News from NYU Langone Health
For The First Time, A Genetically Modified Pig Lung Was Transplanted Into A Brain-Dead Man. (CNN)
(8/25) A genetically modified pig lung was transplanted into a brain-dead 39-year-old man in China, functioning for nine days before signs of rejection led to the termination of the experiment at the family’s request, according to a study published in Nature Medicine; this marks the first attempt at pig lung transplantation into a human, with researchers from Guangzhou Medical University First Affiliated Hospital reporting challenges with organ rejection and infection, while Adam Griesemer, MD, associate professor, Department of Surgery, Division Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, senior member of the xenotransplant team and surgical director of the pediatric and living liver transplant programs for the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, who was not involved in the study, said, “I think it is very important to do these studies since you can’t assume that the animal models are going to perfectly reflect what happens in human recipients.”
(8/25) Stephanie H. Chang, MD, associate professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, said, “If there is a way to actually source organs from animals and have them work in genetically modified ways, that would be very exciting.”
(8/25) Using brain-dead people to test such organs is an ethical and safe steppingstone for this high-risk research, says Justin C. Chan, MD, assistant professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, describing the work as “a building block that is required for the field to incrementally advance.”
(8/25) Justin C. Chan, MD, assistant professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, “who was not involved in the work, described the study as ‘exciting and promising work’, but said the report concerned only one patient and was a ‘qualified success.’”
(8/25) Brendan Keating, PhD, member of the faculty, Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said, “Lung transplant is the worst in terms of five-year survival, and has pretty poor outcomes in general,” noting the necessity for more trials with brain-dead recipients to further understand transplant responses.
Also reporting are (8/25) and (8/25).
Cancer Care’s Biggest Blind Spot, Per 1 NYU Langone Health Leader. (Becker's Hospital Review)
(8/25) Marleen I. Meyers, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, discussed the evolving landscape of cancer survivorship care, emphasizing the need for a shift in narrative from viewing survivorship as a final chapter to recognizing it as an ongoing process starting from diagnosis; she advocated for integrated services and better reimbursement models, including expanded CPT codes, to address the fragmented nature of current care and support services, such as nutritionists and mental health professionals, which are often non-reimbursable but vital for improving cancer survivors’ quality of life, particularly for younger adults navigating life-stage challenges alongside their medical needs.
Back-To-School: Making Sure Kids Get The Sleep They Need. (ABC News)
(8/25) Ayala Wegman, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, discussed strategies for ensuring children get adequate sleep as they return to school, recommending a gradual adjustment of sleep schedules by 15-minute increments to reset circadian rhythms.
(8/25) Kelechi C. Ngwangwa, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, Family Health Centers, provides strategies for adjusting children’s sleep schedules for the school year, emphasizing consistent wake-up times, regular mealtimes, and limiting screen time before bed.
This ‘Harmless’ Habit Is The Quickest Way To End Up In A Nursing Home When You’re Older, Warns Physical Therapist. (New York Post)
(8/25) Stephen K. Williams, MD, assistant professor, Departments of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, and Population Health, advocates for daily physical activity to improve overall health, saying, “A sedentary lifestyle is now seen as the ‘new smoking lifestyle,’” adding, “If you have seen your physician and you are cleared to be active, it is essential to have daily physical activity.”
New Study Reveals Long Road To Seizure Control For People With Focal Epilepsy. (News Medical)
(8/25) Researchers at NYU Langone Health, as part of the Human Epilepsy Project, conducted a study on nearly 450 individuals with focal epilepsy, revealing that while more than half eventually found effective antiseizure medication, it took an average of 12 months to achieve major improvements, with physicians like Jacqueline A. French, MD, professor, Department of Neurology, Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, suggesting that the delay may be due to the initial choice of therapy; Dr. French said, “Our results show that the best way to a new treatment plan is sometimes through making better use of the tools we already have instead of always searching for the next breakthrough drug.”
Also reporting is (8/26).
64 Health Systems Make Epic’s 2025 Honor Roll. (Becker's Hospital Review)
(8/25) Epic recognized NYU Langone Health as one of the eight summa cum laude recipients among the 64 health systems on its 2025 Honor Roll, unveiled at Epic’s Users Group Meeting in Verona, Wisconsin, with the EHR vendor offering financial incentives for meeting benchmarks in ease of use, patient experience, and staying current.
DecisionDx-SCC Test Helps Predict Outcomes In High-Risk Skin Cancer. (Cure Today)
(8/25) Castle Biosciences, Inc. announced research validating the DecisionDx-SCC test’s ability to guide treatment for high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by predicting local recurrence and metastasis, with Désirée Ratner, MD, clinical professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, saying, “These new data indicate that DecisionDx-SCC test results provide individualized risk predictions that doctors can use to guide risk-aligned escalation or de-escalation of care in their NCCN high-risk squamous cell carcinoma patients.”
Should Surrogate Endpoints Be Used To Support Cancer Drug Approvals? (Cancer Therapy Advisor)
(8/25) Surrogate endpoints, such as progression-free survival (PFS), are frequently used to support cancer drug approvals, but their correlation with clinical benefit is debated, with the FDA’s accelerated approval program often relying on these endpoints for expedited drug approval; however, Bhavana Pothuri, MD, professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, advocates for PFS as the endpoint in ovarian cancer, while also suggesting the validation of newer endpoints like circulating tumor DNA in neoadjuvant settings to potentially offer earlier indications of drug efficacy.
Maui’s Fires Drove A 67% Jump In Deaths. Most Went Uncounted. (Science Daily)
(8/25) New research published in Frontiers in Climate reveals that the August 2023 wildfires in Lāhainā, Maui, resulted in two-thirds more fatalities than expected, with 82 excess deaths reported, highlighting the need for improved disaster preparedness and the integration of Native Hawaiian ecological knowledge in wildfire prevention; Michelle Nakatsuka, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said, “Wildfires can cause a measurable, population-wide increase in mortality, beyond what is captured in official fatality counts.”
Also reporting are (8/25) and (8/26).
Why Your Lunch Is Making You Sleepy (And How To Stop The Slump). (Optimist Daily)
(8/26) Gastroenterologist Lisa Ganjhu, DO, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, explains that carb-heavy meals, especially those with refined carbohydrates like white bread and pizza, can lead to postprandial somnolence due to a blood sugar spike and subsequent crash, while excessive tryptophan or large meals can also contribute to drowsiness.
