Clayton Metz
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute team unpacks genetic mysteries behind childhood epilepsies , articleResearchers are exploring how gene variants identified in children with severe epilepsy can have an impact on neurons, leading to abnormal electrical activity in the brain and recurrent seizures.
Date: Apr 11, 2024 -
Video ItemEminent cancer physician-scientist joins Virginia Tech to lead research in Washington, D.C. , video
Christopher Hourigan will spearhead innovative cancer solutions at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Cancer Research Center in the nation's capital.
Date: Apr 10, 2024 -
Video ItemCommunity tunes in to learn about ‘The Craving Brain: Food and Drugs’ during Brain School , video
Nearly 200 people packed into the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC during Brain Awareness Week activities in March for exhibits, tours, talks, brain-healthy food and programming around brain science and its role in helping people lead healthier lives.
Date: Mar 20, 2024 -
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It’s the ‘thing in my life that shaped me the most,’ participant says of life-changing therapy , articleAfter experiencing a stroke in utero that caused weakness on the left side of her body, Keya Shapiro found a home at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Neuromotor Research Clinic, which is celebrating 10 years of research into the therapy.
Date: Jan 17, 2024 -
Video ItemIt’s the ‘thing in my life that shaped me the most,’ participant says of life-changing therapy , video
After experiencing a stroke in utero that caused weakness on the left side of her body, Keya Shapiro found a home at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Neuromotor Research Clinic – which is celebrating 10 years of research into the therapy.
Date: Dec 20, 2023 -
Video ItemLandmark $50 million gift to dramatically expand health sciences research at Virginia Tech , video
The Richmond, Virginia-based Red Gates Foundation recently committed $50 million to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC to accelerate health sciences research at Virginia Tech. The gift is among the largest ever made to the university. https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/09/fbri-gift.html
Date: Sep 12, 2023 -
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Fundamental understanding of a molecule‘s normal function could inform treatments for a variety of disorders , articleA team of investigators in John Chappell’s lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC made a discovery that could inform new therapies.
Date: Aug 24, 2023 -
Video ItemFundamental understanding of a molecule‘s normal function could inform treatments for a variety of brain disorders , video
A team of investigators in John Chappell’s lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC made a discovery that could inform new therapies.
Date: Aug 23, 2023 -
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Turning observations into health interventions: Graduate students continue to make an impact , articleStudents in Virginia Tech’s Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health graduate program will pursue impactful health science careers after completing their degrees.
Date: Jun 28, 2023 -
Video Item2023 Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance Retreat , video
Aligning Researchers with Resources The second annual Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance Retreat was held May 24 and 25 on the Children's National Research and Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C. Alliance members shared their research, forged new collaborations, and learned from speakers spanning veterinary and human oncology and biomedical cancer research.
Date: Jun 08, 2023 -
Video ItemCancer researchers team up against deadliest brain tumors in children , video
Experts from Children's National, Virginia Tech, and Columbia University join forces to explore new tactics to fight lethal childhood brain cancer.
Date: May 19, 2023 -
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International trainees selected for inaugural postdoctoral scholar program , articleKarthi Sreedevi and Xuansong Mao, postdoctoral associates at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, recently joined the new program created to help young professionals successfully launch their careers. They will receive additional training and support through the Research and Innovation Postdoctoral Scholars program.
Date: Apr 26, 2023 -
Video ItemBrain School 2023 at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
An annual Brain Awareness Week campaign hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC that included brain-healthy foods, hands-on exploration, and short seminars by Virginia Tech brain experts.
Date: Mar 14, 2023 -
Video ItemBrain School: Is the brain able to change or am I wired this way for life? , video
Join us on March 13, 2023 at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute from 5 to 7:30PM for Brain School: The Electric Brain. https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/annual-brain-school.html
Date: Mar 09, 2023 -
Video ItemBrain School: Can the brain be changed without surgery? , video
Join us on March 13, 2023 at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute from 5 to 7:30PM for Brain School: The Electric Brain. https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/annual-brain-school.html
Date: Mar 09, 2023 -
Video ItemBrain School: Is the electricity in my brain the same thing that powers my phone? , video
Join us on March 13, 2023 at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute from 5 to 7:30PM for Brain School: The Electric Brain. https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/annual-brain-school.html
Date: Mar 09, 2023 -
Video ItemBrain School: What's going on inside your brain when you're dreaming? , video
Join us on March 13, 2023 at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute from 5 to 7:30PM for Brain School: The Electric Brain. https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/events/annual-brain-school.html
Date: Mar 09, 2023 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech researcher's discovery may lead to a better understanding of mental health disorders related to stress, anxiety , video
By studying zebrafish, Albert Pan and his team at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute found a molecule critical in development of the brain's stress response.
