Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Spanberger Wins Virginia Governor's Race
PORTLAND, Oregon, Nov. 5 -- VoteVets issued the following statement on Nov. 4, 2025:
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Spanberger Wins Virginia Governor's Race
Tonight, Abigail Spanberger - who has been a VoteVets' candidate since initially flipping a competitive House seat in 2018 - was elected Governor of Virginia. Details on VotesVets' investments in this race can be found below. In response to Abigail's victory, VoteVets released the following statement:
"Abigail Spanberger is a strong, proven leader who will always fight for the people she serves. Abigail has been victorious time and again in high stakes circumstances
... Show Full Article
PORTLAND, Oregon, Nov. 5 -- VoteVets issued the following statement on Nov. 4, 2025:
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Spanberger Wins Virginia Governor's Race
Tonight, Abigail Spanberger - who has been a VoteVets' candidate since initially flipping a competitive House seat in 2018 - was elected Governor of Virginia. Details on VotesVets' investments in this race can be found below. In response to Abigail's victory, VoteVets released the following statement:
"Abigail Spanberger is a strong, proven leader who will always fight for the people she serves. Abigail has been victorious time and again in high stakes circumstancesand she always delivers results. Virginia families - including the over 600,000 Veterans and over 120,000 active duty Servicemembers who call the Commonwealth home - will have a true ally in the governor's mansion, someone focused on lowering costs and improving their lives. VoteVets was proud to be by Abigail's side when she was in Congress and we're excited to continue working alongside her as she takes on this new role."
VOTE VETS' VIRGINIA INVESTMENTS:
* In February, VoteVets made a historic investment in the Virginia Governor's race, directly contributing $500,000 to Abigail Spanberger's campaign - the largest single donation in the 20-year history of VoteVets.
* With the initial investment, VoteVets launched a video across our digital platforms that amplified the voice of aVirginia Veteran. The video spoke directly to Virginians about issues we all care about and which Abigail will fight for: lowering costs, tackling drug addiction in rural areas, and ensuring politicians are actually listening to and working for the people they serve.
* Over the summer, VoteVets Action fund launched a $500k ad campaign. The fully integrated paid media campaign was a key early investment that used the credibility of a local Veteran to shape public perception of the Republican nominee among moderate Independent and Republican swing voters.
* VoteVets Action Fund brought its total investment in the Virginia gubernatorial race to $1.6 million in October with another $500,000 media buy that ran statewide and another $100k direct investment in Abigail's campaign. The ad targeted white male swing voters under 45 who swung away from Democrats last cycle. The ad ran statewide on streaming, OTT and connected-TV platforms, along with live sports programming on cable systems in key markets. The ad also ran statewide on YouTube and Spotify with additional statewide cable targeting that occured on sports-focused channels (e.g. ESPN).
* VoteVets also invested in helping win a key, Red to Blue state house district, HD-64, with a $120,000 cable ad campaign. In the final week of the campaign, VoteVets expanded the targeting of this ad after adding additional funds to the initial buy.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
Last cycle alone, VoteVets spent $50 million helping to elect VoteVets-endorsed candidates. Our investments proved to be effective in helping candidates get across the finish line and we were able to see a success rate at a time when other Democrats were not as successful. Thanks in part to our investments, 143 VoteVets-endorsed candidates clinched victory amidst a global rightward lurch.
VoteVets selects candidates based on their credibility, their character, and their democratic ideals. With strong service records or national security experience, our candidates also have an ability to reach independent and swing voters that are crucial to winning elections.
Last cycle alone, VoteVets spent $50 million helping to elect VoteVets-endorsed candidates. Our investments proved to be effective in helping candidates get across the finish line and we were able to see a success rate at a time when other Democrats were not as successful. Thanks in part to our investments, 143 VoteVets-endorsed candidates clinched victory amidst a global rightward lurch. VoteVets was an early supporter of both Spanberger and Sherrill when they ran for and flipped Congressional House Districts in 2018, instantly becoming rising stars in the Democratic Party.
