News from NYU Langone Health
Alabama Woman Receives Gene-Edited Pig Kidney Transplant In Experimental Surgery. (NBC News Now)
NBC News (12/17) A Georgia grandmother has become the fifth person in the U.S. to receive an organ transplant from a genetically modified pig through a procedure performed at NYU Langone Health, which may offer a potential solution to the nationwide shortage of organ donors. Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair, Department of Surgery, director, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, discussed the gene-editing process for the kidney.
Paywalled* The New York Times (12/17) NYU Langone Health surgeons announced the successful transplant of a genetically modified pig kidney into Towana Looney, a 53-year-old Alabama woman with kidney failure, marking a significant advancement in xenotransplantation; Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair, Department of Surgery, director, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said, “The next few weeks are critical,” while Dr. Jayme Locke, who co-led the surgery, explained the difficulty in finding a compatible human kidney due to Ms. Looney’s antibodies, stating, “This was in many ways her only option.”
Also reporting are Forbes (12/17), CNN (12/17), USA Today (12/17), STAT (12/17)*, MedPage Today (12/17), HealthDay (12/17), Wired (12/17), the AP (12/17), ABC News (12/17), CBS News (12/17), PBS NewsHour (12/17), UPI (12/17), Becker’s Hospital Review (12/17), MIT Technology Review (12/17), The Hill (12/17), Healio (12/17), LiveScience (12/17), Newsday (NY), (12/17) the New York Post (12/17), the Daily Mail (UK) (12/17), the Independent (UK) (12/17), and France 24 (12/17).
Among those providing broadcast coverage are ABC World News Tonight (12/17), WENY-TV (12/17), WNBC-TV (12/17), WABC-NY (ABC)-2 (12/17), WBBM-TV (12/17), WNYW-TV (12/17), WTVH-TV (12/17), WABC-TV (12/17), WBNG-TV (12/17), WNYW-TV (12/17), WRBL-TV (12/17), KVOA-TV (12/17), and KFDM-TV (12/17).
Anterior Oblique Ligament Reconstruction For Pediatric Carpometacarpal Joint Instability. (Healio)
Healio (12/17) Omri B. Ayalon, MD, assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hilary T. Campbell, MD, resident, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Michele Cerasani, MD, resident, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, from NYU Langone Health’s division of hand surgery, along with Natalie Tanner, BA, from Drexel University College of Medicine, presented a case study about a 10-year-old female patient who visited an orthopedic hand surgeon 2.5 weeks after injuring the dorsal aspect of her left thumb on a desk while playing at school.
The Forgotten Toll Of Polio. (MedPage Today)
MedPage Today (12/17) Jeremy Faust, editor-in-chief of MedPage Today, discussed with Perri Klass, MD, professor, Department of Pediatrics, the implications of a nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services proposing the removal of the polio vaccine from the market, highlighting the historical impact of polio and the significant role of vaccines and public health in reducing childhood mortality.
Novel Approach To Antiseizure Drug Development With Use Of Long Episodes: Jacqueline A.French, MD. (Neurology Live)
Neurology Live (12/17) Jacqueline A. French, MD, professor, Department of Neurology, NYU Langone Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, presented research at the 2024 American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, where she discussed how long episode (LE) frequency can serve as a predictive biomarker for clinical seizure (CS) frequency in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, noting that a reduction in LE frequency of at least 30% correlates with a 70% response rate for a 50% reduction in CS frequency, thus supporting its use in proof-of-concept studies to enhance predictive accuracy for clinical efficacy in antiseizure medication development.
Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil Effective For Alopecia In Breast Cancer. (Dermatology Advisor)
Dermatology Advisor (12/17) Low-dose oral minoxidil is effective for improving or stabilizing alopecia in breast cancer patients, regardless of chemotherapy, according to a study by Devyn Zaminski, BA, medical student, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, with 51 female patients showing improvement after three to six months of treatment.
NYU Langone Health Physician Discusses Xenotransplantation, Hair Loss From Intermittent Fasting. (WNYW-NY (FOX)-3)
WNYW-NY (FOX)-3 (12/17) Rabia A. De Latour, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, discussed a groundbreaking xenotransplantation procedure involving a genetically modified pig kidney, which is showing promising results three weeks post-transplant in an Alabama woman, attributing success to the patient’s health and ten gene edits in the organ to reduce rejection risk; she also explained that intermittent fasting, a diet followed by 13% of Americans, may slow hair growth due to stress on hair follicles, as evidenced by studies on mice and a small human trial.
118 COOs To Know. (Becker's Hospital Review)
Becker’s Hospital Review (12/17) Becker’s has recognized 118 exceptional hospital and health system chief operating officers for their strategic leadership and organizational improvements, including Fritz François, MD, professor, Department of Medicine, Divisions of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and General Internal Medicine, executive vice president and vice dean, chief of Hospital Operations, who is responsible for ensuring care quality and patient safety across the system’s Manhattan campus and has previously served as chief medical officer and professor in the division of gastroenterology within the department of medicine, with over 70 peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and presentations.
Food And Drink Product Recalls In December: It’s All About ‘Protecting Customers.’ (Fox News)
Fox News (12/17) Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, “tells ‘Fox News Live’ what symptoms to look out for amid a widespread beef recall.”
In a separate article with Fox News (12/18) A study published in JAMA Oncology finds that improvements in cancer screenings and prevention strategies have significantly reduced deaths from five common cancers; Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation said cancer screenings are “crucial,” and emphasized the importance of early intervention and advanced treatment modalities for breast cancer, including “aggressive treatments, including lumpectomy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy, have saved lives.”
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn
NYU Langone Health Family Health Centers To Hold Toy Drive. (News 12 Brooklyn (USA))
News 12 Brooklyn (USA) (12/16) The Family Health Centers at NYU Langone Health are hosting their annual toy drive, where individuals can donate new and unwrapped toys at the Sunset Park Family Health Center Pediatrics Clinic on Second Avenue from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on December 18.
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island
Fellow’s Perspective: Impact Of Quadruplet And MRD In Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma. (Targeted Oncology)
Targeted Oncology (12/17) Marc J. Braunstein, MD, PhD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, and Olivia Main, fellow, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, discussed the role of stem cell transplants in newly diagnosed myeloma patients amidst novel therapies, with Dr. Braunstein saying that “transplant at least improves progression-free survival when used immediately following induction,” while the use of minimal residual disease (MRD) status in maintenance therapy decisions is still evolving, as evidenced by ongoing trials like SWOG S1803 and the MASTER study, which explore MRD-guided strategies for therapy withdrawal.
