BIRCH team
HIV HIV Prevention Pathobiology
June 01, 2017 | Health News

The Washington Times: Women's Bacteria Thwarted Attempt at Anti-HIV Vaginal Gel

By Lauran Neergaard

Creating new HIV prevention tools for women has proven frustratingly slow and researchers have found another hurdle: bacteria in the reproductive tract.

A new study published Thursday examined what stalled an early attempt at an anti-HIV gel, and found certain types of vaginal bacteria broke down the protective medication before it had time to work.

Photo of workers at Merrueshi village clinic
Fellowships Travel Fellowships Students
May 31, 2017 | Department News

30 Exceptional UW Students Receive Global Travel Fellowships

The Department of Global Health awarded 30 international travel fellowships this spring to support the projects and research of graduate and professional students and medical residents at UW for the next academic year. Students from varied disciplines across the University, including global health, social work, psychology, and pharmacy, will travel to 16 countries pursuing fieldwork experience. Projects range from implementing a harm-reduction program in Vietnam to developing evaluation tools for emergency medical and trauma response systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

BIRCH team
Fogarty International Center Health funding Paul Drain
May 24, 2017 | Health News

The New England Journal of Medicine: Preserving the Fogarty International Center — Benefits for Americans and the World

By Paul K. Drain, Ramnath Subbaraman, and Douglas C. Heimburger

The FIC [Fogarty International Center] has been instrumental in extending the frontiers of health research around the globe and ensuring that advances in science are implemented to reduce the burden of disease, promote health, and extend longevity for all people.

BIRCH team
Mortality Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Christopher Murray
May 19, 2017 | Health News

Common Dreams: Global Study Shows Americans Dying from Preventable Causes at Shocking Rates

By Nika Knight

Americans are dying at a shockingly high rate from preventable causes, found a first-of-its-kind global health study published late Thursday.

The new research demonstrates that despite the fact that the U.S. has the largest economy in the world, healthcare for many of its residents is woefully inadequate. The U.S. was tied with Estonia and Montenegro, far below other wealthy nations such as Norway, Canada, and Australia, in the study's ranking of 195 countries.

Photo of brain tissue specimen of West Nile virus
West Nile virus Cell Biology
May 18, 2017 | Department News

Science Daily: Brain Fights West Nile virus in Unexpected Way

By Leila Gray

Insect-transmitted viruses, like Powassan and West Nile, which can attack the brain in some cases, are becoming a growing public health concern. Medical scientists are trying to understand how brain cells try to fend off invading viruses.

Recently they have learned that, in a turnabout, a biochemical self-destruct trigger found in many other types of cells appears to guard the lives of brain cells during infection with West Nile virus. 

BIRCH team
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation Cardiovascular Disease Mortality
May 17, 2017 | Health News

Science Daily: Cardiovascular Disease Causes One-third of Deaths Worldwide

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) - including heart diseases and stroke - account for one-third of deaths throughout the world, posing an alarming threat to global health, according to a new study. 

Countries with the greatest number of cardiovascular deaths, after accounting for population size, are found throughout Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Oceania, researchers said. 

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Photo of Dr. Zaher Sahloul with panelists
Syria
May 17, 2017 | Department News

The Daily: Syrian-American Physician Discusses Crisis in Syria

By Allison Dubbs

People discuss Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and ISIS, but rarely the 20 million Syrian citizens affected by the nation’s ongoing conflicts. According to Dr. Zaher Sahloul, there is a huge lack of compassion for those affected by the Syrian Civil War, and people are avoiding moral responsibilities.

BIRCH team
One Health Peter Rabinowitz
May 16, 2017 | Health News

The New York Times: The Mystery of the Wasting House-Cats

By Emily Anthes

Most days, the back room of the Animal Endocrine Clinic in Manhattan is home to half a dozen cats convalescing in feline luxury. They lounge in their own individual “condos,” each equipped with a plush bed, a raised perch and a cozy box for hiding. Classical music plinks softly from speakers overhead. A television plays cat-friendly videos — birds chirping, squirrels scampering. Patients can also tune in to the live version: A seed-stuffed bird feeder hangs directly outside each window.

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