Date: Feb 21, 2023 -
Video ItemThank you from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute - #VTGivingDay , video
On behalf of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, thank you very, very much for your generosity on Giving Day. Every day your support helps us to bring to the public health the advances and innovation of our faculty, students and staff. Thank you!
Date: Feb 17, 2023 -
Video ItemRobert Gourdie named senior member of the National Academy of Inventors , video
Robert Gourdie, the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund Eminent Scholar in Heart Reparative Medicine Research, was recognized by the National Academy of Inventors as a rising leader in his field. A professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Gourdie is a cell biologist and entrepreneur who creates knowledge and translates discoveries into solutions for medical problems.
Date: Feb 14, 2023 -
Video Item‘The right place’: Sisters with rare disorder find help , video
When Emily Burkhart’s daughter was diagnosed with a rare gene mutation, the family found help at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Neuromotor Research Clinic. When the seemingly impossible happened a second time with her sister, they knew where to turn.
Date: Jan 24, 2023 -
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Event canceled - Scientist to provide insights from complex data that informs health policy in face of climate change , articleFrancesca Dominici, co-director of Harvard University’s Data Science Initiative, will share research on environmental racism, air pollution exposure, wildfires, and COVID-19 vulnerability at the next Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture.
Date: Jan 13, 2023 -
Video ItemThe Green Labs Program at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
The goal of the Green Labs Program at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is to create a culture of sustainability in the research institute community by bringing awareness to the environmental impacts of a lab, creating and sharing best practices to support green lab projects and goals, and to explore ways to reduce the environmental impact of our research.
Date: Dec 09, 2022 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech researcher’s 3D model of brain tumor environment could aid personalized treatment , video
Jennifer Munson and her research team’s model of the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment could help with understanding why the cancer is so resistant to treatment and so often returns after surgery.
Date: Nov 29, 2022 -
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Cardiovascular scientists to explore viral infection that can lead to sudden death , articleJames Smyth, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has been awarded a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to discover why viruses that normally infect our lungs can turn deadly when they infect the heart.
Date: Nov 18, 2022 -
Video ItemCardiovascular scientists to explore viral infection that can lead to sudden death , video
James Smyth, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has been awarded a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to discover why viruses that normally infect our lungs can turn deadly when they infect the heart.
Date: Nov 16, 2022 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech scientist uncovers possible link between early-life trauma and binge-eating disorder , video
Sora Shin, an assistant professor of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, led a study published in Nature Neuroscience that shows how adversity early in life may alter a brain circuit induce the development of binge eating and obesity.
Date: Nov 09, 2022 -
Video ItemNeuromotor Research Clinic: Changing Lives , video
Sophie Stiglitz was born with a genetic disorder that limits brain development in the areas that facilitate movement and communication. Doctors informed her parents, Joe and Emily, that their daughter may never walk or talk. After her second therapy session with the Neuromotor Research Clinic at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Sophie has defied all odds. To support the Neuromotor Research Clinic or learn more about their research, please visit https://fralinbiomed.info/nrcdonate.
Date: Oct 19, 2022 -
Video ItemInternationally recognized scientist joins Virginia Tech to lead new Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Center for Exercise Medicine Research , video
Zhen Yan, a top international molecular exercise and physiology researcher, will become the inaugural director of the new Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Center for Exercise Medicine Research (CEMR).
Date: Aug 24, 2022 -
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute expands Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program , articleMore than 30 undergraduate and high school students worked behind the curtain of biomedical research this summer at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
Date: Aug 16, 2022 -
Video ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute expands Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program , video
Thirty-one undergraduate and high school students moved to Roanoke this summer to join an expanded lineup of four competitive, research-intensive mentorship programs hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. The cohort recently presented posters demonstrating their research at the 3rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in the atrium of 4 Riverside Circle on Virginia Tech’s Health Sciences and Technology campus in Roanoke.
