstanding belief that pulmonary embolism – the life-threatening blockage of a major blood vessel in the lungs – is caused in trauma patients by a blood clot traveling from vessels deep within the legs or lower torso.

10/15/2009: From stem cells to functioning strip of heart muscle

A team of Harvard Stem Cell Institute scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and collaborators at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has taken a giant step toward the possibility of using human stem cells to repair damaged hearts.

10/12/2009: Study supports possible role of urate in slowing Parkinson’s disease progression

By examining data from a 20-year-old clinical trial, a research team based at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Harvard School of Public Health, has found evidence supporting the findings of their 2008 study – that elevated levels of the antioxidant urate may slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

10/08/2009: NHLBI supports consortium exploring stem-cell-based tools and treatments

Two teams led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, also members of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, are among 18 groups receiving National Heart Lung and Blood Institute grants for the development of stem-cell based tools and treatments to understand and treat cardiovascular and blood disorders. The Progenitor Cell Biology Consortium will consist of nine research hubs, each involving multidiscplinary teams from two academic medical centers.

10/07/2009: Genome-wide study of autism published in Nature

In one of the first studies of its kind, an international team of researchers has uncovered a single-letter change in the genetic code that is associated with autism.

09/21/2009: Vitamin D and Elderly Health

A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital shows vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death associated with older age.

09/15/2009: Comprehensive cardiac CT scan may give clearer picture of significant heart disease

A team of researchers led by Massachusetts General Hospital radiologists has developed a computed-tomography-based protocol that identifies both narrowing of coronary arteries and areas of myocardial ischemia - restricted blood flow to heart muscle tissue - giving a better indication of clinically significant coronary artery disease.

09/09/2009: MassGeneral Hospital for Children study explains some mysteries of neonatal seizures

A study led by MassGeneral Hospital for Children investigators is providing new insight into the mechanism of neonatal seizures, which have features very different from seizures in older children and adults.

09/04/2009: Cardiac biomarker levels strongly predict outcome of bypass surgery

Levels of a biomarker used in the diagnosis of heart attacks are almost universally elevated in patients who have undergone coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) and, when markedly elevated, powerfully predict the risk of complications.

09/03/2009: Large-scale study probes how cells fight pathogens

Scientists have deciphered a key molecular circuit that enables the body to distinguish viruses from bacteria and other microbes, providing a deep view of how immune cells in mammals fend off different pathogens. The research offers a practical approach for unraveling the circuits that underpin other important biological systems.

09/02/2009: A breath of fresh air could improve drug toxicity screening

A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers has developed an innovative way to culture liver cells for drug toxicity screening.

09/01/2009: New assessment quantifies risks and benefits of warfarin treatment for atrial fibrillation

Warfarin therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation - the most common type of significant heart rhythm disorder - appears to be most beneficial for the oldest patients, those who have had a prior stroke and for patients with multiple risk factors for stroke.

09/01/2009: New report describes types of research conducted at academic medical centers

A study from the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Policy gives the first detailed look at the types of research currently being conducted within U.S. academic medical centers - medical schools and their affiliated hospitals.

08/27/2009: Blood thinner causes stroke in some dialysis patients

The blood thinner warfarin can prevent strokes in most individuals with abnormal heart rhythms but may have the opposite effect in kidney disease patients on dialysis, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

08/24/2009: Twitter and health care - can a tweet a day keep the doctor away?

Twitter, the increasingly popular social networking tool that was at first merely a convenient way to stay in touch with friends and family, is emerging as a potentially valuable means of real-time, health care communication.

08/14/2009: NIH renews Harvard Center for AIDS Research grant for another five years

The National Institutes of Health has renewed for five years - and $18.1 million - the funding for the Harvard University Center for AIDS Research (Harvard CFAR). Harvard is one of only 20 NIH CFAR sites in the U.S. and first received the designation in 2004.

08/11/2009: Denosumab increases bone density, cuts fracture risk in prostate cancer survivors

Twice-yearly treatment with denosumab, a new targeted therapy to stop bone loss, increased bone density and prevented spinal fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

08/11/2009: Postdiagnosis aspirin use reduces risk of dying from colorectal cancer

Regular use of aspirin after colorectal cancer diagnosis may reduce the risk of cancer death, report investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

07/30/2009: Unexpected reservoir of monocytes discovered in the spleen

Mass. General researchers discovered an unexpected reservoir of the immune cells called monocytes in the spleen and showed that these cells are essential to recovery of cardiac tissue in an animal heart attack model.

