Wyss Institute

A federal court in Massachusetts temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s new cap on indirect cost reimbursements for NIH grant recipients nationwide. District Judge Angel Kelley on Monday granted a temporary restraining order that bars the NIH from implementing a proposed rate limit of 15% for indirect costs, which are made up of facilities, IT, support, maintenance and other similar activities. The order takes effect immediately, and will remain in effect “until further order of this Court.” Earlier on Monday, Kelley had halted the new cap only within the states that are challenging it. The latest order applies to institutions nationwide. On Monday, 22 state attorneys general sued the government over the cuts, arguing that they would cause “critical public health research” to “grind to a halt.” Many universities have negotiated indirect cost rates higher than 50%. A group of organizations representing schools and hospitals filed a separate lawsuit against the government and also requested a temporary restraining order. Those plaintiffs include the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. The states filing suit include: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. Both lawsuits argue that NIH exceeded its statutory authority in issuing the rate limit. The states also alleged in their lawsuit that NIH violated Congress’ “express directives in the appropriation acts governing the NIH, and HHS’s own regulations that prohibit NIH from requiring such categorical, indiscriminate changes to indirect cost rates.” The NIH said in its notice that the limit will ensure the agency’s grant funds are “to the maximum extent possible, spent on furthering its mission.” However, states and organizations have said that researchers rely on predictable federal funding. The UMass Chan Medical School could lose $40 million to $50 million per year with the new rate, according to the states’ complaint. Donald Ingber, founding director of Harvard University’s Wyss Institute, said in a statement before the court’s order that “the potential negative impact of this change on the development of breakthrough advances for life-threatening diseases is obvious and distressing to all of us who live in this world of science and medicine.” Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect the court’s latest order granting a nationwide pause on the cap.

Microbiome journal publishes peer-reviewed landmark study NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FitBiomics, a leading biotechnology company using microbiome innovation to create next-generation probiotics, announced today the release of its latest research on the sleep-exercise-microbiome nexus. The landmark proof-of-concept study, published by the journal Microbiome, examined the effects of Lactobacillus bacteria on elite athletes and the general population. FitBiomics' research concludes that athlete-derived probiotics contained in its product, Nella, improve non-athlete wellness. This marks the first-ever probiotic/microbiome intervention clinically validated to improve gut and sleep health, together. Click here to view the full study. "This publication not only underscores FitBiomics' commitment to advancing science-backed wellness solutions through peer reviewed validation; it also marks a new chapter in our ability to rapidly translate the microbial attributes of the most fit people in the world into preventative medicine solutions to benefit everyone," said Dr. Jonathan Scheiman, Co-founder and CEO of FitBiomics. "Our research shows the profound impact of Nella on the microbiome outside of just 'the gut,' with brain and immune benefits. We are excited to publish the impact of Nella on improving a person's quality of life and longevity by aiding with sleep, while also increasing energy and improving gastrointestinal function—all crucial factors in achieving optimal health and daily performance." Topline findings of the study include: Study participants given a novel probiotic, containing multiple strains of athlete-derived Lactobacillus bacteria, reported a 69% increase in sleep quality, a 31% increase in energy level, and a 37% improvement in bowel movement regularity when compared to other participants given a placebo. Researchers observed changes in blood biomarkers indicating reduced oxidative stress and improved recovery from physical strain, and further analysis showed distinct changes in microbial community composition and function associated with the observed effects. This new research suggests that gut microbes could be harnessed to improve the wellbeing of people with a less active lifestyle. In 2021, FitBiomics introduced its first consumer product under the brand Nella. Developed with the company's patented next-generation Lactobacillus probiotic strains, Nella is a probiotic designed for anyone looking for improved sleep quality, more energy and better digestion. These groundbreaking discoveries are the result of technology developed and spun out of Harvard's prestigious Wyss Institute, where researchers studied the microbiome of elite athletes. To learn more about FitBiomics' latest research on Nella and view the video abstract, click here. For interviews, and additional information, please contact [email protected]. About FitBiomics FitBiomics is a leading biotechnology company that is enhancing human health and wellness by decoding the microbiome of the most fit and healthy people in the world, then translating that biological information into next-generation nutrition. The company has a bold vision to fundamentally change the way we understand and optimize our bodies by accelerating innovations into the global wellness economy. Based on cutting-edge findings from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard and dedicated to promoting health equity, FitBiomics has created a suite of clinically validated products to address significant consumer health concerns. The company's first two products are Nella and V•Nella. Nella is designed to support better digestion and sleep, while V•Nella is designed to reduce fatigue and promote energy and endurance, with more products to come from their innovation platform. For more information visit: Media Contact: Corinne Fitamant Goodman Media International for FitBiomics [email protected] SOURCE FitBiomics WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Researchers at Boston University and the Wyss Institute at Harvard invented a new approach to tissue engineering using gallium. They call the approach ESCAPE — engineered sacrificial capillary pumps for evacuation. In new research published in Nature, the team showed how they used gallium as a molding material for generating cell structures. These structures, which come in a range of shapes and sizes, can be used to engineer tissue. Christopher Chen, director of BU’s Biological Design Center and core faculty member at the Wyss Institute, led the research. The team used gallium to overcome the challenges associated with using other, sometimes fragile materials that don’t always fit for tissue engineering. Gallium is a soft silvery metal that melts just above room temperature, so it remains solid at room temperature for easy handling. Chen also said it works well as a casting material. However, the key comes with biocompatibility and the ability to melt it at cell-friendly, low temperatures. That makes it easy to extract gallium without destroying a delicate mold. Meanwhile, the material can also be switched at a higher surface tension state, meaning it can be triggered to pump itself out of confinement. This process — called capillary pumping — represents the “CAPE” in “ESCAPE.” In the process, the researchers first generate their desired shape using fabrication processes and materials designed for patterning. They then use Gallium to form a solid metal cast of the shape. Next, they polymerize the desired biomaterial around the gallium cast before melting and removing the gallium cleanly. This leaves behind an intact biomaterial scaffold to which they can add and culture cells to form tissue architectures. ESCAPE can work with several tissue architectures. The team started with vascular forms to model structures of blood vessels. Another approach involves independent tissue networks, interwoven with each other. The team fabricated interwoven blood and lymphatic networks to showcase how these tissue networks are comprised. Additionally, the team built cavities packed with cardiac cells to capture the way vascular networks nourish other cells within a tissue. “We envision using ESCAPE with new cell types and new shapes representative of different organs,” Chen said. “We also want to use it in organoid cultures. Then, we plan to expand to more materials beyond the three we tried in this research. “With this research, we have the basic design rules in place to predict the reliability of ESCAPE. Simulating the capillary pumping process will allow us to test different designs computationally in advance.”