In 2024, VoteVets-endorsed candidates were victorious even in extraordinarily difficult contests. In an election where Republicans won control of all branches of the Federal government, our vocal support and bold ads were pivotal in clinching victory: Reuben Gallego for the Arizona Senate seat, Elissa Slotkin for Michigan's Senate seat, and Andy Kim's New Jersey Senate seat. Stateside, we rallied for Jeff Jackson, who won a crucial Attorney General's race in North Carolina. In pivotal House races, VoteVets' work yielded new members such as Congressman Derek Tran in California's 45th Congressional District and Maggie Goodlander in New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District (where VoteVets invested in an independent expenditure that helped guide her through a competitive primary process).
On the state level in the past, VoteVets has already been key in electing popular governors such as Tim Walz in Minnesota and Wes Moore in Maryland, as well as Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fonte, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs.
In addition to resources invested directly into campaigns, VoteVets holds access to a proprietary Veteran & Military Family Voter File with over 10 million voter records (80+% confidence), giving us the singular power to surgically target Veterans and military families and mobilize them to vote. Over the past several cycles, we have deployed Veteran-centric direct mail and relational Veteran-to-Veteran organizing, thereby demonstrably increasing Veteran and military family turnout in key states and districts across the nation -- and growing the power and resonance of the Veteran voice as a voice of authentic authority and integrity on matters of policy.
Simply put, with the right message and messengers, VoteVets can target voters that no one else in the Democratic ecosystem can -- voters that can make the difference in Virginia and New Jersey as well as tight midterm races we expect in 2026.
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Original text here: https://votevets.org/press-releases/spanberger-wins-virginia-governors-race
[Category: Political]
LULAC: YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE -- TU VOZ ES TU VOTO
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 -- LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens, issued the following news release on Nov. 4, 2025:
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YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE -- TU VOZ ES TU VOTO
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Urges Every Eligible Voter to Make Their Voice Heard at the Ballot Box
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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) today calls on all Americans who are lawfully entitled to vote to go to the polls and exercise their most fundamental right: the right to be heard.
"Today is not just another Election Day," said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 -- LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens, issued the following news release on Nov. 4, 2025:
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YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE -- TU VOZ ES TU VOTO
Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Urges Every Eligible Voter to Make Their Voice Heard at the Ballot Box
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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) today calls on all Americans who are lawfully entitled to vote to go to the polls and exercise their most fundamental right: the right to be heard.
"Today is not just another Election Day," said Roman Palomares, LULAC National Presidentand Chairman of the Board. "It is a moment of truth for our democracy. Our voice is our power, and when we vote, we defend our rights, our community, and our future."
Across the nation, voters are weighing in on issues that affect every household: the economy, education, public safety, health care, immigration, and housing. LULAC reminds all voters that participation in democracy is not a partisan act, but a patriotic one.
"Our ancestors fought for this privilege," added Palomares. "Now it is our duty to honor their struggle by voting. When we fail to show up, we allow others to decide our future. But when we all vote, we remind the world that power belongs to the people, not those who seek to silence us."
LULAC urges every eligible voter to stand for your beliefs, united and determined. Go vote today because your voice is powerful, and your vote is liberty.
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About League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization. Founded in 1929, LULAC is committed to advancing the rights and opportunities of Latino Americans through advocacy, community building, and education. With a growing network of councils nationwide, LULAC remains steadfast in its mission to protect and empower millions of Latinos, contributing daily to America's prosperity. For more information about LULAC and its initiatives, please visit https://lulac.org/.