07/27/2009: Intensive Glucose Control Halves Complications of Longstanding Type 1 Diabetes

Near-normal control of glucose beginning as soon as possible after diagnosis would greatly improve the long-term prognosis of type 1 diabetes, concludes a study published in the July 27, 2009, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, which updates information about the clinical course of type 1 diabetes.

07/23/2009: Mass. General team develops potentially safer general anesthetic

07/22/2009: Mass. General-based research center will investigate why immune system fails to control hepatitis C

A research consortium based at Massachusetts General Hospital has been awarded $15 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to investigate how the hepatitis C virus resists suppression and clearance by the immune system.

07/22/2009: Recovery Act Funding Supports 23 Fellowships for Early Career Scientists

Mass. General investigator Joseph Tucker, MD, is among recipients of NIH Early Career Scientist fellowships.

07/20/2009: Study suggests earlier HIV antiviral treatment saves lives and is cost effective, even in areas of limited resources

Early initiation of lifesaving antiretroviral therapies should be the standard of care for all HIV-infected patients, even those in countries with limited medical and financial resources, according to a study led by researchers at MGH and the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

07/15/2009: MGH study identifies first molecular steps to childhood leukemia

A Massachusetts General Hospital-based research team has identified how a chromosomal abnormality known to be associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia – the most common cancer in children – initiates the disease process.

07/13/2009: Differences in immune response may explain why HIV-1 disease progresses faster in women than in men with same viral load

A research team based at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard has found a gender-based difference in the response of a first-line immune cell to HIV that may explain why the infection usually progresses faster in women than in men with the same viral loads.

07/08/2009: Antiangiogenesis treatment improves hearing in some NF2 patients

Treatment with the angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab improved hearing and alleviated other symptoms in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). The study by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) represents the first report of a successful NF2 treatment not involving surgery or radiation.

07/01/2009: Large study strongly supports many common genetic contributions to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder

An international research consortium has discovered that many common genetic variants contribute to a person’s risk of schizophrenia and are also involved in bipolar disorder.

07/01/2009: Human cardiac master stem cells identified

Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have identified the earliest master human heart stem cell from human embryonic stem cells - ISL1+ progenitors - that give rise to a family of cells that form the essential portions of the human heart.

06/30/2009: Biomarkers’ ability to improve prediction of cardiovascular risk is modest

Measurement of known biomarkers of cardiovascular disease slightly improves the ability to predict future heart attack or stroke in healthy individuals, but not enough to change preventive therapies.

06/30/2009: Study provides greater understanding of Lyme disease-causing bacteria

A new study finds that a particular strain of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease may be more virulent, leading to increased inflammation in joints that persists after antibiotic treatment.

06/23/2009: Common ECG finding may indicate serious cardiac problems

A common electrocardiogram finding that has largely been considered insignificant may actually signal an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, the future need for a permanent pacemaker and an increased risk for premature death.

06/23/2009: Biomarkers Predict Brain Tumor’s Response to Therapy

A report in Cancer Research highlights a new biomarker that may be useful in identifying patients with recurrent glioblastoma who would respond better to antiangiogenesis therapy.

06/22/2009: Intensive in-hospital support doubles likelihood of smoking cessation in heart patients

Patients admitted to hospital with coronary artery disease are twice as likely to quit smoking after receiving intensive smoking cessation support compared to minimal support.

06/11/2009: Depression Medications May Reduce Male Fertility

As many as half of all men taking the antidepressant medication paroxetine (trade names Seroxat, Paxil) may have increased sperm DNA fragmentation — a predictor of compromised fertility. The study also found that the changes are reversible with normal levels of sperm returning after discontinuation of the drug.

06/10/2009: Brain-computer interface begins new clinical trial for paralysis

Scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have initiated the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial to expand restorative neurotechnology research for some patients with paralysis.

