Tulane has a history at the forefront of groundbreaking research. From our founding combating infectious disease, to finding innovative solutions to wetland erosion, environmental challenges and other global problems, Tulane has long been a hub of meaningful exploration and discovery. Tulanians are dedicated to tackling the toughest challenges.
Studying Long COVID
Neurological complications are often among the first symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and can be the most severe and persistent. TRACY FISCHER, PH.D., lead investigator and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center, began studying the brain tissue of several subjects that had been infected soon after the primate center launched its COVID-19 pilot program in spring of 2020. She led the research team that found severe brain inflammation and injury consistent with reduced blood flow or oxygen to the brain, including neuron damage. Microhemorrhages, or small bleeds in the brain, were also present. Surprisingly, these findings were seen in subjects that did not experience severe respiratory disease from the virus. The report was published in Nature Communications, an open access, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research.
Estrogen and the Brain
A team of scientists from the TULANE BRAIN INSTITUTE is embarking on a five-year systematic investigation on why the brain-protecting benefits of estrogen may not apply to all women, especially those with hypertension and Type 2 diabetes. Awarded a $14 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the project will determine under what conditions estrogen therapy may increase or decrease risk for developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Fleur FemTech Winners
Approximately 10 percent of American women of childbearing age suffer from endometriosis, a gynecological condition that causes severe pelvic pain and can take an average of 10 years to diagnose. Graduate student ARYA MONTICINO, sophomore JASMINE KILEY, PhD candidate SHELBY WHITE, and junior ALEXIS LAROSA joined forces for the Eighth Annual Novel Tech Challenge to find a way to shorten that timeline. TEAM FLEUR FEMTECH won the grand prize with a home-use test the team designed to detect the disease.
MAKE WAY FOR RESEARCH THAT MATTERS
Research Awards
The inaugural TULANE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND ARTISTIC
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS honored outstanding scholars and recognized exceptional research achievement and impact on advancing knowledge in science, engineering, health, education, or creativity in the arts, the humanities and other academic fields of study.
