Postpartum urinary incontinence linked to mental health

A UT Southwestern Medical Center study of hundreds of underserved women showed that depression and anxiety, in addition to physical factors such as a higher body mass index and previous births, are associated with lingering postpartum urinary incontinence.

Gene-editing nanoparticles correct stem cell mutations in cystic fibrosis models

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center developed nanoparticles that successfully edited the disease-causing gene in the lungs of a mouse model of cystic fibrosis (CF), swapping a mutated form with a healthy one that persisted in stem cells. Their findings, reported in Science, could offer hope for people with CF and other debilitating genetic lung diseases.

ER patient portal usage increasing, study shows

More people are using online patient portals to view their information while in the emergency room, but access is challenging for members of medically underserved communities and the elderly, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers and national colleagues found in a new study.

Cancer cell–immune cell interactions predict immunotherapy response

By examining which genes were turned on and off in a mix of cell types from breast cancer biopsies, a team led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers developed a tool that can accurately predict which patients with breast cancer will respond to immunotherapies.

Drug targeting clear cell renal cell carcinoma shows promising approach

In a groundbreaking phase one clinical trial led by UT Southwestern Medical Center, a short interfering RNA (siRNA) drug directed to tumor cells effectively disrupted HIF2α, a key driver of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Published in Clinical Cancer Research, the findings illustrate the potential of siRNA for cancer therapy.

Simulation reveals new mechanism for membrane fusion

An intricate simulation performed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers using one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers sheds new light on how proteins called SNAREs cause biological membranes to fuse.

UT Southwestern scientists discover antiviral immune pathway

By focusing on a poxvirus protein, a team led by UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists has discovered an antiviral immune pathway that broadly fights a wide variety of viruses. Their findings, reported in Nature Microbiology, could eventually lead to new ways to prevent or treat viral infections or thwart autoimmune diseases.

UTSW discovers protective ‘acid wall’ formed by cancer cells

Cancer cells release a significantly more concentrated level of acid than previously known, forming an “acid wall” that could deter immune cells from attacking tumors, UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists show in a new study.

Gene therapy offers hope for giant axonal neuropathy patients

A gene therapy developed by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center for a rare disease called giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) was well tolerated in pediatric patients and showed clear benefits, a new study reports. Findings from the phase one clinical trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, could offer hope for patients with this rare condition and a host of other neurological diseases.

Nanoparticles developed at UTSW effectively fight tumors

A nanoparticle-based therapy developed by UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists stimulated an immune pathway that eradicated tumors in mouse models of various cancer types. Their findings, published in Science Immunology, offer a new way to potentially harness the power of the body’s immune system against cancer.

Nerve decompression shows promise for diabetic neuropathy patients

Surgical nerve decompression, used to treat conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and sciatica, could play a role in relieving the pain of diabetic neuropathy patients, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found.

Moncrief Cancer Institute debuts new Mobile Screening Clinic funded by Tarrant County

Moncrief Cancer Institute debuted its new Mobile Screening Clinic prior to the Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting today. The $1 million, 36-foot cancer screening clinic was funded by Tarrant County through a three-year, $9 million grant awarded to Moncrief Cancer Institute in 2022. Part of the federal funding Tarrant County received through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the grant enabled Moncrief to expand its comprehensive cancer screening program to more underserved residents in Tarrant County.

UT Southwestern study shows glucagon is key for kidney health

Glucagon, a hormone best known for promoting blood sugar production in the liver, also appears to play a key role in maintaining kidney health. When UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers removed receptors for this hormone from mouse kidneys, the animals developed symptoms akin to chronic kidney disease (CKD).

From segregation to inspiration, James Griffin, M.D., is making history at Parkland and UT Southwestern

To call the connection James D. Griffin, M.D., has with UT Southwestern and Parkland Memorial Hospital lifelong is no exaggeration. Dr. Griffin was born at Parkland in 1958, when the labor and delivery ward was still segregated. More than six decades later, his colleagues at that hospital elected him President of the medical staff – the first Black physician to earn the honor.

