Announcements

NCCIH Clinical Digest: Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Complementary Health Approaches

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—a chronic disorder that interferes with the normal functions of the colon—is challenging to study because of its varied, nonspecific symptoms, episodic nature, and the lack of confirmatory diagnostic testing. Although there is emerging evidence suggesting that some complementary health practices may be used for treating IBS, most of the studies have methodological flaws. Systematic reviews evaluating complementary modalities for IBS symptoms have concluded that few large, well-designed studies exist and further research is required to determine whether complementary or integrative health practices are effective for treating IBS.

Civil War Plant Medicines Inhibit Multidrug-Resistant Wound Bacteria

In a laboratory study, extracts from three plants used as medicines during the American Civil War showed antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria associated with wound infections. The study was conducted by researchers from Emory University and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and partially funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. It was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Human Microbiome Project Sheds Light on How Humans and Microbes Interact

Results from three studies published recently in the Nature family of journals examine how humans and microbes interact and how these interactions relate to human health. The studies were supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), in collaboration with other National Institutes of Health (NIH) Institutes and Centers in support of the Common Fund’s Human Microbiome Project.

Resources for Researchers

New Funding Opportunities

Brain Initiative: Research to Develop and Validate Advanced Human Cell-Based Assays To Model Brain Structure and Function (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Upcoming Events

Bacteria Get on Your Nerves: How Bugs Modulate Pain and Immunity

June 10, 2019, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET; Lipsett Amphitheater, NIH Clinical Center, NIH Main Campus, Bethesda, MD. Remote viewing options will be available.

Dr. Isaac Chiu, Assistant Professor of Immunology Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, will give the next lecture in our Integrative Medicine Lecture Series on “Microbes in Our Gut: Emerging Insights on Health and Disease.” Dr. Chiu's lecture will focus on research work to uncover interactions between the nervous system, the immune system, and microbes, in health and disease.

NCCIH National Advisory Council Meeting

June 7, 2019, 10 a.m.-3:20 p.m. ET; Building 45 (Natcher), Conference Rooms E1/E2, NIH Main Campus, Bethesda, MD. Remote attendance is also being offered for this meeting.

Watch Your Step, There Is New Chemistry Everywhere

June 26, 2019, 9:30 a.m. ET; Lipsett Amphitheater, NIH Clinical Center, NIH Main Campus, Bethesda, MD. Remote viewing options will be available.

Dr. Sean Brady, Tri-Institutional Professor and Evnin Professor Head, Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules The Rockefeller University, will give the final lecture in our Integrative Medicine Lecture Series on “Microbes in Our Gut: Emerging Insights on Health and Disease.” Dr. Brady's lecture will focus on the characterization of biologically active small molecules (natural products) produced by easily cultured bacteria has been a rewarding avenue for identifying novel therapeutics, as well as gaining insights into how bacteria interact with the world around them.