NICHD News Releases

Wireless, implanted sensor broadens range of brain research
A compact, self-contained sensor recorded and transmitted brain activity data wirelessly for more than a year in early stage animal tests, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Celebrating 20 Years of Medical Rehabilitation Research
A new publication highlights the NICHD’s National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) 20th anniversary symposium, which commemorated the establishment of the NCMRR, described its activities, and featured the scientific advances in rehabilitation research that came from its support.

Scientific Vision: The Next Decade
The NICHD embarked upon a collaborative process in 2011 to create a scientific Vision, identifying the most promising scientific opportunities for the Institute and its partners to pursue over the next decade. The newly published Scientific Vision statement presents the results of that process and outlines scientific goals for the coming decade.

NICHD reorganizes extramural program
​Alan Guttmacher, M.D., Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) announced a number of changes to streamline the institute’s organizational structure and accelerate the exchange of scientific ideas.

NICHD vision statement now available online
A document charting a research course for the many collaborators who share an interest in promoting the science concerning human development through the life span, child health, women's health, and rehabilitation research is now available online.

Research for a Lifetime: Commemorating the NICHD’s 50th Anniversary
On October 17, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the legislation establishing the NICHD to examine “the complex process of human development from conception to old age.” The Institute marks its golden anniversary with Research for a Lifetime, an all-day scientific colloquium to highlight the Institute’s mission, accomplishments, and future research directions.

Paralyzed Individuals Use Thought-Controlled Robotic Arm to Reach & Grasp
In an ongoing clinical trial, a paralyzed woman was able to reach for and sip from a drink on her own – for the first time in nearly 15 years – by using her thoughts to direct a robotic arm. The trial, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, is evaluating the safety and feasibility of an investigational device called the BrainGate neural interface system. This is a type of brain-computer interface (BCI) intended to put robotics and other assistive technology under the brain's control.

NICHD Director's Lecture Series: "Biomechanical Basis of Concussion: Monitoring Head Impacts in Sports"
The 2012 NICHD Director's Lecture Series continues with a focus on traumatic brain injury resulting from head impacts during sports and other activities. Dr. Richard M. Greenwald, founder and president of Simbex, LLC, and adjunct associate professor at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, shares his expertise on this topic with NICHD staff and others.

Research on Concussions: Keeping Your Head in the Game
​Concussions were once thought of as just a bump on the head, especially for those who played sports. But research shows that concussions are actually a mild form of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with both short- and long-term effects, some of them serious. The NICHD supports a broad range of research programs and projects to understand, identify, and treat concussions and other forms of TBI.

Members Appointed to Blue Ribbon Medical Rehabilitation Research Panel
Thirteen scientists have been appointed to a blue ribbon panel that will review medical rehabilitation research at the National Institutes of Health.

20 Years of Discovery and Innovation at the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR)
​Since it was established 20 years ago, NCMRR-supported research has led to discoveries and advances that have improved health outcomes for those with disabilities and chronic conditions.

National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research Celebrates its 20th Anniversary
​The Center marks 20 years of providing a focal point for federal research and discovery efforts to improve the lives of all people through medical rehabilitation.

NIH-funded centers to assist rehabilitation researchers
The National Institutes of Health has provided approximately $30 million over a five year period to fund a network of centers to advance medical rehabilitation research. The centers provide researchers with access to new technologies and resources.

Researchers Discover How Folate Promotes Healing In Spinal Cord Injuries
The vitamin folate appears to promote healing in damaged rat spinal cord tissue by triggering a change in DNA, according to a laboratory study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

In Most Comprehensive Study Yet, Two-Week Regimen Helps Stroke Survivors Regain Arm Control
In the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind to date, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have shown that when stroke survivors who've lost function in one arm are given a unique, two-week rehabilitation regimen that involves restraining their functional arm, they show improvements that last for as long as one year post-treatment.