Tag "centres of excellence"

Researchers from the International Laboratory of Microphysiological Systems at HSE University's Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology are developing methods to reduce tumour cell resistance to drugs and to create more effective, personalised cancer treatments. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Diana Maltseva, Head of the Laboratory, talks about their work.

Researchers from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have developed a tool for accurately assessing reading skills in adults with reading impairments. It can be used, for instance, before and after sessions with a language therapist. The tool includes two texts that differ in content but are equal in complexity: participants were observed to read them at the same speed, make a similar number of errors, and understand the content to the same degree. Such parallel texts will enable more accurate diagnosis of dyslexia and better monitoring of the effectiveness of interventions aimed at addressing it. The paper has been published in Educational Studies.

For the first time in Russia, a team of scientists and clinicians has conducted a large-scale genetic study of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The team, which included researchers from the International Laboratory of Bioinformatics at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science, analysed the genomes of over a hundred patients and found that approximately one in ten carried pathogenic mutations in the BMPR2 gene, which is responsible for vascular growth. Three of these mutations were described for the first time. The study has been published in Respiratory Research.

For more than five years, the International Laboratory of Bioinformatics at the HSE Faculty of Computer Science has been advancing cutting-edge research. During this time, its scientists have achieved major breakthroughs, including the development of CARDIOLIFE—a unique genetic test unmatched worldwide that predicts the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. With the active participation of HSE students, including doctoral students, the team is also working on a new generation of medicines. In this interview with the HSE News Service, Laboratory Head Maria Poptsova shares insights into their work.

Researchers at HSE University have found that identifying with one’s country can support psychological coping during difficult times, particularly when individuals reframe the situation or draw on spiritual and cultural values. Reframing in particular can help alleviate symptoms of depression. The study has been published in Journal of Community Psychology.

Neural interfaces developed by scientists at HSE University in collaboration with clinicians make it possible to communicate with the brain and decode its signals. The use of such interfaces opens up opportunities to stimulate brain activity, restore and normalise muscle control in patients who have suffered a stroke, heart attack, or other neurological disorders, and support the rehabilitation of individuals with traumatic brain injuries or limb loss. Alexey Ossadtchi, Director of the Centre for Bioelectric Interfaces at the HSE Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, discusses the centre and its work.

In July, a team from the HSE Centre for Language and Brain, in collaboration with the Centre for the Study, Preservation, and Development of Native Languages of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), conducted the first-ever neurolinguistic expedition to the village of Churapcha to study reading in the Yakut language using electroencephalography (EEG). For the first time, EEG data from 43 adults and behavioural data from 40 children was collected during the two-week expedition.

Scientists at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain have identified key factors that increase the effectiveness of mobile and computer-based applications for aphasia rehabilitation. These key factors include automated feedback, a variety of tasks within the application, extended treatment duration, and ongoing interaction between the user and the clinician. The article has been published in NeuroRehabilitation.

An international team of researchers including scientists from HSE University has experimentally demonstrated that individuals with bipolar disorder tend to perceive the world as more volatile than it actually is, which often leads them to make irrational decisions. The scientists suggest that their findings could lead to the development of more accurate methods for diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder in the future. The article has been published in Translational Psychiatry.

Researchers at HSE University analysed over 4,000 examples of Russian spoken by bilinguals for whom Russian is a second language, collected from seven regions of Russia. They found that most non-standard numeral constructions are influenced not only by the speakers’ native languages but also by how frequently these expressions occur in everyday speech. For example, common phrases like 'two hours' or 'five kilometres’ almost always match the standard literary form, while less familiar expressions—especially those involving the numerals two to four or collective forms like dvoe and troe (used for referring to people)—often differ from the norm. The study has been published in Journal of Bilingualism.