Date: Aug 02, 2022 -
Video ItemJuneteenth Celebration of Black Scientists and Engineers , video
The Virginia Tech community gathered at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC for the Juneteenth celebration on June 17 in Roanoke. Black researchers, educators, and leaders described their career paths and research contributions in the health sciences. The program also highlighted the importance of embracing opportunities for all under-represented groups through diversity, equity, and inclusion advocacy.
Date: Jun 27, 2022 -
Video ItemJuneteenth event to celebrate Black scientists and engineers , video
Audra Barnes, Kenneth Young, and Monet Roberts are part of the organizing committee for the Juneteenth Celebration of Black Scientists and Engineers, hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC on June 17, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will showcase the stories and achievements of eight Black leaders among those succeeding in STEM fields, who will describe their journeys – including barriers, challenges, and opportunities. In-person attendance is encouraged. People may register to attend on the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute website.
Date: Jun 15, 2022 -
Video ItemWorld-renowned researchers gather at the Precision Neuroscience Conference in Roanoke , video
The international Precision Neuroscience Conference builds on a collaboration between European and U.S. universities to advance neuroscience-based precision medicine, including diagnosis and treatment. The 2022 Conference explored four thematic areas: Mental Health, Neurodevelopment, Brain Cancer; and Aging, Neurodegeneration, and Injury.
Date: Jun 03, 2022 -
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Neuroscientists will probe the functional brain circuitry that underlies learned preferences for tasty food , articleSora Shin, an assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, will analyze the functional neuronal circuitry in the brain that lead to overconsumption of high-fat foods with new National Institutes of Health funding.
Date: May 24, 2022 -
Video ItemBiomedical initiatives are boosted by strong public support, survey finds , video
Virginia residents want the commonwealth to be a leader in education and biomedical research — and they are willing to pay for it. In a statewide survey of more than 1,000 people released last week, residents support investing taxpayer funds to incentivize innovation, attract and support biotech start-ups, and fund biomedical and health science research. What’s more, top concerns for Virginians are mental health, opioid addiction, the cost of health care, and children's health. Support is strong for research and education to address these issues and drive progress.
Date: May 02, 2022 -
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Pioneer in brain-computer interface to speak at next Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture , articleBin He will discuss the significance of this revolutionary work at a public lecture titled “Dynamic Brain Mapping and Brain-Computer Interface” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5. The presentation is free and open to the public at 2 Riverside Circle in Roanoke.
Date: May 02, 2022 -
Video ItemHealth Sciences and Technology campus: Thriving in the spirit of Ut Prosim , video
The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine both opened in 2010, continuing the university’s 150-year legacy of service while transforming the surrounding community.
Date: Mar 28, 2022 -
Video ItemCancer Research Alliance forges new collaborations, strengthens research programs at inaugural retreat , video
More than 100 cancer researchers from across Virginia Tech met at the first Cancer Research Alliance retreat hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC on March 18.
Date: Mar 22, 2022 -
Video Item#VTGivingDay - Seale Innovation Fund at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
The first seven Virginia Tech research teams each to receive one-year, $75,000 Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Seale Innovation Fund awards have been selected. The awarded pilot projects address a broad spectrum of biomedical and health science challenges that have impact on millions of Americans, including cancer, chronic pain, brain development, obesity, and COVID-19 complications. Your donation today matters! When we receive 175 gifts, we'll unlock $10,000 additional in match funding for the Seale Innovation Fund. Support potentially lifesaving research by giving a gift of $5 or more to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute for #VTGivingDay. https://givingday.vt.edu/amb/fbri2022
Date: Feb 24, 2022 -
Video ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute occupational therapists train colleagues, treat children in Morocco clinic , video
Kelsey Burke and Megan Price, occupational therapists in the Neuromotor Research Clinic at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, took a personal volunteer trip to Morocco with a humanitarian group last year. They educated therapists and parents in pediatric therapy techniques.
Date: Feb 07, 2022 -
Video ItemScientists at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute develop new strategy for brain cancer treatment , video
In a new study published in Oncogenesis, Zhi Sheng and Rob Gourdie of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC describe how two protein-targeting drugs – when combined with chemotherapy – yield synergistic cytotoxicity to treatment-resistant glioblastoma.
