News from NYU Langone Health
Pig Kidney Removed From Alabama Woman After Organ Rejection. (New York Times)
The (4/11) NYU Langone Health officials said on Friday that surgeons removed a genetically engineered pig’s kidney from Towana Looney, who had “lived with the kidney for 130 days, which is longer than anyone else has tolerated an organ from a genetically modified animal.” Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair, Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, “said that the so-called explant was not a setback for the field of xenotransplantation,” noting in an interview that, “This is the longest one of these organs has lasted” and that “this game is going to be won by incremental improvements, singles and doubles, not trying to swing for the fences and get a home run.”
(4/11) Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair, Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said, “We did the safe thing. ... She’s no worse off than she was before (the xenotransplant) and she would tell you she’s better off because she had this 4½ month break from dialysis.”
(4/11) Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair, Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said, “Towana’s willingness to endeavor into the unknown to help solve the nation’s organ shortage crisis will impact many more lives after her. We celebrate her tremendous courage and sacrifice,” adding, “She lived with a pig kidney longer than any other human in history, and the field has learned a great deal from her. Her contribution has furthered the hope and promise of genetically engineered pig organs as an alternative source to human organs.”
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MIT’s Karenna Groff, 2022 NCAA Woman Of The Year, And Family Killed In Saturday Plane Crash In Upstate NY. (Boston Globe)
(4/13) Two recent MIT graduates, Karenna Groff and James Santoro, were among six victims of a private plane crash on April 12, 2025, en route to Upstate New York for a birthday celebration and the Passover holiday; Groff, a second-year student who was accepted to train in the neurosurgery program at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, was a distinguished NCAA Woman of the Year, while her father, Michael Groff, was a highly respected neurosurgeon and executive medical director at Rochester Regional Health; “She had already distinguished herself as a rising star inside and outside the classroom, with limitless possibilities on the horizon,” Steve Ritea, senior director, media relations, said, “Karenna demonstrated exceptional skill and unwavering passion towards the care of patients and the mission of our institution.”
I’m A Doctor – Beware This ‘Cruel Mystery’ Disease That Can Permanently Damage Organs. (New York Post)
The (4/14) Amit Saxena, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, discussed lupus, an autoimmune disease affecting 16,000 new US patients annually, characterized by joint pain, hair loss, and fatigue, with diagnosis complicated by its subtle symptoms and no definitive test.
Will DJ LeMahieu’s Age Hamper His Recovery? (New York Post)
The (4/11) “As DJ LeMahieu recovers from a calf strain he suffered during Yankees spring training, Daniel J. Kaplan, MD, assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, joins Brandon London to discuss whether the 36-year-old, two-time batting champion’s age will play a factor during his recovery.”
After Amputation, Losing More Of Her Leg Was The Only Way To Help Her Walk Again. (CBS News)
(4/12) Tracey White, who underwent a revision amputation due to Charcot’s foot, received care from Omri B. Ayalon, MD, assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hilary T. Campbell, MD, resident, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and Michele Cerasani, MD, resident, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, who identified that the angle of her bone and muscle was causing her pain; White said, “The revision amputation ‘has been a lifesaver,’” and after recovering, she participated in a polar bear plunge with Ayalon and a four-mile run celebrating people with disabilities, expressing a desire to return to competitive running and achieve “that marathon moment.”
56 Health Systems Honored For Digital Supply Chain Excellence. (Becker's Hospital Review)
(4/9) Global Healthcare Exchange has recognized 56 healthcare providers as 2024 Millennium Club honorees for processing over 1 million automated transactions annually, with NYU Langone Health among the honorees, demonstrating leadership in enhancing supply chain efficiency, cost reduction, and visibility.
Multidisciplinary Training Of BiTE-Associated AEs Increases Safety In Outpatient Setting. (Oncology Nursing News)
(4/13) A study conducted at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter 鶹Ƶapp Center, presented at the 50th Annual Oncology Nursing Society Congress, found that the administration of bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) therapies, such as epcoritamab-bysp, can be more successful in inpatient and outpatient settings when accompanied by healthcare education on toxicities like cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), and enhanced patient monitoring; the study involved creating a cross-campus workflow to educate healthcare providers and patients, implementing wallet cards for emergency department visits, and developing electronic health record alerts to improve management of BiTE-associated toxicities.
