Research Matters
Renewing and Strengthening U.S. Government-University Partnerships
May 3, 2021
In 2014, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences published a report entitled, “Restoring the Foundation: The Vital Role of Research in Preserving the American Dream.” The conclusion of the report was that the research enterprise of the United States is at a “critical inflection point.” The trajectory of innovation in this country has been ... Read more
Regenerative Medicine: Advances and Challenges for Development of Effective Therapies
March 31, 2021
I am a member of the National Academies Forum on Regenerative Medicine, which was established in 2016. The forum convenes people from academia, industry, government, patient and provider organizations, regulators, foundations, and others to address the challenges facing the applications and opportunities for regenerative medicine. The charge to forum members is to identify barriers to ... Read more
Harvesting Data from a Decades-Old, 20,000-Strong Cohort
March 1, 2021
The UNC Carolina Population Center (CPC) recently received notice of a $38.2 million award to continue to lead the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), now entering its sixth wave of data collection. This award from the National Institutes of Health is on top of the already impressive $114,165,158 in funding the ... Read more
Breakthroughs, Passion, and the Way Forward
February 2, 2021
We have truly experienced a year like no other. The loss of normality has left us missing human contact with friends and family. The loss of life due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented. The 1619 project outlined the history of white supremacy in our country while continued violence against people of color made ... Read more
Science, Society, and Thoughts on 2020
January 4, 2021
Thinking back to how I rang in 2020, I was occupied with the goals and duties of UNCʼs Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVCR) as well as the work in my research laboratory. I just finished my term as president of the Genetics Society of America and was looking forward to serving as immediate past ... Read more
The Future of Human Genomics Research Will Address Grand Challenges
December 1, 2020
A genome is the complete DNA sequence of an organism that includes all of its genes and the DNA between genes. Genomics is the characterization, quantification, and interaction of how all genes influence the biology of an organism. The Human Genome Project began 30 years ago with the goal of sequencing the DNA of the ... Read more
UNC’s Creativity Hubs Stimulate Convergence Research
November 3, 2020
Since 2018, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) has sponsored the Creativity Hubs initiative with the goal of changing how research and discovery happen at Carolina. The Creativity Hubs promote an environment where multidisciplinary investigators can nimbly leverage new advances that keep Carolina at the forefront of creativity and innovation. The keys ... Read more
University Research Week: A Panel on CRISPR Genome Editing
October 5, 2020
During University Research Week, I will participate in a panel discussion titled “Editing Along Ethical Boundaries,” which will take place on October 21 at 11 a.m. We will discuss the documentary “Human Nature,” which explores the scientific breakthrough called CRISPR. CRISPR allows for easy modification of DNA, creating new possibilities for improving human health. Already, advances are being made for using CRISPR to provide a cure for genetic disorders such as sickle cell anemia, as well as for many other diseases. In addition to human health, CRISPR ... Read more
Progress from the Inaugural 2018 Creativity Hubs
September 1, 2020
Convergent research — a collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach that brings teams of researchers with divergent expertise together to generate new ideas and pursue groundbreaking studies — is the way to address societal problems as they become more complex. In 2018, the Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVCR) began harnessing the power of a convergent approach to ... Read more
COVID-19 Research Return to Campus Surveillance Project
July 31, 2020
Back in March, the University moved to allowing only critical research activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, any lab-based research activity that did not meet the definition of critical and that could not be conducted remotely was suspended or limited to maintenance of infrastructure. The result was that lab-based activities were reduced to ... Read more