June 15, 2017 – The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) has launched a new project to shorten the treatment times of tuberculosis (TB) in drug-sensitive patients through individualized therapy. The $24 million project, “Using Biomarkers to Predict TB Treatment Duration” (PredictTB), is funded in-part by the FNIH through a $13 million donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with management support provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Catalysis Foundation for Health.

June 7, 2017— The White House has announced that Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D.—an ex-officio member of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Board of Directors—will continue to serve in the role of Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The FNIH extends its congratulations to Dr. Collins on remaining in the role that he has maintained for the past eight years.

March 9, 2017 —The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Biomarkers Consortium is launching a three-year research partnership to develop new methods for analyzing digital images, which will lead to new ways to track a patient’s response to cancer therapy. The FNIH raised $2.7 million from the private sector to support the new project called “Advanced metrics and modeling with Volumetric CT for Precision Analysis of Clinical Trial results” (Vol-PACT). This project is the first to use imaging data from multiple completed, pharmaceutical industry-sponsored, phase II/III clinical trials to identify drug response measures.

February 1, 2017 – The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) has hired Robert L. Balthaser as the Director of Advancement.

December 9, 2016 – The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene published a systematic evaluation of potential risks associated with the use of mosquitoes genetically modified through gene drive technology to reduce the burden of malaria in Africa.

December 6, 2016 — The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) announced today the release of the “Framework for Defining Evidentiary Criteria for Biomarker Qualification.” Developed in partnership with government and industry stakeholders, the framework defines the level of evidence needed to support qualification of biological markers (biomarkers).

November 2, 2016 —The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) has received a $165,000 grant award from Amie’s Place Foundation, a New York-based not-for-profit dedicated to keeping families and pets together, to help advance research on the therapeutic benefits of human-animal interaction (HAI) on human health and development. Such research is key to advancing our understanding of the relationships individuals have with pets in their home and communities as well as the therapeutic role animals can play in school and medical settings for special need and at-risk populations.

October 25, 2016 — This fall, 52 medical and dental students began intensive research training at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Medical Research Scholars Program (MRSP). This one-year program offers students opportunities to engage in research early in their careers, while addressing the critical need for a pipeline of talented scientists capable of turning discovery into improved health.

October 5, 2016 — Renowned neuroscientist Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., FNIH Board Vice Chairman for Science, was awarded the Salk Institute’s Medal for Research Excellence. This award, which has only been bestowed twice since the Salk Institute was established 56 years ago, honors individuals making significant contributions to basic science research with particular advances to policy, humanities, human health or the Institute.

July 13, 2016 — The FNIH Biomarkers Consortium recently released the first study results from the Bone Quality Project, which analyzed bone mineral density (BMD) as a biological marker (biomarker) for predicting hip fractures. The FNIH interviewed Dennis Black, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, about the study results.