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2007 News Releases
Microchip-based
device can detect rare tumor cells in bloodstream
December
19, 2007 — A team of investigators from the
MGH BioMEMS Resource Center and the MGH Cancer Center has developed
a microchip-based device that can isolate, enumerate and analyze
circulating tumor cells from a blood sample.
Receptor protein
appears to be key in breakdown of kidney filtration
December
19, 2007 — MGH researchers have identified
a new molecular pathway that appears to be involved in proteinuria,
an early-stage kidney disease affects 100 million people around
the world and is caused by a breakdown in the kidney's filtering
structures.
Molecular pathway
appears crucial in development of pulmonary fibrosis
December
12, 2007 — A study led by Massachusetts General
Hospital researchers may have found a key mechanism underlying idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis, a usually fatal lung disease for which transplantation
is the only successful treatment.
Increasing
growth hormone release reduces abdominal fat accumulation and improves
lipid levels in HIV-infected patients
December
5, 2007 — An investigational drug that induces
the release of growth hormone significantly improved the symptoms
of HIV lipodystrophy.
The
Aging Brain: Failure to Communicate
December
5, 2007 — A team of Howard Hughes Medical
Institute researchers has shown that normal aging disrupts communication
between different regions of the brain.
Looking
Through The Eyes Of A Mouse, Scientists Monitor Circulating Cells
In Its Bloodstream
December
3, 2007 — A team of researchers from the Wellman
Center for Photomedicine at MGH has developed an optical device
that allows them to peer through the eyes of a mouse and monitor
the cells passing through its bloodstream.
Direct-to-consumer
advertising for genetic tests concerns physicians and may mislead
patients
November
30, 2007 — Direct-to-consumer advertising
for commercial genetic testing is on the rise and may present potential
pitfalls for patients and physicians, according to an MGH physician.
'Mismatched'
prostate cancer treatment more common than expected
November
26, 2007 — More than a third of men with early
prostate cancer who participated in a study received therapies that
might not be appropriate, based on their pre-existing medical problems.
Brain
differences found in people with migraine
November
19, 2007 — People with migraines have differences
in an area of the brain that helps process sensory information,
including pain.
Massachusetts
General Hospital to host premiere symposium for Degos disease
November
6, 2007 — The MGH will host the first ever
International Symposium on Degos Disease and Related Vasculopathies.
Economic motivation
may affect how often some physicians order imaging studies
October
30, 2007 — Physicians who consistently refer
patients to themselves or members of their own specialty for imaging
studies, rather than to radiologists, are more likely to order such
studies for a variety of medical conditions.
MGH, Cedars-Sinai
testing Omega-3s for depression treatment
October
22, 2007 — MGH in collaboration with Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center in Los Angeles, is undertaking a clinical trial examining
the effectiveness of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA as treatments
for depression.
MGH researcher
receives $4 million grant for smoking cessation initiative
October
18, 2007 — A new research initiative could
help millions of children grow up in smoke-free homes, help millions
of adults quit smoking, and ultimately, save hundreds of thousands
of U.S. lives.
Second phase of
HapMap project is completed
October
17, 2007 — Investigators from six countries
have completed the second phase of the International HapMap Project,
an effort to identify and catalog genetic similarities and differences
among populations around the world.
Medical
school departments, department heads often have industry relationships
October
16, 2007 — A study from the MGH Institute
for Health Policy finds that institutional academic-industry relationships
- financial relationships companies have with medical schools or
teaching hospitals rather than with individual physicians or scientists
- are as common and pervasive as individual relationships.
Study identifies
pathway required for normal reproductive development
October
15, 2007 — MGH clinical researchers, in collaboration
with basic scientists from the University of California, Irvine,
have identified a new molecular pathway required for normal development
of the reproductive, olfactory and circadian systems in humans and
mice.
Animal study
identifies potential treatment for Huntington's disease
October
8, 2007 — MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegererative
Disease researchers have identified a compound that may lead to
a treatment that could protect against the effects of Huntington's
Disease.
Researchers
Develop Targeted Approach to Pain Management
October
3, 2007 — Imagine an epidural or a shot of
Novocain that doesn't paralyze your legs or make you numb, yet totally
blocks your pain. This type of pain management is now within reach
thanks to researchers at MGH and Harvard Medical School.
