News from NYU Langone Health
Dr Montgomery Is Reimagining the Future of Organ Transplants. (TIME)
(10/17) Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery; chair, Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, as well as himself a transplant patient, is pioneering the use of genetically modified pig kidneys for human transplants, a development that could alleviate the chronic organ shortage; his work is motivated by personal experiences with a hereditary heart condition that claimed his father and brother, and his innovative approaches, such as “domino” transplants and the use of hepatitis C-infected organs, have significantly advanced transplant success rates, with Dr. Montgomery saying, “Most people, when they die, they die from organ failure. And it’s usually just one organ.”
Lupus Research Alliance Walk. (WCBS-TV New York)
(10/18) Live coverage of the Walk to Cure Lupus featured a team from NYU Langone Health, walking in the memory of a colleague and an advocate for lupus research and support who recently died; Amit Saxena, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, said, “You know, for over 50 years, there were no drugs that were approved for lupus. And in these last 15, we’ve had a bunch, and there’s some real potential breakthroughs that are coming out now that we’re really excited to do research on.”
Overdose Deaths In Seniors See Dramatic Rise From Deadly Drug Mix. (New York Post)
ճ (10/17) Research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2025 annual meeting by the American Society of Anesthesiologists shows a 9,000% increase in overdose deaths from fentanyl mixed with stimulants among adults 65 and older over the past eight years, with older adults accounting for 17,040 of the 404,964 fentanyl-related deaths analyzed from 1999 to 2023; Larissa K. Laskowski, DO, assistant professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, stated that the findings are “not surprising” due to the prevalence of illicit-made fentanyl, and she emphasized the importance of awareness and education on fentanyl’s potential harms.
(10/16) also reported.
Anthony Volpe’s Path To Recovery After Shoulder Surgery. (New York Post)
ճ (10/17) “Daniel J. Kaplan, MD, assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, joins Brandon London for a bonus edition of the weekly Injury Report segment to break down the likely path of rehabilitation for Anthony Volpe after the Yankees’ shortstop underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder.”
Woman Diagnosed With Breast Cancer At 27 After Almost Ignoring Warning Sign: “Hard To Believe.” (CBS News)
(10/18) Marissa Coreno, diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at 27, navigated an arduous treatment journey that included chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery, radiation therapy, and ongoing hormone therapy, with support from her family and a budding relationship with her now-husband Anthony; Mary L. Gemignani, MD, MPH, professor, Department of Surgery, chief, Division of Breast Surgery, said that younger breast cancer patients face unique challenges and often require personalized treatment plans.
Grab The Goggles. Pickleball Eye Injuries Are On The Rise. (NPR)
(10/19) Pickleball’s surge in popularity, with nearly 20 million players in the U.S., has led to an increase in eye injuries, prompting a study in JAMA Ophthalmology to call for standardized eye protection guidelines; Natasha N. Desai, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Division of Sports Medicine, Women’s Sports Medicine Center, was surprised that 70% of injuries occurred in adults over 50 and said, “More people are playing, so there’s going to be more injuries at a higher volume.”
Impact Of The Diabetes Endothelial Keratoplasty Study. (JAMA Ophthalmology)
(10/17) The Diabetes Endothelial Keratoplasty Study (DEKS), a National Institutes of Health-sponsored trial, found that the diabetic status of corneal donors does not affect Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) graft success or endothelial cell loss (ECL) at 1 year, providing reassurance to eye banks and surgeons about using tissue from donors with diabetes, which comprises about one-third of the donor pool; Andrea L. Blitzer, MD, assistant professor, Department of Ophthalmology, associate residency program director, Ophthalmology, is the corresponding author for the study.
Loss Of Smell May Persist Years After SARS-CoV-2 Infection. (Healio)
(10/17) “Hyposmia has been well-documented as a symptom of COVID-19, affecting 80% of people with original wild-type virus and the alpha variant and one-third of omicron variant cases, according to Leora Horwitz, MD, professor, Departments of Population Health, and Medicine, Division of Hospital Medicine, and colleagues,” who said, “We know there are other diseases in which loss of smell comes before loss of cognition, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. SARS-CoV-2 is a virus that’s directly damaging the nose, so we think it’ll be important to track people over time and see if there is a correlation as we see in other diseases.”
Post-Surgery Immunotherapy Shows Promise In Halting Spread Of Aggressive Skin Cancer. (Bioengineer)
(10/20) A groundbreaking phase 3 clinical trial, STAMP (EA6174), conducted by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, has explored the efficacy of pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, as an adjuvant treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC); Janice Mehnert, MD, professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, said pembrolizumab might suppress distant disease emergence post-surgery.
