Gillings researchers fight emerging diseases
July 5, 2018 Utilizing the expertise of the Baric Lab at the UNC Gillings School, Gilead Sciences is making breakthroughs in developing drugs to fight some of the world’s deadliest viruses. The Gilead broad-spectrum treatment that was tested and proven in the Baric Lab, now known as Remdesivir, was deployed for use in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Study clarifies how genetic variants linked with African ancestry impact heart disease
July 3, 2018 A recent study co-authored by researchers in the Gillings School examined APOL1 genotypes, which are associated with chronic kidney disease in African-Americans. The goal was to clarify earlier, inconsistent findings that the gene’s variants also could influence cardiovascular disease and mortality risk.
UNC, RTI International researchers assess US travelers’ knowledge of Zika virus, willingness to take hypothetical vaccine
July 2, 2018 A collaboration between researchers at the Gillings School, RTI International and UNC's School of Medicine has resulted in the first study to assess and compare United States travelers’ knowledge levels about the Zika virus across three regions, as well as their willingness to take a prophylactic Zika vaccine that currently is in development.
Barrington and team win research award for HIV/AIDS project in Guatemala
June 25, 2018 Central America’s first study to critically document the process of creating a community-based clinic for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for gay men has been selected to receive the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations’ (ICASO) 2018 Robert Carr Research Award. Dr. Clare Barrington is the leader of the UNC research team on the collaborative project.
Parents ranked cancer prevention as No. 1 provider reason for HPV vaccination
June 16, 2018 A survey led by Dr. Melissa Gilkey found that parents ranked cancer prevention as the most compelling reason health care providers can give for recommending the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
ESE doctoral student selected for Boren Fellowship
June 15, 2018 Doctoral student Elizabeth Christenson has been awarded a Boren Fellowship to study critical languages abroad. She will be UNC-Chapel Hill’s 13th Boren fellow since 2000.
New course at UNC, taught by Glenn Walters, combines design thinking and experiential making
June 13, 2018 Dr. Glenn Walters, director of the Environmental Sciences and Engineering Design Center at the Gillings School, is teaching 'Introduction to Design and Making,' a course that introduces students to state-of-the-art technology while proving that hard work and perseverance through failure can be rewarding.
Study indicates potential for bat caliciviruses to cross species barriers, potentially to humans
June 7, 2018 Results from a recent study suggest that human and bat caliciviruses may have evolutionarily descended from a common ancestor, indicating a potential for the bat viruses to cross species barriers and infect humans.
Dr. Emily Gower: Preventing blindness from NC to Africa
May 31, 2018 Dr. Emily Gower, an ocular eipidemiologist, works in Africa to prevent blindness caused by trachoma, a bacterial infection. Closer to home, she works to prevent blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy.
Picture warnings on cigarette packs change behavior because they are upsetting and memorable, study finds
May 31, 2018 In a 2014-2015 study, researchers from UNC Gillings found that pictorial warnings on cigarette packs led to more quit attempts than did text-only warnings. Now, a follow-up study has sought to identify the precise psychological mechanisms that explain why pictorial warnings are so much more effective at changing smokers’ behavior.
