March Research Highlights

LOS ANGELES (March 31, 2023) —

The Shape of Your Heart Matters

A new study, led by David Ouyang, MD, a cardiologist in the Smidt Heart Institute and a researcher in the Division of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, found individuals with spherical hearts were 31% more likely to develop atrial fibrillation and 24% more likely to develop cardiomyopathy, a type of heart muscle disease. The findings, published in Med—Cell Press new medical journal—used deep learning and advanced imaging analysis to study the genetics of heart structure. Read more>

Where Does Your Brain Want to Have Lunch?

New research led by Ueli Rutishauser, PhD, advances scientific understanding of how the brain weighs decisions involving what people like or value, such as choosing which book to read, which restaurant to pick for lunch—or even, which slot machine to play in a casino. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Human Behaviour, this study involved recording the activity of individual human neurons. Read more>

Study: Patient Safety Law Associated With Fewer Medication Errors

When pharmacy staff members develop an accurate medication list for high-risk patients being admitted to a hospital, medication errors—which could have led to substantial complications or even death—are significantly reduced, according to a new study led by Chief Pharmacy Officer Rita Shane, PharmD, and her team. These findings were published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy. Read more>

Five Pediatric Specialists Join Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s

Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s is welcoming five new physicians who focus on specific areas of children’s health, including adolescent health, endocrinology, intensive care and neonatology. Patients will benefit from highly specialized care provided by the newest physicians to join Guerin Children’s: endocrinologist John Ching, MD, adolescent health specialist Michelle Escovedo, MD, neonatologist Xin Yu, MD, and intensivists Charles Pohl, MD, and Sareen Shah, MDRead more>

Cedars-Sinai Launches Microbiome Research Institute

Cedars-Sinai has established a new Human Microbiome Research Institute that will support investigators studying how the microbiome, the diverse collection of bacteria, fungi and viruses that live in and on the human body, plays a role in healthSuzanne Devkota, PhD, will serve as the inaugural director. Her objective is to amplify the use of technologies available at Cedars-Sinai to study the microbiome across specialties and disciplines. Read more>

Cedars-Sinai Diabetes Leader Aids Development of New Hypoglycemia Guidelines

Clinical guidelines for the management of adult diabetes patients at high risk for hypoglycemia were recently updated by the Endocrine Society. Roma Gianchandani, MD, is a co-author of the guidelines. These updated guidelines are an evidence-based resource for clinicians to identify subsets of diabetes patients who have a significant risk of hypoglycemia and to prioritize use of technology and therapies to help them mitigate that risk. Read more>

Study Reveals New Understanding of How Androgen Therapy Affects Breast Tissue

New insights into the effects of a hormonal treatment for transgender men, discovered by Cedars-Sinai investigators, could have implications for the treatment of breast cancer. Molecular changes observed in the breast tissue of transgender men undergoing androgen therapy may signal the potential for also using the hormone to prevent or treat a type of breast cancer that is fueled by estrogen. The study, led by Simon Knott, PhD, is published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell GenomicsRead more>

Cedars-Sinai Surgeon-in-Chief Selected for Expanded Academic Leadership Post

Vascular surgeon Bruce L. Gewertz, MD, the medical center’s surgeon-in-chief, has been selected to be the vice dean of Clinical System Development and Faculty Affairs. In his new, expanded leadership post, Gewertz will work with department chairs and institute directors to strategically accelerate program growth for Cedars-Sinai Health System, which includes four hospitals and affiliated physician networks and medical offices across the Los Angeles region. Read more>

Postdocs Studying Heart Repair, Brain Processing Win 2023 Malaniak Awards

Alessandra Ciullo, PhD, who is investigating how certain molecules repair the heart after a heart attack, and Zhongzheng Fu, PhD, whose work helps explain how people learn from mistakes, are the recipients of this year’s Cedars-Sinai Bohdan (Danny) Malaniak Awards for Excellence in Postdoctoral Research. The purpose of this award is to foster basic and translational research, enrich knowledge and encourage the development of postdoctoral careers. Read more> 

American College of Cardiology Honors Women’s Heart Disease Pioneer

Noel Bairey Merz, MD, professor of cardiology and the director of the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center in the Smidt Heart Institute, received the 2023 Master of the ACC Award from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in honor of her pioneering contributions to the cardiovascular profession. The award recognizes and honors ACC Fellows who have served with distinction, consistently providing leadership and contributing to the goals of the college. Read more> 

New Insights: Eye Damage in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients

Cedars-Sinai investigators have produced the most extensive analysis to date of changes in the retina—a layer of tissue at the back of the eye where visual information originates—and how those retinal changes correspond to brain and cognitive changes in Alzheimer’s disease patients. The analysis was led by Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, PhD, and published in the peer-reviewed journal Acta NeuropathologicaRead more> 

How to Conduct Sex Differences Research

In this Q&A, Graciela Gonzalez-Hernandez, PhD, vice chair for Research and Education in the Department of Computational Biomedicine, and research veterinarian Sandra Duarte, DVM, executive director of Comparative Medicine, discuss how researchers can successfully include sex as a biological variable and how research that analyzes existing data can compensate for potential gaps in gender inclusivity. Read more> 

Q&A With Heart Rhythm Expert Eric Braunstein, MD

Cardiac electrophysiologist Eric Braunstein, MD, who joined the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai late last year, recently published a first-of-its kind case study in the peer-reviewed medical journal Heart Rhythm Case Reports. The case study showed, for the first time, that it’s possible to cure arrhythmias in patients with a complex mix of heart conditions who have undergone other treatments. Read more> 

Cedars-Sinai Investigator Honored for Work Identifying Racial Disparities in Gynecological Care

Rebecca Schneyer, MD, has received the Medstar National Center for Advanced Pelvic Surgery Diversity and Inclusion Award given by the Foundation of the AAGL. The award recognized the study led by Schneyer and her colleagues at Cedars-Sinai that found Black and Hispanic women were significantly less likely than white patients to undergo minimally invasive surgery for uterine fibroids. The findings are published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive GynecologyRead more>      

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