Latest News from: UT Southwestern Medical Center

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Released: 8-Mar-2021 11:20 AM EST
New CAR T-Cell Therapy Extends Remission In Heavily Relapsed Multiple Myeloma Patients
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – March 8, 2021 – A new type of CAR T-cell therapy more than triples the expected length of remission for multiple myeloma patients who have relapsed several times, according to an international clinical trial with UT Southwestern as the lead enrolling site.

2-Mar-2021 2:30 PM EST
Putting A Protein Into Overdrive to Heal Spinal Cord Injuries
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Using genetic engineering, researchers at UT Southwestern and Indiana University have reprogrammed scar-forming cells in mouse spinal cords to create new nerve cells, spurring recovery after spinal cord injury. The findings, published online today in Cell Stem Cell, could offer hope for the hundreds of thousands of people worldwide who suffer a spinal cord injury each year.

Released: 3-Mar-2021 8:00 AM EST
Drug Found Effective For Weight Loss in Patients With Obesity And Diabetes, International Study Shows
UT Southwestern Medical Center

A drug approved for diabetes has now been shown to also help patients with diabetes lose on average 10 percent of their body weight, UT Southwestern reports in a landmark international study.

Released: 1-Mar-2021 2:00 PM EST
Swapping Alpha Cells For Beta Cells to Treat Diabetes
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Blocking cell receptors for glucagon, the counter-hormone to insulin, cured mouse models of diabetes by converting glucagon-producing cells into insulin producers instead, a team led by UT Southwestern reports in a new study. The findings, published online in PNAS, could offer a new way to treat both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in people.

23-Feb-2021 2:00 PM EST
Scientists Identify Cells Responsible For Liver Tissue Maintenance And Regeneration
UT Southwestern Medical Center

While the amazing regenerative power of the liver has been known since ancient times, the cells responsible for maintaining and replenishing the liver have remained a mystery. Now, research from the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) has identified the cells responsible for liver maintenance and regeneration while also pinpointing where they reside in the liver.

Released: 24-Feb-2021 2:00 PM EST
Researchers Use Machine Learning to Identify Autism Blood Biomarkers
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 24, 2021 – Using machine learning tools to analyze hundreds of proteins, UT Southwestern researchers have identified a group of biomarkers in blood that could lead to an earlier diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and, in turn, more effective therapies sooner.

23-Feb-2021 11:30 AM EST
Researchers Identify Mechanism By Which Exercise Strengthens Bones And Immunity
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Scientists at the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have identified the specialized environment, known as a niche, in the bone marrow where new bone and immune cells are produced. The study, published in Nature, also shows that movement-induced stimulation is required for the maintenance of this niche, as well as the bone and immune-forming cells that it contains. Together, these findings identify a new way that exercise strengthens bones and immune function.

Released: 23-Feb-2021 12:00 PM EST
Distinguishing Between Two Very Similar Pediatric Brain Conditions
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Slight differences in clinical features can help physicians distinguish between two rare but similar forms of autoimmune brain inflammation in children, a new study by UT Southwestern scientists suggests. The findings, published online in Pediatric Neurology, could provide patients and their families with a better prognosis and the potential to target treatments specific to each condition in the future.

Released: 22-Feb-2021 3:00 PM EST
Three Longtime Antibiotics Could Offer Alternative to Addictive Opioid Pain Relievers
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 22, 2021 – Three decades-old antibiotics administered together can block a type of pain triggered by nerve damage in an animal model, UT Southwestern researchers report. The finding, published online today in PNAS, could offer an alternative to opioid-based painkillers, addictive prescription medications that are responsible for an epidemic of abuse in the U.S.

16-Feb-2021 10:00 AM EST
Gulf War Illness Not Caused By Depleted Uranium From Munitions, Study Shows
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 18, 2021 – Inhalation of depleted uranium from exploding munitions did not lead to Gulf War illness (GWI) in veterans deployed in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, a new study co-authored by a leading researcher of the disease at UT Southwestern suggests. The findings, published today in Scientific Reports, help eliminate a long-suspected cause of GWI that has attracted international concern for three decades.

Released: 16-Feb-2021 11:00 AM EST
Two UT Southwestern Faculty Members Inducted Into Shine Academy
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 16, 2021 – In recognition of outstanding teaching, the UT System’s Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education is inducting two UT Southwestern educators as new members during its annual conference in Austin. The event will be held virtually on Feb. 20.

Released: 16-Feb-2021 10:00 AM EST
Targeting Nsp1 Protein Could Be A Pathway For COVID-19 Therapy
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 16, 2021 – A study that identifies how a coronavirus protein called Nsp1 blocks the activity of genes that promote viral replication provides hope for new COVID-19 treatments.