MIT
research helps convert brain signals into action
October
2, 2007 — MIT researchers have developed a
new algorithm to help create prosthetic devices that convert brain
signals into action in patients who have been paralyzed or had limbs
amputated. The lead author is also an MGH researcher.
Panic
attacks associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events
and death in older women
October
1, 2007 — Older women who experience at least
one full-blown panic attack may have an increased risk of having
a heart attack or stroke and an increased risk of death in the next
five years.
Second pathway
behind HIV-associated immune system dysfunction identified
September
30, 2007 — Researchers at the Partners AIDS
Research Center at MGH may have discovered a second molecular "switch"
responsible for turning off the immune system's response against
HIV.
Painful condition
affecting kidney failure patients increases risk of death
September
28, 2007 — A painful and debilitating condition
that affects patients with kidney failure may be more common than
previously believed and appears to be strongly associated with prior
exposure to certain contrast agents used in imaging studies.
Mass
General/North Shore Center for Outpatient Care Marks the Start of
Construction in Danvers
September
25, 2007 — The new ambulatory care center
being developed in Danvers by North Shore Medical Center (NSMC)
and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) officially marked the start
of construction today.
Immune system
modulation can halt liver failure in animals
September
25, 2007 — MGH researchers have a developed
a totally new approach to treating liver failure - manipulating
the immune response.
Jaff named medical
director of the MGH Vascular Center
September
24, 2007 — Michael R. Jaff, DO, a national
and international leader in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular
disease, has been named the first full-time medical director of
the MGH Vascular Center.
Research program
to improve battlefield medicine slated for elimination by Department
of Defense
September
18, 2007 — Federal funding for the Medical
Free Electron Laser Program, which develops advanced laser and optical
applications for use in the military and on the battlefield, has
been marked for elimination by the Department of Defense.
NIH
Director Invests in Innovation, New Investigators
September
18, 2007 — NIH Director Elias A. Zerhouni,
M.D., is making a major investment in the future of science with
five-year grants totaling more than $105 million to 41 exceptionally
innovative investigators, many of whom are in the early stages of
their careers.
Skin as a
living coloring book
September
6, 2007 — The question of how melanin is delivered
to appropriate locations may have been answered by a study from
researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cutaneous
Biology Research Center (CBRC).
Annual
flu shot cuts need for doctors' visits, hospitalization among children
September 4, 2007 — Children under the age of 5 who receive
an annual flu shot have a greatly reduced risk of needing to see
their doctor or be admitted to the hospital because of flu-related
illness.
MGH
researchers describe new way to identify, evolve novel enzymes
August 15, 2007 — Two MGH scientists have develop a way
of creating novel enzymes that, for the first time, does not require
prior understanding of exactly how the enzymes work.
Novel
candidate biomarker for heart failure also predicts risk of death
August 6, 2007 — A potential new biomarker for heart failure
may be more powerful than established measures in identifying patients
at increased risk for death from several causes.
Molecular
mechanism of common forms of kidney disease identified
August 1, 2007 — MGH researchers have identified a key
mechanism underlying proteinuria - excess protein in the urine which
signifies a breakdown in the kidney's filtering process.
Mass
General Hospital testing new epilepsy therapy device
August 1, 2007 — The MGH Epilepsy Service is participating
in a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of
a responsive brain stimulation device in reducing the frequency
of uncontrolled seizures.
MGH
researchers confirm that bone marrow restores fertility in female
mice
July 31, 2007 — A new study from MGH researchers confirms
that female mice that receive bone marrow transplantation after
fertility-destroying chemotherapy can have successful pregnancies
throughout their normal reproductive life.
Massachusetts
General Hospital nurses inducted into American Academy of Nursing
July 25, 2007 — Two MGH nurses - Jeanette Ives Erickson,
RN, MS, senior vice president for Patient Care Services and chief
nurse; and Diane Carroll, RN, PhD, nurse researcher - have been
named fellows of the American Academy of Nursing.
New
joint replacement material developed at MGH put to first clinical
use
July 23, 2007 — MGH surgeons have performed the first total
hip replacement using a joint socket lined with a novel material
invented at the hospital. The new material may be applied in replacements
for a wider variety of joints in a more diverse group of patients.
