Skip to main content
NIH Record - National Institutes of Health
Illustration of how DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids cross the blood-brain barrier using a lipid transporter

November 24, 2023

  • Headshot of Monica Bertagnolli. She is wearing a brown jacket with a patterned red shirt. An American flag takes up the left side of the background.

    Bertagnolli Begins as NIH Director

    Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli started Nov. 9 as the 17th director of NIH. She is the first surgeon and the second woman to hold the position. Nominated by President Joe Biden, Bertagnolli was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Nov. 7.
  • Dr. Rajan headshot

    Rajan Studies How Fat Cells Communicate with the Brain

    By By Eric Bock

    Fruit flies have fat—but not too much, said Dr. Akhila Rajan. What little fat there is has helped scientists make unexpected findings about how fat cells communicate with the brain, said Rajan, during a recent Judith H. Greenberg Early Career Investigator Lecture. Fat cells, also referred to as adipocytes, are an organism’s primary energy storage organs.
  • Dr. Li Yang

    NCI Investigator Discovers Signals that Spur Metastatic Cancer

    By Dana Talesnik

    NCI's Dr. Li Yang and colleagues recently discovered a mechanism that may underlie cancer relapse. They found that dying cancer cells emit signals that can trigger the growth of nearby cancer cells. Further research into this phenomenon could yield clues toward new ways to treat metastatic cancer.
  • Panelists sit on stage. Boyce is talking into mic as others listen.

    Hope Offered for Patients with Rare Disorder

    By Tiffany Chen

    Investigators and patient families discuss their experiences with fibrous dysplasia/McCune Albright Syndrome (FD/MAS), a rare disease of the skeleton, skin and endocrine system, during a symposium marking25 years of NIDCR research. The familes have found answers and expert care over the years from NIH clinician-scientists.
Illustration of how DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids cross the blood-brain barrier using a lipid transporter

On the Cover

DHA crossing the blood-brain barrier. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that is important for a healthy nervous system. This model shows how DHA and other omega-3 fatty acids cross the blood-brain barrier through the lipid transporter Mfsd2a.

Photo: Ethan Tyler/NIH Medical Arts

Back to Top