Public Affairs and University Relations | Brown University Media Relations

Sheila Blumstein: Albert D. Mead Professor of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences

Mysteries of cognition

Brain Section Multitasks, Handling Phonetics and Decision-Making

Scientists from Brown University and the University of Cincinnati found that a portion of the brain that handles decision-making also helps decipher different sounds. Details are in the July issue of the journal Psychological Science.

(Distributed June 30, 2009)

News Advisory

Brown University Professor Helps Rank Top 100 Health Priorities

A new report from the Institute of Medicine recommends 100 health topics that need priority attention as the nation sets out to reform and improve the health care system. Constantine Gatsonis of Brown University served on the IOM’s national committee of experts that compiled the June 30 report, Priorities For Comparative Effectiveness Research.

(Distributed June 30, 2009)

From Lab to Market: The new Center for Energy Research seeks to move alternative energy research from ideas to reality.

Brown University, Draper Laboratory Announce Plans for Energy Research Center

Brown University and Draper Laboratory intend to establish a center to turn promising research discoveries into products that help tackle energy challenges in the United States. The parties have signed a memorandum of understanding that represents the first step toward creating a Center for Energy Research.

(Distributed June 30, 2009)

Bacterial assassins: Iron-oxide nanoparticles developed at Brown University target an infected prosthesis, penetrate a bacterial film on the implant’s surface and thwart the colony by killing the bacteria. The nanoparticles also are believed to help natural bone cell growth.

Biotechnology

Implant Bacteria, Beware: Researchers Create Nano-sized Assassins

Infected implants now have a foe. Brown University researchers have created a nanoparticle that can penetrate a bacterial-produced film on prosthetics and kill the bacteria. The finding, published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine, is the first time that iron-oxide nanoparticles have been shown to eliminate a bacterial infection on an implanted prosthetic device.

(Distributed June 25, 2009)

Expert Commentary

Brown Faculty Researchers Are Working on NASA’s Return to the Moon

Brown University moon experts are available to comment on NASA’s launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scheduled for mid-June. Brown is also a Lunar Science Institute, one of seven institutes created by NASA to study the moon and to cultivate the next crop of lunar scholars.

(Distributed March 4, 2009)

From thought to action: BrainGate technology is designed to read brain signals associated with controlling movement, which a computer could translate into instructions for moving a computer cursor or controlling a variety of assistive devices.

Hope for people with paralysis

Brain-Computer Interface, Developed at Brown, Begins New Clinical Trial

The BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial has begun at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. BrainGate is based on research from the lab of John Donoghue, director of the Brown Institute for Brain Science. Donoghue and Dr. Leigh Hochberg, associate professor of engineering at Brown and a vascular and critical care neurologist at Massachusetts General, are leading the research.

(Distributed June 10, 2009)