Science

Sitting at a computer in an NCI at Frederick laboratory, Todd Hartley writes an automated method for an experiment. With a final swipe of the mouse, he clicks an on-screen button that says “Run.” The large device sitting to his left, a Biomek FXP Laboratory Automation Workstation, whirrs to life. A robotic arm hovers over a deck containing various microplates then lowers a group of pipette tips to draw liquid from a reservoir, raises and moves again, and deposits the fluid in a nearby microplate with superhuman accuracy.

A team of scientists in NCI at Frederick’s Center for Cancer Research Mouse Cancer Genetics Program and their collaborators at the University of Florence have identified a link between the presence of a growth factor receptor and cognitive impairments in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). 

The future of the Frederick National Laboratory (FNL) and its large initiatives was at the forefront of the recent Frederick National Laboratory Advisory Committee (FNLAC) meeting held in Shady Grove. Here are a few excerpts, accompanied by time stamps from the videocast.

Employees crowded into the Building 549 auditorium as Norman E. Sharpless, M.D., took the podium at Shady Grove, addressing NCI and contractor employees watching live and via telecast viewings. “What a difference a year makes,” he began, reflecting on how he was sworn in on the same day exactly one year ago.

Staff at NCI at Frederick will be able to participate in the Fall 2018 NCI Staff Town Hall on Wednesday, October 17, from 10:30–11:30 a.m., which will be videocast live to the Building 549 auditorium. NCI Director Norman E. “Ned” Sharpless is hosting the town hall at NCI at Shady Grove, his second since becoming director in October 2017, and is expected to speak about his plans for NCI.

Each year at NCI at Frederick, high school student interns stand shoulder to shoulder with their undergraduate and graduate-school colleagues to share posters about their scientific research and enhance their communication and networking skills.

Ask Stephen Hughes, Ph.D., to explain his work, and he’ll tell you about teamwork. He sees it as more than just the ubiquitous status quo in science: it is the philosophy that has defined his nearly 35-year career at NCI at Frederick.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), antibiotic-resistant bacteria are one of the greatest threats to public health today. While antibiotics are very helpful, they can also be misused, which is one of the reasons resistance has become such a problem.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus that is responsible for multiple outbreaks across Asia, including in Malaysia, Singapore, and India. The virus has been added to the World Health Organization’s 2018 Priority Diseases List, which indicates a pressing need for further research and development.

In a ceremony held in the Building 1520 auditorium on June 28, Col. Michael Sauer, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Operations, distributed the awards for outstanding presentations and posters at the 2018 Spring Research Festival.