Study
confirms that NSAIDs treatment can reduce colorectal cancer risk
July 23, 2007 — A study of Medicare patients with osteoarthritis
provides additional evidence that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs such as aspirin reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Novel
genetics research advances possibility of HIV vaccine
July 5, 2007 — A pioneering collaborative study has discovered
how the HIV virus mutates to escape the body's immune system.
Most
middle-school boys and many girls play violent video games
June 29, 2007 — A new study from the MGH Center for Mental
Health and Media dispels some myths and uncovers some surprises
about young teens and violent video and computer games.
Chronic
conditions in children will pose future health and welfare challenges
June 26, 2007 — The increased incidence of chronic conditions
among American children predicts serious strains on health care
and social welfare systems in the future, caution investigators
from MGH and Harvard School of Public Health.
Mass.
General, Butler Hospitals testing SAMe for depression treatment
June 26, 2007 — MGH, in collaboration with Butler Hospital
in Providence, is currently undertaking a clinical trial examining
the effectiveness of the nutritional supplement SAMe as a treatment
for depression.
Study
identifies novel Parkinson's disease drug target
June 21, 2007 — Researchers at the MassGeneral Institute
for Neurodegenerative Disease have identified a potential new drug
target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and possibly other
degenerative neurological disorders.
Bone
marrow microenvironment can contribute to blood cell disorder
June 14, 2007 — Disorders of blood cells may begin in the
biological environment where the cells develop, not just with the
cells themselves, according to a study from MGH and Australian researchers.
Study
outlines how stroke, head injury can increase risk of Alzheimer's
disease
June 6, 2007 — Researchers from the MassGeneral Institute
for Neurodegenerative Disorders have discovered how the death of
brain cells caused by a stroke or head injury may cause generation
of amyloid-beta protein - the key component of senile plaques seen
in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease.
A
twist of fate - Reprogrammed fibroblasts resemble embryonic stem
cells
June 6, 2007 — Stem cell biology takes another exciting
leap forward as scientists report that normal tissue cells can be
reprogrammed to exhibit many of the properties characteristic of
embryonic stem cells.
Genetic
variations may predispose some men to suicidal thoughts during treatment
for depression
June 4, 2007 — Genetic variations may help explain why
some men with depression develop suicidal thoughts and behaviors
after they begin taking antidepressant medications, while most do
not.
Study
reveals aspirin's colorectal cancer prevention mechanism
May 23, 2007 — Aspirin therapy's ability to reduce the
risk of colorectal cancer appears to depend on the drug's inhibition
of the COX-2 enzyme, the action that underlies aspirin's usefulness
for treating pain and inflammation.
Patients
with "bleeding" strokes less likely to get prevention
treatment
May 10, 2007 — Patients with a hemorrhagic (“bleeding”)
stroke are significantly less likely to receive medications and
counseling to prevent recurrent strokes compared to patients with
an ischemic (clot-caused) stroke.
New
mechanism identified for resistance to targeted lung cancer drugs
April 26, 2007 — An international research team, led by
investigators from the MGH Cancer Center and Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute, has found a new way that some lung tumors become resistant
to treatment with targeted therapy drugs like Iressa and Tarceva.
Genomic
tour de force for diabetes
April 26, 2007 — Scientists today announced the discovery
of three unsuspected regions of human DNA that contain clear genetic
risk factors for type 2 diabetes and another that is associated
with elevated blood triglycerides.
Physician
ties to drug industry stronger than ever
April 25, 2007 — Despite the potential for conflict of
interest, virtually all practicing physicians in the U.S. have some
form of relationship with pharmaceutical manufacturers.
HIV
infection appears to increase the risk of heart attack
April 24, 2007 — MGH researchers have found that infection
with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is also associated with increased
risk of myocardial infarction or heart attack.
Overcrowded
hospitals may risk adverse events on busiest days
April 23, 2007 — Hospitals that operate at or over their
capacity may be at increased risk of adverse events that injure
patients, suggesting that efforts to meet two challenges facing
hospitals today - reducing costs and improving patient safety -
may work against each other.