Colorblind Devices, Longer-Wavelength Lasers Offer Safer Options For Darker Skin Tones: Ariella Kauvar, MD. (American Journal of Managed Care)
ճ (10/19) Arielle Kauvar, MD, clinical professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, said at the Skin of Color Update 2025 that colorblind energy-based devices and longer-wavelength lasers, such as 1064 nm Nd: YAG lasers, are safest for patients with darker skin tones, as they are not absorbed by melanin; she emphasized the importance of a thorough patient history and physical exam to assess hyperpigmentation, sun exposure, and overall skin condition before treatment, especially in patients with a history of hyperpigmentation, melasma, or vitiligo.
Building Safer, Smarter, And More Personalized Epilepsy Care. (Neurology Live)
(10/19) Orrin Devinsky, MD, professor, Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, director, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, discusses advancements and challenges in epilepsy care, including medication progress, SUDEP awareness, and patient counseling, while also addressing whether the hierarchy of antiepileptic drugs should be reconsidered, the slower-than-anticipated development of gene therapy, the need for more research funding, the potential role of GLP/GIP agents in neurological care, and advancements in managing neurodevelopmental issues in pediatric epilepsy patients.
The Cleaner Way To Get Ripped. (The Atlantic)
(10/17) Dru Borden, known as Big Dru, transitioned from a high-calorie “dirty” bulking diet to a “clean” bulking approach due to health issues, aligning with a broader trend among bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts who now favor consuming slightly more calories from healthy sources rather than heavily processed foods to build muscle, a shift influenced by cultural changes rather than new health data, as Nicole Lund, MPH, RDN, nutritionist, NYU Langone Health’s Sports Performance Center, warns that extreme dieting associated with clean bulking can lead to nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and eating disorders, particularly in adolescent males.
Semaglutide Vs Weight Loss Surgery: Which Is Better? (WTOP-FM Washington)
Washington (10/16) Paul Lesser, once weighing 385 pounds and suffering from severe back problems, underwent minimally invasive gastric band surgery with Christine J. Ren-Fielding, MD, professor, Department of Surgery, chief, Division of Bariatric Surgery, leading to significant weight loss and improved health, while Dr. Holly Lofton, director of the medical weight management program at NYU Langone Health, advises that insurance coverage for weight loss interventions varies.
One Pre-Pregnancy Blood Test That Can Reveal Your Risk For Complications, According To A New Study. (SELF Magazine)
(10/17) New research presented at an American College of Cardiology conference reveals that women with high cholesterol before pregnancy face increased risks of gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, hemorrhage, and labor complications, as well as arrhythmia and heart attack within five years postpartum; “Anaïs Hausvater, MD, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, tells SELF, ‘Studies like this one are helping tease that out and show that a preexisting vulnerability may be in play.’”
New Migraine Therapy Effective At Pain Reduction...And It’s Free. (Daily Mail (UK))
ճ (10/17) Researchers from NYU Langone Health have developed a free app that guides patients through progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) therapy, which has been shown to reduce migraine headache pain by nearly 50% and significantly improve migraine-related disability scores, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open; Mia T. Minen, MD, MPH, associate professor, Departments of Neurology, and Population Health, said, “Our findings highlight the potential of smartphone-based interventions to empower patients in managing their own migraine, and in reducing migraine-related disability without medication.”
Two Places You’re Forgetting To Wash That Make You Smell & It May Surprise You. (The Irish Sun)
ճ (10/17 Mary L. Stevenson, MD, associate professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, said that shower frequency should be tailored to individual factors like skin type, age, and activity level, recommending a routine every two to three days unless intense physical activity necessitates more frequent cleansing, while a TikTok user shared a dermatologist’s advice to wash behind the ears and neck to combat a sour odor caused by sweat and oil buildup, which is unrelated to age-related changes in body odor attributed to the compound 2-nonenal, detectable only in individuals over 40, and suggested gentle exfoliation and hydration for these areas.
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn
Preparing For Patient Treatment In The Real World: Residents Evaluate Clinical Learning – Medscape 2025 Report. (Medscape)
(10/17)* A Medscape survey reveals that residents generally appreciate their clinical skills instruction and training hours, with 75% expressing satisfaction; however, there is room for improvement in evaluations and assessments, especially regarding consistency and real-world clinical proficiency, according to Daniel Sartori, MD, professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn, who said, “Residency is a system of graduated autonomy but one where you are supervised throughout your years of training,” and added that attendings are rated highly for teaching and communication, though feedback could benefit from more structured approaches and focus on specific learning goals.
