University Of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance identifies 'Data-Driven Healthcare and Connected Devices' and 'Next-Gen Therapeutics Development and Manufacturing' as growth platforms, leveraging regional strengths in AI, data science, and clinical research.

Republican Dave Sunday and Democrat Eugene DePasquale debated for the second time, revisiting abortion rights, marijuana legalization, gun control, retail theft rings, and cash bail reform. Sunday emphasized his prosecutorial experience, while DePasquale highlighted his work as auditor general. Both agreed on protecting children from social media harm and addressing drug overdose deaths, but differed on cash bail and gun control measures.

Tevogen Bio highlights phase I trial data of TVGN 489, an allogeneic SARS-CoV-2 specific Cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes immunotherapy, published in 'Blood Advances'. Key findings include persistence of CTLs in patients and potential for treating Long COVID.

Tevogen Bio's phase I trial data of TVGN 489, an allogeneic SARS-CoV-2 specific Cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes immunotherapy, showed symptom improvement and faster resolution in high-risk patients, with 92% viral elimination by day +4 and 100% by day +14. The therapy was well-tolerated and did not interfere with endogenous responses. Persistence of donor-derived CTLs was noted through 6 months, suggesting potential for sustained therapeutic effects.

Dr. Tarek Rajji, named Chair and Professor of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern, focuses on restoring brain function in older patients with severe mental illness and Alzheimer’s through brain stimulation. His vision is to expand clinical research and integrate it with clinical care, aiming to innovate and develop new models of care at the Texas Behavioral Health Center.

NVIDIA launches 'AI Tech Community' initiative in Pittsburgh, establishing tech centers with Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh to foster AI innovation. The centers aim to enhance robotics, autonomy, and computational health sciences using NVIDIA's latest technology. Pittsburgh seeks to position itself as a global AI leader and job creator.

Meiler lab awarded $46 million to develop a 'super-vaccine' against alphaviruses, leveraging computational techniques and a multidisciplinary team.

UT Dallas researchers developed a new chemical reaction to synthesize enantiomers of mirror molecules, enabling selective production of versions with desired biological effects for potential use in treating cancer, infection, depression, and more. The method, published in 'Science,' involves adding prenyl groups to enones using a new catalyst, allowing for scalable, efficient synthesis of pure enantiomers. This breakthrough could impact drug discovery by facilitating the production of natural product analogs with enhanced potency and selectivity.

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh validated a new blood test, NULISAseq CNS Disease Panel 120, capable of measuring over 100 Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, potentially improving early detection and understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. The test, developed by Alamar Biosciences, was evaluated using 113 blood samples from cognitively normal older adults, showing effective detection of several biomarkers correlated with amyloid positivity status. The researchers aim to develop a predictive model for Alzheimer’s staging and progression, with plans for further validation in diverse populations.

Digital pathology accelerates precision medicine by automating slide analysis, reducing human error, and enabling remote access. Five startups—Clarapath, Ibex Medical Analytics, Paige, PathAI, and Proscia—are leading this transformation, leveraging AI to enhance cancer diagnostics and treatment development. The global digital pathology market is projected to grow from $1.15 billion in 2024 to $3.86 billion in 2032.