September 2020

Just a few years ago, it was difficult to get any meaningful sequence data from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded patient tissue samples. These biopsy specimens, which are tissues preserved in formaldehyde and embedded in wax for storage, are easy to make and store, even in remote research locations. Many are available, and more are made all the time, for use in experimental research and drug development. Because there are so many samples that have been taken over numerous years, they can also be used to help study the evolution of diseases and viruses.

Back to school. They’re familiar words in an unfamiliar time. Most years, they signal the return of the stressful but manageable rituals of supply shopping, schedules, and summer’s end. This is not most years. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), NCI at Frederick, and the Frederick National Laboratory recognize the challenges their employees face this season. Fortunately, they provide multiple resources that empower their staff, enable flexibility, and promote well-being.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the biggest health topic of the year so far, but the 2020–2021 flu season is quickly approaching. With COVID-19 putting a strain on public health systems, it’s important to get a flu vaccine to protect yourself and your community from further illness and strain this winter. Occupational Health Services is offering a flu vaccine for NCI at Frederick and Frederick National Laboratory staff, including subcontractors and construction subcontractors.

A recent Data Science Discussion Panel, hosted virtually by the Scientific Library, provided more than 60 participants with expert insights about data science in cancer research from six members of Advanced Biomedical Computational Science (ABCS), part of the Biomedical Informatics and Data Science Directorate of the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research.

Steve Hughes, Ph.D., compares HIV research to a war. He and his colleagues are entrenched on a microscopic battlefield, fighting a conflict where seemingly small victories could mean a leap forward. Right now, they are grappling with the emergence of HIV strains resistant to existing antiretroviral drugs, medicines that suppress the virus in people living with HIV.