VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

The Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials program, supported by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, aims to enhance diversity in clinical research through a 2-year Career Development Award and a Workshop. It focuses on training early-stage investigators and physicians committed to increasing diversity, with the goal of improving patient care and health equity.

Becker's 2024 list highlights hospitals & health systems excelling in oncology, recognized for advanced clinical trials & research. Notable institutions include AdventHealth, Allina Health, Arkansas Children's, Atlantic Health System, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, Boston Medical Center, Brown University Health, Children's Health, Children's Hospital Colorado, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Children's Nebraska, ChristianaCare, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Connecticut Children’s, Covenant Health, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dartmouth Health, DeTar Hospital Cancer Center, Duke Health, El Paso Children's Hospital, Emory Healthcare, Endeavor Health, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center/UW Medicine, Geisinger, Hackensack Meridian Health, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Inova, Jefferson Health, Johns Hopkins, Jupiter Medical Center, Keck Medicine of USC, Laredo Medical Center, Lehigh Valley Health Network, MUSC Health, MaineHealth, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic, MedStar, MemorialCare, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, Mount Sinai Health System, Nebraska Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, Northwestern Medicine, Novant Health, OSF HealthCare, OU Health, Ochsner Health, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Oregon Health & Science University Hospital, Orlando Health, Penn Medicine, Providence Alaska Medical Center, Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon, Providence South Division Cancer Institute, Queen's Health System, RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute, Renown Health, Rochester Regional Health, Roper St. Francis Healthcare, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sanford Health, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Scripps Health, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Stanford Medicine, Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Sutter Health, Swedish Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami, Tampa General Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, UC Davis Health, UCLA Health, UCSF Health, UK HealthCare, UNM Health System, UVA Health, UW Health, UMass Memorial Health, University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital, University of Chicago Medical Center, University of Colorado Cancer Center-UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, University Hospitals, University of Iowa Health Care, University of Kansas Health System, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Vermont Health Network, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Virtua Health, WVU Cancer Institute, WellSpan Health, Yale New Haven Health.

EQBMED selected four clinical trial sites to enhance participation among communities of color and rural populations, aiming to overcome barriers like limited access and mistrust. This initiative, led by Yale, Morehouse, RCMI-CC, and Vanderbilt, focuses on making clinical trials more accessible and diverse.

H5N1 bird flu samples from a Louisiana patient show mutations potentially increasing human transmissibility. The virus may attach to human upper airway cells, a concern as bird flu typically doesn't infect humans easily. No evidence of person-to-person spread exists, and the public risk remains low. Ongoing surveillance and prevention measures are emphasized.

Advances in HCC therapy improve outcomes, yet US incidence and mortality rates rise. Screening reduces mortality, and new treatments like immunotherapy extend survival. EMERALD-1 trial shows promise, but adding PD-1 inhibitors to TACE plus lenvatinib offers no benefit. HCC trends show demographic disparities in the US.

Modern and ancient advice for healthy aging includes exercise, mental health care, diet, and strong relationships. The Harvard Study of Adult Development identifies six habits: physical activity, no alcohol, no smoking, coping mechanisms, healthy weight, and stable marriage. Galen's advice aligns with these findings, emphasizing exercise, diet, and psychological well-being.

A machine learning algorithm using 12-lead ECGs can detect pulmonary hypertension (PH) with high accuracy, including up to 5 years prior to diagnosis, potentially improving early detection and treatment outcomes.

Equitable Breakthroughs in Medicine Development selected UAB's Minority Health and Health Equity Research Center as a clinical trial site. EQBMED, funded by a $10M grant from PhRMA, aims to increase involvement of underserved communities in medical treatment research. The partnership focuses on building trust, reducing health disparities, and enhancing diversity in clinical trials.

Fostamatinib did not significantly decrease oxygen-free days or improve outcomes for hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a Vanderbilt-led international trial. Results suggest fostamatinib does not improve recovery from COVID-19 infection, possibly due to differences in patient characteristics between trials.

The 21st IMS annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro discussed MRD testing, high-risk disease, CEPHEUS trial, and off-the-shelf CAR T-cell therapy. Topics included MRD testing's impact, defining high-risk myeloma, and the potential of allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy. CEPHEUS trial showed improved MRD negativity and PFS with daratumumab in myeloma treatment.