NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

650 bilateral EVLP cases (2008-2022) at Toronto General Hospital, with 1300 radiographs, were split 80:20 into training and validation sets. CNN architectures (ResNet-50, ResNeXt-50, RexNet-100, EfficientNet-B2/B3, DenseNet-121) were pretrained on ChestX-ray14 datasets and finetuned on EVLP radiographs for lung transplant outcome classification. Model performance was evaluated using accuracy and AUROC. GradCAM was used for CNN interpretation, and XGBoost models analyzed EVLP data and latent CNN features.

Massachusetts, a top biotech region, faces stagnant growth and expanding competition, prompting focus on Worcester as a biomanufacturing hub. In 2022, life sciences contributed $35 billion to the state GDP, with 116,937 workers in 2023. Worcester, the 15th-largest life science cluster, added 12% more biomanufacturing jobs, making it crucial for further expansion. MassBio aims for a third iteration of the Life Sciences Initiative to maintain leadership in the industry.

Tyson Ruetz, PhD, identified dynamic brain regions with neuron replacement, developed in vivo tests for genetic pathways, and demonstrated glucose transporter gene knockout's effect on neural stem cell activation and new neuron production in mice. The study suggests potential therapies for brain aging and injury, including low carbohydrate diets, and explores primary cilia's role in neural stem cell function.

Pragmatic clinical trials have seen a surge in the past decade, with over 80% of related citations published in the last 10 years. The PRECIS-2 framework has been cited nearly 700 times since 2015. These trials aim to inform decision-makers about intervention benefits, burdens, and risks at individual or population levels. The growing interest stems from clinicians' need for high-quality evidence. The National Academy of Medicine called for a 'Learning Health System' over 15 years ago, prompting the NIH to establish the Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory to develop best practices for rigorous trials in clinical settings.

HiDO Technologies received a Phase II grant from the NIA to continue dementia research using facial recognition and video observation to enhance safety, health outcomes, and reduce caregiver stress.

NIAID selects Emergex for Project NextGen to develop next-gen COVID-19 vaccines, focusing on T cell-priming candidates like CoronaTcP, aiming for variant-agnostic, long-lasting protection with reduced need for boosters.

NIH-supported researchers create the first complete map of the fruit fly brain's neural connections, detailing over 50 million connections between 130,000 neurons, advancing understanding of brain processes in larger animals.

FDA authorizes Phase 2a trial of Progerinin, developed by PRG Science & Technology Co., Ltd., for treating Progeria, a rare rapid-aging condition. The trial, in collaboration with The Progeria Research Foundation and Boston Children’s Hospital, aims to assess Progerinin in combination with Zokinvy, the current standard treatment. Progerinin showed a potential 50% increase in lifespan in a Progeria mouse model.

Registration is open for the Great Plains IDeA-CTR’s 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting on Oct. 21 at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Scott Conference Center. The free event, themed “Leveraging AI and Innovative Study Designs to Transform Healthcare and Improve Patient Outcomes,” offers up to five continuing education credits and features speakers on AI in healthcare, NIH funding, and health data management. The CTR Superstar Competition will award $35,000 to a promising scholar. Register soon due to limited seating.