Author Interviews, Melanoma, NYU/NYMC / 20.02.2026

[caption id="attachment_72519" align="alignleft" width="200"]Pietro Berico, M.Sc., Ph.D.Postdoctoral research fellow Hernando Lab NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health New York, NY 10016 Dr. Berico[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Pietro Berico, M.Sc., Ph.D. Postdoctoral research fellow Hernando Lab NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health New York, NY 1001 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: “Cutaneous melanoma arises under chronic UV irradiation, which selects for aggressive malignant clones. Paradoxically, its high mutational burden also promotes neoantigen formation and robust immune activation. Consequently, melanoma must establish immune evasion mechanisms from the earliest stages of tumor development. The lack of specific genetic mutational patterns linked to immune escape points toward non-mutational mechanisms, such as epigenetic reprogramming.
Author Interviews, Diabetes, Kidney Disease, NYU/NYMC, Weight Research / 20.10.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71025" align="alignleft" width="225"]Michael A. Weintraub, MDClinical Assistant Professor Department of Medicine NYU Grossman School of Medicine Dr. Weintraub[/caption] Michael A. Weintraub, MD Clinical Assistant Professor Department of Medicine NYU Grossman School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The study addresses a critical knowledge gap in diabetes management for dialysis patients. Of the 808,000 people on dialysis in the United States, approximately 60% have diabetes and would be eligible for GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). However, these medications have not been well-studied in this population because dialysis dependence is frequently an exclusion criterion in clinical trials.
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Dental Research, JAMA, Microbiome, NYU/NYMC, Pancreatic / 13.10.2025

[caption id="attachment_70956" align="alignleft" width="125"]Jiyoung Ahn, PhDProfessor of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine Associate Director for Population Science, NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center  NYU Langone Health New York, NY 10016 Dr. Jiyoung Ahn[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jiyoung Ahn, PhD Professor of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine Associate Director for Population Science, NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU Langone Health New York, NY 10016 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: About 10 years ago. we reported that people with poor oral health seem to have a greater risk of pancreatic cancer development.  We suspected that this could be due to oral microbiota.  More recently, animal studies, by other groups, showed that bacteria from the mouth can actually travel through saliva into the pancreas. But we didn’t know which exact species of bacteria or fungi might be involved in pancreas cancer development. We therefore conducted this large human study to examine the oral microbiome — including whole bacteria and fungi profiles in the mouth, and to see which bacteria and fungal taxa are associated with subsequent risk of pancreatic cancer development.
Author Interviews, Environmental Risks, NYU/NYMC / 23.07.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_69606" align="alignleft" width="225"]Dr. George D. Thurston ScD Professor of Medicine and Population Health Director of the Program in Exposure Assessment and Human Health Effects NYU Grossman School of Medicine Division of Environmental Medicine NYC, NY 10010   Prof. Thurston[/caption] Dr. George D. Thurston Professor of Medicine and Population Health NYU Grossman School of Medicine Division of Environmental Medicine NYC, NY 10010   USA MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What were some of the chemicals released by the coal-coking plant? Response: Pittsburgh has a long history as the nation's principal source of bituminous coal production and home to iron and coke industries since the late 19th century, and is also known as one of the cities with the highest levels of air pollution and most air-pollution related deaths in the US, to date. The Shenango, Inc Coke Plant was one of the significant industrial emission sources in the area before its closure in January 2016. Coal-coking plants like the Shenango plant utilizes a destructive heated distillation process called pyrolysis to volatilize and drive the impurities out of coal and produce coke, a purer product with higher carbon content for use in iron and steel production. From this process, coke plant operations are known to generate high emissions of complex air pollution mixtures into the ambient air, including particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), polycyclic organic matter (POMs), volatile compounds (VOCs), and volatilized trace metals such as arsenic, nickel, selenium, lead, and cobalt. Our study examines the changes in respiratory health in the community residing near the Shenango Coke Plant before vs. after its closure,  providing a direct quantification of the health benefits of such fossil-fuel-related air pollution reductions. 
