Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

08/26/2026

See what new data from the LaMantia lab suggests about helping at-risk neurons grow and connect after experiencing a gene deletion that is a leading genetic risk factor for schizophrenia: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/07/research-fralinbiomed-roadblock.html

08/03/2026

🧠 You can learn the therapy framework used in the I-ACQUIRE study, the first multi-site neurorehabilitation trial of its kind.

Two training sessions available! 🔗 https://fralinbiomed.info/acquire

Offered by the VTC Neuromotor Research Clinic and designed to determine whether a standardized, intensive rehabilitation program improves arm and hand function in infants and toddlers after perinatal stroke.

07/06/2026

Big challenges require bold collaboration. 🤝

The Virginia Research Diamond brings together Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Old Dominion University across the Commonwealth to accelerate discovery, strengthen innovation, and improve lives.

By connecting complementary expertise across biomedical research, engineering, data science, and clinical translation, the partnership is creating new opportunities to tackle some of society's most pressing health challenges.

🔗: go.vt.edu/uregp

06/25/2026

🙌⛳️

06/17/2026

What helps a failing heart recover? 🫀

Researchers have identified a protein that may hold an important piece of the puzzle.

In a new study, scientists found that a protein called PERM1 returned to near-normal levels in patients whose hearts recovered after receiving a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that helps reduce strain on the heart. Patients who did not experience recovery showed no such restoration.

The discovery offers new insight into why some people with advanced heart failure improve while others do not. Researchers believe PERM1 may serve as both a biological marker of recovery and a possible target for future therapies aimed at restoring heart function.

With heart failure affecting millions of people, understanding the mechanisms behind recovery could help guide new approaches to treatment and care.

See how this discovery could change the way scientists think about heart failure recovery and future therapies 👇

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/05/research-fralinbiomed-junco.html

06/16/2026

The National Rural Health Association has named Brittany Howell the recipient of its 2026 Outstanding Researcher Award for her contributions to advancing rural health through large-scale research on early brain and child development.

Howell’s research focuses on understanding how early life experiences shape brain development. 👶🧠

She plays a leadership role in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study, the nation’s largest long-term study examining how prenatal and early childhood environments influence neurodevelopment.

Learn more ⤵️
https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/05/research_fralinbiomed_howellnhra.html

06/12/2026

Ataxia can make everyday activities increasingly difficult, affecting balance, coordination, speech, and mobility. 🧠

Doctoral researcher Alyssa Lyon is studying how targeted brain stimulation may improve symptoms by restoring communication between neurons in the cerebellum.

Her work could help researchers better understand why current therapies have mixed results and identify more effective treatment strategies.

Discover how brain research is creating new possibilities for people living with ataxia 👇

Alyssa Lyon, a doctoral candidate in the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, will explore how neuromodulation changes communication between neurons in ataxia, a condition that affects muscle coordination and balance.

06/09/2026

What happens when ***co regulations change? 🚬

A new series of studies from Virginia Tech researcher Roberta Freitas-Lemos takes a closer look at how to***co policies shape consumer behavior and how the industry responds when new restrictions are introduced.

The research explored three key areas: menthol-related regulations, flavor restrictions, and cigarette taxation strategies.

One study found that marketing for menthol accessories changed in response to restrictions, while others examined how consumers react when flavor options are limited and how different tax approaches influence purchasing decisions.

The findings highlight a challenge facing public health officials: there is no single policy solution. Instead, effective to***co control may depend on combining multiple strategies and continuously evaluating how consumers and industries adapt.

Understanding these responses can help shape smarter regulations and improve health outcomes over time. 💡

Discover what these studies reveal about the evolving landscape of to***co regulation and the search for the most effective policy mix 👇

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/05/research_fralinbiomed_rflto***co.html

06/02/2026

What happens inside your body when you exercise and why does it matter for long term health? 🏋️‍♂️

Join us on Thursday, June 4, for a free public lecture by renowned physician-scientist R. Sanders Williams, who will explore how physical activity sparks coordinated biological responses across the body that help protect against disease and promote health.

In his talk, "The Symphonic Biology of Exercise," Williams will reveal how exercise reshapes cells, tissues, and organ systems through an intricate network of biochemical signals, a process decades of his research have helped illuminate.

📍 Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
📅 Thursday, June 4
🎟️ Free and open to the public

Don't miss the final Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture of the 2025-26 season.

Physician-scientist R. Sanders Williams of Duke University has worked across academia and industry exploring key questions in exercise medicine. The National Academy of Medicine member will deliver the season’s final Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture at the Fralin Biomedical Research Inst...

06/02/2026

What if lung scarring could be reversed instead of simply slowed? 🫁

That's the question driving new research from Samar Antar, who recently received a Career Development Award from the American Heart Association to investigate new treatment possibilities for pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive disease that causes irreversible scarring in the lungs.

Her work focuses on connexin 43 (Cx43), a protein that helps cells communicate with one another. Early findings suggest that targeting this pathway could reduce the activity of the cells responsible for scar formation and improve lung function.

The award will help support continued research into therapies that could one day offer new hope for people living with pulmonary fibrosis.

See how this research is opening the door to potential treatments that go beyond managing symptoms and aim to reverse lung damage itself 👇

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/04/research_fralinbiomed_antarahacda.html