JOHN HOPE FRANKLIN CENTER

Duke-NUS GMS's progress exceeds expectations with joint degree, research programs, and $80M donation. The Khoo Teck Puat Building, set to open mid-next year, will house state-of-the-art R&D facilities, aiming to transform Outram Campus into a medical hub.

Aging increases disease risk; targeting the aging process itself could reduce this burden. Researchers are developing 'aging clocks' to measure biological age and 'speedometers' to track aging rates. Blood from young mice rejuvenates aged mice's brains, suggesting potential treatments for neurodegeneration. Calorie restriction (CR) in humans slows biological aging and improves muscle health, though practical measures like physical activity and healthy eating are currently the best anti-aging strategies.

New research on ketamine metabolite, RR-HNK, shows it is safe and tolerable with limited abuse potential, offering hope for rapid-acting depression treatment.

RedHill Biopharma collaborates with Duke University to test opaganib as a potential treatment for phosgene inhalation injury, aiming for FDA approval under the Animal Rule pathway.

ADAPT SERON (NCT06298552) will assess IV efgartigimod's efficacy and safety in anti-AChR-Ab- gMG patients, enrolling 110 participants in a randomized trial with MG-ADL as the primary endpoint. The study, led by Jeffrey Guptill, MD, MS, includes a double-blinded, placebo-controlled Part A and an open-label extension Part B, expected to conclude in 2025-2027.

Study on MM treatment decision-making highlights QoL, duration of response, and side effects as top attributes for patients, care partners, and physicians. Differences in preferences and trade-offs underscore the importance of shared decision-making (SDM) to align treatment plans with patient values and improve outcomes.

A UMD-led study, published in Aging Cell, identified a protein, Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), linked to cardiovascular health in progeria models, potentially paving the way for new treatments targeting HGPS cardiovascular complications. The research, in collaboration with NIH and Duke University, suggests Ang2 could improve endothelial cell signaling and vascular functions, with broader beneficial impacts on other tissue types.

Dr. Wei Gao's research at Caltech focuses on wearable biosensors that use sweat to diagnose health issues, offering continuous monitoring and early warnings. His innovations include low-cost, disposable sensors and sustainable power sources, applicable to conditions like cystic fibrosis and gout, and collaborations with NASA and the U.S. Navy.

Healthy human meniscus-derived matrix scaffolds promote meniscus repair, outperforming osteoarthritic (OA) counterparts in cellular growth, ECM production, and ex vivo integrative repair, suggesting potential for tissue engineering in meniscus repair.

Dr. Donald McDonnell's lab at Duke University discovers estrogen modulation impacts triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) by affecting immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. A clinical trial using lasofoxifene, an estrogen receptor modulator, aims to enhance immune response in TNBC patients before standard therapies. This approach could also benefit other cancers and reduce chemotherapy reliance.