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Original text here: https://lulac.org/news/pr/YOUR_VOTE_IS_YOUR_VOICE/
[Category: Political]
Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences: Long-term Surface Observations Reveal Clouds Play Key Role in Arctic Winter Warming
BOULDER, Colorado, Nov. 5 (TNSjou) -- The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences issued the following news on Nov. 4, 2025:
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Long-term surface observations reveal clouds play key role in Arctic winter warming
Ground-based measurements from Alaska offer new perspective on how changing Arctic clouds impact rising temperatures on Earth's surface
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Alaska's North Slope is warming rapidly, causing sea ice, snow, permafrost, and glaciers to melt at unprecedented rates. Such changes have significant societal implications, impacting energy and transportation infrastructure,
... Show Full Article
BOULDER, Colorado, Nov. 5 (TNSjou) -- The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences issued the following news on Nov. 4, 2025:
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Long-term surface observations reveal clouds play key role in Arctic winter warming
Ground-based measurements from Alaska offer new perspective on how changing Arctic clouds impact rising temperatures on Earth's surface
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Alaska's North Slope is warming rapidly, causing sea ice, snow, permafrost, and glaciers to melt at unprecedented rates. Such changes have significant societal implications, impacting energy and transportation infrastructure,shipping and commerce, and food security.
A new CU Boulder-led study analyzing 26 years of winter observations from this region reveals that increasing cloud opacity--cloud thickness or density--helps explain why the surface retains more heat as temperatures rise.
The work provides direct observational evidence that cloud changes amplify Arctic warming during the coldest, darkest months.
CIRES scientists and collaborators from Brookhaven National Laboratory led the research, published today in Nature Communications (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64441-8). The team analyzed ground-based measurements of surface radiation and cloud observations collected during winter at a long-term Arctic observatory in Utqiagvik, Alaska. The observations helped researchers better understand cloud feedback, or how changing clouds redistribute energy, and whether or not changing Arctic clouds are increasing or dampening warming in northern Alaska.
"There aren't a lot of constraints on how wintertime Arctic clouds respond to warming--a lot of different things might be happening," said Leah Bertrand, lead author and CU Boulder PhD candidate. "But in Utqiagvik, it turns out that changing clouds were the decisive factor in less energy leaving the surface with warming."
The research team used data from on-the-ground instruments operated by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility. The site has been stationed on Alaska's northern tip in Utqiagvik since the 1990s. The North Slope facility is one of two long-term DOE ARM atmospheric observatories in the U.S., and consists of shelters and platforms that house over 50 state-of-the-art instruments built to collect atmospheric measurements at high latitudes.
The instruments survey the atmosphere around the clock to measure heat, water vapor, and clouds. Long-term data show temperatures in the region have increased. The data here is unique--and valuable. The instruments used in the study observe lower levels of the atmosphere, including clouds and radiation, and help scientists track and evaluate changes over time.
"This Alaska DOE ARM facility provides valuable long-term observations for studies like this one," said Jennifer Kay, CIRES Fellow, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences professor, and co-author of the study. "It also offers environmental insights for people living and working in and around the northernmost city of the United States."
While many researchers have used data from this DOE site to study Arctic clouds, CIRES scientists are the first to pinpoint how changing opacity in Arctic clouds--specifically the increasing ice and water content of clouds--accelerates surface warming.
To isolate clouds and their impact on surface warming, the team focused on data collected from December to March each year, when Alaska experiences near-total darkness, coupled with colder temperatures. The observations reveal that wintertime clouds are becoming more opaque, with both ice clouds and liquid-containing clouds trapping more heat. Researchers found that these cloud changes are the key reason why more heat remains at the surface as temperatures rise during winter, rather than escaping to space. Such heating can have significant implications on permafrost and sea ice, which are both critical to energy industry efforts in this environment.
For this paper, Bertrand made a strategic decision to study Arctic clouds in the winter to eliminate the sun's impact on energy. Up next, she wants to study the different changes in Arctic clouds throughout different seasons.
"It's really exciting to put a new piece in the puzzle of Arctic clouds," Bertrand said. "By adding sunlight into the mix, we'll be able to take an even broader look at what's going on and what role clouds play in it."
