Norton College of Medicine at Upstate Medical University Embarks on Traumatic Brain Injury Clinical Trial

Upstate Medical University has been chosen to join a national $32 million multi-institutional clinical trial to improve patient outcomes following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Learn more.

Weill Cornell Medicine: Scientists Use A.I.-Generated Images to Map Visual Functions in the Brain

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell Tech and Cornell’s Ithaca campus have demonstrated the use of AI-selected natural images and AI-generated synthetic images as neuroscientific tools for probing the visual processing areas of the brain. The goal is to apply a data-driven approach to understand how vision is organized while potentially removing biases that may arise when looking at responses to a more limited set of researcher-selected images. Learn more.

New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine: How Gamers’ Health Fared During the Pandemic

The onset of COVID-19 coincided with the peak growth of video game usage, with 2.7 billion players gaming in 2020. During the pandemic shutdowns, gaming and streaming platforms offered an entertaining, social, and safe alternative to recreation during severe lockdowns and social isolations. But how did the pandemic impact players’ physical and mental health? Learn more.

University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry: Pancreatic Cancer Discovery Opens the Door for New Clinical Trial at Wilmot

Pancreatic cancer is tricky to manage because it spreads easily and early, and the tumors have a unique biological makeup. But, researchers made a breakthrough by learning about the genetic changes that occur during tumor migration — and also found a drug that can obstruct the process. Learn more.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Hope for Eradicating Dormant but Deadly Cancer Cells

One of the main hallmarks of cancer is out-of-control cell division—the reason chemotherapy drugs target rapidly dividing cells in primary tumors or in tumors that have spread to other parts of the body. However, even before a primary tumor is detectable, some of its cells may travel to distant organs where they thwart chemotherapy by entering a dormant state. Years later, those cells may “awaken” to form metastatic tumors, which account for more than two-thirds of cancer deaths. Learn more.

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Turning Drug Resistance Against Itself

Cancer drug resistance remains a leading reason why treatments for specific cancers eventually do not work. A team of Stony Brook University researchers led by Gábor Balázsi, PhD, have been testing drug resistance with mammalian cell lines. Their latest investigation reveals that by taking a part of a DNA amplification from a cell, which causes resistance, and placing it back in, actually stops the drug resistance. Learn more.

Cardiology

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons: Patients Living with a Heart Pump Benefit from Aspirin-Free Regimen

New research conducted at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and other locations shows that aspirin-free treatment can improve outcomes for people living with a heart pump by reducing hospitalizations without increasing the risk of blood clots. The study was presented during a late-breaking session at the 2023 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia on Nov. 11 and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Learn more.

Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell Study Conducted Towards Patient Centered Outcomes for Cardiac Arrest Victims

A new study published by a team of researchers including Daniel Jafari, MD, MPH, professor of emergency medicine and surgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, examines recent trends of outcome metrics in the field out-of-hospital-cardiac-arrest (OHCA) research. Learn more.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Bioengineers Send Cardiac Muscle Samples Into Space to Study Heart Cell Biology in Microgravity

Mount Sinai’s Cardiovascular Research Institute is sending bioengineered human heart muscle cells and micro-tissues into space for the first time on NASA’s 29th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission, which launched Thursday, November 9. The “SpaceX CRS-29” mission is sending scientific research to the International Space Station (ISS), where the samples will stay for approximately 30 days before returning to Earth. Learn more.

Weill Cornell Medicine: Deep Brain Stimulation Improves Cognition During Chronic Recovery Phase of Brain Injury

Five people who had life-altering, seemingly irreversible cognitive deficits following moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries showed substantial improvements in their cognition and quality of life after receiving an experimental form of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in a phase 1 clinical trial. The trial, reported Dec. 4 in Nature Medicine, was led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine, Stanford University, the Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Medical School and the University of Utah. Learn more.

