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RFU Neuroscientist Awarded $2.3 Million NIH Grant to Fund Ground-Breaking Research on Covid-19’s Impact on Adolescent Brains

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Nicole Ferrara, PhD, will investigate how social deprivation alters amygdala development and social behavior during adolescence

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nicole Ferrara, PhD, a neuroscientist and assistant professor of physiology and biophysics at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU) secured a five-year, $2.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how adolescent brains are affected by social disruptions such as COVID-19.

Dr. Ferrara’s research project, “Social Experience Guides BMA Mediated Social Development,” explores how significant social disruptions shape the neural processes that govern social behaviors. Her work is part of RFU’s Brain Science Institute as part of the Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders. 

“It’s rare that people are in total isolation,” Dr. Ferrara said. “More often, it’s restricted or inconsistent contact, and we want to see how that affects the brain. What we’re learning from the research during the COVID19 lockdown is that those breaks are connected to the rising rates of anxiety, depression, and social dysregulation.”

Janice Urban, PhD, interim executive vice president of research and director of the Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, said Dr. Ferrara’s research is important because it focuses on a critical period of brain development.

“Since many mental health disorders manifest during adolescence and early adulthood, the results of these funded studies will provide important information that can be utilized to develop therapeutic interventions that could lessen these maladaptive changes and ultimately mental health disorders,” Dr. Urban said.

Some of the behaviors impacted by social disruption include withdrawal from friends and family, aggression or hostility, slowed social maturation, poor school performance and substance abuse. This work is timely given that the psychosocial aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic are a major driving force underlying the steep rise in the incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders, especially in adolescents who are now approaching early adulthood.

Dr. Ferrara and her team’s future research will center on how social deprivation during adolescence and adulthood shapes amygdala function leading to negative consequences on mental health and social behavior. Her preliminary data demonstrate a strong scientific premise that the basomedial amygdala (BMA) is developmentally unique from other parts of the brain in the way it functions during the teen and young adult years, which may make it especially susceptible to social disruption. 

Ferrara joined RFU in 2018 as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology. She became an assistant professor in September 2022 and is a faculty member in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and the Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders.

About Rosalind Franklin University

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is committed to serving the global population through the interprofessional education of health and biomedical professionals and the discovery of knowledge dedicated to improving wellness. Founded in Chicago in 1912, RFU embodies the spirit of inquiry and excellence modeled by its namesake Dr. Rosalind Franklin, whose Photo 51 was crucial to solving the structure of DNA. Recognized for its research in the areas of neuroscience, brain related diseases, inherited disorders, diabetes, obesity, and gait and balance, the university includes Chicago Medical School, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Learn more at rosalindfranklin.edu.

Media Contact:
Lisa Baer, Sr. AVP for Marketing and Communications
Office of Marketing and Communications
media@rosalindfranklin.edu

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SOURCE Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

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Fairwinds Credit Union Data Breach Investigation: Edelson Lechtzin LLP Probes Class Action Claims After Customer Data Is Exposed

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National class action law firm offers free, confidential case evaluations to Fairwinds Credit Union investors, tenants, partners, and others whose personal information may have been exposed in the reported data breach.

NEWTOWN, Pa., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Edelson Lechtzin LLP, a national class action law firm, is investigating data privacy claims arising from a reported data breach at Fairwinds Credit Union. Anyone who has received a data breach notice from Fairwinds Credit Union, or who believes their personal information may have been exposed, can request a free case evaluation.

Fairwinds Credit Union data breach — at a glance

Company: Fairwinds Credit Union is a federally insured financial institution focused on helping members achieve financial freedom.Reported: The company notified affected individuals and reported the incident to state regulators on or about September 23, 2026.How it reportedly happened: Fairwinds Credit Union discovered suspicious activity on November 7, 2025. An investigation revealed that between September 7, 2025, and November 7, 2025, an unauthorized actor accessed and acquired information from Mercadien’s systems. Fairwinds Credit Union hired Mercadien to conduct an independent review for quality control and regulatory compliance.When: The breach reportedly occurred on or about November 7, 2025.  Who may be affected: It is unknown what the total number of individuals affected is, but the notices went out to New Hampshire residents.  Status: Fairwinds Credit Union notified affected New Hampshire residents on September 23, 2026. It ended its relationship with Mercadien.Cost to you: Nothing. Click here for a free evaluation.

What Happened

Fairwinds’ vendor, Mercadien, suffered a cyberattack in 2025 that may have exposed members’ personal and financial information. Fairwinds was notified in August 2026 and completed its review in September. The breach affected Mercadien’s systems, not Fairwinds’, and Fairwinds is offering affected members free identity and credit protection services.

