News & Updates

Learn about an experimental male contracteptive gel called NES/T, which was developed in collaboration with NICHD and the Population Council.

NICHD’s Dr. Claire Le Pichon helps advance understanding of neuron injury and neurodegenerative diseases by embracing new technologies, collaborating with other researchers, and mentoring the next generation of scientists. Read about her career path.

Unlike other SARS-CoV-2 variants, the Delta variant can attach to copies of itself, forming larger aggregations, or clumps, of viral particles, suggests a study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health. The researchers theorize that this linking property may have played a role in the ability of the Delta variant to spread more rapidly than all the variants that preceded it.

The Division of Intramural Research provides fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems through basic, clinical, and population-based research.

NICHD researchers are evaluating ovarian tissue cryopreservation as a potential option to preserve fertility among young girls with Turner syndrome and other rare conditions that compromise ovarian function. The team also aims to determine the causes of ovarian problems in these girls.

The Division of Intramural Research provides fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems through basic, clinical, and population-based research.

Small NIH study contributes to understanding of COVID-19 during pregnancy.

Read about NICHD’s research findings and activities from 2021.

Dr. Grewal has been acting director of the division since February 2020.

Riluzole, a drug approved to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease affecting nerve cells controlling movement, could slow the gradual loss of a particular brain cell that occurs in Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1), a rare genetic disorder affecting children and adolescents, suggests a study in mice by scientists at the National Institutes of Health.

Mouse studies targeting gonadotropin regulated testicular helicase (GRTH) appear to be a promising approach.

The architecture of the nuclear pore is shaped by the cellular environment, according to a new NIH-supported study.

NICHD-led research illuminates a factor affecting the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect human cells. The findings suggest a potential strategy for developing COVID-19 treatments.

A panel of experts convened by NICHD has recommended standardized criteria to define infection of the placenta with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Their recommendations aim to help streamline research on SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and ultimately optimize clinical care.

Dr. Bianchi reflects on the life and contributions of Eunice Kennedy Shriver ahead of Mrs. Shriver’s 100th birthday and how improving equity, diversity, and inclusion at NICHD continues Mrs. Shriver’s work.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have developed a prototype device that could potentially diagnose pregnancy complications by monitoring the oxygen level of the placenta.

The experimental drug TEMPOL may be a promising oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19, suggests a study by researchers at NIH.

An environment in which family members support one another and express their feelings can reduce the effects of social deprivation on cognitive ability and development among adopted children, suggests a small study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. In contrast, rule-driven households where family members are in conflict may increase an adopted child’s chances for cognitive, behavioral and emotional difficulties.

Trophoblasts—the outermost fetal cells of the placenta—may be able to contain SARS-CoV-2 and prevent it from spreading to the fetus even though these cells appear to be susceptible to infection by the virus, a study by NIH-funded researchers suggests. Further research into how trophoblasts might contain the virus could lead to ways to prevent COVID-19 in children and adults. The findings may also lead to insights on why fetuses are only rarely infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Mouse study provides atlas to pinpoint neurons involved in neurodegenerative diseases.