Age, sex, race among top risk factors for revision knee surgery

Patients who are younger than about 40, male, or Black are among those most at risk for revision surgery after having had a total knee replacement, according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The study, published in the Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, was the first to explore relationships among risk factors for revision after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

In Memoriam: Jonathan W. Uhr, M.D., renowned immunologist and longtime Chair of Microbiology

Jonathan W. Uhr, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Immunology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, who discovered how antibodies are made and developed a technique that led to the early detection of cancer cells, died Feb. 15. He was 96. Dr. Uhr was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Gold nanoparticles reverse brain deficits in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s

Results from phase two clinical trials at UT Southwestern Medical Center showed that a suspension of gold nanocrystals taken daily by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) significantly reversed deficits of metabolites linked to energy activity in the brain and resulted in functional improvements.

UT Southwestern molecular geneticist wins Hill Prize from TAMEST

Russell DeBose-Boyd, Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Genetics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been awarded the Hill Prize in Biological Sciences from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST) in recognition of his long-standing research into a key mechanism necessary for cholesterol control.

Device keeps brain alive, functioning separate from body

Researchers led by a team at UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a device that can isolate blood flow to the brain, keeping the organ alive and functioning independent from the rest of the body for several hours.

Nerve block can reduce need for postsurgical opioids

A preoperative nerve block used in combination with other medications can reduce the need for opioids to manage pain following spinal surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found. The findings, published in European Spine Journal, suggest a way to lessen the reliance on opioids to reduce postoperative pain and help patients become ambulatory sooner.

Traditional Chinese medicine reduces risk after heart attack

A traditional Chinese medicine whose name means “to open the network of the heart” reduced the risk of heart attacks, deaths, and other major cardiovascular complications for at least a year after a first heart attack, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows. The findings, published in JAMA, reveal the promise of this compound, one of the first traditional Chinese medicines tested in a large-scale, Western-style clinical trial.

Study reveals how estrogen exerts its anti-diabetic effects

The quintessential female sex hormone estrogen stimulates cells that line blood vessels to deliver insulin to muscles, lowering blood sugar and protecting against Type 2 diabetes, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report. The findings, published in Nature Communications, could eventually lead to new therapies for Type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects hundreds of millions of people around the globe and continues to grow more prevalent.

Catherine Spong, M.D., elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Catherine Spong, M.D., Chair and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in recognition of her contributions to the field of maternal-fetal medicine, her leadership in women’s health research, and her dedication to advancing health care for mothers and babies.

UTSW researcher receives NIH Director’s New Innovator Award

Ravikanth Maddipati, M.D., Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine and in Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern, has been awarded $1.5 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support research investigating positional heterogeneity in cancer, or how tumors in the same organ can behave differently based on where they form.

UT Southwestern biochemist Zhijian ‘James’ Chen to receive prestigious Horwitz Prize

Zhijian “James” Chen, Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been awarded the 2023 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize in recognition of his groundbreaking work on innate immunity.

Iron supplements provided in prenatal visits improved outcomes

Giving free prenatal iron supplements to medically underserved pregnant patients rather than only recommending them significantly reduced anemia and postpartum blood transfusions, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Health report in a study published in JAMA Network Open.

UTSW researchers identify driver of inflammatory bowel disease

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered an intracellular mechanism that converts protective intestinal cells into disease-driving pathogenic cells, a finding that could lead to improved treatments for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Intestinal bacteria release molecular ‘brake’ on weight gain

Bacteria that live in the intestines inhibit a molecule that limits the amount of fat absorbed, increasing weight gain in mice fed a high-sugar, high-fat diet, researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center report. The findings, published in Science, could eventually lead to new ways to combat obesity, diabetes, and malnutrition – health problems that plague hundreds of millions worldwide.

Fish oil supplement claims often vague, not supported by data

Your daily dose of omega-3s may not be doing what you think it is. Most fish oil supplements on the market today have labels boasting health benefits that aren’t supported by clinical data, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Cause of ‘brain freeze’ a bit of a mystery, but not to worry

You’re eating or drinking something frozen, like a snow cone, ice cream, or ice pops – probably a bit too eagerly – and you get one of those sudden-onset, painful headaches known as “brain freeze.” Man, does it hurt, but usually not for long, and it’s not harmful, according to an expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Study identifies characteristics specific to human brains

Researchers led by a team at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified cellular and molecular features of the brain that set modern humans apart from their closest primate relatives and ancient human ancestors. The findings, published in Nature, offer new insights into human brain evolution.