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The collaborative efforts of the Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming INBRE programs evolved from the recognized scientific needs of the rural mountain west. These scientific requirements include small populations spread over wide-geographic areas, isolated undergraduate institutions focused on the underserved populations, and the need to pool limited scientific expertise and materials. By capitalizing on our scientific strengths, the INBRE networks expanded resource capabilities to address diverse, yet overlapping, science questions, specific to each state’s INBRE thematic umbrella.

2017-2024

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Researchers dig deep into cancer with magnetic nanoparticles

Drugs and other treatments can be quite effective at killing cancer cells, yet many fall short as they struggle to penetrate deep into solid tumors due to physical barriers within the tissue. But in a recent study described in ACS Nano, researchers may have found...

Decreasing the invasiveness of deep brain stimulation

Study in sheep effectively modulated deep brain regions without drilling into the skull Deep brain stimulation—the application of electricity to specific deep brain regions to modulate their function—has been used clinically for over 25 years. This technique is used...

3D-printed heart tissue, imbued with solar tech, regulates heart rhythm in preclinical study

New research suggests that engineered tissues could one day do some of the work of traditional electrical stimulation devices while offering more customizable and biologically friendly solutions. A team of NIH-funded researchers produced...

Picture this: Using AI to analyze photographs of the placenta

Early tool could predict life-threatening complications Despite its crucial role in pregnancy, the placenta is a highly understudied organ. Evaluation of the placenta after birth can provide timely information about the health of both mother and baby, yet the vast...

Early sickle cell disease intervention may lower stroke risk

In NIBIB study, bone marrow transplantation during adolescence but not adulthood protected animal arteries Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can potentially cure sickle cell disease, an inherited and painful blood disorder, but because of its potential drawbacks...

Mid-career academic researcher enjoys seeing the real-world impact of her work

Muyinatu Bell, Ph.D., is a mid-career scientist at Johns Hopkins University who is recognized for her innovations that have improved the quality of ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging. Read her profile on our Meet a Scientist page. Read More

Stimulating mice brains with focused ultrasound changes behavioral responses to pain

Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising technique for non-invasive brain stimulation. By transmitting low-intensity ultrasound waves, tFUS can target deep brain regions with potentially greater precision than other forms of...

Portable MRI, enhanced by AI, proves viable in brain imaging for dementia

Of all the instruments in the modern medicine toolbox, magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is one of the most powerful. But in many regions, the expense, space, and expertise required to use it puts this tool out of reach. A new study suggests that, with a...

Seeing eye to eye: building a cost-effective tool to visualize cancer

Frugally designed system, evaluated in mice, aims to improve access to fluorescence-guided surgery Cutting-edge surgical tools are often made with state-of-the-art technology, which can limit their overall accessibility. In an effort to expand surgical options for...

Engineering a smile

NIH-funded researchers restore facial nerve function in animals with stem cell-based conduits With the help of some of nature’s best engineers, NIBIB-funded researchers have developed technology to regrow damaged facial nerves. Leveraging stem cells’ ability to create...

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The programs in the RAIN Alliance are supported by Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the following Grant #s. Alaska INBRE: 5P20GM103395, Hawaii INBRE: 5P20GM103466, Idaho INBRE: P20GM103408, Montana INBRE: P20GM103474, Nevada INBRE: 8P20GM103440, New Mexico INBRE: P20GM103451, Wyoming INBRE: P20GM103432.