06/07/2009: Recruitment of reproductive features into other cell types may underlie extended lifespan in animals

MGH researchers have found that certain genetic mutations known to extend the lifespan of the C. elegans roundworm induce 'mortal' somatic cells to express some of the genes that allow the 'immortality' of reproductive germline cells.

06/01/2009: Hitting where it hurts

A new study uncovers a gene expression signature that reliably identifies cancer cells whose survival is dependent on a common signaling pathway, even when the cells contain multiple other genetic abnormalities. The study from MGH Cancer Center researchers identifies critical molecular vulnerabilities, thereby revealing promising therapeutic targets for a common and notoriously treatment resistant cancer.

05/28/2009: Video can help patients make end-of-life decision

Viewing a video showing a patient with advanced dementia interacting with family and caregivers may help elderly patients plan for end-of-life care, according to a study led by MGH researchers.

05/26/2009: Mass. General’s Rudy Tanzi a “Rock Star of Science”

Alzheimer’s disease researcher Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital adds another distinction to his scientific career when he joins Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and other rock celebrities in a designer menswear photo shoot as a “Rock Star of Science” in the June issue of GQ Magazine.

05/21/2009: Automated analysis of MR images may identify early Alzheimer’s disease

Analyzing MRI studies of the brain with software developed at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Mass. General Hospital may allow diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and of mild cognitive impairment, a lesser form of dementia that precedes the development of Alzheimer's by several years.

05/21/2009: Genetic testing for breast or ovarian cancer risk may be greatly underutilized

Although a test for gene mutations known to significantly increase the risk of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer has been available for more than a decade, a new study finds that few women with family histories of these cancers are even discussing genetic testing with their physicians or other health care providers.

05/19/2009: Study suggests TB screening needs to be targeted for maximum public health benefit

New estimates of the likelihood that a latent case of tuberculosis will become active have resulted in a roughly 50 percent increase over previous estimates of the number of people needed to be screened to prevent an active infection.

05/18/2009: Study examines trends in gallbladder cancer over 4 decades

Overall prognosis for gallbladder cancer appears to be improving, although many patients still have incurable disease and poor survival rates.

05/15/2009: Study finds virtual doctors visits satisfactory for both patients and clinicians

Someday, even doctor visits could be among the conveniences offered via the Internet. In a comparison of desktop videoconferencing to conventional face-to-face general medical evaluations, patients found virtual visits similar to face-to-face visits on most measures. This study suggests that both patients and physicians could benefit if virtual visits were used as an alternative method of accessing primary care services.

05/12/2009: Enriched environment improves wound healing in rats

Improving the environment in which rats are reared can significantly strengthen the physiological process of wound healing, according to a report in the open-access journal PLoS ONE. MGH researchers found that giving rats living in isolation the opportunity to build nests led to faster and more complete healing of burn injuries.

05/10/2009: International study identifies potential treatment targets for hypertension

Scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), as part of a major international research collaboration, have associated common variants in eight regions of DNA with blood pressure levels in human patients. Six of the identified regions have not previously been implicated in blood pressure regulation.

05/08/2009: Videoconferencing can increase patient access to stroke specialists

High-quality videoconferencing can increase patient access to stroke specialists; and a transient ischemic attack, once known as a “mini” or “warning” stroke, should be treated with the same urgency as a full-blown stroke, according to two separate statements published today in Stroke.

04/29/2009: Researchers Develop New Technique For Modifying Plant Genes

Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Massachusetts General Hospital have used a genome engineering tool they developed to make a model crop plant herbicide-resistant without significant changes to its DNA.

04/23/2009: Non-invasive test accurately identifies gynecologic malignancies

Diffusion weighted MR can accurately identify benign from malignant pelvic lymph nodes in patients with gynecologic malignancy, according to an MGH study.

04/06/2009: Simple bedside test improves diagnosis of chronic back pain, could guide treatment

A simple and inexpensive method of assessing pain, developed by Massachusetts General Hospital researchers, is better than currently used techniques for distinguishing neuropathic pain – pain caused by damage to the nervous system – from other types of chronic back pain.

04/03/2009: Model tissue system reveals cellular communication via amino acids

A team of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Engineering in Medicine has found the first evidence of cell-to-cell communication by amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, rather than by known protein signaling agents such as growth factors or cytokines.