Released: 11-Feb-2021 11:25 AM EST
Hope For Children With Bow Hunter Syndrome
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 11, 2021 – Fusing the neck’s top two vertebrae can prevent repeat strokes in children with bow hunter syndrome, a rare condition that affects a handful of U.S. pediatric patients each year, UT Southwestern researchers suggest in a recent study. The finding, published online in Child’s Nervous System, offers a new way to treat these children and protect them from potentially lifelong neurological consequences.

9-Feb-2021 11:05 AM EST
Bringing Bad Proteins Back Into The Fold
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 11, 2021 – A study led by UT Southwestern has identified a mechanism that controls the activity of proteins known as chaperones, which guide proteins to fold into the right shapes. The findings, published online today in Nature Communications, could shed light on hundreds of degenerative and neurodegenerative diseases caused by protein misfolding, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s, potentially leading to new treatments for these devastating conditions.

Released: 8-Feb-2021 4:20 PM EST
COVID-19 Infections in The U.S. Nearly Three Times Greater Than Reported, Model Estimates
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 8, 2021 – World health experts have long suspected that the incidence of COVID-19 has been higher than reported. Now, a machine-learning algorithm developed at UT Southwestern estimates that the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. since the pandemic began is nearly three times that of confirmed cases.

Released: 8-Feb-2021 12:00 PM EST
History of Vaccines Offers Lessons on COVID-19 For Pregnant Women
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 8, 2021 – Pregnant women, who are at increased risk of preterm birth or pregnancy loss if they develop a severe case of COVID-19, need the best possible guidance on whether they should receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to an article by two UT Southwestern obstetricians published today in JAMA. That guidance can take lessons from what is already known about other vaccines given during pregnancy.

Released: 8-Feb-2021 11:05 AM EST
STINGing Tumors With Nanoparticles
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 8, 2021 – A new nanoparticle-based drug can boost the body’s innate immune system and make it more effective at fighting off tumors, researchers at UT Southwestern have shown. Their study, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, is the first to successfully target the immune molecule STING with nanoparticles about one millionth the size of a soccer ball that can switch on/off immune activity in response to their physiological environment.

Released: 5-Feb-2021 12:00 PM EST
Pandemic Increases Substance Abuse, Mental Health Issues For Those Struggling With Obesity
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 5, 2021 – The COVID-19 pandemic is having a detrimental impact on substance use, mental health, and weight-related health behaviors among people with obesity, according to a new study by researchers at UT Southwestern and the UTHealth School of Public Health.

2-Feb-2021 10:00 AM EST
Forming Sound Memories: Autism Gene Plays Key Aspect In Birdsong
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 3, 2021 – Inactivating a gene in young songbirds that’s closely linked with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevents the birds from forming memories necessary to accurately reproduce their fathers’ songs, a new study led by UT Southwestern shows.

Released: 3-Feb-2021 11:00 AM EST
Two Studies Shed Light on How, Where Body Can Add New Fat Cells
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Feb. 3, 2021 – Gaining more fat cells is probably not what most people want, although that might be exactly what they need to fight off diabetes and other diseases. How and where the body can add fat cells has remained a mystery – but two new studies from UT Southwestern provide answers on the way this process works.

Released: 29-Jan-2021 4:25 PM EST
UT Southwestern to Host Virtual Discussion on ‘Black Men in White Coats’ Documentary
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 29, 2021 – The importance of increasing the number of Black male doctors in the United States will be the subject of a virtual panel discussion at UT Southwestern in advance of the release of a documentary on the issue.

Released: 28-Jan-2021 3:40 PM EST
Simulation Helps Refine Pediatric Care Guidelines For COVID-19
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 28, 2021 – Simulation can be a viable way to quickly evaluate and refine new medical guidelines and educate hospital staff in new procedures, a recent study from UT Southwestern’s Department of Pediatrics shows. The findings, published recently in the journal Pediatric Quality and Safety and originally shaped around new COVID-19-related pediatric resuscitation procedures at UTSW and Children’s Health, could eventually be used to help implement other types of guidelines at medical centers nationwide.

Released: 25-Jan-2021 10:30 AM EST
Missing Protein Helps Small Cell Lung Cancer Evade Immune Defenses
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 25, 2021 – Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cells are missing a surface protein that triggers an immune response, allowing them to hide from one of the body’s key cancer defenses, a new study led by UT Southwestern researchers suggests. The findings, reported online today in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, could lead to new treatments for SCLC, which has no effective therapies.

Released: 20-Jan-2021 10:00 AM EST
Reviving Exhausted Immune Cells to Fight Cancer
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 19, 2021 – Eliminating a single gene can turn exhausted cancer-fighting immune cells known as CD8+ T cells back into refreshed soldiers that can continue to battle malignant tumors, a new study led by UT Southwestern researchers suggests. The findings, published online this week in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer, could offer a new way to harness the body’s immune system to attack cancers.