Date: Jan 28, 2022 -
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Virginia Tech science graduate students trade traditional communication for a blank canvas , articleOn a Friday night in Roanoke, 27 Virginia Tech graduate students swapped pipettes for glue sticks, test tubes for glitter, and petri dishes for pencils at the first-ever Science on Canvas event, hosted by the Virginia Tech Communicating Science Club in partnership with the Taubman Museum of Art.
Date: Dec 20, 2021 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech science graduate students trade traditional communication for a blank canvas , video
In partnership with the Taubman Museum of Art in downtown Roanoke, the Virginia Tech Communicating Science Club hosted Science on Canvas, an event for science graduate students to develop creative techniques focused on communicating scientific discovery through non-traditional mediums.
Date: Dec 10, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet Jenny Munson, a cancer scientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
Jenny Munson is a principal investigator at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute who studies the tumor microenvironment in cancers, including glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer. Munson's lab is located in the new $90-million biomedical research addition building in Roanoke.
Date: Dec 03, 2021 -
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Leader in prenatal DNA screening to speak at next Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture , articleDiana Bianchi, director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, will give a virtual talk on Dec. 16, hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
Date: Dec 03, 2021 -
Video ItemResearchers identify behavioral adaptations that may help Antarctic fishes to adapt to warming Southern Ocean , video
In a new study published in PLOS ONE, Michael Friedlander and his team at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute describe how Antarctic fishes with and without hemoglobin react to acute thermal stress. The findings characterize species-specific behavioral responses that may help these endemic species withstand the impacts of climate change.
Date: Nov 19, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet Wynn Legon, a new neuroscientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
Introducing Wynn Legon – a new principal investigator who has been at the forefront of the use of focused ultrasound to modulate human brain activity for a decade. Legon's lab is located in our state-of-the-art, 139,000-square-foot biomedical research addition building.
Date: Nov 15, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet Scott Johnstone, a new cardiovascular investigator at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
As we continue our series focused on the newest faculty members working in our brand new, $90-million biomedical research addition facility, it's our pleasure to introduce Scott Johnstone – a new principal investigator who is working to understand how healthy blood vessels are altered in disease. Johnstone's lab also focuses on defining pathways to therapeutically target vascular disease.
Date: Nov 05, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet Yassine Sassi, a new cardiovascular investigator seeking new therapies for heart and respiratory diseases , video
Introducing Yassine Sassi – a new principal investigator who studies the role of RNAs and cyclic nucleotide pathways in heart and respiratory diseases. Sassi’s lab is located in our state-of-the-art, 139,000-square-foot biomedical research addition that debuted earlier this month.
Date: Oct 29, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet Jessica Pfleger, a new cardiovascular researcher at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
Housed in the brand new biomedical research addition at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, the main focus of Jessica Pfleger's research is to investigate the molecular mechanisms that underlie cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death in the nation and the world.
Date: Oct 14, 2021 -
Video ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute teams up with the City of Roanoke to host Welcoming Week , video
The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute joined with the City of Roanoke and numerous community groups by participating in a nationwide initiative known as Welcoming Week. The initiative focuses on bringing together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming, inclusive places. Members of the Institute share their thoughts with our newest community members.
Date: Sep 09, 2021 -
Video ItemScientists say active early learning shapes the adult brain , video
Through the Abecedarian Project, an early education, randomized controlled trial that has followed children since 1971, researchers from Virginia Tech and the University of Pennsylvania have discovered an enhanced learning environment during the first five years of life shapes the brain in ways that are apparent four decades later. Authors of the study include professors Sharon Landesman Ramey, Craig Ramey, and Read Montague of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute of Virginia Tech, and Martha Farah, director of the Center for Neuroscience & Society at Penn. The study appears in the June edition of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience.
Date: May 26, 2021 -
Video ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute researchers discover link between blood chemistry and deadly heart arrhythmias , video
In a new study, a cardiovascular research team led by Steven Poelzing, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, describes how subtle changes in potassium, calcium, and sodium levels regulate heartbeats. Poelzing said the results could help researchers and physicians understand the nuances of cardiac arrhythmias, as well as a group of genetic disorders that impact sodium channel function, such as Brugada syndrome.
