Latest Tufts University Stories

New drug treatment triggers sodium ions to regrow nerves and muscle; could extend treatment window for acute injuriesSodium gets a bad rap for contributing to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Now biologists at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences have discovered that sodium also plays a key role in initiating a regenerative response after severe injury. The Tufts scientists have found a way to regenerate injured spinal cord and muscle by using small molecule drugs to trigger...

The Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) today issued a landmark report from a multi-state study on psychotropic medication oversight in foster care. Led by Laurel K. Leslie, MD, MPH at Tufts CTSI, Christopher Bellonci, MD at Tufts Medical Center and Justeen Hyde, PhD at Cambridge Health Alliance, the study examined state policies and practices in 47 states, including Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia regarding the use of medication for treating behavioral and...

NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Daily Beast did the math on the largest colleges and universities in the U.S. to calculate the 50 most dangerous and 50 safest schools. Additionally, the Web site has broken out the most dangerous colleges by league: the Ivy League, Big Ten, SEC, etc. specifically profiling college crime ranks for murder and serious assault. According to The Daily Beast's methodology* the most dangerous colleges are: 1) Tufts University 2)...

Sustainable Agriculture and Positive Deviance Focus of New Programs BOSTON, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Timothy Griffin, PhD, Director, Agriculture, Food and Environment Program at Tufts' Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Program Chair for the Fifth Annual Friedman School Symposium announced today the addition of two in-depth workshops that create new educational opportunities for attendees to the November, 2010 conference. "Our work in sustainable agriculture and...

With NSF support, engineers from Tufts University are bringing engineering to young students.Chris Rogers at Tufts University is working to improve science education by bringing engineering into K-12 classrooms.Rogers and his colleagues think it is important to start teaching engineering early since the engineering principles of building and designing to solve problems motivates young students to pursue science and math. Rogers stresses that we "need to make a K-12 education something...

"Nutrition Security" is Focus of Tufts Friedman School Symposium BOSTON, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Eileen T. Kennedy DSc, Dean of Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy announced the 5th Annual Friedman School Symposium, November 5-6, 2010 in Boston and streaming live online. "We have a comprehensive program that will examine the far-reaching implications of nutrition security, but what is most remarkable is the collection of leaders who will come to present at the...

A decade of research yields new uses for ancient materialTougher than a bullet-proof vest yet synonymous with beauty and luxury, silk fibers are a masterpiece of nature whose remarkable properties have yet to be fully replicated in the laboratory.Thanks to their amazing mechanical properties as well as their looks, silk fibers have been important materials in textiles, medical sutures, and even armor for 5,000 years.Silk spun by spiders and silk worms combines high strength and extensibility....

BOSTON, June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Tufts Medical Center physicians are conducting live medical consultations from their facilities in Massachusetts to earthquake-ravaged areas in Haiti. Tufts clinicians, together with Tufts University School of Medicine students in Haiti, consult on demand and in real time with Boston-based Tufts Medical Center specialists to augment treatment of the challenging conditions facing Haitian patients. "Tufts University School of Medicine and Tufts Medical Center...

Staying in shape may bolster the metabolic profiles of college students, even in those with higher than desirable body fat percentages. In an epidemiological study, researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University found an association between physical fitness, body fat percentage and certain metabolic risk factors that are precursors to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.The data were collected from 564 male and female students who enrolled in the...

Previously unknown group behaviors lead to better housing for allEveryone wants to live in the nicest possible house, ideally with regular upgrades. A recent study by biologists at Tufts University's School of Arts and Sciences and the New England Aquarium reveals that hermit crabs may locate new and improved housing using previously unknown social networking skills.The scientists combined field studies, lab experiments and computer models to uncover some surprising new tricks that could lead...