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Chemotherapy, Melanoma, NYU/NYMC / 27.06.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_69251" align="alignleft" width="156"]Tomas Kirchhoff, PhD (corresponding author)Associate ProfessorLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center New York University School of Medicine Dr. Kirchhoff[/caption] Tomas Kirchhoff, PhD (corresponding author) Associate ProfessorLaura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center New York University School of Medicine Robert Ferguson PhD Senior Scientist at NYU Langone Medical Center Kelsey Monson, PhD Immuno-Oncology Postdoctoral Researcher Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly explain how mitochondrial DNA differs from chromosomal DNA? TK: Immune checkpoint blockade has changed the way we treat several cancers, including advanced melanoma. Before these therapies, the treatment options were very limited, but now more than half of patients experience significant tumor shrinkage or disease control. KRM: Despite these advances, many patients still do not respond to treatment. One of the main challenges in cancer medicine today is to find ways to predict which patients will benefit from these therapies before treatment begins. This approach is key to personalizing care and improving outcomes. RF: Mitochondria are small structures inside our cells that produce the energy needed for cells to function. Unlike most of our DNA, mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother. Scientists can categorize this mitochondrial DNA into groups called haplogroups, based on unique variations in the genetic code. These haplogroups can provide insight into how cells produce energy and may affect a person’s health or response to cancer treatment.
Author Interviews, Autism, Pediatrics / 14.02.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_66247" align="alignleft" width="340"]Magdalena Janecka PhDAssociate Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Associate Professor, Department of Population Health Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Dr. Janecka[/caption] Magdalena Janecka PhD Associate Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Associate Professor, Department of Population Health NYU Grossman School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Several earlier studies have indicated that certain maternal conditions in pregnancy – for example, depression or obesity - are associated with higher rates of autism in offspring. However, the majority of the conditions females experience during pregnancy have not been investigated in the context of autism before. Additionally, while the evidence that these associations are likely not causal existed for a few maternal diagnoses, it was not clear whether this applies to just a few associations that have been examined or is more widespread. Our study investigated the association between all maternal conditions in pregnancy (provided they were common enough to allow us to estimate their effects) and the likelihood of autism in the child. Then, for the significant associations, we tested whether these associations seemed causal, or whether they were instead attributable to other confounding factors. Confounders are other variables that can influence the relationship between the variables in a study, for example maternal health and autism. Factors shared by family members, i.e. familial factors (e.g., genetics) are common confounders in studies like ours, and are particularly difficult to account for.
Author Interviews, Medical Imaging / 05.12.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_65254" align="alignleft" width="225"]Miriam A. Bredella, MD, MBABernard and Irene Schwartz Professor of Radiology & Vice Chair for Strategy Associate Dean for Translational Science Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health Translational Research Building 743 New York, NY 10016 Dr. Bredella[/caption] Miriam A. Bredella, MD, MBA Bernard and Irene Schwartz Professor of Radiology & Vice Chair for Strategy Associate Dean for Translational Science Director, Clinical and Translational Science Institute NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health Translational Research Building 743 New York, NY 10016   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We perform >80 million CTs every year in the US, and there is a lot of information on these CTs that is not used and “thrown away.” Opportunistic imaging or opportunistic screening with the help of AI takes advantage of this information and automatically detects and quantifies vascular calcification, bone mineral density, abdominal fat or muscle mass. In our study, we wanted to detect whether calcification of the abdominal aorta, quantified using AI, could predict coronary artery calcification and major cardiovascular events (e.g. myocardial infarction, cardiac revascularization, stroke, or death).
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, JAMA, Microbiome, NYU/NYMC / 01.10.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_63665" align="alignleft" width="211"]Jiyoung Ahn, PhDProfessor of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine Associate Director for Population Science, NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center  NYU Langone Health Smilow Research Building New York, NY 10016 Prof. Ahn[/caption] Jiyoung Ahn, PhD Professor of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine Associate Director for Population Science, NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center NYU Langone Health Smilow Research Building New York, NY 10016 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: We found that oral bacterial species are linked to a collective 50% increased risk of developing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Some of these microbes have previously been shown to contribute to periodontal disease, a serious gum infection that can erode the jawbone and the soft tissues surrounding the teeth.
Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Infections, NYU/NYMC / 14.03.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61434" align="alignleft" width="150"]Mukundan G. Attur, PhDAssociate Professor, Department of Medicine NYU Grossman School of Medicine Dr. Attur[/caption] Mukundan G. Attur, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Medicine NYU Grossman School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response:  The study investigates the potential protective effects of a genetic variant of IL1RN against inflammation and severe outcomes, particularly in COVID-19. Previous research indicates that carriers of this genetic variant may experience less severe radiographic knee osteoarthritis and decreased inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Given the emergence of cytokine release syndrome in COVID-19 patients, the researchers sought to understand whether the same genetic variant could offer protection against inflammation and potential death in COVID-19 cases.
Author Interviews, Neurological Disorders, NYU/NYMC, Pediatrics / 09.01.2024

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61231" align="alignleft" width="200"]Laura Gould, MSc, MA, PTResearch Scientist SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative Comprehensive Epilepsy Center Department of Neurology NYU Langone Grossman School of Medicine Laura Gould[/caption] Laura Gould, MSc, MA, PT Research Scientist SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative Comprehensive Epilepsy Center Department of Neurology NYU Langone Grossman School of Medicine     MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Sudden Unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is the unexplained death of a child on or after their 1st birthday that remains unexplained after a comprehensive death investigation. About 400 SUDC occur annually between the ages of 1-18, but more than half occur in toddlers, aged 1-4 years. Since most deaths are sleep related and unwitnessed with unremarkable autopsies, mechanisms of deaths have eluded our understanding. Febrile seizures are common in young children; ~ 3% of US children 6 months to 5 years will experience one. SUDC however has been associated with a 10-fold increase in febrile seizures; our study is the first to implicate them at time of death. The SUDC Registry and Research Collaborative (www.sudcrrc.org) at NYU Langone Health has enrolled over 300 cases of unexplained child death; seven with audiovisual recordings from the child’s bedroom during their last sleep period. More than 80% of the cases enrolled in the registry were children 1-4 years at the time of death. The seven cases with videos were aged 13-27 months with normal development and no pathogenic disease-causing variants by whole exome sequencing.
Author Interviews, Infections, NYU/NYMC / 14.12.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61146" align="alignleft" width="150"]Angélica Cifuentes Kottkamp, MDAssistant Professor of Medicine NYU Grossman School of Medicine Associate Program Director Infectious Diseases & Immunology Fellowship Associate Director for Research & Diversity NYU Langone Vaccine Center & VTEU Attending Physician H+H Bellevue Virology Clinic Division of Infectious Diseases & Immunology NYU Grossman School of Medicine Dr. Angélica Cifuentes Kottkamp[/caption] Angélica Cifuentes Kottkamp, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine NYU Grossman School of Medicine Associate Program Director Infectious Diseases & Immunology Fellowship Associate Director for Research & Diversity NYU Langone Vaccine Center & VTEU Attending Physician H+H Bellevue Virology Clinic Division of Infectious Diseases & Immunology NYU Grossman School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? How does the JYNNEOS vaccine differ from the smallpox vaccine? Response: JYNNEOS vaccine is a smallpox vaccine that was repurposed for Mpox given the similarities between the two viruses (smallpox and mpox). The vaccine (JYNNEOS) had been studied in people without HIV therefore there was a gap in knowledge in how this vaccine, especially the small dose (intradermal dose), would work in patients with HIV. These patients resulted to be the most affected by the mpox outbreak suffering the worse outcomes of the disease with the highest death rates.