Released: 15-Jan-2021 4:05 PM EST
Southwestern Health Resources Accountable Care Network Listed No. 1 in U.S. for Medicare Savings for Third Straight Year
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – January 15, 2021 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Southwestern Health Resources Accountable Care Network (SWHR) saved more than $52 million in 2019. These generated savings place it at the top of organizations participating in the CMS Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model. SWHR has saved nearly $120 million since joining the Next Generation program in 2017.

Released: 15-Jan-2021 2:00 PM EST
Kenneth Altshuler, M.D., Who Led UT Southwestern Department of Psychiatry For 23 Years, Dies At 91
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 15, 2021 – Kenneth Altshuler, M.D., a professor emeritus and longtime chair of psychiatry at UT Southwestern who helped to advance mental health causes in Dallas, died Jan. 6. He was 91.

Released: 13-Jan-2021 5:05 PM EST
New Combination Drug Therapy Offers Hope Against Methamphetamine Addiction
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 13, 2021 – A new treatment that combines two existing medications may provide long-sought relief for many battling debilitating methamphetamine use disorder, according to a study to be published tomorrow in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Released: 13-Jan-2021 9:00 AM EST
Biochemist Benjamin Tu Honored With O’Donnell Award From TAMEST
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 13, 2020 – Benjamin Tu, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry at UT Southwestern whose basic science research into cellular function could lead to greater understanding of diseases including cancer, has been named a recipient of the 2021 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Science, presented by The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (TAMEST).

   
Released: 12-Jan-2021 9:00 AM EST
UTSW Researchers Identify New Gene Involved in Breast Cancer Growth
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 12, 2021 – A team of UT Southwestern researchers has identified a gene involved in the growth of breast cancer, a finding that could lead to potential new targets for treatment.

Released: 8-Jan-2021 5:35 PM EST
Same Difference: Predicting Divergent Paths of Genetically Identical Cells
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 11, 2021 – A set of biomarkers not traditionally associated with cell fate can accurately predict how genetically identical cells behave differently under stress, according to a UT Southwestern study. The findings, published by Cell Reports as a Dec. 1 cover story, could eventually lead to more predictable responses to pharmaceutical treatments.

Released: 7-Jan-2021 10:05 AM EST
Protein That Can Be Toxic in The Heart And Nerves May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
UT Southwestern Medical Center

A protein that wreaks havoc in the nerves and heart when it clumps together can prevent the formation of toxic protein clumps associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study led by a UT Southwestern researcher shows. The findings, published recently in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, could lead to new treatments for this brain-ravaging condition, which currently has no truly effective therapies and no cure.

Released: 6-Jan-2021 11:30 AM EST
Advancing The Study of T Cells to Improve Immunotherapy
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 6, 2020 – UT Southwestern scientists have developed a new method to study the molecular characteristics of T cells, critical immune cells that recognize and attack invaders in the body such as viruses, bacteria, and cancer.

Released: 5-Jan-2021 9:00 AM EST
Researchers Uncover A Potential Treatment For an Aggressive Form of Lung Cancer
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Jan. 5, 2021 – Researchers at the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have discovered a new metabolic vulnerability in a highly aggressive form of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These findings could pave the way for new treatments for patients with mutations in two key genes – KRAS and LKB1. Patients whose tumors contain both of these mutations, known as KL tumors, have poor outcomes and usually do not respond to immunotherapy.

Released: 23-Dec-2020 8:25 AM EST
Scientists Identify New Gene Involved In Autism Spectrum Disorder
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 22, 2020 – UT Southwestern scientists have adapted a classic research technique called forward genetics to identify new genes involved in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In a study published this week in eLife, the researchers used this approach in mice to find one such gene called KDM5A.

Released: 21-Dec-2020 12:15 PM EST
Digging Deep For Differences In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 21, 2020 – A UT Southwestern research team has catalogued gene activity in the skeletal muscle of mice, comparing healthy animals to those carrying a genetic mutation that causes Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) in humans. The findings, published online recently in PNAS, could lead to new treatments for this devastating degenerative disease and insights into factors that affect muscle development.

Released: 17-Dec-2020 11:30 AM EST
Errant DNA Boosts Immunotherapy Effectiveness
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 17, 2020 – DNA that ends up where it doesn’t belong in cancer cells can unleash an immune response that makes tumors more susceptible to immunotherapy, the results of two UT Southwestern studies indicate. The findings, published online today in Cancer Cell, suggest that delivering radiation – which triggers DNA release from cells – before immunotherapy could be an effective way to fight cancers that are challenging to treat.

