News from NYU Langone Health
Woman's lupus journey sheds light on how the body attacks itself in autoimmune diseases
Associated Press
Scientists are making significant progress in decoding the biology of autoimmune diseases, which affect millions and are often challenging to treat. Building on discoveries from cancer and COVID-19 research, new therapies like CAR-T are showing promise for conditions such as lupus and Type 1 diabetes. Amit Saxena, MD, a rheumatologist and director of NYU Langone’s Rheumatology Clinical Research Program, highlighted this as the most exciting time for autoimmunity research. The National Institutes of Health is also pursuing a five-year plan for further research, aiming to intervene in simmering diseases.
11/04/2025
Increased access to weight loss drugs can lower health care costs down the line, doctor says
CBS News
Holly Lofton, MD, director of NYU Langone Health’s medical weight management program, discusses how broader access to the latest weight-loss medications could reduce long-term health-care expenses. With more people able to use these treatments, fewer will develop costly complications of obesity — such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and joint problems. While the drugs themselves are expensive upfront, the investment may pay off by preventing serious conditions requiring hospitalisation and ongoing care. Dr Lofton emphasises the importance of combining treatment with lifestyle support to maximise benefits and argues insurers and policy-makers should consider covering these therapies more widely, given their potential to ease the future burden on health-care systems
11/05/2025
18 health systems listed as ‘Most Wired’
Becker's Hospital Review
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has recognized NYU Langone Health as one of only 18 hospitals and health systems nationwide to achieve Level 10 status in its 2025 Digital Health Most Wired survey — the program’s highest distinction. The designation honors organizations demonstrating exceptional digital maturity and innovation in areas such as data analytics, cybersecurity, patient engagement, AI adoption, and virtual care.
Also reporting was: Digital Health Insights, Mobile Health Times, ADVFN, Yahoo Finance, Investors Hangout
11/04/2025
Celebrity trend of cloning beloved pets—experts warn of ethical concerns
WICZ-TV (Vestal, NY)
Tom Brady has joined a growing list of celebrities cloning their late pets. After his dog Lou died in June, Mr Brady worked with biotech company Colossal, which also made headlines for reviving the extinct dire wolf. Using advanced cloning methods, scientists take cells from a deceased pet, insert their nuclei into an egg, and implant the embryo into a surrogate, resulting in a genetically identical puppy. Other stars, like Paris Hilton and Barbra Streisand, have also cloned their beloved dogs. However, experts warn that cloning doesn’t reproduce the same soul or personality—just the genes. Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor, Department of Population Health, Division of Medical Ethics, highlights ethical concerns, citing the use of many animals in the process and the high cost, around $50,000 per clone. While some see it as a loving tribute, others question whether science should go this far for companionship.
11/05/2025
Cancer Immunotherapy News Roundup for October 2025
Oncology News Central
A phase 3 trial announced by NYU Langone Health showed that postsurgical pembrolizumab may prevent the spread of Merkel cell carcinoma. Two years after surgery, 73% of patients treated with pembrolizumab remained recurrence-free compared with 66% of patients without it. Patients receiving pembrolizumab also had significantly improved distant metastasis-free survival. Janice Mehnert, MD, lead investigator and associate director, Clinical Research, Perlmutter Cancer Center, stated this provides the first solid evidence that immunotherapy after surgery can help prevent cancer recurrence in distant organs.
11/05/2025
Two main methods for discovering disease genes reveal distinct aspects of biology
News Medical
A new study led by NYU Langone Health researchers, including Hakhamanesh Mostafavi, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Population Health, and in the Center for Human Genetics & Genomics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, reveals distinct biological insights from two disease gene discovery methods. Published in Nature, the research found genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identify genes influencing multiple traits, while burden tests focus on disease-specific genes. This work clarifies genetic findings for disease risk and has significant implications for drug development, highlighting the need for new methods to infer gene importance.
Also reporting was: AZoLifeSciences
11/06/2025
Novel Anti-TL1a Antibody Shows Potential for Crohn’s Disease
Medscape
Duvakitug, a novel anti-TL1a monoclonal antibody, demonstrated statistically significant differences in endoscopic response rates for Crohn’s disease in a phase 2b study. Jordan Axelrad, MD, MPH, FACG, co-director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at NYU Langone Health and associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, commented that duvakitug is a promising therapy, rivaling existing treatments, especially for patients with prior advanced therapy exposure. Axelrad noted the anti-TL1a inhibitor class offers potential for durable disease control by targeting inflammatory and fibrotic pathways, but emphasized the need for larger phase 3 studies.
