Newsweek named Mayo Clinic the No. 1 hospital in its annual list of the "World's Best Hospitals" for the eighth consecutive year. The rankings were released on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Newsweek has named Mayo Clinic the No. 1 hospital in the world for the eighth straight year in its 2026 World’s Best Hospitals list.  

"This recognition is a result of the extraordinary expertise, compassion and commitment of our staff, all working together to transform healthcare and find more cures for the benefit of people everywhere," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic. "Over the past year, we accelerated that transformation by responsibly integrating data, technology and AI into patient care."

The annual Newsweek rankings are based on patient survey results; an international survey of more than 85,000 healthcare professionals; key performance metrics, such as patient safety and quality of care; and implementation of patient-reported outcomes.

Through its Bold. Forward. strategy, Mayo Clinic is reimagining healthcare to ensure patients everywhere receive better answers and better outcomes. By combining deep clinical expertise with responsible digital innovation, the organization is transforming how care is delivered. Central to this effort is Mayo Clinic Platform, which drives the development, validation and deployment of AI in real-world clinical settings with partners across four continents.

See the full "World's Best Hospitals" list.

The post Eight years running: Newsweek names Mayo Clinic ‘World’s Best Hospital’ appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Eric Moore, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic International, has been elected as the newest member of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Eric Moore, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic International and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology in Rochester, was elected to the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees at its quarterly meeting on Feb. 20.

"Dr. Moore is an internationally respected leader whose commitment to patients and strategic vision will be a tremendous asset to our Board of Trustees," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., president and CEO, Mayo Clinic. “His extensive experience and collaborative approach will help guide our strategic priorities and strengthen Mayo Clinic’s impact for patients worldwide."

Dr. Moore was appointed medical director of Mayo Clinic International in April 2025. A professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Dr. Moore has more than 30 years of experience in head and neck surgery. As department chair, Dr. Moore leads Mayo Clinic's care for patients with complex ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions while advancing excellence in clinical care, education and research. His joint appointments in the division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the department of General Surgery, Neurosurgery and Pediatrics ensure better-coordinated treatments for ENT patients.

Dr. Moore attended medical school at Jefferson Medical College, completed his residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Mayo Clinic from 1992 to 1997 and pursued a fellowship in endoscopic skull base surgery in Graz, Austria, in 2001. He also served as a major in the United States Air Force from 1997 to 2001 before beginning his clinical practice in head and neck surgery at Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Moore is a pioneer in less invasive transoral robotic surgery and has improved outcomes for patients with head and neck cancers. A dedicated mentor, he has contributed extensively to otolaryngology education and has received multiple awards, including the Mayo Fellows Teacher of the Year Award five times.

Reelected, emeritus trustees

The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees reelected two trustees:

• Matthew Callstrom, M.D., Ph.D., has been a consultant at Mayo Clinic since 2000 and holds the academic rank of professor of radiology. He serves as medical director for the Strategy Department and the Artificial Intelligence Program as well as associate medical director in the Department of Development.
• Abimbola Famuyide, M.B.B.S., is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and has been a consultant at Mayo Clinic for over 22 years. He currently serves as chair of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Personnel Committee. His areas of interest include research in abnormal uterine bleeding, benign gynecologic endoscopic surgery and obstetric safety.

The board also recognized and honored one emeritus trustee:

• Eric Schmidt is the former CEO and executive chairman of Google and the current CEO of Relativity Space, an aerospace manufacturing company. He was also the executive chairman of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., and served as its technical advisor.

###

About the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees 
The Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees, a group of public representatives and Mayo Clinic physicians and administrators, is responsible for patient care, medical education and research at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, as well as Mayo Clinic Health System, a network of clinics and hospitals serving communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Media contact:

• Andrea Kalmanovitz, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Eric Moore, M.D., elected to Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands — Mayo Clinic is opening a representative office in the Cayman Islands to help patients, their families, health insurers and others interested in connecting with Mayo Clinic. The office on Grand Cayman Island is Mayo's first in the Caymans and third in the Caribbean. 