Date: May 21, 2021 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech launches ‘next generation’ human brain imaging lab , video
Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have received a $2.4 million National Institutes of Health grant to deploy a breakthrough new brain imaging technique called optically pumped magnetometry to study the nuances of social interactions.
Date: May 12, 2021 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech researchers give hope to substance use disorder patients with new psychological tools , video
<div><div><div>Warren Bickel, a professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and director of the institute’s Addiction Recovery Research Center, helped pioneer the drug treatments used to wean people from substances of addiction. His research also considers substance abuse in terms of costs and benefits. It addresses why people choose options that have the greatest immediate appeal at the greatest long-term cost--a hallmark of addiction. By identifying people who value quick gratification at the expense of the future, health care providers can pinpoint people who will need extra help during the addiction recovery process.</div></div></div>
Date: Apr 02, 2021 -
Video ItemTBMH graduate student awarded two grants to advance brain cancer research , video
<div><div><div><div><div><p>Joelle Martin, a graduate research assistant in the Sontheimer Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, received a Zeta Beta Tau Cancer Research Award and a student fellowship funded by Virginia Tech alumnus and benefactor Ray Gaskins.</p></div></div></div></div></div>
Date: Mar 11, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet Scientists Working at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
<div><div><div><div><div>From cancer cells to human behavior - learn about some of the fascinating, high-impact research that female faculty members at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute are working on.</div></div></div></div></div>
Date: Mar 08, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet our Scientists: Dr. Chiu, Dr. DeLuca, Dr. LaConte, Dr. Robel, and Dr. Stein , video
<div>The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s researchers have diverse backgrounds. Learn more about their research, hobbies, backgrounds, and why they became scientists in our 2021 weekly video series.</div>
Date: Feb 18, 2021 -
Video ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC partners with Thermo Fisher Scientific, bringing state-of-the-art imaging equipment to Roanoke lab , video
<div>The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s Fox Laboratory recently received a brand new scanning electron microscope, allowing for unprecedented visualization of cellular architecture with automated 3D reconstructions. The research institute collaborated with Thermo Fisher Scientific to purchase a state-of-the-art Thermo Scientific Volumescope. This equipment will help researchers at the institute continue to work at the frontiers of biomedical discovery to address cancer, neurological and behavioral disorders, and heart disease. </div>
Date: Feb 16, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet a Neuroscientist: Shannon Farris, Ph.D. , video
In honor of International #WomenInScience day, we'd like to introduce you to one of our faculty members, Dr. Shannon Farris! Her #neuroscience lab studies how the genes in a specific cell type, located in the brain's hippocampus, enable memory storage.
Date: Feb 11, 2021 -
Video ItemWe asked our faculty: Why did you become a health scientist? , video
<div><div>From art and medicine, to zoology and playing cricket - four faculty members at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC open up about the memories and moments that sparked their scientific curiosity and passion for health research.<br></div></div>
Date: Feb 05, 2021 -
Video ItemHokies at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Help Neighbors in Roanoke, Virginia Overcome Food Insecurity , video
<div>The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC recently partnered with the City of Roanoke’s Public Libraries to donate and distribute 500 hams to help neighbors throughout the Roanoke Valley overcome food insecurity. Dozens of faculty, staff, and students volunteered to pack and hand-deliver bags of food as part of the City’s Feed and Read program.</div>
Date: Feb 01, 2021 -
Video ItemMeet our Scientists: Dr. Farris, Dr. Johnstone, Dr. LaMantia, Dr. Montague, Dr. Shin, and Dr. Munson , video
<div>The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s researchers have diverse backgrounds. Learn more about their research, hobbies, backgrounds, and why they became scientists in our 2021 weekly video series.</div>
Date: Jan 28, 2021 -
Video ItemWhy Meg Supports the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
<div>Meg Carter, a native Virginian, has served on the research institute’s advisory board since the spring of 2020. She and her husband Frank support the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s research efforts and scientific contributions to society.</div>
Date: Dec 17, 2020 -
Video ItemStep Inside the New Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Expansion in Roanoke , video
<div><div>We welcome you to take a virtual tour through the new Fralin Biomedical Research Institute expansion. Michael Friedlander, Ph.D., Virginia Tech’s vice president for health sciences and technology, and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s founding executive director, will walk you through each wing, describing some of the latest instrumentation and research projects along the way.</div></div>