Author Interviews, Infections, JAMA, NYU/NYMC, USPSTF / 09.05.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_56129" align="alignleft" width="133"]Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health Director, Division of Health & Behavior Director Center for Healthful Behavior Change Department of Population Health NYU Langone Health NYU School of Medicine Dr. Ogedegbe[/caption] Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health Director, Division of Health & Behavior Director Center for Healthful Behavior Change Department of Population Health NYU Langone Health NYU School of Medicine Member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that is spread through the air from one person to another and usually affects the lungs. It’s a significant public health concern in the U.S. People can be infected with TB bacteria but not have any symptoms or be contagious, which is known as a latent TB infection or LTBI. If LTBI is left untreated, it can progress to active TB, which can cause serious health problems and become contagious.
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Nature, NYU/NYMC, Pancreatic / 17.03.2023

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_60185" align="alignleft" width="161"]Aristotelis Tsirigos, Ph.D.Professor of Medicine and Pathology Co-director, Precision Medicine Director, Applied Bioinformatics Laboratories New York University School of Medicine Dr. Tsirigos[/caption] Aristotelis Tsirigos, Ph.D. Professor of Medicine and Pathology Co-director, Precision Medicine Director, Applied Bioinformatics LaboratoriesNew York University School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal types of cancer with only 12% of patients surviving more than 5 years after diagnosis. One of the main reasons behind the dismal prognosis is the complexity of the tumor. Pancreatic cancer cells are very heterogenous and interact with different types of non-malignant cells in what is known as the tumor microenvironment.
Author Interviews, Cancer Research, Lung Cancer, NYU/NYMC / 14.11.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_59732" align="alignleft" width="150"]Dr. Sally Lau Dr. Sally Lau[/caption] Dr. Sally Lau MD Medical oncologist, NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center Assistant professor of medicine NYU Grossman School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: How big is the problem of lung cancer? Response: Amongst all cancer types, lung cancer is the number 1 killer in the US.
Author Interviews, JAMA, NYU/NYMC, STD, USPSTF / 30.09.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_56129" align="alignleft" width="133"]Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health Director, Division of Health & Behavior Director Center for Healthful Behavior Change Department of Population Health NYU Langone Health NYU School of Medicine Dr. Ogedegbe[/caption] Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health Director, Division of Health & Behavior Director Center for Healthful Behavior Change Department of Population Health NYU Langone Health NYU School of Medicine Member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Syphilis has become more common over the past 20 years, after reaching a record low in 2000. The Task Force found that screening people who are at increased risk for syphilis can identify the infection early so it can be treated before problems develop. For that reason, the Task Force recommends screening people who are at increased risk for syphilis infection.
ASCO, Author Interviews, Cancer Research, COVID -19 Coronavirus, NYU/NYMC / 08.06.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Katherine Garcia MD NYU Langone Health MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  Response: Studies on cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown a decrease in new diagnoses, delays in care, and a shift to later stage disease presentations. Considering that NY has been an epicenter for COVID-19 in the U.S., we investigated its impact on new cancer diagnoses at the two campuses of NYU’s Perlmutter Cancer Center and hypothesized that there would be a decrease in presentations during the peak outbreaks in NY.
Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, JAMA, NYU/NYMC / 03.02.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_58722" align="alignleft" width="150"]Andrea B. Troxel, ScD (she/her/hers) Professor and Director, Division of Biostatistics Department of Population Health NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health Dr. Troxel[/caption] Andrea B. Troxel, ScD (she/her/hers) Professor and Director, Division of Biostatistics Department of Population Health NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  What are the main findings? Response: This study represents an international collaboration across four continents and six countries, to pool information from studies in different patient populations to generate robust information about the possible benefits of convalescent plasma in treating COVID-19. Because the study was so large and the methods so rigorous, we were able to show that while CP doesn’t benefit all patients, it may have positive effects in certain subgroups.
Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, JAMA / 28.01.2022

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_58730" align="alignleft" width="200"]Eva Petkova, PhD  Professor, NYU School of Medicine Department of Population Health Division of Biostatistics Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry New York, NY 10016 Senior Scientist, Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research Orangeburg, NY 10962 Dr. Petkova[/caption] Eva Petkova, PhD Professor, NYU School of Medicine Department of Population Health Division of Biostatistics Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York, NY 10016 Senior Scientist, Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962 MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?  What are the main findings? Response: The COMPILE study is based on real-time collection of individual patient data from 8 international completed, terminated early and ongoing randomized clinical trials testing the efficacy of convalescent plasma for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Recruitment covered the period from March 2020 to March 2021 in Asia, Europe, North and South America. Total of 2369 patients were enrolled and data from 2341 patients were used in the analysis. COMPILE, the largest study of convalescent plasma for hospitalized COVID-19 patients to date, provided robust information on a diverse patient population, which allowed rigorous evaluation of questions related to convalescent plasma efficacy. The main findings are that convalescent plasma might have only a moderate efficacy on average, but that there is a huge heterogeneity in the benefits for individual patients.
Author Interviews, Dermatology, Heart Disease, JACC, NYU/NYMC / 17.05.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57322" align="alignleft" width="200"]Michael S. Garshick, MD Assistant Professor Department of Medicine Grossman School of Medicine NYU Dr. Garshick[/caption] Michael S. Garshick, MD Assistant Professor Department of Medicine Grossman School of Medicine NYU MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Patients with psoriasis have a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular disease when compared to patients without psoriasis, the mechanisms of which are still under investigation Dyslipidemia is also highly prevalent in psoriasis including elevation in a variety of lipoproteins causal in atherosclerosis. Lipoprotein(a) is an LDL like particle which is associated with atherosclerosis, atherothrombosis, and the development of clinical cardiovascular disease. Traditionally lipoprotein(a) is felt to be inherited rather than acquired, but some evidence suggest that lipoprotein(a) is elevated in those with underlying inflammatory conditions and associated with systemic inflammation including circulating IL-6. We therefore aimed to determine if lipoprotein(a) is elevated in psoriasis and associated with underlying systemic inflammatory profiles and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. 
Author Interviews, Gender Differences, Heart Disease, NYU/NYMC, Women's Heart Health / 11.05.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_57403" align="alignleft" width="150"]Darcy Banco, MD, MPH Internal Medicine Resident NYU Langone Health Dr. Banco[/caption] Darcy Banco, MD, MPH Internal Medicine Resident NYU Langone Health MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We became interested in this question because of recent epidemiological data showing that despite improvements in the number of heart attacks in overall population, that number is rising among young adults (<= 55 years old) and in particular, young women. Compared to young men, young women with heart attack experience more delays in care and have higher mortality and poorer quality of life after heart attack. Despite these findings, there was also a study that asked young adults who had experienced heart attack: “When you first went for help, did the health care providers think that you were having a problem with your heart?” Women were more likely to answer no to this question. Therefore, our study asked: Are young women evaluated and treated differently than men when presenting to the emergency room with symptoms of chest pain?
Author Interviews, NYU/NYMC, Race/Ethnic Diversity, Rheumatology / 21.01.2021

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_56448" align="alignleft" width="200"]Peter Izmirly, M.D. Associate Professor of Medicine, NYU School of Medicine  Director of Inpatient Rheumatology, Bellevue Hospital Center co-Director, NYU-Hospital for Joint Diseases Lupus Clinic Research Office Address: NYU School of Medicine  New York, NY 10016 Dr. Izmirly[/caption] Peter Izmirly, M.D. Associate Professor of Medicine, NYU School of Medicine Director of Inpatient Rheumatology, Bellevue Hospital Center co-Director, NYU-Hospital for Joint Diseases Lupus Clinic Research Office Address: NYU School of Medicine New York, NY 10016  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Knowing how many people have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is limited, particularly for racial/ethnic subgroups in the United States. Our work provides accurate estimates of who has  (SLE) among the major racial/ethnic groups in the United States and that our estimates for SLE approach the FDA’s definition or a rare disease.
Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Infections, JAMA, NYU/NYMC, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 04.12.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_56129" align="alignleft" width="133"]Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health Director, Division of Health & Behavior Director Center for Healthful Behavior Change Department of Population Health NYU Langone Health NYU School of Medicine Dr. Ogedegbe[/caption] Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health Director, Division of Health & Behavior Director Center for Healthful Behavior Change Department of Population Health NYU Langone Health NYU School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The background for the study is the disproportionately higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths in Blacks and Hispanics compared to Whites in major cities across the country. We asked two questions: 1) are there racial/ethnic differences in COVID-19 outcomes (likelihood of testing positive, hospitalizations, severe illness, and deaths) among patients who receive care at NYU Langone Health? If there are differences, are they explained by comorbidity and neighborhood characteristics (poverty, educational status, employment, housing, proportion of Blacks and Hispanics in communities)?
Author Interviews, Fertility, Genetic Research, OBGYNE, Technology / 29.10.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: PGT-A & ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IMPROVES PREGNANCY OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING IVF MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Michael Large, PhD Senior Director, Research at CooperGenomics CooperSurgical MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Large: Independent study results, presented at the recent the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Virtual Scientific Congress, demonstrated a 13 percent relative increase in ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates associated with the use of CooperSurgical’s PGTaiSM 2.0 technology to screen embryos for in vitro fertilization (IVF). The single-center study was conducted by NYU Langone Fertility Center (NYULFC), part of The Prelude Network. Preimplantation Genetic Testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is performed on embryos produced through IVF; it provides genetic information to help identify embryos that are more likely to result in a successful pregnancy. PGTai 2.0 technology is an advancement in PGT-A testing platform that utilizes artificial intelligence to increase objectivity of this screening process. The study compared results from three next generation sequencing (NGS) genetic tests: Standard NGS, NGS with first generation artificial intelligence (PGTai 1.0 Technology Platform) and NGS with second generation artificial intelligence (PGTai 2.0 Technology Platform). The ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates significantly increased by a relative 13 percent in the PGTai 2.0 group as compared to subjective and prior methodologies. Study results also suggest that the increase in ongoing pregnancy and live births may be linked to improvements in several preceding IVF outcomes (implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates and pregnancy loss.) MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? Dr. Large: This research moves us an important step closer to our goal of increased live births, improved pregnancy outcomes and further reduction of multiples in pregnancy through greater confidence in single embryo transfer. An estimated 48.5 million couples – approximately 15% of couples -- are affected by infertility worldwide. 80,000 babies were born with IVF in 2017 in the United States and more than one million babies were born in the period 1987 to 2015 in the United States as a result of IVF. MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research this study? Dr. Large: The goal of PGT-A is to decrease risk and maximize the chances of IFV success by screening for embryos with the highest potential. This was precisely what NYULFC have observed so far with PGTai 2.0 compared to older technologies. To fully appreciate the impact that these improvements are having for patients, we’re excited to hear from additional IVF centers across the world as they utilize this technology. MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? Any disclosures? Dr. Large: The study demonstrates CooperSurgical’s commitment to developing the most advanced technology in the field of genetic testing to advance reproductive medicine and help families. By applying artificial intelligence in the PGTaism2.0 technology, we leverage mathematical algorithms derived from real-world data to achieve objective embryo assessment. I am the Senior Director of Genomics Research and Development at CooperSurgical. Michael Large, PhD, is the Senior Director, Genomics Research and Development at CooperSurgical. His team recently led and continues to develop state-of-the-art analytical methods for interrogating Reproductive Genetics. Dr. Large earned his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the Baylor College of Medicine and his Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. Michael Large, PhD Senior Director, Research at CooperGenomics CooperSurgical   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Large: Independent study results, presented at the recent the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Virtual Scientific Congress, demonstrated a 13 percent relative increase in ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates associated with the use of CooperSurgical’s PGTaiSM 2.0 technology to screen embryos for in vitro fertilization (IVF).[1] The single-center study was conducted by NYU Langone Fertility Center (NYULFC), part of The Prelude Network. Preimplantation Genetic Testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is performed on embryos produced through IVF; it provides genetic information to help identify embryos that are more likely to result in a successful pregnancy. PGTai 2.0 technology is an advancement in PGT-A testing platform that utilizes artificial intelligence to increase objectivity of this screening process. The study compared results from three next generation sequencing (NGS) genetic tests: Standard NGS, NGS with first generation artificial intelligence (PGTai 1.0 Technology Platform) and NGS with second generation artificial intelligence (PGTai 2.0 Technology Platform). The ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates significantly increased by a relative 13 percent in the PGTai 2.0 group as compared to subjective and prior methodologies. Study results also suggest that the increase in ongoing pregnancy and live births may be linked to improvements in several preceding IVF outcomes (implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates and pregnancy loss.)
