Center News - Page 11 of 12 - Washington National Primate Research Center

Eb Fetz and colleagues receive $1 million grant to develop implantable computers

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Eb Fetz, WaNPRC core staff scientist, and colleagues for received a $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation for a project titled “Implantable Computers to Augment Brain Function.”

Fetz is collaborating Professors Jeffrey Ojemann (Neurological Surgery), Brian Otis (Electrical Engineering) and Babak Parviz (Electrical Engineering) on a project to develop and deploy recurrent brain-computer interfaces (R-BCIs). These R-BCIs have numerous clinical applications for bridging damaged biological pathways and for strengthening weak neural connections.

For more information, read the UW news release.

ITHS and WaNPRC sponsor annual $75,000 Ignition Award

The Institute of Translational Health Sciences (ITHS) and the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) are pleased to sponsor the Ignition Award for research focusing on the use of nonhuman primate models of human disease. The purpose of the award is to explore innovative areas of nonhuman primate research and generate preliminary data to serve as a basis for submission of new research grant applications and subsequent clinical studies.

The WaNPRC intends to give one or two awards for up to $75,000 each. These funds must be used for WaNPRC costs only, and supplies and salaries must be administered by the WaNPRC. Submit applications to the WaNPRC by Monday, Feb. 14. Awardees will be notified beginning Friday, April 1. Application material, eligibility criteria and additional details are available on the ITHS website. Center staff and scientists with questions are also welcome to e-mail PrimateITHS@wanprc.org for more details.

Researchers develop first implanted device to treat balance disorder

Following a successful surgery on Oct. 21, a patient at the UW Medical Center became the world’s first recipient of a device that aims to quell the disabling vertigo associated with Meniere’s disease. The device being tested — a cochlear implant and processor with re-engineered software and electrode arrays — represents four-plus years of work by Jay T. Rubinstein and James O. Phillips, both of whom are WaNPRC affiliate scientists.

Paul McKellips discusses public opinion on use of animals in research

Paul McKellips, executive vice president for the Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR), discussed public opinion on the use of animals in research in a presentation Oct. 6 in the University of Washington (UW) Health Sciences Building.

Eb Fetz receives Aspen Brain Forum Prize for innovation in neurotechnology

Eberhard Fetz, WaNPRC core staff scientist, received the first Aspen Brain Forum Prize in Neurotechnology. The prize was awarded to Fetz for “work that has broad application and impact in translating basic research into effective therapeutics within the area of neural prosthetics.”

Nancy Haigwood co-authors paper featured in Nature

Nancy Haigwood, director of the Oregon National Primate Research Center and WaNPRC affiliate scientist, co-authored a paper featured in the Oct. 3 issue of the journal Nature, one of the world’s leading scientific journals. Nancy’s paper is titled “Passive neutralizing antibody controls SHIV viremia and enhances B cell responses in infant macaques.”

Eliza Curnow authors paper featured on cover of Human Reproduction

Eliza Curnow, a research scientist at the Center, authored a paper featured on the cover of the October 2010 issue of the journal Human Reproduction. Curnow and colleagues are exploring an emerging clinical tool to assist sub-fertile couples conceive.

Randy Kyes addresses U.S. delegation on collaboration between WaNPRC and partner primate research center in Indonesia

Randy Kyes, head of the Center’s International Programs Division, discussed 20 years of successful scientific collaboration between the WaNPRC and the Primate Research Center at Bogor Agricultural University (PSSP-IPB) on May 16 in front of a U.S. delegation in Bogor, Indonesia.

Neitz lab research on color blindness featured in Northwestern University’s Medill Reports

Northwestern University’s Medill Reports featured research by the Neitz lab on using gene therapy to cure color blindness in squirrel monkeys on their Web site in late April. “We’re really anxious to make it happen,” said Jay Neitz, WaNPRC affiliate scientist.

Shiu-Lok Hu part of team that receives $15.5 million to study HIV antibodies

Shiu-Lok Hu, WaNPRC core staff scientist, is part of a research team that received a five-year, $15.5 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the HIV Vaccine Research and Design (HIVRAD) program.