Molecular
signature may identify cisplatin-sensitive breast tumors
April 19, 2007 — Researchers at the MGH Cancer Center have
identified a subgroup of hard-to-treat breast cancers that may be
sensitive to the drug cisplatin, rarely used in the treatment of
breast tumors.
Redstone
Commits $105 Million to Fund Cancer and Burn Recovery Research and
Patient Care
April 18, 2007 — Sumner M. Redstone announced a commitment
of $105 million in charitable grants to fund research and patient
care advancements in cancer and burn recovery at three major non-profit
healthcare organizations.
Massachusetts
General Hospital Announces Sale Regarding ENBREL®
April 18, 2007 — Massachusetts General Hospital today announced
that it has sold to entities managed by Drug Royalty Corporation
Inc. its future right to receive royalties on the sale of the drug
ENBREL® outside North America.
Treatment
costs fall and quality improves when patients use self-treatment
tools
April 16, 2007 — Encouraging patients to become involved
in providing their own care can reduce the cost and improve the
quality of long-term medical treatment, say researchers from Massachusetts
General Hospital and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Research
team identifies additional genetic risk factors for Crohn's disease
April 15, 2007 — An international research team has identified
several novel genetic variations associated with the risk of Crohn's
disease and found that a previously unsuspected biological pathway
may be involved in Crohn's pathology.
Growth-factor
antibody may treat chronic lung disease affecting premature infants
April 2, 2007 — MGH researchers, in collaboration with
scientists from the Genzyme Corporation, have identified a potential
treatment for a chronic lung disease affecting premature infants..
Study
Sheds Light on Medication Treatment Options for Bipolar Disorder
March 28, 2007 — For depressed people with bipolar disorder
who are taking a mood stabilizer, adding an antidepressant medication
is no more effective than a placebo.
Blocking
immune cell action increases Alzheimer's-associated protein deposits
March 27, 2007 — The immune system's response against amyloid-beta,
the protein that forms plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's
disease, appears to protect the brain from damage in early stages
of the devastating neurological disorder.
Long-term
aspirin use associated with reduced risk of dying in women
March 26, 2007 — Women who take low to moderate doses of
aspirin have a reduced risk of death from any cause, and especially
heart disease–related deaths.
Study
confirms imaging compound identifies amyloid-beta in human brain
March 12, 2007 — A team of investigators has confirmed
that the imaging agent Pittsburgh Compound B binds to the protein
in amyloid plaques that characterize Alzheimer's disease in the
human brain.
Healthcare
Inequities Underscore Racial Disparities in Prostate Cancer
March 12, 2007 — Improving access to and utilization of
the healthcare system may benefit African-American prostate cancer
patients more than educational or motivational interventions, according
to a new study.
MGH
research award helps women establish scientific careers
February 26, 2007 — A program that provides modest research
funding to women initiating careers in medical research has produced
significant results in helping recipients both stay in academic
research and establish groundwork for securing future research funding.
Cholesterol
in Stroke Patients Exceeds National Guidelines
February 26, 2007 — Many stroke patients have cholesterol
higher than national guidelines recommend that, if managed, may
have prevented the stroke from happening.
Study
shows how patients and therapists are 'wired to connect'
February 13, 2007 — Empathy is well known to be an important
component of the patient-therapist relationship, and a new study
has revealed the biology behind how patients and therapists 'connect'
during a clinical encounter.
Study
finds how common anesthetic may induce cell death and generation
of Alzheimer's-associated protein
February 6, 2007 — A new study has found how one of the
most commonly used anesthetics may produce Alzheimer's-like changes
in the brain.
Researcher
receives prestigious scholarship
January 30, 2007 — Bradley Bernstein, MD, PhD, of the MGH
Department of Pathology has received a Charles E. Culpeper Scholarship
in Medical Science.
New
angiogenesis inhibitor has promise for treating deadly brain tumor
January 16, 2007 — Researchers from the MGH Cancer Center
have found that AZD2171, a new angiogenesis inhibitor, can significantly
reduce the size of the brain tumors called glioblastomas and may
improve the effectiveness of other therapeutic techniques.
MGH
Cancer Center researchers find new gene associated with Wilms tumor
January 4, 2007 — Researchers at the MGH Cancer Center
have discovered a novel gene mutation associated with Wilms tumor,
the most common pediatric kidney cancer.
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