11/06/2025
COVID-19 Vaccination Reduces Risk of Long COVID in Adolescents, New Study
SCIENMAG
A groundbreaking study published in Vaccine, part of the NIH-funded RECOVER Initiative, reveals COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces the risk of developing long COVID in adolescents. Unvaccinated adolescents exhibited a long COVID incidence exceeding 20%, while vaccinated peers showed a marked decrease to approximately 13%, corresponding to a 36% risk reduction. This comprehensive analysis, which included NYU Langone Health among its collaborating academic institutions, provides the first robust data supporting vaccination as a crucial preventative measure against chronic post-COVID sequelae in young populations. The findings underscore vaccination's importance for preventing acute infection and mitigating long-term health burdens.
Also reporting was: Bioengineering
11/05/2025
Bariatric surgery vs. GLP-1s in patients with diabetes: Greater long-term benefits, higher costs
Endocrine Today
A new analysis comparing bariatric surgery versus obesity drugs in diabetes patients with obesity found surgery had higher total costs but greater long-term benefits. Karan R. Chhabra, MD, MSc, assistant professor of surgery and population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, presented these findings at ObesityWeek. The retrospective cohort study used MarketScan data, identifying 6,748 adults who initiated semaglutide or underwent bariatric surgery. While semaglutide had lower total costs at three years, the difference narrowed annually. Surgery showed more short-term complications but improved long-term clinical effectiveness.
11/06/2025
Doctors explain why some people 'scream sneeze' and why it's not such a bad thing
Upworthy
The article explores why individuals sneeze differently, referencing medical experts. Erich Voigt, MD, director, Division of General Otolaryngology and Sleep Surgery, explains that sneezes are involuntary reflexes to clear the upper airway, making their force uncontrollable. He notes that the sound of a sneeze depends on whether the force exits through the nose, mouth, or both. Other physicians highlight that lung capacity, body size, and vocal cord structure also influence sneeze volume. Experts caution against suppressing sneezes due to potential physical repercussions.
11/05/2025
Beyond The Walls: The “how and why” behind what drives today’s ophthalmologists
Ophthalmology Times
The 'Beyond The Walls' podcast features Marguerite B. McDonald, MD, clinical professor of ophthalmology at NYU Langone Medical Center, discussing her pioneering career in refractive surgery and dry eye research. She shares her journey from severe myopia to performing the world’s first excimer laser procedure. McDonald emphasizes patient focus, perseverance, and leadership, while also detailing her current research on amniotic membranes in ocular surface disease. She offers advice to young ophthalmologists on speaking up and trying new opportunities.
11/06/2025
Out-of-Pocket Costs of Bariatric Surgery Less than GLP-1 Therapy
MedCentral
A retrospective cohort study presented at Obesity Week 2025 found bariatric surgery for individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity was associated with lower out-of-pocket spending but higher insurance plan spending compared with injectable semaglutide. Karan R. Chhabra, MD, MSc, of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, who presented the results, noted surgery's long-term effectiveness outweighs upfront risks. Donglan Zhang, PhD, of NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, was senior author. The study also revealed patients undergoing surgery had fewer long-term cardiovascular events than those initiating semaglutide.
11/06/2025
Ferroptosis Suppression Identified as a Key Driver of Lung Cancer Growth
AZoLifeSciences
On 5 November 2025, NYU Langone Health researchers reported in Nature that blocking ferroptosis suppressor protein 1 reduces lung adenocarcinoma growth in mice by up to 80 percent and improves survival. Genetic deletion or an experimental inhibitor, icFSP1, heightened ferroptosis and outperformed GPX4 targeting. Thales Papagiannakopoulos, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pathology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said the findings support advancing FSP1 inhibitors toward clinical development.
11/06/2025
Audiology Online
Nicholas Reed, AuD, PhD, faculty in the Departments of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery and Population Health and at the NYU Langone Health Optimal Aging Institute, is presenting a course on hearing, hearing aids, and cognition. The session, in partnership with the American Academy of Audiology, reviews epidemiologic literature, assesses methodologic rigor, and summarizes current findings within a causal framework. It also deconstructs clinical trial results on whether hearing aids delay cognitive decline, considering population versus individual interpretations. Nicholas Reed, AuD, PhD, is employed by NYU Langone Health and receives grant funding for his research on hearing loss and aging.
11/07/2025