Released: 16-Dec-2020 11:30 AM EST
Giving Cells an Appetite For Viruses
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 16, 2020 – A team led by UT Southwestern researchers has identified a key gene necessary for cells to consume and destroy viruses. The findings, reported online today in Nature, could lead to ways to manipulate this process to improve the immune system’s ability to combat viral infections, such as those fueling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Released: 15-Dec-2020 8:00 AM EST
Study Shows Women Less Likely to Survive Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Than Men
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 15, 2020 – A study of patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest shows that women have a lower likelihood of survival compared with men and are less likely to receive procedures commonly administered following cardiac arrest.

Released: 14-Dec-2020 1:35 PM EST
Dallas Heart Study Yields New Insights About Depression
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 14, 2020 – Recently published UT Southwestern research reveals new insights about risk factors for depression based on data from a landmark longitudinal study focused on heart disease.

Released: 8-Dec-2020 8:00 AM EST
How The Brain Remembers Right Place, Right Time
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 8, 2020 – Two studies led by UT Southwestern researchers shed new light on how the brain encodes time and place into memories. The findings, published recently in PNAS and Science, not only add to the body of fundamental research on memory, but could eventually provide the basis for new treatments to combat memory loss from conditions such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer’s disease.

Released: 3-Dec-2020 11:00 AM EST
Development of New Stem Cell Type May Lead to Advances In Regenerative Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 3, 2020 – A team led by UT Southwestern has derived a new “intermediate” embryonic stem cell type from multiple species that can contribute to chimeras and create precursors to sperm and eggs in a culture dish.

Released: 3-Dec-2020 10:00 AM EST
Recognized Leader On Diversity And Inclusion Appointed Associate Dean At UTSW
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Dec. 3, 2020 – Quinn Capers IV, M.D., a nationally recognized leader on diversity and inclusion in academic medicine, has joined UT Southwestern as associate dean for faculty diversity and the inaugural vice chair for diversity and inclusion in the department of internal medicine at UT Southwestern.

Released: 19-Nov-2020 11:20 AM EST
Study Finds Low Risk Of Pregnancy Complications From COVID-19
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 19, 2020 – Pregnant women who test positive for COVID-19 and their newborn babies have a low risk of developing severe symptoms, according to a new study from UT Southwestern.

Released: 17-Nov-2020 11:30 AM EST
COVID-19 Patient Outcomes Affected By Cardiovascular Risk
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 17, 2020 – Research presented today by UT Southwestern cardiologists at the annual American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2020 showed that Black and Hispanic people were more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than white patients, and that nonwhite men with cardiovascular disease or risk factors were more likely to die.

Released: 17-Nov-2020 10:00 AM EST
Overweight And Obese Younger People At Greater Risk For Severe COVID-19
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 17, 2020 – Being younger doesn’t protect against the dangers of COVID-19 if you are overweight, according to a new study from UT Southwestern. While all adults who are overweight or obese are at greater risk for serious complications from the disease, the link is strongest for those age 50 and under.

Released: 12-Nov-2020 2:00 PM EST
Breaking It Down: How Cells Degrade Unwanted MicroRNAs
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 12, 2020 – UT Southwestern researchers have discovered a mechanism that cells use to degrade microRNAs (miRNAs), genetic molecules that regulate the amounts of proteins in cells.

Released: 11-Nov-2020 9:00 AM EST
Former NFL Players May Not Suffer More Severe Cognitive Impairment Than Others, Study Indicates
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 11, 2020 – Even though repeated hits to the head are common in professional sports, the long-term effects of concussions are still poorly understood. While many believe that professional athletes who experience multiple concussions will end up with severe cognitive impairment later in life, a UT Southwestern study suggests that may not necessarily be the case.

Released: 9-Nov-2020 4:00 PM EST
All Weight Loss Isn’t Equal For Reducing Heart Failure Risk
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 9, 2020 – Reducing the level of body fat and waist size are linked to a lower risk of heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes, a study led by UT Southwestern researchers indicates. The findings, reported today in Circulation, suggest that all weight loss isn’t equal when it comes to mitigating the risk of heart disease.

Released: 4-Nov-2020 8:00 AM EST
Genetic Mutation Could Worsen Heart Function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Patients
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 4, 2020 – A mutation in the gene that causes cystic fibrosis may accelerate heart function decline in those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a new study by UT Southwestern researchers suggests. The findings, published online recently in the Journal of the American Heart Association, could help doctors develop new strategies to preserve heart function in this population, potentially extending patients’ lives.

Released: 2-Nov-2020 11:00 AM EST
Immunotherapy Side Effect Could Be A Positive Sign For Kidney Cancer Patients
UT Southwestern Medical Center

DALLAS – Nov. 2, 2020 – An autoimmune side effect of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) drugs could signal improved control of kidney cancer, according to a new study by researchers in UT Southwestern’s Kidney Cancer Program (KCP).



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