Announcements | July 1, 2020 Wen Chen, Ph.D. Â Have you ever wondered how we sense and regulate the myriad needs of our bodies? How do we sense the basic needs to breathe, eat, drink, or urinate? How do we sense, interpret, and integrate signals from within our bodyâs internal landscape across conscious and unconscious levels? This experience of our internal bodies is called interoception. It is considered the sixth sense, in addition to our five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. A better understanding of how it works is critically dependent on the ability to probe the interoceptive process scientifically. Â |
NCCIH is seeking input for the development of our next strategic plan from the research community and other stakeholders. We welcome your perspectives on scientific objectives, opportunities for progress in complementary and integrative health research, research needs and gaps, opportunities in implementation science, and other topics. Organizations are strongly encouraged to submit a single response that reflects the views of their organization and membership as a whole.  We have issued a Request for Information (RFI) to notify stakeholders about the process for giving input. The deadline for responding to the RFI has been extended to July 13, 2020.  Please submit your comments by email to nccihstrategicplan@mail.nih.gov or use the webform.  | New research by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute has traced the neural pathways that connect the brain to the gut in rats. The research, published in a recent issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, emphasizes the importance of the brainâbody connection and points to how the brain can affect organ function. The research also may provide clues about the connection between stress and stomach ulcers. The study was supported in part by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  |
July 6, 2020 NCCIH Blog Team  On June 3, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pain Consortium held its annual symposium, which highlights a significant topic relevant to pain and offers current information and perspectives on chronic pain and pain research. The mission of the Consortium is to enhance pain research and promote collaboration among researchers across NIH institutes and centers with a focus on pain. The theme for 2020 was âTechnologies for Improved Understanding and Management of Pain.â  Resources for Researchers Notice of Participation of NCCIH in PAR-19-342, "Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Institutionally-Focused Research Education Award to Promote Diversity (UE5 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" Notice of Participation of NCCIH in PAR-19-343, "Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions with NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31)  Upcoming Events July 15, 2020 from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. ET; NIH Videocast  As part of the 2020 NCCIH Hot Topic Webinar series organized by NCCIH, please join us online through NIH Videocast; registration is not required and there is no cost.  | 