04/02/2009: Modification of mutant huntingtin protein increases its clearance from brain cells

A new study has identified a potential strategy for removing the abnormal protein that causes Huntington’s disease from brain cells, which could slow the progression of the devastating neurological disorder.

03/30/2009: Intestinal parasites alter immunity in cholera patients

Results of the study from a collaborative team led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh suggest that parasitic infection could reduce the immune response to cholera, which may compromise the effectiveness of cholera vaccines.

03/30/2009: Angiogenesis inhibitor improves brain tumor survival by reducing edema

The beneficial effects of anti-angiogenesis drugs in the treatment of the deadly brain tumors called glioblastomas appear to result primarily from reduction of edema – the swelling of brain tissue – and not from any direct anti-tumor effect.

03/26/2009: HHMI Gives 50 Early Career Scientists a Jump on Their Next Big Idea

Two MGH investigators – Bradley E. Bernstein, MD, PhD, and Konrad Hochedlinger, PhD – are among 50 receipients of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Awards.

03/25/2009: Intensive summer program helps physicians build clinical research careers

Graduates of the Program in Clinical Effectiveness, which has trained almost 1,900 physicians to be clinical investigators since 1986, have achieved significant success in receiving grant support from the National Institutes of Health and other funders, along with other accomplishments considered key to establishing a research career.

03/25/2009: Policies regarding IRB members’ industry relationships often lacking

At a time of heightened concern about conflicts of interest posed by relationships between academic medical researchers and commercial firms, a new study finds that a significant number of academic institutions do not have clear policies covering the industrial relationships of members of Institutional Review Boards, committees charged with ensuring that clinical studies uphold patient rights and follow ethical guidelines.

03/23/2009: Common gene variants influence risk factor for sudden cardiac death

A new study has identified several common genetic variants related to a risk factor for sudden cardiac death. The report receiving early online release in the journal Nature Genetics identifies variants in genes, some known and some newly discovered, that influence the QT interval measured on the electrocardiogram (EKG) performed routinely in doctors’ offices.

03/19/2009: New Institute for Tuberculosis and HIV Research Created in South Africa

A groundbreaking partnership between the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa will establish an international research center focused on the worldwide effort to control the devastating co-epidemic of tuberculosis and HIV.

03/18/2009: Study identifies human genes required for hepatitis C viral replication

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers are investigating a new way to block reproduction of the hepatitis C virus – targeting not the virus itself but the human genes the virus exploits in its life cycle.

03/06/2009: Both Latino and non-Latino women likely to accept HPV vaccination for selves and children

Most women responding to a survey conducted at MGH clinics indicated they would be willing to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus and to have their daughters and even sons vaccinated in order to prevent cancer in their children. The report also found that Latino women are just as likely, if not more so, to accept HPV vaccine as non-Latinos.

03/02/2009: Patient-Physician "Connectedness" Affects Quality of Care

A new study finds that patients who are connected to a specific primary care physician are more likely to receive guideline-consistent care than those who are connected to a practice but not a physician.

02/26/2009: Alzheimer’s-associated plaques may have impact throughout the brain

The impact of the amyloid plaques that appear in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease may extend beyond the deposits’ effects on neurons– the cells that transmit electrochemical signals throughout the nervous system.

02/26/2009: International collaboration identifies new gene associated with ALS

A collaborative research effort spanning nearly a decade between researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and King’s College London has identified a novel gene for inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

02/25/2009: HIV is evolving to evade human immune responses

HIV is evolving rapidly to escape the human immune system, an international study has shown. The findings demonstrate the challenge of developing an HIV vaccine that keeps pace with the changing nature of the virus.

02/23/2009: Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of colds, flu

Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children’s Hospital Boston.

02/15/2009: Common gene variants increase risk of hypertension, finding may lead to new therapies

A new study has identified the first common gene variants associated with an increased incidence of hypertension – a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

02/09/2009: Stroke Therapy Window Might Be Extended Past Nine Hours for Some

Some patients who suffer a stroke as a result of a blockage in an artery in the brain may benefit from a clot-busting drug nine or more hours after the onset of symptoms.

