New graduate certificate preps students to innovate for public good
May 26, 2020 Solving complex economic, social and environmental problems requires working on interdisciplinary teams. A new nine-credit graduate certificate program, launching in the spring of 2021, will help students learn and practice design thinking and other required skills.
Gillings scientists study most potent neutralizing antibody against novel coronavirus to date
May 21, 2020 By “fishing” in a pool of more than one hundred billion potential antibodies — using a piece of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as bait — infectious disease scientists have isolated human monoclonal antibodies that completely neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
Study finds excess medical costs associated with metastatic breast cancer, especially among younger women
May 20, 2020 Medical costs for metastatic breast cancer treatment are considerably higher than earlier-stage treatments, especially for younger women, according to a new study co-authored by Dr. Justin Trogdon and Dr. Stephanie Wheeler.
Are we protecting pregnant and breastfeeding mothers with COVID-19 through research or from it?
May 18, 2020 Without data on the effect of investigational drugs like remdesivir on pregnant and lactating women, many health care providers face a dilemma about whether to advise mothers infected with COVID-19 to suspend breastfeeding while undergoing treatment. In a new commentary, Dr. Alison Stuebe concludes that this could have a detrimental impact.
The Gillings Community Responds to COVID-19: Tracking the Spread
May 18, 2020 The asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 has created a significant challenge for public health experts. Learn how faculty and alumni in epidemiology, health behavior and biostatistics are working to track the spread of the disease through studies, contact tracing, modeling and more.
Gillings researchers advance in the quest for a dengue vaccine
May 13, 2020 Dengue viruses are estimated to cause ~390 million infections and 100 million cases each year around the globe. Because infection with one of the four unique dengue strains does not provide lasting immunity to the other strains, it has been especially difficult to create an effective vaccine.
Diabetes cases show signs of increase in American youth, according to CDC report
May 12, 2020 For years, the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study has been monitoring the increase in diabetes cases in young people across the United States. A new update in that data shows that this increase is continuing in five U.S. locations, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities.
Adults in Mexico are consuming fewer soft drinks three years into a sugary-beverage tax
May 6, 2020 “These results show that the tax is lowering the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks among an adult cohort over the first three-years of the tax implementation,” says Dr. Shu Wen Ng. “In particular, it lowered the proportion of medium and high consumers of the beverages, while increasing the share of adults who were low-consumers and non-consumers.”
UNC-based NC Policy Collaboratory to receive state funds to study and fight coronavirus
May 4, 2020 The N.C. Policy Collaboratory, based at UNC-Chapel Hill, will receive $29 million to study the treatment, community testing and prevention of COVID-19 under a $1.5 billion coronavirus relief package. The University has been on the forefront of national coronavirus research, thanks in large part to the efforts of researchers at the Gillings School.
Stuebe and Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute collaborate on federal law and health policy report
May 4, 2020 Dr. Alison Stuebe, in collaboration with the Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute, has co-authored a new report from the federal Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The report seeks to raise awareness about the role law and policy have to play in increasing the rates of breastfeeding in the U.S. as part of a broader strategy to improve population health.