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Original text here: https://cires.colorado.edu/news/long-term-surface-observations-reveal-clouds-play-key-role-arctic-winter-warming-0
[Category: Environment]
Collaboration Between OECD and IATI Strengthens Efforts to Track Aid Through Subcontractors
NEW YORK, Nov. 5 -- The International Aid Transparency Initiative, a voluntary, multi-stakeholder initiative that works with donors, partner countries and civil society organizations to make information about aid spending easier to access and use, issued the following news:
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Collaboration between OECD and IATI strengthens efforts to track aid through subcontractors
A new collaboration between the OECD Development Co-operation Directorate (DCD) and the IATI Secretariat is showing what's possible when transparency meets innovation. Through the collaboration between the OECD and the IATI Secretariat,
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Nov. 5 -- The International Aid Transparency Initiative, a voluntary, multi-stakeholder initiative that works with donors, partner countries and civil society organizations to make information about aid spending easier to access and use, issued the following news:
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Collaboration between OECD and IATI strengthens efforts to track aid through subcontractors
A new collaboration between the OECD Development Co-operation Directorate (DCD) and the IATI Secretariat is showing what's possible when transparency meets innovation. Through the collaboration between the OECD and the IATI Secretariat,the initial findings are uncovering how aid flows through global delivery chains more visibly - and why working together is essential to make these flows clearer and more accountable.
The IATI Secretariat presented early findings from its collaboration with the DCD at the Development Finance Data Forum, an open session of the DAC Working Party on Development Finance Statistics (WP-STAT). This marked the first time the WP-STAT has opened its discussions to external participants in this way, reflecting growing collaboration between OECD DAC and external stakeholders, including IATI, and recognition of IATI's role in advancing transparency across development finance.
Why track subcontracting?
Under the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Recommendation on Untying Official Development Assistance (ODA), donors have pledged to ensure that aid to least developed and low-income countries is not tied to the purchase of goods or services from donor countries.
Despite these commitments, the OECD notes that high-value aid contracts are still most often awarded to suppliers based in donor countries (see Working Paper below). This raises concerns about donor-country bias and the limited participation of local firms in aid delivery.
Currently, OECD-DAC reporting on contract awards covers only public contracts (by donor and recipient governments) and not procurement contracts by NGOs and prime contractors - private firms or organisations hired by donors to manage aid projects and oversee subcontractors responsible for implementation. This data offers limited visibility into the subcontracting that happens further down the delivery chain.
Using data on subcontracting
This OECD-IATI pilot seeks to address this gap. It explores whether examining the next level of contracting - the subcontracts awarded by prime contractors - could provide a more complete reflection of how aid is being untied in practice and the extent to which local procurement is taking place.
To do this, the study examined two data sources on subcontracts: data collected directly by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) from its prime contractors, and data published by organisations in IATI.
The pilot focused on:
* Assessing the feasibility of tracking subcontracts across the aid delivery chain.
* Demonstrating how this information can:
1. Strengthen donor assessments of untying commitments.
2. Promote greater transparency, accountability, and locally led development.
As part of the study, the IATI Secretariat analysed data published by several prime contractors funded by the UK or Dutch government. Using IATI data, the Secretariat identified sub-contractors by name and country.
Pilot: Early findings
Early findings show that capturing data on aid subcontracts is both possible and valuable.
* The pilot confirmed that different data models offer complementary strengths: Australia's PERFORMS system provides robust, centrally managed data with clear insights into subcontracting trends, while IATI's decentralised model enables broader accessibility and real-time mapping of project-level relationships.
* The findings also note that data quality and coverage vary across IATI publishers.This challenge reinforces the importance of continued investment in capacity-building and interoperability between systems.
Initial findings were shared on 14 October 2025 at the DAC Working Party on Development Finance Statistics (WP-STAT) open session, the Development Finance Data Forum in Paris. The discussion brought together diverse perspectives and confirmed how data on aid subcontracts can help donors, implementing partners, and local suppliers better understand where aid money flows. This can, in turn, support efforts to promote aid untying and locally led development.