02/08/2009: International study identifies gene variants associated with early heart attack

The largest study ever completed of genetic factors associated with heart attacks has identified nine genetic regions - three not previously described - that appear to increase the risk for early-onset myocardial infarction.

01/19/2009: Virtual communities may provide valuable support for psoriasis patients

Online support communities appear to offer both a valuable educational resource and a source of psychological and social support for individuals with psoriasis, according to a report from the Center for Connected Health at Partners HealthCare System.

01/14/2009: New model system may better explain regulation of body weight

A new mathematical model of the physiological regulation of body weight suggests a potential mechanism underlying the difficulty of losing weight, one that includes aspects of two competing hypotheses of weight regulation.

01/14/2009: Hospital pilot sites demonstrate surgical safety checklist drops deaths and complications by more than one third

A group of hospitals in eight cities around the globe has successfully demonstrated that the use of a simple surgical checklist during major operations can lower the incidence of deaths and complications by more than one third.

01/05/2009: Nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord sense pain caused by physical insult

Mass. General researchers and the colleagues add to understanding of the role of the protein COX2 in pain associated with inflammation.

12/29/2008: Third-hand Smoke: Another Reason to Quit Smoking

12/17/2008: Supply of board-certified emergency physicians unlikely to meet projected needs

The number of physicians with board certification in emergency medicine is unlikely to meet the staffing needs of U.S. emergency departments in the foreseeable future, if ever; according to a study from a research team based at Massachusetts General Hospital

12/17/2008: Researchers compile ‘molecular manual’ for hundreds of inherited diseases

An international research team has compiled the first catalogue of tissue-specific pathologies underlying hundreds of inherited diseases.

12/17/2008: Supply of board-certified emergency physicians unlikely to meet projected needs across the U.S.

12/10/2008: Hormone therapy for prostate cancer does not appear to increase cardiac deaths

Treating prostate cancer patients with drugs that block hormonal activity does not appear to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to a study led by MGH researchers

12/09/2008: New Research on Combat Veteran Twins Unlocks Brain Mysteries of PTSD

12/09/2008: Research team explores causes of death on Mount Everest

In the first detailed analysis of deaths during expeditions to the summit of Mt. Everest, a research team led by MGH investigators has conducted found that most deaths occur during descents from the summit in the so-called “death zone” above 8,000 meters and identified factors associated with a greater risk of death.

12/07/2008: Study associates 11 new gene sites with cholesterol, triglyceride levels

12/05/2008: Some blood-system stem cells reproduce more slowly than expected

MGH investigators have found a subpopulation of hematopoietic stem cells, the source of all blood and immune system cells, that reproduce much more slowly than previously anticipated. Use of these slow-cycling cells may improve the outcome of stem-cell transplants for the treatment of leukemia and other bone-marrow-based diseases.

12/03/2008: Robotic Technology Improves Stroke Rehabilitation

MGH scientists have used a novel, hand-operated robotic device and functional MRI to track the rehabilitation of chronic stroke patients, showing that the brain can continue to regain function even six months or more after a stroke.

11/30/2008: Combining targeted therapy drugs may treat previously resistant tumors

A team of cancer researchers from several Boston academic medical centers has discovered a potential treatment for tumors driven by mutations in the K-Ras gene, which have resisted previous targeted therapy approaches.

11/30/2008: Discoveries May Help Scientists Understand Why Disease Turns Soft Tissue Into Bone

Scientists have created a new mouse model that may help researchers explain how a rare disease causes otherwise supple soft tissue and joints to turn into bone.

11/24/2008: Sealing off portion of intestinal lining treats obesity, resolves diabetes in animal model

Lining the upper portion of the small intestine with an impermeable sleeve led to both weight loss and restoration of normal glucose metabolism in an animal model of obesity-induced diabetes.

11/19/2008: Genetic screening no better than traditional risk factors for predicting type 2 diabetes

Screening for a panel of gene variants associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes can identify adults at risk for the disorder but is not significantly better than assessment based on traditional risk factors.

11/17/2008: Technology gives three-dimensional view of human coronary arteries

For the first time researchers are getting a detailed look at the interior of human coronary arteries, using an optical imaging technique developed at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

11/16/2008: Tiny sacs released by brain tumor cells carry information that may guide treatment

MGH researchers have found that tiny membrane-covered sacs released from glioblastoma cells contain molecules that may help guide treatment of the deadly brain tumor.