University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry: Manipulating Fluid Flows in the Brain Could Save Lives, Improve Recovery Post-TBI

Cerebral edema, the dangerous brain swelling that occurs after traumatic brain injury (TBI), can increase risk of death tenfold and significantly worsen prospects for recovery in brain function.  In extreme cases, surgeons will remove a portion of the skull to relieve pressure, but this has significant risks and is not viable for the vast majority of TBI cases. Learn more.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Traumatic Memories Are Represented Differently Than Regular Sad Memories in the Brains of People With PTSD, New Research Shows

A new analysis of the brain activity of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the first to reveal that traumatic memories are represented in the brain in an entirely different way than sad autobiographical memories. Learn more.

New York Medical College: New Study Finds Racial Disparities in Postoperative Outcomes for Cervical Stenosis

Significant racial disparities were found to exist in the trajectory of cervical stenosis with Black and Hispanic patients more likely to experience more serious functional and quality-of-life impairments according to a new study published in the North American Spine Society Journal by New York Medical College faculty and medical students. Learn more.

Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University: Could Our Body’s “Bleach” Be Key to Fighting a Common Fungal Pathogen?

A study that assesses the effects of hypochlorous acid (HOCI), commonly known as bleach, as it is generated during the immune response of a cell (phagocytosis) when fighting a common fungal pathogen, Candida albicans, reveals that HOCI is a potent killing agent. Learn more.

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons: Mijo Simunovic’s Lab Creates Human Stem Cell Models to Understand Early Human Embryogenesis

Developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert famously declared that “it is not birth, marriage or death, but gastrulation which is truly the most important time in your life.” He had a point. The earliest events in development—in which a cluster of identical stem cells develops a distinct axis and then starts to form its gut—defines an animal’s entire body plan. Doing it one way builds a cat; doing it just a little differently, a crocodile. Learn more.

Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell: Advancements Being Made In The Neonatal Nephrology Field

Addressing the urgent need for ongoing research, clinical trials, and longitudinal studies to advance the field of neonatal nephrology, a team of researchers that included Abby Basalely, MD, professor of pediatrics at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School Of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, held networking session at this year’s Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting held in Washington, D.C.. Learn more.

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo Announces New Effort to Enhance and Expand Aging-Related Research

To address the increasingly urgent needs of the growing population of adults aged 65 years and older, the University at Buffalo will dedicate $4 million to aging-related research. The investment will leverage UB’s wide-ranging expertise in age-related issues and research throughout its 12 academic units. Learn more.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine: Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Awarded FDA Grant for Clinical Trial on Experimental AML/MDS Treatment

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)—two related blood diseases that disproportionally strike older adults—are notoriously difficult to treat and associated with high relapse rates. Although new therapies have improved survival, treatment options remain limited, and the prognosis for the 50% of people who experience disease relapse remains poor. Learn more.

New York Medical College: Dr. Mitchell Cairo Awarded Grant to Support Osteosarcoma Research

Osteosarcoma is one of the most common pediatric bone cancers affecting children, adolescents and young adults, with chances of survival just 20 percent once the cancer has recurred or spread beyond the bone. To help combat this dismal statistic, Mitchell Cairo, M.D., professor of pediatrics, cell biology and anatomy, medicine and of pathology, microbiology and immunology at New York Medical College, will lead a team of researchers in a study to develop a novel immunotherapy approach. Learn more.

Norton College of Medicine at Upstate Medical University Combining Cell Biology and Bioengineering, Researchers Work to Create ‘Mini Kidney’ for Accurate Testing

Upstate Medical University cell biologist Mira Krendel, PhD, working with Syracuse University bioengineer Pranav Soman, PhD, will use a nearly $500,000 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) over the next two years to create a 3D printed miniature model of the kidney system. Learn more.

More News

Albany Medical College: Stand Up to Parkinsons Supports Research at Albany Medical College

Since 2019, Stand Up to Parkinson’s has been raising funds to bring awareness to Parkinson’s disease in the Capital Region, support programming for local patients, and further local research and treatment efforts. Founded by Tim Lange, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2017, the organization holds several events each year, with all funds raised going to support Parkinson’s research and programs that provide opportunities for Parkinson’s patients to live more rewarding lives. Learn more.