What Personal Information May Be at Risk

Based on public accounts and regulatory filings, the information potentially involved varied by individual and may include:

NamesSocial Security numbersFinancial account informationDriver’s license numbers

Who May Be Affected

The investigation focuses on Fairwinds Credit Union consumers’ exposed sensitive personal information. Anyone who has received a data breach notification connected to this incident may face an increased risk of identity theft and fraud and is encouraged to come forward.

Your Legal Options

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is investigating a potential class action to pursue legal remedies on behalf of individuals whose sensitive personal data may have been compromised in the reported breach. A successful case could recover compensation for losses such as lost time, out-of-pocket costs, and loss of privacy, and could push Fairwinds Credit Union to strengthen how it protects personal information. The firm will evaluate your rights and potential claims at no cost.

Recommended Steps to Protect Yourself

Review your account statements and credit reports regularly and stay alert for suspicious activity.Confirm whether your information was involved in the Fairwinds Credit Union incident.Preserve any letters or emails you received about the breach.If credit monitoring was offered in your notice, consider enrolling before the stated deadline, and consider placing a fraud alert or security freeze with the three major credit bureaus.

Contact Us for a Free Case Evaluation

Speak confidentially with a data privacy attorney today: Marc Edelson, Esq., Edelson Lechtzin LLP, 411 S. State Street, Suite N-300, Newtown, PA 18940; Phone: 844-696-7492; Email: medelson@edelson-law.com; Web: www.edelson-law.com.

About Edelson Lechtzin LLP

Edelson Lechtzin LLP is a national class action law firm with offices in Pennsylvania and California. In addition to data breach litigation, the firm handles class and collective actions involving securities and investment fraud, federal antitrust violations, ERISA employee benefit plans, wage theft, and consumer fraud.

Media and Partnership Inquiries: Use the contact information above to connect with our team regarding interviews, co-counsel opportunities, and referral partnerships.

Legal Notice: This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The reported data breach described above, and certain details concerning it, remain unconfirmed.

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SOURCE Edelson Lechtzin LLP

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Bare Bones Collective turns Ganesh Chaturthi’s ‘Morya’ chant into an interactive campaign for BigBasket

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The Morya Meter transformed a giant modak into a functioning decibel meter, drawing 5,000+ participants, 10,000+ attempts and a 120-decibel “Morya” in Mumbai

MUMBAI, Sept. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Creative agency Bare Bones Collective transformed one of Ganesh Chaturthi’s most instinctive traditions into an interactive brand experience for BigBasket with the Morya Meter; a giant modak fitted with a functioning decibel meter that invited Mumbaikars at Carter Road to shout “Morya” and compete to see who could register the loudest response.

The campaign was rooted in a simple cultural observation: someone says “Ganpati Bappa” and everyone around instinctively responds with “Morya”  loudly and collectively. Rather than create another piece of festive communication for audiences to passively consume, Bare Bones turned something people already do and love doing into the experience itself.

The modak was equally intentional. Synonymous with Ganesh Chaturthi as both an offering and festive essential, it created a natural connection to BigBasket as a destination for Ganesh Chaturthi essentials.

Girish Narayandass, Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Bare Bones Collective, said, “The best cultural ideas often come from noticing something people already do instinctively. You say ‘Ganpati Bappa’ and everyone around responds with ‘Morya!’  loudly and collectively. We didn’t want to manufacture a festive behaviour for the brand; we wanted to build upon one that already belonged to people. The Morya Meter came from asking one very simple question: what if we could actually measure that energy?”

From an idea to a giant modak in two weeks

Bare Bones Collective had just two weeks between locking the idea and taking it live.

The agency partnered with MOMS Outdoor to turn the concept into a functioning installation, while Sujay Kulkarni and team captured the unscripted reactions on ground, allowing the physical activation to extend onto social media.

The team initially set the challenge at 90 decibels. That benchmark didn’t last long.

Participants began returning for multiple attempts, trying to beat their own scores and one another’s. Soon, queues began forming around the giant modak.

Over the course of the activation, more than 5,000 people stepped up to the Morya Meter, clocking over 10,000 attempts. The loudest “Morya” eventually hit 120 decibels.

The Morya Meter was born from BigBasket’s brief to break through the sameness of festive communication around Ganesh Chaturthi. The brand wanted an on-ground activation that could build awareness and brand love while reinforcing BigBasket as a destination for Ganesh Chaturthi essentials and an idea that could travel organically from the street to social media.

The campaign also builds on an existing relationship between BigBasket and Bare Bones Collective, with the agency having previously worked on the brand’s performance campaigns. BigBasket’s collaborative approach and willingness to explore unconventional ideas gave Bare Bones the creative freedom to move beyond conventional festive advertising and turn a cultural insight into a participative brand experience.