11/12/2008: Common anesthetic induces Alzheimer’s-associated changes in mouse brains

For the first time researchers have shown that a commonly used anesthetic can produce changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease in the brains of living mammals, confirming previous laboratory studies.

11/07/2008: Interaction between gene variants may alter brain function in schizophrenia

A collaborative study led by investigators from MGH is giving what may be the first look at how interactions between genes underlie a key symptom of schizophrenia, impaired working memory.

10/31/2008: While prevalent, sexual problems in women not always associated with distress

The largest such study ever published finds that, while about 40 percent of women surveyed report having sexual problems, only 12 percent indicate that those issues are a source of significant personal distress

10/30/2008: Gene scan of Alzheimer’s families identifies four new suspect genes

The first family-based genome-wide association study in Alzheimer’s disease has identified the sites of four novel genes that may significantly influence risk for the most common late-onset form of the devastating neurological disorder.

10/27/2008: Meta-analysis examines cardiovascular effects of diabetes medications

The diabetes medication metformin may be associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the October 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

10/21/2008: ADHD appears to increase level of nicotine dependence in smokers

Young people with ADHD are not only at increased risk of starting to smoke cigarettes, they also tend to become more seriously addicted to tobacco and more vulnerable to environmental factors such as having friends or parents who smoke.

10/16/2008: Gene therapy restores vision to mice with retinal degeneration

MGH researchers have used gene therapy to restore useful vision to mice with degeneration of the light-sensing retinal rods and cones, a common cause of human blindness.

10/08/2008: Study finds abnormalities in cerebral cortex of cocaine addicts

A brain imaging study carried out at MGH reveals abnormalities in the cerebral cortex – the outer surface of the brain – of cocaine addicts that appear to correlate with dysfunction in areas responsible for attention and for reward-based decision-making.

10/01/2008: Thompson Reuters Predicts the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Since 1989, Thomson Reuters has developed a list of likely winners in medicine, chemistry, physics, and economics. Those chosen are named Thomson Reuters Scientific Laureates.

09/30/2008: Extra copies of EGFR gene signal poor prognosis for vulvar cancer

MGH researchers report that women with vulvar carcinoma whose tumors have extra copies of the EGFR gene are at increased risk of dying from their cancer, information that could indentify patients who should be treated with targeted therapy drugs.

09/25/2008: New approach to gene therapy may shrink brain tumors, prevent their spread

MGH researchers are investigating a new approach to gene therapy for brain tumors – delivering a cancer-fighting gene to normal brain tissue around the tumor to keep it from spreading.

09/22/2008: NIH extends commitment to transformative research with 2008 Pioneer, New Innovator Awards

The National Institutes of Health announced today that it has increased its support of high-impact research with 2008 NIH Director's Pioneer and New Innovator Awards to 47 scientists, many of whom are in the early stages of their careers.

09/22/2008: Study confirms benefit of combination therapy for Alzheimer’s disease

Treatment with Alzheimer’s disease drugs can significantly slow the rate at which the disorder advances, and therapy with two different classes of drugs is even better at helping patients maintain their ability to perform daily activities.

09/09/2008: Advanced blood analysis may speed diagnosis of heart attacks

Someday doctors may be able to use a blood test to confirm within minutes, instead of hours, if a patient is having a heart attack, allowing more rapid treatment that could limit damage to heart muscle.

08/28/2008: Risk of fracture is significantly higher in HIV-infected patients

As antiviral treatment for HIV infection allows patients to live longer, many will be confronted with additional health challenges. A new study shows for the first time that one of these may be significantly increased risk of bone fractures.

08/25/2008: Potential diabetes treatment selectively kills autoimmune cells from human patients

In experiments using blood cells from human patients with diabetes and other autoimmune disorders, MGH researchers have confirmed the mechanism behind a potential new therapy for type 1 diabetes

08/20/2008: Bone marrow stem cells may help control inflammatory bowel disease

MGH investigators have found that infusions of a particular bone marrow stem cell appeared to protect gastrointestinal tissue from autoimmune attack in a mouse model.