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Investigational Drug Slows Decline In Early Huntington. (Medscape)
Paywalled* (4/14)* The investigational drug pridopidine has shown sustained improvements in function, cognition, and fine motor skills for early-stage Huntington disease patients not on or on low doses of antidopaminergic medications, according to Andrew S. Feigin, MD, professor, associate chair, NYU Network and Clinical Research, Department of Neurology, and chief medical officer at Rho, Inc., who presented findings at the American Academy of Neurology 2025 annual meeting; however, while key endpoints were not met, the drug demonstrated benefits in a prespecified analysis of patients not taking these medications, with clinically meaningful improvements observed in composite Unified Huntington Disease Rating Scale scores.
Op-Ed: Having A Midwife By My Side May Have Saved My Life. (Essence Magazine)
(4/11) Black women in the U.S. face disproportionately high risks during childbirth due to systemic issues like implicit bias and lack of cultural understanding among healthcare providers, according to the National Institutes of Health, but one woman’s experience at NYU Langone Health with a culturally aware Aisha L. Olivacce, CNM, certified nurse midwife, provided her with life-saving care and comfort; Yaa Haber, PhD, executive director, Institute for Excellence in Health Equity, emphasized the importance of culturally competent care.
Proactiv Skin Care Products Recalled Nationwide As Carcinogen Found. (Newsweek)
(4/12) Two Proactiv skin care products have been recalled nationwide due to benzene contamination, a carcinogen, affecting over 41,000 bottles of Proactiv Emergency Blemish Relief and Proactiv Skin Smoothing Exfoliator; John G. Zampella, MD, associate professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, said that “the amounts are very small, and it isn’t known what the effects of these small doses over time might be.”
What To Know About Depression Symptoms And Treatments. (USA Today)
(4/12) Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, can severely impact daily life, with common symptoms including fatigue, irritability, and physical issues, according to the National Institutes of Health; psychiatrist Judith F. Joseph, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry emphasizes the importance of recognizing and managing these symptoms through therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and social support, noting that “strengthening social connections and seeking support from friends, family or support groups is important.”
Can’t Sleep? Experts Say This Might Be The Real Reason You’re Wide Awake. (First For Women)
(4/13) A growing concern for many Americans is orthosomnia, the anxiety about achieving perfect sleep, which is exacerbated by sleep tracking devices that lack scientific validation, according to Mandana Mahmoudi, MD, MPH, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, who said, “I’ve seen an increase in anxiety with patients coming to see me with their sleep issues and telling me what their technology is telling them about their sleep,” noting that the technology is not scientifically proven, and cannot be relied upon for accurate data.
This Is The Frustrating Truth Behind Why Painkillers Are Less Effective For Women. (HuffPost (UK))
(4/13) Meera K. Kirpekar, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, discussed the historical male bias in pain studies, revealing that until 2016, over 80% of such studies involved only male participants, which overlooked the impact of hormonal fluctuations on female pain sensitivity.
If You’re Going To Clean Out Your Ears Yourself, Here’s How To Do It Right. (HuffPost)
(4/13) Erich P. Voigt, MD, associate professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, chief, Division of General/Sleep Otolaryngology, said that most people do not need to remove earwax as it serves as a protective coating with waterproofing and anti-microbial properties, preventing outer ear infections.
Diabetes And Weight-Loss Drug ‘Changed My Life,’ Says Senator: ‘I Feel A Decade Younger’. (Fox News)
(4/12) In an April 8 op-ed in The New York Times, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) described how the GLP-1 drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) positively impacted his health, reducing cardiac event risks and improving his overall well-being, and called for wider access to such medications, which can be expensive without insurance coverage; Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, said semaglutides like Ozempic and Wegovy are significant for type 2 diabetes and obesity, though more research is needed for their effects on heart health and dementia risk.
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Award-Winning US Medical Correspondent To Appear At International Empathy Conference. (Business in the Midlands)
(4/11) Jonathan D. LaPook, MD, the Mebane Professor of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, professor, Department of Population Health, will be the keynote speaker at the Global Empathy in Healthcare Network Symposium 2025, where he will present ‘ROE: Return on Empathy,’ exploring the scalability of empathy in large institutions; Dr. LaPook, who is also the Founder and President of the NYU Langone Empathy Project, is recognized for his award-winning work with CBS News and contributions to empathetic healthcare.