About Bare Bones Collective

Bare Bones Collective is an independent creative agency founded by Girish Narayandass, Anuya Jakatdar and Swati Dua, built on the belief that great brands are built through audacious work. A team of communication problem solvers, Bare Bones is led by the idea first and the medium second, creating work across film, outdoor, digital, social, influencer, experiential, 360-degree and performance marketing.

In under four years, the agency has worked with 20+ brands, including Google, Prime Video, Nykaa, BigBasket and CEEW, with its work generating 500 million+ views and appearing across 250+ billboards.

Website: https://www.barebonescollective.com/ 

For Media/Interviews contact:

Dhvani Zatakia | PRwallahs
M: +91 99206 20987 | E: dzatakia@prwallahs.com

 

 

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EasyShiksha’s B2B Partner Network Grows Past 50 Members — Now Inviting More Educators and Institutions to Earn Commission for Life

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Individual educators, counsellors, and institutions across India and internationally have joined EasyShiksha’s referral program since launch, earning 15–30% commission on student enrollments — including on every future purchase a referred student makes, not just their first

GURGAON, India, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — EasyShiksha, an online education platform operated by EdSpectra Global Private Limited, today announced that its B2B Partner Network has surpassed 54 approved partners, and is opening its doors wider to educators, counsellors, coaching institutes, colleges, and organizations looking to turn their existing networks into a recurring source of income.

The EasyShiksha B2B Partner Network, launched on earlier this month, allows partners to refer students to EasyShiksha’s catalog of certification courses, online internship programs, and university-affiliated certifications, earning commission on each paid enrollment without taking on any responsibility for teaching, certification, or student support.

Why the Program Is Drawing Early Interest

Unlike typical referral or affiliate arrangements that pay a one-time commission and end the relationship there, EasyShiksha’s model is built around what the company calls lifetime attribution: once a student is linked to a partner’s referral code, every future purchase that student makes — a second certification, an internship, a subscription — continues to generate commission for the original partner, indefinitely, with no need to refer that student again.

Commission scales with volume rather than staying flat, starting at 15% for partners referring up to 100 paid students a month and rising to 30% for partners above 1,000, a structure designed to reward institutions and high-network individuals who treat referrals as an ongoing activity rather than a one-off.

“Fifty-four partners at this stage might sound modest set against where we’re headed, but every one of them is someone who looked at this model and decided it was worth trying with their own students, colleagues, or network,” said Sunil Sharma, CEO, EasyShiksha.

“We built this program because we believe the people who already have a student’s trust — a teacher, a counsellor, an institute — are better positioned to guide them toward the right opportunity than another advertisement ever could be. Fifty-four partners in, that belief is starting to prove itself out, and we want many more people to be part of what comes next.”

Who the Program Is Built For

EasyShiksha says the partner base reflects the program’s intended breadth: individual educators and career counsellors with an engaged personal or professional network, alongside institutional partners such as coaching centres, colleges, and placement offices referring at higher volume. Both categories operate on identical commercial terms, with the only practical difference being the information collected during application.

The program is open to applicants both within India and internationally, with commission paid via bank transfer for India-based partners and PayPal for international partners.

How to Join

Applying to the EasyShiksha B2B Partner Network takes approximately five minutes and does not require any marketing or sales background. Applicants provide basic contact and account details, and — for India-based applicants — PAN details and, where applicable, GST registration information. Most applications are reviewed and approved within one to two business days, after which a partner’s referral code and dashboard access go live immediately.

Approved partners receive access to a real-time dashboard tracking referrals, commission tier, and payout history, along with ready-to-use marketing materials, message templates, and — as of recently — a dedicated partner support contact to assist with onboarding and ongoing questions.

“Anyone who’s ever been asked ‘where should I learn this?’ already has what it takes to be a partner,” Sharma added. “You don’t need to be a marketer. You just need to be someone people already trust for that kind of advice — and we’ll handle everything from there.”

Apply Today

Educators, counsellors, coaching institutes, colleges, and organizations interested in joining the EasyShiksha B2B Partner Network can apply at https://easyshiksha.com/b2b-partners. There is no cost to apply, and no obligation to hit any particular referral volume to remain an active partner.

About EasyShiksha

EasyShiksha is an online education platform offering certification courses, internship programs, and certifications in association with partner universities, spanning technology, business, and professional-skills subjects. EasyShiksha is operated by EdSpectra Global Private Limited.

About EdSpectra Global Private Limited

EdSpectra Global Private Limited is a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, headquartered at Gurgaon, India. EdSpectra operates EasyShiksha and maintains educational partnerships with schools, universities, and organizations through its Educational Alliances initiative.

Media Contact

Richa Sharma
Corporate Partnerships Manager
Email: richa@easyshiksha.com
Phone: +91 8178790608

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