NLM Musings from the Mezzanine
Innovations in Health Information from the Director of the National Library of Medicine
Curious about what’s going on at NLM, NLM history, or this blog? You’ve come to the right place.
NLM is more than just a resource for credible health information, scientific literature, and research resources; it also plays a critical role in helping to shape scientific and technological directions. The Division of Extramural Programs provides funding that directly supports cutting-edge science.
More than 10,000 rare diseases affect up to 400 million people worldwide, and those with rare diseases struggle for about six years on average before they receive an accurate diagnosis. But data-driven innovations are unlocking answers about rare diseases—as well as more common diseases—faster than ever before.
Right now, I am reading The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles. One quote that struck me the most is, “Libraries are lungs. Books the fresh air breathed in to keep the heart beating, to keep the brain imagining, to keep hope alive.”
Guest post by Andrew Wiley, Video Producer, NLM Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL). NLM recently featured a video that highlights an exciting project funded through the NLM Extramural Programs Division. A team led by Quynh Nguyen, PhD, MSPH, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, used … Continue reading Can Computer Vision Models Help Us Picture Better Health Outcomes?
NIH leadership recently gathered for its annual planning and evaluation retreat, and for the first time since late 2019, we all sat together in one large room. I cannot capture in words how inspiring and energizing it was to be together—but let me tell you, it really was! Through masks and with appropriate physical distancing, … Continue reading Working to Innovate the Future of Work
Let’s meet Zhiyong Lu, PhD, a Senior Investigator for our National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Computational Biology Branch and member of the NLM Intramural Research Program. He is leading a team of research scientists to harness the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) to advance the ways our products and services work—advancements … Continue reading Meet the NLM Investigators: Dr. Zhiyong Lu is Teaching Computers to Think Like Scientists
NIH’s Andrea Norris is an outstanding example of a visionary and leader in health information technology. She possesses deep technical knowledge, experience, creativity, and thoughtfulness. I had the good fortune to work closely with Andrea and considered her to be one of my closest colleagues here at NIH. In celebration of her more than 30 … Continue reading Dr. Andrea Norris to Retire, Leaving Legacy of Successful Innovation
Guest post by Dianne Babski, Associate Director for Library Operations, and Patrick Casey, NLM Building Engineer. This serves as a follow up to a previous blog post, (Re)Engineering the National Library of Medicine Building, from July 2021. In fall 2017, NLM engaged with NIH facilities management, architects, and historic preservation specialists to explore ways to … Continue reading Renovating and Rebuilding to Advance Our Future
When we launched this blog over six years ago, we selected the title NLM Musings from the Mezzanine to reflect that the thoughts and ideas originated in this beautiful place, situated on the upper story of the National Library of Medicine building on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. I reflected on this inspirational place … Continue reading The NLM Mezzanine . . . A Space and a Place
I LOVE this time of year…. I love the cold weather (I am a snow baby at heart!); I love the holiday season and the connections with my past and present; I love the sense that as one year ends, a new one comes along—and we don’t have to do anything to make this happen! … Continue reading Endings and Beginnings