Welcome to Benchmarks, your sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly, sometimes every once-in-a-while recap of research news and notes from Massachusetts General Hospital.
With a research community of 9,500 people working across 30 departments, centers and institutes, there's more news than we can get to every week. Here are a few highlights:
Research in the News
Study Reveals New Genetic Link Between Anorexia Nervosa and Being and Early Riser
New research indicates that the eating disorder anorexia nervosa is associated with being an early riser, unlike many other disorders that tend to be evening-based such as depression, binge eating disorder and schizophrenia.
The study, which is published in JAMA Network Open and led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), in collaboration with University College London and the University of the Republic in Uruguay, also revealed a link between anorexia nervosa and insomnia risk.
Previous research has suggested a possible connection between eating disorders and the body’s internal clock, or circadian clock, which controls a wide range of biological functions such as sleep and affects nearly every organ in the body.
This study aimed to further understand this relationship by assessing genes associated with anorexia nervosa, the circadian clock and several sleep traits including insomnia.
Researchers at Mass General for Children Identify a Bacterial Strain that Demonstrates a Potentially Protective Role in Celiac Disease
Researchers from Mass General for Children (MGfC) and 13 other institutions have identified a strain of Bacteroides vulgatus that may protect the gut intestinal barrier against the break of tolerance that occurs when gluten is introduced into the diet of genetically at-risk children.
The article in Pediatric Research represents the most recent findings from a ten-year longitudinal, prospective study called the Celiac Disease Genomic, Environmental, Microbiome and Metabolomic Study (CDGEMM), which contains voluminous environmental and genomic data and biological samples from approximately 600 infants and children in the US, Italy and Spain.
Tweets of the Week
Huge congrats to @emilyswlau @MGHHeartHealth @MGHWomenHeart @mghcvrc for being this year's ACC @DougZipes awardee! 🎉 Incredibly well-deserved honor for an amazing clinician and scientist @JenHoCardiology @DougDrachmanMD @patrick_ellinor @ddefariayeh @pnatarajanmd @WomenAs1 https://t.co/r1XauNBarn pic.twitter.com/Y8pGUti4qg
— Michael Honigberg, MD, MPP (@mchonig) January 4, 2024
In 2019, Massachusetts General Hospital @MassGeneralEM pioneered a novel concept: a @Vot_ER_org voter registration kiosk right in its halls. Fast forward, and this fusion of healthcare and civic duty has ignited nationwide w/ partners in over 700 clinical sites. pic.twitter.com/uNySFt0z15
— Alister Martin (@AlisterFMartin) January 5, 2024
Cover image???!!! 🥳 Science goals achieved (for now) 😏
— Hannah Brown Harding (@HannahEBrown3) January 5, 2024
Thanks @NatureMicrobiol for highlighting our work! https://t.co/RjUyKJCLAz
This Week in Mass General History
Dr. Wright of Boston Discovers Cause of Tropical Ulcer
(The Minneapolis Journal, January 2, 1904)
Boston—Dr. J. .H. Wright, director of the pathological laboratory of the Massachusetts General Hospital in this city, has announced the discovery that “tropical ulcer,” a peculiar skin affection, common to tropical countries, is caused by microorganisms of the protozoa classification.
This conclusion is the same as that recently reached by Dr. Frank Burr Millery of Harvard University with reference to the scarlet fever, and it is thought that the discoveries of these physicians will prompt research in a practically new field. Read more.
About the Mass General Research Institute
Research at Massachusetts General Hospital is interwoven through more than 30 different departments, centers and institutes. Our research includes fundamental, lab-based science; clinical trials to test new drugs, devices and diagnostic tools; and community and population-based research to improve health outcomes across populations and eliminate disparities in care.
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