News from NYU Langone Health
Inside The Operating Room Of A New Kind Of Pig Kidney Transplant. (NPR)
NPR (12/20) Towana Looney, a 53-year-old grandmother from Gadsden, Ala., became the first person to receive a kidney from a genetically modified pig at NYU Langone Health, following an FDA exception due to her immune system’s inability to accept a human kidney; while her doctors assert it as her only chance, the procedure remains controversial due to concerns about potential viral transmission from animal organs, ethical considerations regarding animal exploitation, and the pressure on patients to consent to such experimental treatments.
Also reporting are Becker’s Hospital Review (12/19), Market Designer (12/19), WNYW-TV (12/18), and Fox News (12/19).
NYU Langone Family Health Center Spreads Holiday Cheer. (WPIX-TV New York)
WPIX-TV (12/18) NYU Langone Sunset Park Family Health Center Pediatrics Clinic in Brooklyn held its annual toy drive, distributing approximately 650 educational gifts to local children and families, with Octavia Melvin, site director, saying, “The families appreciate it and it’s known by the smiles on their face when they leave and the kids are happy, we’re happy.”
Imaging Expansion At NYU Langone Health. (Crain's New York Business)
Paywalled* Crain’s New York Business (12/19) NYU Langone Health is planning a $3.5 million expansion of its Center for Women’s Imaging at 221 Lexington Ave., which will include the addition of two mammogram rooms and two ultrasound rooms, increasing the total to five rooms each, alongside related support space, as per a filing with the state Health Department, with the expansion utilizing existing administrative desk space.
Assemblyman Ed Ra’s Annual Toy Drive Brings Joy To Local Children. (Long Island (NY) Press)
Long Island (NY) Press (12/19) A 20-foot U-Haul truck filled with toys was delivered to the John Theissen Children’s Foundation and NYU Langone Hospital as part of Assemblyman Ed Ra’s annual toy drive, highlighting community support and generosity during the holiday season.
Music Bridges Memory Gaps For New York Alzheimer’s Patients. (Voice of America)
Voice of America (12/19) The Unforgettable Chorus in New York, led by Mary S. Mittelman, DrPH, research professor, Departments of Psychiatry, and Rehabilitation Medicine, uses music to help Alzheimer’s patients like Jerry Flaster reconnect with their loved ones and the world, providing a non-pharmacologic intervention that improves lives for both patients and caregivers, with Flaster’s wife, Rita Politi, saying, “It’s made a very big impact...this is the one activity left for him now that he really enjoys going to.”
Researchers Reveal Mechanisms Underlying Sjögren’s Disease. (Science Daily)
Science Daily (12/18) Researchers at NYU College of Dentistry and NYU Grossman School of Medicine have advanced in understanding Sjögren’s disease by identifying impaired regulatory T cells as a critical factor and suggesting baricitinib, a JAK inhibitor, as a promising therapy; Stefan Feske, the Jeffrey Bergstein Professor of Medicine, Department of Pathology, said, “Interferon gamma was absolutely critical for causing dysfunction of salivary glands in our mouse model.”
Also reporting is HealthDay (12/20).
Gene Therapy Trials Should Emphasize Transparency, Not Secrecy. (STAT)
STAT (12/20)* In an opinion piece, Rafael Escandon, founder and principal of DGBI Clinical Research and Ethics Consulting, and Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor, Department of Population Health, Division of Medical Ethics, both members of the Pediatric Gene Therapy & Medical Ethics Working Group, Department of Medical Ethics, write that recent deaths in gene therapy trials, including a pediatric case, underscore the urgent need for greater transparency and information sharing among stakeholders to enhance safety, arguing that the secrecy surrounding adverse events in gene therapy trials impedes the ability to prevent catastrophic outcomes and suggest that a standardized reporting mechanism could help regulators, sponsors, and institutional review boards to better manage risks and protect trial participants.
6 Medical Reasons For Abortion. (Everyday Health)
Everyday Health (12/19) In a discussion on the complexities of abortion access following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Meghana Limaye, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, said, “It’s not a decision that anybody takes lightly, especially in the context that I see it, in terms of high-risk pregnancies,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining control over one’s healthcare.
Managing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With ATTR-CM: Tips And Treatments. (Everyday Health)
Everyday Health (12/19) Maureen C. Geary, NP, amyloidosis program, highlights that amyloid buildup can affect various body systems, including the musculoskeletal system, often leading to bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome in individuals with ATTR-CM.
5 Physicians On The Cutting Edge Of Gastroenterology. (Becker's ASC Review)
Becker’s ASC Review (12/19) Andre da Luz Moreira, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, and Jordan E. Axelrad, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, were recently appointed as co-directors for the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at NYU Langone Health, highlighting their expertise in minimally invasive colorectal procedures and research on IBD intersections with gut microbiome health, respectively.
NYU Langone Health Physicians Discuss Health Consequences Of Alcohol, Life Expectancy. (KLAS-TV Las Vegas)
KLAS-TV (12/19) Jonathan D. LaPook, MD, the Mebane Professor of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, professor, Department of Population Health, said, “Less is more in terms of alcohol risk,” advising that individuals should eat before drinking, plan their intake, and stay hydrated to mitigate the health risks associated with alcohol consumption during the holidays, which the World Health Organization and CDC link to cancer and other diseases.
WNYW-NY (FOX)-3 (12/19) Rabia A. De Latour, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, discussed a CDC study showing U.S. life expectancy improving post-COVID, currently at 78.5 years, with hopes to return to the 79-year mark seen in 2014; she also commented on moderate drinking, saying, “As a physician I will never recommend to my non-drinking patient that they should drink for their health,” emphasizing that while moderate drinkers might see a 16% reduction in all-cause mortality, this is an association, not causation, and excessive drinking increases death risk.
CDC Reports First Severe Bird Flu Case In The US. (NBC News Now-2)
NBC News (12/19) Natalie E. Azar, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, clarified that the average person is not at immediate risk of bird flu exposure unless they work directly with livestock, and emphasized that while the regular flu shot does not protect against H5N1, it is still recommended to prevent co-infection, which could facilitate person-to-person transmission.
Fox News (12/19) Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, commented on the first severe human case of bird flu confirmed by the CDC, saying, “We can’t conclude [from one case] that it’s becoming more severe in humans,” while emphasizing that the virus’ mutation away from severity is a positive sign.