Date: Nov 23, 2020 -
Video ItemUndergraduate Scientist Awarded National Institute of Mental Health Research Supplement , video
<div><div><div>Niesha Savory, an undergraduate student at Virginia Tech working in the Farris Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research at VTC, was recently awarded a Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research from the National Institute of Mental Health. She studies memory and learning in the lab of Shannon Farris, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the research institute in Roanoke. She previously completed a competitive neuroSURF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in 2019, and Savory aspires to pursue graduate studies in medicine and biomedical research after graduation.</div></div></div>
Date: Nov 02, 2020 -
Video ItemInside Virginia Tech's COVID-19 analysis lab , video
<div><div><div>Carla Finkielstein, the director of the Virginia Tech Molecular Analysis Laboratory at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, takes us on exclusive tour. With expanded testing crucial to controlling the pandemic in Virginia and the nation, Virginia Tech faculty, staff and graduate students went to work to answer the challenge. This lab was crucial to that response.</div></div></div>
Date: Sep 25, 2020 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech COVID-19 lab ready to test thousands of student samples , video
<div><p>“We are going to be super ready for the students,” said Carla Finkielstein, director of the Virginia Tech <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"></a><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory </a>at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.<u></u><u></u></p><p><u></u> The researchers have already assembled 10,000 collection units that will be used to collect samples from students to analyze for coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.</p><p><u></u></p><p><u></u> “When this pandemic exploded and we were verge of deciding what to do next, the university had two options,” Finkielstein said. “One was to wait for someone to help us, and the other one was to put our collective heads and resources together and do something to serve our community. Our university chose to be proactive. We want to help take care of our students. We are bringing them back, and we are testing them. On top of that, working closely with the health departments, we are able to provide test analysis for many other people in the communities around us.”</p></div>
Date: Aug 07, 2020 -
Video ItemScientists discover cellular structure of poorly understood visual brain region , video
<div>The brain’s ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) receives signals from the eye, but it is not associated with classical image-forming. For decades little was known about this brain region’s cellular structure and purpose. In a new study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC neuroscientists reveal newly identified brain cell subtypes unique to this region that form a striking layered formation.</div>
Date: Jun 03, 2020 -
Video ItemParents say baby with rare condition makes progress after intensive therapy at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion , video
<div><div><div><div>Evie was at her six-week-old checkup near Dublin, Ireland, when doctors noticed her head was not growing as fast as it should. Five months later, doctors diagnosed her with a rare genetic disorder – a form of microcephaly caused by a mutation in a gene called CASK. Doctors said her condition was only reported in only 53 females worldwide, and it was associated with insurmountable developmental problems.<br><span><br>From those beginnings, Evie’s parents Emma Nolan and Keith Purdy embarked on a journey that would take them from their home in Ireland to talk with Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Neuromotor Research Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia. They met Stephanie Deluca, co-director of the Neuromotor Research Clinic, and occupational therapist Megan Price. Together, the group would prove a lot of people wrong about how much Evie really could accomplish.</span></div></div></div></div>
Date: May 26, 2020 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech scientists develop new COVID-19 tests , video
<div><div>After weeks of working around the clock, Virginia Tech scientists developed a new COVID-19 test and secured federal and state approvals to begin processing samples at on-campus labs in Blacksburg and Roanoke.<br></div></div>
Date: Apr 29, 2020 -
Video ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute expansion melds world-class research and sustainable architecture , video
<div><div><div>From its meadow garden green roof to its underground rainwater cistern, the new research expansion located at 4 Riverside Circle in Roanoke is a model for smart green design. The building is currently being evaluated from the U.S. Green Building Council for a LEED Version 4 Rating.</div></div></div>
Date: Apr 20, 2020 -
Video ItemVirginia Tech researchers develop new COVID-19 tests to combat backlogs, shortages , video
<div>Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Life Sciences Institute and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute have a developed a new coronavirus test and have secured federal and state approvals to begin processing samples at on-campus labs in Blacksburg and Roanoke. The university will support local health departments throughout the region to provide timely analysis to identify patients suspected of having COVID-19 — a critical step in the process of slowing the pandemic in Virginia.</div>
