News from NYU Langone Health
Pig Kidney Removed After Historic Transplant In Alabama Woman. (HealthDay)
(4/15) Doctors at NYU Langone Health have removed a genetically modified pig kidney from Towana Looney, a 53-year-old Alabama woman, after 130 days due to organ rejection, marking the longest duration a genetically altered pig organ has lasted in a human, according to Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair, Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Transplant Institute, who performed the transplant and said, “This is the longest one of these organs has lasted,” with Looney expressing gratitude for her time without dialysis and United Therapeutics Corporation, the biotech company that engineered the pig, planning a clinical trial of pig-kidney transplantation.
Also reporting are (4/14), Yakima, WA (4/15), Binghamton, NY (4/15), and (4/15).
Leading Cardiologist & Echocardiographer Appointed Medical Director Of NYU Langone’s Aortic Center. (Health IT Answers)
(4/15) Geraldine Ong, MD, MSc, an esteemed cardiologist and clinical investigator specializing in the diagnosis and management of aortic and aortic valve diseases has been appointed medical director of NYU Langone Health’s Aortic Center, and clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology.
Advancements And Challenges In Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: Lauren B. Krupp, MD. (Neurology Live)
(4/15) At the 2025 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, Lauren B. Krupp, MD, the Nancy Glickenhaus Pier Professor of Pediatric Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neurology, discussed the importance of early, high-efficacy treatment for pediatric MS, saying, “We now have therapies that are highly effective, and since young people with MS relapse or have clinical attacks more frequently than older people with MS, it’s very important to get those therapies on board quickly,” while also addressing the psychosocial challenges and the need for multidisciplinary support to manage cognitive, emotional, and social impacts.
Blood Test Predicts Melanoma Recurrence. (Medscape)
Paywalled* (4/15)* Researchers from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, led by Mahrukh M. Syeda, MS, research scientist, the Ronald O. Perlman Department of Dermatology, and David Polsky, MD, PhD, the Alfred W. Kopf, M.D. Professor of Dermatologic Oncology, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, professor, Department of Pathology, Perlmutter 鶹Ƶapp Center, published a study in The Lancet Oncology demonstrating that droplet digital PCR assays for circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can effectively identify stage III melanoma patients at high risk for early recurrence during adjuvant targeted therapy, outperforming traditional prognostic indicators, with ctDNA detection associated with worse recurrence-free survival.
Also reporting is (4/15).
Newly Discovered Immune Cell Type Regulates Food Allergies. (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News)
(4/15) Researchers from NYU Langone Health have published a study in Nature revealing that tolerogenic dendritic cells (tDC) in the intestines can mitigate immune responses to food proteins, potentially preventing allergies; genetic disruption of tDC in mouse models led to increased food antigen-specific T helper 2 cells, while intact tDC promoted anti-inflammatory T-cell responses, with development dependent on proteins RORγt and Prdm16, according to Dan Littman, MD, PhD, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology, Department of Pathology, and professor, Department of Cell Biology, who said, “This discovery adds evidence to our earlier work showing that these cells also keep the peace with the vast microbiome.”
Also reporting is (4/15).
This NY Hospital Was Named One Of The World’s Best, According To New Ranking. (Staten Island (NY) Advance)
(4/15) NYU Langone Health’s Tisch Hospital was ranked 93rd on Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2025 list, where hospitals are ranked based on peer recommendations from a survey of over 85,000 medical experts, hospital quality metrics, and patient experience data.
Hospitals With Highest, Lowest Survival Rates For CABG. (Becker's Hospital Review)
(4/15) NYU Langone Health hospitals ranked fifth among all US hospitals on a list of hospitals with the highest 30-day survival rate for patients completing the coronary artery bypass graft, with a survival rate of 0.985642.
This One Muscle Could Be The Key To Fixing Your Back Pain. (National Geographic)
(4/15) Richard Lau, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, says the psoas muscle, part of the iliopsoas complex, may be a source of lower back pain, noting the psoas will “tug on both ends of where the muscle spans,” distorting pelvic alignment and straining the back, and recommending that patients not “be in any one particular non-moving position, whether it’s prolonged sitting or prolonged standing.”
This Is The Most Effective Allergy Med You Can Purchase Right Now. (Women's Health)
(4/15) Wang Mak, MD, clinical instructor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, explained that climate change is leading to earlier allergy seasons, with nasal steroids being the most effective over-the-counter treatment for moderate to severe allergies, while nasal antihistamines and antihistamine pills are suitable for runny noses and mild allergies, respectively, and emphasized the importance of starting nasal steroids two weeks before symptoms begin.
I Sat In An Oxygen Chamber For The Sake Of Longevity. (PopSugar)
(4/15) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), traditionally used in medical settings to treat conditions like severe wounds and decompression sickness, is now offered by clinics such as Next Health for wellness purposes; however, Ernest S. Chiu, MD, professor, the Hansjorg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, vice chair, academic affairs, Department of Plastic Surgery Faculty Group Practice, advises using HBOT at accredited facilities for specific medical conditions as its aesthetic and wellness benefits remain unproven.
Perioral Dermatitis Could Be The Reason For Breakouts Around Your Mouth. (SELF Magazine)
(4/15) Arielle R. Nagler, MD, associate professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, discusses perioral dermatitis, a skin condition causing rashes around the mouth, nose, and eyes, saying, “It’s often associated with burning and itching, and it can be pretty persistent,”
‘Overlooked Food’ Is Causing Colon 鶹Ƶapp In Under 50s, Medics Warn. (Daily Mail (UK))
The (4/16) 鶹Ƶapp specialists from NYU Langone Health have urged physicians to advise patients against consuming processed meats like bacon and sausages due to research linking them to increased colon cancer risk, with Peter S. Liang, MD, MPH, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and Department of Population Health, saying, “While I routinely counsel my patients about lifestyle and dietary risk factors, including processed meat, I’m not sure how often this is specifically mentioned by physicians in practice,” and recommending that doctors “continue delivering the message” to reduce processed meat consumption, as studies show a significant rise in young-onset colon cancer globally.
Jewish Family On Way To Passover Seder Killed In NY Plane Crash. (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The (4/15) A tragic plane crash claimed the lives of a family traveling to upstate New York for Passover, including Karenna Groff, a 2022 NCAA woman of the year and student at NYU Grossman School of Medicine; her brother, Jared Groff; their parents, surgeons Michael Groff and Joy Saini; and their partners, James Santoro and Alexia Couyutas Duarte.
(4/14) In a statement, NYU Grossman School of Medicine said, “Karina demonstrated exceptional skill and unwavering passion toward the care of patients and the mission of our institution. We will remember her for her warmth, her grace, her kindness, her outstanding accomplishment, and the pure joy she brought to our community.”
Also reporting are the (4/15) and (4/16).
Are ‘Designer Babies’ The Next Step In Evolution. (WHYY-TV Philadelphia)
Philadelphia (4/15) Advancements in gene sequencing now allow for embryos to be screened for genetic diseases and traits, with private companies offering polygenic screening to assess risk scores for health conditions and physical characteristics, raising ethical questions about the potential for eugenics, as discussed by Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor of Bioethics, Department of Population Health, in a conversation with journalist Anna Louie Sussman and local parent Simone Collins.
