The blood-brain barrier keeps foreign substances from entering the brain. That’s good when it comes to toxins and germs, but it makes treating tumors in the brain trickier. By shielding the brain from things that would harm it, the blood-brain barrier also blocks the chemotherapy that would help it.
To better understand the long-term effects of COVID-19— symptoms that may continue or even begin after the initial virus infection—researchers at the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute at West Virginia University, are engaging underserved populations that are traditionally underrepresented in clinical studies.
West Virginia University will resume its public dashboard this week to track and compile COVID-19 information collected on the Morgantown, Beckley and Keyser campuses.
By 2050, 12.8 million Americans age 65 or older are likely to have Alzheimer’s disease. That’s more than double the number who have it today. Paul Chantler—a researcher with the WVU School of Medicine—is investigating the link between Alzheimer’s disease and chronic stress. What he and his team uncover may suggest new ways to slow the disease’s progression or even delay its onset. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded the project $2 million.
West Virginia University reminds students, faculty and staff that it is extremely important to follow current public health guidance for individual, as well as campus community safety, in light of the continued rise in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant. Health experts predict the surge in positive cases may peak in West Virginia over the next two weeks.
Retinal diseases can make even the most mundane tasks—like cooking, driving and walking down the sidewalk—difficult or impossible, and they can’t be cured. WVU School of Medicine researchers Peter Stoilov and Visvanathan Ramamurthy are studying the role that specific proteins play in rapid retinal degeneration. What they learn may lead to new treatments that are more cost-effective and more widely applicable than the treatments available today.
West Virginia University is committed to providing an on-campus learning experience as the spring 2022 semester approaches; however, with the rise in COVID-19 cases across the country and throughout the state because of the omicron variant, the University is implementing several updated campus health and safety protocols ahead of the start of classes that begin on Monday, Jan. 10.
Mountain State students pursuing a medical degree from the West Virginia University School of Medicine will benefit from a $250,000 scholarship gift made by a retired alumnus in memory of his late wife. Dr. Kent Webb, of Wilmington, North Carolina, established the Judy Forester Webb & Kent Webb School of Medicine Scholarship.
Students and faculty across the state have stepped up to answer the needs of the nursing shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to a three-point plan established by the West Virginia University School of Nursing.
Despite the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Virginia University Health Sciences Center labs were largely able to stay open and functional, allowing critical research to continue. Not only were researchers able to continue their work during the pandemic, but there was actually an increase in research productivity.