This marks the first presentation of the pilot's findings. The IATI Secretariat will continue working with the OECD and partners to refine methodologies and explore how these insights can inform broader efforts to improve the transparency and fairness of aid procurement.
Read the OECD DAC Working Paper:
DAC Working Party on Development Finance Statistics, Exploring methods to track aid subcontracts (https://one.oecd.org/document/DCD/DAC/STAT(2025)56/en/pdf)
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Original text here: https://iatistandard.org/en/news/oecd-development/
[Category: Sociological]
CODEPINK Files an Ethics Complaint Against Senator Josh Hawley for False Accusations and Unethical Conduct
LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 5 -- CodePink, a grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S.-funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, posted the following news release on Nov. 4, 2025:
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CODEPINK Files an Ethics Complaint Against Senator Josh Hawley for False Accusations and Unethical Conduct
WASHINGTON - CODEPINK has officially filed an ethics complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee against Senator Josh Hawley (MO) for his unethical, slanderous, and McCarthy-like statement made to a CODEPINK volunteer in the halls of Congress.
On Wednesday, Oct.
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, Nov. 5 -- CodePink, a grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S.-funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, posted the following news release on Nov. 4, 2025:
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CODEPINK Files an Ethics Complaint Against Senator Josh Hawley for False Accusations and Unethical Conduct
WASHINGTON - CODEPINK has officially filed an ethics complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee against Senator Josh Hawley (MO) for his unethical, slanderous, and McCarthy-like statement made to a CODEPINK volunteer in the halls of Congress.
On Wednesday, Oct.28, Hawley publicly stated, "I think the U.S. ought to investigate your organization and maybe you for the money that you've taken from Chinese donors who are persecuting Uyghurs."
"You love China. You take blood money from China. It's simple."
CODEPINK has repeatedly emphasized that it is funded exclusively by individuals and foundations and operates without influence or support from any foreign entity.
In contrast, CODEPINK points out the routine and well-documented foreign lobbying and financial contributions received by hundreds of members of Congress, including Senator Hawley, from foreign interest groups such as the Israel lobby.
CODEPINK volunteers, who are not paid, represent the majority of the American public and do not take money from any foreign government or political party. They are workers, veterans, artists, and peace activists from across the country.
"These statements are not only false and defamatory--they represent a dangerous effort to suppress peaceful dissent and vilify grassroots activism," said CODEPINK spokesperson. "We have repeatedly and publicly clarified that China or any foreign government does not fund CODEPINK, nor do we have any contact with the Chinese Communist Party."
As elected officials, Senators are responsible for upholding the truth and not using their positions to conduct smear campaigns against peaceful activists," said CODEPINK. We call on the Senate Ethics Committee to hold Senator Hawley responsible for his conduct.
For more information, please contact Melissa at melissa@codepink.org
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Original text here: https://www.codepink.org/hawleyethicscomplaint
[Category: Sociological]
Brady Responds to NRA Restructuring News Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 -- The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence issued the following news release on Nov. 4, 2025:
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Brady Responds to NRA Restructuring News Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections
In the 2024 elections, the NRA spent $11 million, a third of its 2020 budget and one-fifth of its spend in 2016
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Today, the National Rifle Association (NRA) announced that it will be furloughing dozens of staff and restructuring operations as it prepares for the 2026 midterm elections. Recently, researchers at Stanford University published initial findings on the gun lobby's surge in campaign contributions
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 -- The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence issued the following news release on Nov. 4, 2025:
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Brady Responds to NRA Restructuring News Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections
In the 2024 elections, the NRA spent $11 million, a third of its 2020 budget and one-fifth of its spend in 2016
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Today, the National Rifle Association (NRA) announced that it will be furloughing dozens of staff and restructuring operations as it prepares for the 2026 midterm elections. Recently, researchers at Stanford University published initial findings on the gun lobby's surge in campaign contributionsat the federal level for House of Representatives candidates in the aftermath of fatal school shootings.
