Research
HMS’s Grinspoon Calls for NFL Funding for Cannabis Research
Claiming that the cannabidiol in cannabis could help protect NFL players protect their brains, Lester Grinspoon hopes the NFL will "lead the way" by promoting research.
Despite Restored Cuts, Research Funding Outlook Still Gloomy
A month after Congress passed a budget easing federal research funding cuts that had gone into effect in early 2013, Harvard administrators said last week that while research prospects may be looking up, the future remains uncertain for scientific research.
Study Links Fetal Gender to Milk Production in Cows
The report—which draws on both Bradford’s specialty in dairy nutrition and Hinde’s expertise in evolutionary biology—focused on dairy farms, one of America’s longest running industries.
Harvard Study Finds Abuses in India's Carpet Industry
The largest ever first-hand investigation into slavery and child labor in India’s handmade carpet sector has challenged claims that slavery and child labor have been removed from the industry.
In Papers and Talk, Researchers Say EdX Success Not Tied to Dropout Rate
Working papers released Tuesday indicated that 95 percent of registrants for courses offered by Harvard and MIT on edX, the open online education platform co-founded by the two universities, did not earn certificates of completion.
New Spending Bill A Mixed Bag for Harvard Research, Spokesperson Says
The spending bill that passed in Congress last week does not do enough to restore funding to scientific research, a University spokesperson said Friday.
Medical School Receives $90 Million Gift For Cancer Research
Harvard Medical School has received a $90 million gift from Ludwig Cancer Research “to spur innovative scientific inquiry and discovery,” the school announced Monday.
Citing 11 Animal Welfare Violations, USDA Fines HMS $24,036
A citation released by the United States Department of Agriculture shows that between February 2011 and July 2012, Harvard researchers violated 11 regulations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Professors Mull NIH Proposal To Change Grant Awards Structure
Harvard professors said proposed changes to the National Institute of Health’s grant giving policy would increase the flexibility given to Harvard’s senior faculty while posing new challenges for younger researchers and associate professors just starting their labs.
Harvard Researchers Discover Mortality Benefits of Nut Consumption
A Harvard study recently found that consuming nuts on a regular basis can reduce a person’s risk of dying from heart disease and cancer.
Kennedy School Study Links Cheating to Public Service
A study published in connection with the Harvard Kennedy School earlier this month found that university students and government nurses in Bangalore, India who cheated on a simple task were more likely to want government jobs.
Harvard Researchers Find Potential Clue to Solving Type 1 Diabetes
In a recent study conducted by the Hotamisligil Laboratory at the Harvard School of Public Health, a group of scientists discovered that a naturally occurring molecule called TUDCA, or Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, could prevent Type 1 Diabetes.
Researchers Find Methane Emissions Greater Than Estimated
A recent study conducted by researchers from Harvard and seven other institutions suggests that methane emissions in the United States could be 1.5 times greater than the amount estimated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and 1.7 times greater than that estimated by the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research.
Education Researcher Trower To Depart
Cathy A. Trower, co-founder and research director at the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education at the Graduate School of Education, will leave Tuesday after 16 years at Harvard.
Study Suggests Eating Disorders More Common Than Thought Among Teen Males
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health published a “striking” study in JAMA Pediatrics that suggests that young males may be more susceptible to eating disorders than is commonly perceived.
In Light of Sequester Cuts, SEAS to Look Elsewhere for Funding
The National Science Foundation is expected to reduce the number of grants for university research from 11,000 to 10,000 per year after this spring’s federal sequester. How this downsizing will affect Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences—which receives 80 percent of its federal monies from NSF, according to school administrators—is still unclear, causing the school to anticipate cuts and to look to finding alternative funding sources.
Broads Donate $100 Million to Namesake Institute
Philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad have donated $100 million to their namesake institute for biomedical research, the pair announced on Thursday. The gift brings the Broads’ total contribution to the institute to $700 million since its initial launch in 2003, according to a press release.
Scientists Uncover New Leads on Plant Evolution
Scientists from Harvard have found new information that could explain the evolution of the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia arnoldii. Long considered an enigma by botanists, the Rafflesia arnoldii is characterized its oversized red, speckled petals and a unique odor of decaying flesh.
Brain Inspires New Type of Circuits
Researchers at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have employed a new material to mimic the low-power, high-performance functioning of the human brain in simple circuits.
Researchers Discover New Earth-Sized Planet
A team of scientists, including Harvard Lecturer in Astronomy David W. Latham, discovered Kepler 78b, a planet outside of our solar system that is a “virtual twin of Earth by astronomical standards."
HMS Researchers Make Progress Suppressing HIV In Monkeys
In a comprehensive study led by HMS professor Dan H. Barouch ’93, scientists were able to use specific antibodies taken from human HIV victims to suppress viral activity in monkeys infected with simian-human immunodeficiency virus. The study was published in the scientific journal Nature on Oct. 30.
Levels of Hormones Help Better Predict Breast Cancer
Levels of key hormones can help better predict a woman’s risk for breast cancer, according to a study at Harvard Medical School presented at a conference hosted by the American Association for Cancer Research at the end of October.
Low Fiber Linked to Disease Risks
Those who consume low amounts of fiber in their diets have a higher risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular inflammation, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Medicine.
Professors Mask Thermal Structures
With the development of a more stable form of a unique material, Harvard professors are now closer to finding a way to mask the thermal signatures of objects.
Researchers Compare Exercise, Drugs as Cardiovascular Treatments
According to a new study conducted at Harvard Medical School, structured exercise programs may be as effective, or even more useful, than medication to treat cardiovascular conditions.