Author Interviews, Nutrition, NYU/NYMC, Pediatrics, Pediatrics, Technology / 26.10.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55746" align="alignleft" width="200"]Marie Bragg, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health on Health Choice NYU College of Global Public Health Dr. Bragg[/caption] Marie Bragg, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health on Health Choice NYU College of Global Public Health MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: We know from previous research that children who see food advertisements eat significantly more calories than children who see non-food advertisements. Those studies led the World Health Organization and National Academy of Medicine to issue reports declaring that exposure to food advertising is a major driver of childhood obesity. What we don’t know is how frequently unhealthy food and beverage brands are appearing in YouTube videos posted by Kid Influencers. Kid influences are children whose parents film videos of the child playing with toys, unwrapping presents, eating food, or engaging in other family-friendly activities. The parents then post the videos to YouTube for other children and parents to view for entertainment. 
AHA Journals, Author Interviews, Blood Pressure - Hypertension, NYU/NYMC, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 16.09.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55410" align="alignleft" width="340"]Aisha T. Langford, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor  Department of Population Health Co-Director, CTSI Recruitment and Retention Core  NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health New York, NY 10016 Dr. Langford[/caption] Aisha T. Langford, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor Department of Population Health Co-Director, CTSI Recruitment and Retention Core NYU Grossman School of Medicine NYU Langone Health New York, NY 10016 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: In 2018, the American Heart Association (AHA) published an updated Scientific Statement on Resistant Hypertension. The term apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH) is used when pseudoresistance (e.g., white coat effect, medication nonadherence) cannot be excluded. The current study was designed to investigate if Black adults with aTRH, a group disproportionately affected by cardiovascular disease, receive evidence-based approaches to lower blood pressure as recommended in the 2018 AHA Scientific Statement. Specifically, we studied healthy lifestyle factors including not smoking, not consuming alcohol, ≥75 minutes of vigorous-intensity or ≥150 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week, and body mass index <25 kg/m2; and recommended antihypertensive medication classes among US Black adults.
Author Interviews, NYU/NYMC, Orthopedics / 10.08.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_55060" align="alignleft" width="149"]Bruce N. Cronstein, MD Paul R. Esserman Professor of Medicine NYU School of Medicine Director, NYU-H+H Clinical and Translational Science Institute Director, Division of Translational Medicine NYU Langone Health New York, NY 10016 Dr. Cronstein[/caption] Bruce N. Cronstein, MD Paul R. Esserman Professor of Medicine NYU School of Medicine Director, NYU-H+H Clinical and Translational Science Institute Director, Division of Translational Medicine NYU Langone Health New York, NY 10016  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis affecting about 10% of the adult population and 25% of the population over 60. We had previously found that adenosine, a molecule generated by nearly all cell types, is critical for maintaining cartilage health by activating specific adenosine receptors on the surface of cells (A2A receptors). Moreover, giving adenosine into the joint could prevent deterioration of cartilage (progression of osteoarthritis) in a rat model of osteoarthritis. Because people do not usually go for treatment of osteoarthritis until they have developed symptoms we asked whether administration of adenosine or adenosine that had been modified to be a more potent and specific stimulus for A2A receptors, carried in fat bubbles called liposomes, could reverse osteoarthritis after it had already started.
