Feb

Results from autism genome scan may lead to improved diagnosis and treatment

CHAPEL HILL -- Preliminary results from the largest genome scan ever attempted in autism research were published online Feb. 18 by the journal Nature Genetics. The results identify new potential pathways involved in autism susceptibility, said Dr. Joseph Piven, professor of psychiatry in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and director of UNC’s Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center.

Newborn brains grow vision and movement regions first

CHAPEL HILL – The regions of the brain that control vision and other sensory information grow dramatically in the first few months following birth, while the area that controls abstract thought experiences very little growth during the same period, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have found.

UNC Health Care CIO named one of Computerworld’s Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2007

CHAPEL HILL – John P. Kichak, vice president and chief information officer for UNC Health Care, has been selected as as one of Computerworld's Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2007.

UNC researchers develop questionnaire for predicting chronic kidney disease

CHAPEL HILL – A team led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers has developed a simple questionnaire to help identify individuals likely to have chronic kidney disease.

Runge named cardiology editor of eMedicine

Dr. Marschall S. Runge, professor and chair of the department of medicine in the UNC School of Medicine and president of UNC Physicians, is the new editor of the cardiology section of eMedicine.

Most North Carolinians support law to eliminate tobacco use on school campuses

CHAPEL HILL – Ninety percent of North Carolina adults support the passage of a statewide law mandating a 100 percent tobacco-free policy in all N.C. school districts, according to a survey conducted in April and May by the Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Industry-funded breast cancer trials more likely to yield positive results

CHAPEL HILL – Industry-funded studies of breast cancer therapies are more likely to report positive results than non-pharmaceutical funded studies, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute have found. In addition, significant differences exist in the design and nature of clinical trials supported by the pharmaceutical industry compared to trials without industry involvement.