Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

05/29/2026

05/20/2026

Researchers at Virginia Tech have identified a promising new strategy that could change how idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is treated. 🫁

The disease causes scar tissue to build up in the lungs, making breathing increasingly difficult. Current therapies can slow progression, but they cannot reverse the damage.

In a new preclinical study, scientists discovered that blocking two proteins known as ID1 and ID3 significantly reduced lung scarring and improved lung function across multiple experimental systems. In some cases, the effects were comparable to or stronger than existing antifibrotic drugs.

The research team combined analyses of human lung tissue with experimental models to better understand how these proteins drive fibrosis. Their findings could open the door to therapies designed not only to slow disease progression, but potentially reverse lung scarring altogether.

The study involved collaborations with researchers from several leading institutions, including Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Boston University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. 🤝

Discover how this research could help shape the future of pulmonary fibrosis treatment and bring new hope to patients facing the disease. Link in the comments.

05/18/2026

For years, declining estrogen has been seen as the main driver of rising heart disease risk after menopause.

But new research from Virginia Tech suggests the story is more complex. 🧬

Scientists are examining how estrogen loss affects epigenetics — the system that controls when genes turn on and off — which may help explain increases in heart disease and metabolic conditions.

According to Sumita Mishra, these gene regulation changes could play a key role in cardiovascular health.

What if reducing risk after menopause depends on targeting gene activity, not just hormone levels? See what this research reveals. ⬇️

Researchers say the increased risk of cardiovascular disease after menopause may stem not only from declining hormone levels, but also from how those changes influence gene activity.

05/14/2026

🎉🎉🎉

🎓 Huge congrats to our newest DONNUT Lab PhDs!

So proud of all your hard work and everything you’ve accomplished—we can’t wait to see what you do next 💙🍩

Once DONNUT, always DONNUT! Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

05/08/2026

On Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Week: Can weight loss drugs help reduce alcohol use?

Alex DiFeliceantonio, Assistant Professor and Interim Co-director of the Center for Health Behaviors Research, looks into this.

https://bit.ly/ADeFeliceAM

05/06/2026

In blood cancers, there’s a window before the disease emerges, sometimes spanning years or even decades, when it might be possible to see the cancer coming.

Sushree Sahoo wants to peer into that window and stop cancers there, before they start.

Read more about the work of the newest researcher to join our Cancer Research Center in D.C. →

Sushree Sahoo, assistant professor in the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Cancer Research Center — D.C., studies the hidden window between genetic mutation and cancer, seeking ways to intervene before disease ever develops.

04/29/2026

A course is transforming graduate training in Washington, D.C. 🧬

This spring, Virginia Tech's Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program launched a new chapter in the region. The effort will connect students with the full landscape of modern cancer research.

From hands-on genome sequencing to case-based learning and expert lectures, the course brings together perspectives across research, medicine, and government. Students explore how genomic discoveries move from the lab to clinical care and regulatory approval.

By leveraging its location near major federal health agencies, the program creates direct access to leading experts and real-world applications shaping cancer treatment today.

Discover how this immersive course is preparing students to navigate the future of cancer genomics and precision medicine.

Link in the comments 👇

04/24/2026

What if the biggest barrier between a breakthrough discovery and helping a patient could be removed?

That’s exactly what a new clean room facility is doing. 🧪

This highly controlled space allows Virginia Tech researchers and companies to produce clinical-grade therapies that meet strict federal standards, making it possible to move promising treatments out of the lab and closer to real-world use.

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/04/cleanroom-fralinbiomed-research.html

04/17/2026

Even when patients are told they’re in , the story isn’t always over.

A small number of cells can remain hidden in the body, undetectable by standard tests. Over time, those cells can lead to relapse, often more aggressive than before.

That’s where Jesse Tettero’s work comes in. As a physician-scientist, he’s developing new ways to detect these lingering cells earlier using advanced DNA-based technologies. His goal is simple but powerful: help doctors identify which patients are at higher risk sooner, so they can act faster and more precisely.

With support from a Postdoctoral Excellence Award, this research is pushing the boundaries of how we understand remission and relapse in leukemia and opening the door to more life-saving interventions.

The future of cancer care may depend on what we can detect before it’s too late. See how this work is changing that timeline:

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/03/research_fralinbiomed_tetteroaward.html

04/09/2026

What if exercise could help protect your brain as you age? 🧠🏃‍♂️

At Virginia Tech, researcher Xuansong Mao is working to answer that question.

After years as a competitive sprinter, Mao now studies how physical activity impacts the body at a cellular level. His research explores how exercise can improve memory, support brain health, and influence how muscles adapt over time.

Learn more about Mao ⤵️

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/03/research_fralinbiomed_maoaward.html

04/06/2026

What if chronic pain could be treated without surgery? 🔊

That’s the question driving new research from Virginia Tech doctoral student Gabriel Isaac, who’s exploring how low-intensity focused ultrasound can reach deep areas of the brain linked to pain.

For many people living with chronic pain, current treatments can’t effectively target these regions. This noninvasive approach uses sound waves to stimulate specific brain circuits, with the goal of reducing pain in a safe, personalized way.

With support from a new fellowship, Isaac is studying how to fine-tune this technology and tailor it to each individual using brain imaging.

Chronic pain affects millions, limiting daily life for so many. Research like this is working toward solutions that could change that.

See how this technology could reshape pain treatment and bring relief without surgery 👇

https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/03/research_fralinbiomed_isaacmatte.html