NIMHD continually strives to be a leader in expanding the diversity of the biomedical workforce in all disciplines. As such, we are enhancing opportunities for early career investigators and increasing options for investigator-initiated research.

The chance to participate in rigorous, mentored research is often a huge determinant in choosing a scientific career. Therefore, several of our research programs include those opportunities, allowing us to support both established investigators and scientists early in their careers.

I am proud to announce that three postdoctoral fellows within the NIH Intramural Research Program have been selected to receive the inaugural William G. Coleman, Jr., Ph.D., Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Innovation Award from NIMHD. This competitive award seeks to support innovative research ideas and concepts with potential for high impact in minority health and health disparities research. Award recipients will receive $15,000 each for supplies and services to be used in fiscal year 2017.

Also, we recently celebrated the graduation of Dr. Jean Nepo Utumatwishima, who is the first person to complete a one-year fellowship for Rwandan physicians that is jointly sponsored by NIMHD and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. He plans to use what he has learned to contribute to the development of improved clinical care and research in his home country of Rwanda.

“There are a host of health disparities that affect people in this country, and if we are not intent on finding solutions, then who will?” began Dr. Anthony K. Wutoh, provost and chief academic officer of Howard University, as the inaugural Health Disparities Research Summit opened on Friday, April 7, 2017. | Read more.

The day after emocha® Mobile Health, Inc., launched in 2013, CEO Sebastian Seiguer (pronounced SAY-ger) heard about a 3-year-old tuberculosis (TB) patient being treated at a Baltimore clinic. Maryland requires healthcare providers to watch patients take every dose of their medication for active TB treatment, an approach known as directly observed therapy (DOT). | Read more.

Improving health is not always a matter of prescribing the right medicine. Sometimes the environment needs to change. Many Americans live in neighborhoods that lack safe walking routes, grocery stores, and health facilities. | Read more.

Kelvin Choi, Ph.D., M.P.H., a tenure-track investigator and acting head of the Social and Behavioral Group in the Division of Intramural Research, oversees an intramural team of scholars that includes two post-doctoral fellows: Sherine El-Touky, Ph.D., and Melanie Sabado, Ph.D. Dr. Choi also supervises the work of four post-baccalaureate fellows: Mary Andrews, Launick Saint-Fort, Catherine Trad, and Michael Ramsey.

Research Nurse Bambi Jewett recently joined the staff. The team primarily focuses on the research of tobacco use.

In a recent webinar, Lauren Amable, Ph.D., a staff scientist at NIMHD, and Chady Stephan, Ph.D., a product manager for customer solutions at PerkinElmer, Inc., discussed how the use of single cell ICP-MS is enabling researchers to see how effectively a cancer drug is performing for each and every cell in a tumor. 

Read highlights from the webinar Q&A

On July 12, we hosted a Twitter chat with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on addressing minority mental health at the community level. Check out the full discussion on Storify. 

On Thursday, June 8, 21 NIMHD staff joined #TakeAHikeNIH to celebrate fitness and walk for a healthier life. In its 10th year, Take a Hike Day is the NIH’s largest fitness and wellness event. How much exercise is enough? The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans advises 150 minutes of regular, moderate physical activity or 70 minutes of vigorous activity weekly.

On Tuesday, June 6, the NACHMD held its 45th meeting. Speakers included Dr. Anna M. Nápoles (University of California, San Francisco), Dr. Joshua A. Gordon (National Institute of Mental Health), Dr. Lisa A. Cooper (Johns Hopkins University), and Dr. Lawrence A. Tabak (National Institutes of Health). 

NIMHD staff supported the NIH Children's Inn by preparing and serving brunch to 30 residents on Sunday, May 7. 

The Children's Inn at NIH is a residence dedicated to families whose children are participating in research studies at NIH. The Inn hosts families from all over the world, without the burden of cost. 

Since the Inn opened, nearly 13,000 seriously ill children and their families have made 60,000 visits.