Accidents & Violence, Author Interviews, Cannabis, JAMA, NYU/NYMC / 23.06.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Julian Santaella Tenorio, MSc DrPH Epidemiology Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy Division of Epidemiology, Department of Population Health New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, New York MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? car-accident-traffic-accidentResponse: This study found that recreational cannabis laws were associated with increases in traffic fatalities in Colorado (mean of 75 excess fatalities per year) but not in Washington State.  These findings suggest that unintended effects of recreational cannabis laws can be heterogeneous and may be specific to variations in how these laws are implemented
(eg, density of recreational cannabis stores).  
AHA Journals, Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, NYU/NYMC / 21.05.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_54302" align="alignleft" width="200"]Shadi Yaghi, MD Assistant Professor Department of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine  Director, Clinical Vascular Neurology Research, NYU Langone Health Director, Vascular Neurology, NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn Dr. Yaghi[/caption] Shadi Yaghi, MD Assistant Professor Department of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine Director, Clinical Vascular Neurology Research, NYU Langone Health Director, Vascular Neurology, NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn  MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Our aim was to determine the characteristics of imaging proven ischemic stroke in the setting of COVID-19 infection and compare them to those of ischemic stroke but without COVID-19 infection.
Author Interviews, Columbia, COVID -19 Coronavirus, NYU/NYMC, Technology / 02.04.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Professor Anasse Bari PhD Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Computer Science Department, New York University, New York, and Megan Coffee MD PhD Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Department of Medicine New York University, Department of Population and Family Health Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University, New York MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Coffee and Bari:  This work is led by NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, in partnership with Wenzhou Central Hospital and Cangnan People's Hospital, both in Wenzhou, China. This is a multi-disciplinary team with backgrounds in clinical infectious disease as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science. There is a critical need to better understand COVID-19. Doctors learn from collective and individual clinical experiences. Here, no clinician has years of experience. All are learning as they go, having to make important decisions about clinical management with stretched resources. The goal here is to augment clinical learning with machine learning. In particular, the goal is to allow clinicians to identify early who from the many infected will need close medical attention. Most patients will first develop mild symptoms, yet some 5-8 days later will develop critical illness. It is hard to know who these people are who will need to be admitted and may need to be intubated until they become ill. Knowing this earlier would allow more attention and resources to be spent on those patients with worse prognoses. If there were ever treatments in the future that could be used early in the course of illness, it would be important to identify who would most benefit We present in this study a first step in building an artificial intelligence (AI) framework, with predictive analytics (PA) capabilities applied to real patient data, to provide rapid clinical decision-making support. It is at this point a proof of concept that it could be possible to identify future severity based on initial presentation in COVID-19.
Author Interviews, Melanoma, NYU/NYMC / 25.03.2020

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_53633" align="alignleft" width="200"]David Polsky, MD, PhD Professor of Dermatology and Pathology Alfred W. Kopf MD, Professor of Dermatologic Oncology Director, Pigmented Lesion Section The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology New York University Grossman School of Medicine Perlmutter Cancer Center Joan and Joel Smilow Research Center New York, NY 10016 Dr. Polsky[/caption] David Polsky, MD, PhD Professor of Dermatology and Pathology Alfred W. Kopf MD, Professor of Dermatologic Oncology Director, Pigmented Lesion Section The Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology New York University Grossman School of Medicine Perlmutter Cancer Center Joan and Joel Smilow Research Center New York, NY 10016 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: The background for the study was to determine the extent to which new treatments for metastatic melanoma were impacting melanoma mortality rates for the United States population. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated that several new agents were highly effective at prolonging survival. These treatments belong to two different groups of medications: those targeting the biological pathway activated by mutation in the BRAF oncogene, which occurs in just under 50% of metastatic melanomas; and those targeting the immune system, called checkpoint inhibitors. These drugs prevent melanomas from suppressing the immune response to the tumors. Ten treatments were approved beginning in 2011, including six treatments between 2011 and 2014. We examined mortality rates between 1986 and 2016, prior to and after FDA approval of these agents.
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