Above and Beyond!

As I have said before, I take every opportunity to sing the praises of the 1,700 men and women who work at NLM and demonstrate their commitment to advance our important mission. Every day, NLM staff serve science and society by transforming information into knowledge, which enables researchers, clinicians, and people around the world use … Continue reading Above and Beyond!

Building Bridges Throughout My Career

Last month, I had the pleasure of hosting a fireside chat with Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at NIH and our nation’s top infectious disease expert. This event took place as part of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) 2020 Virtual Annual Symposium and was … Continue reading Building Bridges Throughout My Career

Dr. Isaac Kohane: Making Our Data Work for Us!

Last weekend, Isaac Kohane, MD, PhD, FACMI, Marion V. Nelson Professor of Biomedical Informatics, and Chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School received the 2020 Morris F. Collen Award of Excellence at the AMIA 2020 Virtual Annual Symposium. This award – the highest honor in informatics – is bestowed to an … Continue reading Dr. Isaac Kohane: Making Our Data Work for Us!

Congratulations, AAHSL Fellows!

Image that says "Congratulations" and shows a laptop in the foregrounds and two people wearing face masks bumping elbows.

For almost 20 years, NLM and the Association of the Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) have worked together to support the development of the next generation of medical library leaders through a joint NLM and AAHSL Leadership Fellows Program. Since its launch, this program has matched fellows and mentors in a one-year leadership development program … Continue reading Congratulations, AAHSL Fellows!

Meet NLM’s Newest Investigator: Lauren Porter, PhD, Researches “Transformer-Like” Proteins

Photo of NLM's Newest Investigator: Lauren Porter, PhD and a second photo of her in the lab.

Recently, I introduced you to Xiaofang Jiang, PhD, one of NLM’s new tenure-track investigators, who is developing computational methods to advance our understanding of the human microbiome, which plays a very important role in our health. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Lauren Porter, PhD, a Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator in the NLM’s … Continue reading Meet NLM’s Newest Investigator: Lauren Porter, PhD, Researches “Transformer-Like” Proteins

Meet Our Newest Investigator: Xiaofang Jiang, PhD, Seeks a Greater Understanding of the Human Microbiome To Improve Health

Dr. Xiaofang Jiang at the computer and portrait with list of her publications in the background

In this week’s installment of Musings, I’d like to introduce you to Xiaofang Jiang, PhD, who recently joined NLM’s Intramural Research Program as a tenure-track investigator. Dr. Jiang’s research focuses on the development of computational methods to advance our understanding of the human microbiome, which plays a very important role in our health. Her lab … Continue reading Meet Our Newest Investigator: Xiaofang Jiang, PhD, Seeks a Greater Understanding of the Human Microbiome To Improve Health

On the Importance of Mentors (and Mentors Who Become Friends)

Brief definition of Mentor overlaying a line sketch of people talking

The best mentors not only provide a sounding board to try out new ideas and thoughts, they also give you the confidence to ride new waves of opportunity. But sometimes mentors become something more: They become your lifelong friends. That’s the way it’s been for me with Jon White, MD. I’ve been blessed with many … Continue reading On the Importance of Mentors (and Mentors Who Become Friends)

It Takes a Village

Concept image: an orange bacteriophage rests on the corner of a PubMed search results page

Last Friday, the National Library of Medicine hosted a conversation with spouses and authors Dr. Steffanie Strathdee and Dr. Thomas Patterson about their book, The Perfect Predator, which details Tom’s extreme, sudden, and terrifying illness and his hard-fought return to health. While vacationing in Egypt, Tom developed an infection in his pancreas brought on by … Continue reading It Takes a Village