08/19/2008: Obese prostate cancer patients may benefit more from brachytherapy

Brachytherapy, also called seed implants, may be a more beneficial treatment than surgery or external beam radiation therapy for overweight or obese prostate cancer patients.

08/19/2008: Prostate Cancer Foundation Commits $4.3 Million to Young Investigators

The Prostate Cancer Foundation today announced 19 Young Investigators Awards for 2008.

08/18/2008: Largest Study of Its Kind Implicates Gene Abnormalities in Bipolar Disorder

The largest genetic analysis of its kind to date for bipolar disorder has implicated machinery involved in the balance of sodium and calcium in brain cells.

08/07/2008: Harvard Stem Cell Institute researchers create 20 disease-specific stem cell lines

Harvard Stem Cell Institute researcher George Q. Daley, has with HSCI colleagues Chad Cowan and Konrad Hochedlinger of Massachusetts General Hospital produced a robust new collection of disease-specific stem cell lines, all of which were developed using the new induced pluripotent stem cell technique.

08/06/2008: Study finds connections between genetics, brain activity and preference

A team of MGH researchers has used brain imaging, genetics and experimental psychology techniques to identify a connection between brain reward circuitry, a behavioral measurement of preference and a gene variant that appears to influence both.

08/06/2008: Hormone level may reflect mortality risk among dialysis patients

A new study suggests that monitoring levels of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor 23 may provide information crucial to the treatment of patients with kidney failure.

07/30/2008: Large study uncovers surprisingly diverse genome alterations that contribute to schizophrenia

A multinational group of investigators has discovered that people suffering from schizophrenia are far more likely to carry rare chromosomal structural changes of all types, particularly those that have the potential to alter gene function.

07/30/2008: MGH study shows how amyloid plaques may damage brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease

Using an advanced imaging technique that reveals how brain cells are functioning, researchers from the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease have found that levels of intracellular calcium are significantly elevated in neurons close to plaques in the brains of an Alzheimer’s mouse model.

07/24/2008: Consortium develops new method enabling routine targeted gene modification

A multi-institutional team led by MGH investigators has developed a powerful new tool for genomic research and medicine – a robust method for generating synthetic enzymes that can target particular DNA sequences for inactivation or repair.

07/21/2008: Viral recombination another way HIV fools the immune system

When individuals infected with HIV become infected with a second strain of the virus, the two viral strains can exchange genetic information, creating a third, recombinant strain of the virus. Now a study from the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital shows that how and where viral strains swap DNA may be determined by the immune response against the original infecting strain.

07/10/2008: Middle Eastern families yield intriguing clues to autism

Research has implicated a half-dozen new genes in autism and strongly supports the idea that autism stems from disruptions in the brain's ability to form new connections in response to experience.

07/02/2008: Circulating tumor cells can reveal genetic signature of dangerous lung cancers

An MGH-developed, microchip-based device that detects and analyzes tumor cells in the bloodstream can be used to determine the genetic signature of lung tumors, facilitating targeted therapies and monitoring genetic changes that occur during therapy.

07/01/2008: CIMIT Names Recipients of Young Clinician Research Awards

CIMIT is pleased to announce that six bright and promising medical professionals have been named recipients of the Young Clinician Award for 2008.

06/29/2008: International team identifies 21 new genetic risk factors for Crohn’s disease

An international consortium of Crohn’s disease researchers has combined data from three independent studies to identify 21 new genetic variants associated with the inflammatory bowel disorder, bringing the total number of risk factors to 32.

06/04/2008: Simple membranes could have allowed nutrients to pass into primitive cells

An MGH research team has found that the sort of very simple membrane that may have been present on primitive cells can easily allow small molecules – including the building blocks of RNA and DNA – to pass thorough.

06/02/2008: Report confirms increased risk of smoking, substance abuse in bipolar adolescents

An MGH study - the largest and first controlled such investigation - supports previous reports that adolescents with bipolar disorder are at increased risk for smoking and substance abuse.

06/02/2008: NARSAD Researchers Identify Specific Genes and Family Traits Linked to Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder and Depression

New findings from research conducted by Harvard-affiliated scientists are providing important clues into how genes work to impair various aspects of attention, memory and perception -- the behaviors associated with many psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.