Brady President Kris Brown said:
"Thoughts and prayers to the NRA as it continues its slow-motion implosion into financial ruin. For decades, the organization has abused its tax-exempt status with the IRS to misdirect their members' dues, fund their leaders' lavish lifestyles, and peddle the Big Lie that more guns keep Americans safe. Brady's founders - gun owners Jim and Sarah Brady - referred to the NRA as 'the Evil Empire,' and we continue to thank all the activists through the years who've worked to hold the NRA accountable for the countless lives lost to gun violence and shielding politicians from electoral pressure."
For years, Brady has worked to expose the NRA's irresponsible business practices. Among these efforts include:
* Sent over 150,000 petitions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) demanding an investigation to remove the NRA's tax-exempt status.
* Since the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, Brady grassroots activists have held monthly protests at the NRA headquarters outside Washington, D.C.
* Filed numerous Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and lawsuits to uncover the NRA and gun industry's role in the formation and implementation of gun policy under the Trump Administration.
* Brady's Legal Team has brought forward litigation against NRA-backed states laws, including one in Florida that restricted doctors from talking to their patients about the risks of guns on behalf of doctors who believed the law violated their First Amendment rights.
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Brady has one powerful mission -- to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It's in our hands.
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Original text here: https://www.bradyunited.org/press/nra-furloughs-staff
[Category: Political]
Biology of Adversity Project launches at Broad Institute
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Nov. 5 [Category: Medical] -- The Broad Institute posted the following news:
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Biology of Adversity Project launches at Broad Institute
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Most people have experienced distressing events in their lives, such as violence, neglect, or natural disasters. These and other kinds of adverse experiences can have dramatic effects on physical and mental health, yet scientists don't fully understand how they affect the body at the cellular and molecular level. To uncover how adverse experiences can inflict molecular "scars" in the genome and body and lead to negative health
... Show Full Article
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Nov. 5 [Category: Medical] -- The Broad Institute posted the following news:
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Biology of Adversity Project launches at Broad Institute
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Most people have experienced distressing events in their lives, such as violence, neglect, or natural disasters. These and other kinds of adverse experiences can have dramatic effects on physical and mental health, yet scientists don't fully understand how they affect the body at the cellular and molecular level. To uncover how adverse experiences can inflict molecular "scars" in the genome and body and lead to negative healthoutcomes such as heart disease, researchers at the Broad Institute have launched an interdisciplinary, collaborative effort called the Biology of Adversity Project.
Initial funding for the project is provided by a $50 million gift from Treehouse Family Foundation, whose mission is to improve lifelong health and opportunity by preventing childhood adversity and reducing its effects. Jason Buenrostro, a core institute member at Broad, professor of stem cell and regenerative biology at Harvard University, and a 2023 MacArthur Fellow, leads the project.
The effort convenes researchers from the Broad and other institutions, including institute member Karestan Koenen, who is also a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Other project researchers are Ya-Chieh Hsu, Charles Nelson, and Bruce Ksander of Harvard University; Jakob Hartmann of McLean Hospital; Ravi Raju of Boston Children's Hospital; Sara Prescott of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT; Matthias Nahrendorf, Wolfram Poller, and Lauren Orefice of Massachusetts General Hospital; Francisco Quintana and Vadim Gladyshev of Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Broad core institute member Fei Chen.
A primary goal of the project is to learn how different forms of adversity, including acute traumatic experiences and more prolonged exposures, increase the risk of certain physical and mental health disorders, including cardiovascular disease, autoimmunity, and major depression. The project team will also create and share critical data and technology resources that will empower new research at any institution, all with the goal of finding ways to better diagnose susceptibility and treat adversity-associated diseases.
"It's hard to overstate just how common adversity and traumatic experiences are and how profound their effects can be on child development and adult health," said Buenrostro. "Adversity is a major driver of many health conditions, but we don't really know how it gets encoded in genes or cells and then decoded in our bodies. This is precisely what we aim to find out in this initiative."