Date: Apr 14, 2020 -
Video ItemNeuroscientists show how common parasitic infection causes seizures and psychiatric illness for some , video
<div><div><p>Forty million Americans are infected with a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. For most patients, the infection is mild, while others develop seizures or psychiatric disorders. A new study led by Michael Fox at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute describes how brain circuits change as the parasite finds long-term shelter inside brain cells. The study’s first author and doctoral candidate, Gabriela Carrillo, explains this discovery.</p><div><br></div></div></div>
Date: Mar 26, 2020 -
Video ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute expansion building moving forward , video
<div><div><div><div><div>Take a peek inside the new VTC Biomedical Research Addition, a 139,000-square-foot building slated for a grand opening in fall 2020 at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in Roanoke. The state-of-the-art facility will be home to at least 25 new teams of Virginia Tech biomedical researchers specializing in cardiovascular research, obesity and metabolism, body-device interfaces, cancer, and more. The building will also feature a green roof, classrooms, wet and dry lab space, offices, and a LINAC particle accelerator to help pets with cancer. Stay tuned for more updates as construction nears completion this spring!</div></div></div></div></div>
Date: Feb 24, 2020 -
Video ItemNew compound could help improve heart attack recovery , video
<div>Robert Gourdie, a professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, is working on a way to limit the damage of hypoxic ischemic injury, allowing the nearby heart muscle cells to remain intact.</div>
Date: Dec 16, 2019 -
Video ItemNew faculty member links nature, nurture, and early brain development , video
<div>Brittany Howell, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, studies how maternal characteristics and behavior impact brain development in infants. Howell will start recruiting new mothers to participate in her lab’s research studies in 2020.</div>
Date: Dec 16, 2019 -
Video ItemWelcome to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , video
<div><span>Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is an exciting place to research, train, and work. Established in 2010, the research institute is doubling in size and is actively recruiting 20-25 new core research teams to join the Virginia Tech Health Sciences Campus in Roanoke, Virginia. For more information about the research institute and employment opportunities, please visit: <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.research.vtc.vt.edu">www.research.vtc.vt.edu</a></span></div>
Date: Oct 03, 2019 -
Video ItemSights and sounds from the regional forum hosted by Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic , video
<div>On Thursday, Sept. 12, 97 government officials settled into the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine auditorium in Roanoke for a first-of-its-kind joint regional public forum. Governments from more than 20 localities spanning the New River Valley and Roanoke-Alleghany Valley were represented.<br></div>
Date: Sep 13, 2019 -
Video ItemMaury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series , video
<div><div><div><div>A Nobel prize winner and two National Institutes of Health leaders are among internationally known speakers programmed for the new season of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series in Roanoke. </div></div></div></div>
Date: Sep 12, 2019 -
Video ItemRecap - Advancing Neuroscience Research at VT Summer Symposium , video
<div><div><div>The Virginia Tech School of Neuroscience and Fralin Biomedical Research Institute hosted the first annual Advancing Neuroscience Research at VT Summer Symposium on Friday, August 16, 2019. </div></div></div>
Date: Aug 21, 2019 -
Video ItemTBMH graduate student awarded competitive individual NIH predoctoral fellowship to study cardiac arrest recovery , video
<div><div><div>David “Ryan” King, a student in the Virginia Tech Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health (TBMH) graduate program at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has won a National Institutes of Health (NIH) individual research fellowship to support the last two years of his doctoral research. King’s work examines how sodium concentrations in intravenous saline fluids influence cardiac function following injury.</div></div></div>
Date: Jun 12, 2019 -
Video ItemNation’s first clinical trial for infant stroke begins at Fralin Biomedical , video
<div><div><div>Strokes are devastating events often associated with people over 65. But large numbers of infants have strokes, too. Now, in the nation’s first multicenter pediatric stroke recovery trial, researchers and clinicians from 12 sites across the United States, including the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, will evaluate a new approach.</div></div></div>
Date: Mar 25, 2019 -
Video ItemJeffrey Sachs at Fralin Biomedical , video
<div><div>Wealth should lead to well-being, according to Jeffrey Sachs, a world-renowned economist and special advisor to three United Nations Secretaries-General. Sachs spoke at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in Roanoke, Virginia.</div></div>
Date: Feb 22, 2019