The Biology of Adversity Project is collaborating with and building on the foundation laid by the Broad Trauma Initiative (BTI), which was launched at Broad in 2022 with philanthropic support from Treehouse Family Foundation. Led by Koenen, an institute member at Broad and a professor of psychiatric epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, BTI was founded to improve the health and well-being of trauma survivors. The initiative also closely collaborates with Archana Basu, an assistant professor at Massachusetts General Hospital and a research scientist at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, to implement trauma-informed care programs.
"We know that most Americans will experience a traumatic event a serious accident, disaster, or violence at some point in their lives, and events such as natural disasters are becoming more common and impacting large populations," Koenen said. "What happens when people experience trauma from these kinds of events? Why do some veterans come home with PTSD? These sorts of questions have been studied by clinical psychologists and epidemiologists but not as much by laboratory scientists."
Koenen added, "The Biology of Adversity Project is tackling these really important questions and new molecular insights from this work will point the way toward new and better interventions that will hopefully help people be more resilient in the face of adversity."
"There's no doubt that this will be a challenging project, but the negative impacts of adverse experiences on health are too important to ignore. If we can get to the molecular basis of how adversity affects the human body, it will be a huge advance," said Todd Golub, director of the Broad Institute.
Genes, cells, and new tools
The new project is studying the biological effects of a range of adverse life experiences. To do this, Buenrostro and his colleagues are applying the latest advances in single-cell genomics to analyze cells and tissues from both large human cohorts and mouse models of stress. They hope to discover which genes, cells, and biochemical pathways are altered by exposure to adversity, and to identify the damaging genetic, epigenetic, and cellular "scars" that drive the unhealthy impacts of adversity.
The project is integrating expertise from various disciplines to study the impact of adversity on the whole organism, beyond just the brain. For example, the team includes scientists who study the peripheral nervous system and how certain signals from the brain can disrupt cells and tissues throughout the body.
"We are confident that a deeper understanding of these mechanisms will one day lead to new kinds of diagnostics that can identify the trauma-exposed people who are more likely to develop adverse health outcomes so that patients can receive better clinical care earlier," Buenrostro said.
Buenrostro came to this project partly because of his innovations in epigenetics the study of chemical changes to our DNA that alter gene expression. Studying these changes in both humans and animal models is an important part of this work, because adverse life experiences are encoded into our DNA by epigenetic changes that then have ripple effects in cells and tissues throughout the body. "Epigenetics connects our environment to our health," Buenrostro said.
Over the last decade, Buenrostro and his lab have developed several widely used research tools for studying the epigenome at single-cell resolution. As part of the new project, they will develop new tools to accelerate scientific discovery that could lead to potential therapies and diagnostic markers.
"Imagine a world where we understood how our daily stress was damaging our health. We could track stress with simple tests and intervene to prevent or reverse its harmful effects," said Prescott, a project team member at MIT. "In this world, adversity would no longer silently fuel chronic diseases."
Personal connection
Buenrostro feels a strong personal connection to the new project. He was the first in his family to attend college, and he says many people close to him experienced abuse, addiction, and were the victims of crime. He noticed that while some people showed resilience in the face of these challenges, others did not.
"As scientists, there are some things that we study because of the learning opportunity and other things we study because we're passionate about trying to solve an important health problem," Buenrostro said. "For this project, I think both things are true. I have a deep personal connection with this research mission."
Looking ahead, Buenrostro says he wants to grow the Biology of Adversity Project community and emphasizes the need to collaborate with people from a variety of disciplines. Together with his collaborators, he aims to build a team that includes researchers from public health, social sciences, molecular and cell biology, neurobiology, and technology development.
As the project grows, Buenrostro envisions studying adversity in a broader way.
"We want to leave the door open to think about more and different types of adversity and how people across the U.S. are affected," Buenrostro said. "So we envision a future where we're studying this in a holistic way to include many of the key factors that impact communities."
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Original text here: https://www.broadinstitute.org/news/biology-adversity-project-launches-broad-institute