The Mayo Clinic Representative Office staff will help patients in the Cayman Islands and surrounding area make appointments at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. Mayo Clinic has patient information offices in roughly 15 countries, including the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago.

"The staff at the Mayo Clinic Representative Office in the Cayman Islands will play a key role facilitating travel to Mayo Clinic by patients and their families," says Rafael Sierra, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and chair of the division of hip and knee surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Mayo Clinic medical director for the Americas. "The addition of a third office in the Caribbean underscores Mayo's commitment to serving patients throughout the region who have serious, complex and unsolved medical needs."

The staff help with travel, lodging, billing, and insurance arrangements; provide general orientation to Mayo Clinic; facilitate Mayo review of medical records; and coordinate future appointments. The services are free of charge. The office does not provide medical care.

Mayo accepts appointment requests directly from patients and patient referrals from physicians. Interpreters are available at no cost to assist with communication between healthcare providers and patients whose primary language is not English.

Mayo care teams work together to provide a healing environment and a seamless patient experience. That includes coordinated appointment schedules, with specialists, tests and procedures located in close proximity to each other; coordination of care by one personal physician; and smooth communication at Mayo and with patients' healthcare teams at home.  

The Cayman Islands office staff may be reached at caymanislandsoff@mayo.edu and 1-345-324-9857. The office is located at Regatta Office Park Windward 3, Suite 119, Seven Mile Beach. Learn more here.

Mayo Clinic is ranked the best hospital in the world by Newsweek and is top ranked in more specialties than any other hospital in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic opens patient information office in Cayman Islands appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — As the new year begins, people around the world resolve to improve their health. For some adults living with obesity, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to treat the disease.

Watch: Dr. Omar Ghanem discusses treatment options for obesity

Journalists: Broadcast-quality sound bites are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Name super/CG: Omar Ghanem, M.D./ Endocrine and Metabolic Surgery /Mayo Clinic.

Omar Ghanem, M.D., Mayo Clinic medical director for the Middle East and a metabolic surgeon and chair of metabolic and abdominal wall reconstructive surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says people should care for their health throughout the year. Yet, the start of a new year is a meaningful time for some people to reassess their health and learn about all available treatment options for obesity.

"Obesity is a complex disease, not a personal failure," Dr. Ghanem says. "Many people try diets, exercise programs and medications, but still struggle because obesity has many causes — psychological, metabolic, behavioral and genetic. Because it is a complex disease, it requires a comprehensive treatment. Metabolic surgery helps treat obesity in ways other treatments cannot."

Addressing obesity stigma

Despite its rising prevalence, obesity is often misunderstood. Many people living with obesity encounter stigma — including the false assumptions that weight is simply a matter of willpower or personal responsibility. Research shows that obesity is a chronic disease influenced by multiple factors outside an individual's control, and stigma can prevent people from seeking appropriate treatment. 

Research published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine reports that weight stigma leads to avoidance of healthcare, delays in seeking medical care and reduced trust in providers — all of which can interfere with receiving appropriate, evidence-based treatment.

Metabolic surgery offers lifesaving benefits for patients with obesity

According to studies, metabolic surgery is an effective and durable therapy for severe obesity. Metabolic surgery typically results in 25%–30% total body weight loss that often is sustained for many years. Metabolic surgery supports weight loss, and it also can improve conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

"For many patients, surgery is the turning point that allows them to get their health back," Dr. Ghanem says. "Some patients no longer need diabetes or blood pressure medications immediately after surgery. It can be life-changing."

Beyond weight loss: Surgery can open doors to other lifesaving care

At Mayo Clinic, Dr. Ghanem and colleagues regularly treat patients with complex medical needs who require weight loss before they can safely undergo another operation, such as a heart or kidney transplant, joint replacement, or hernia repair.

"These are highly coordinated cases involving cardiologists, endocrinologists, anesthesiologists and transplant specialists," he says. "Multidisciplinary care allows patients to access treatments they were previously told were impossible."

Mayo Clinic also specializes in corrective bariatric surgeries for complications from procedures performed elsewhere, including hernias, ulcers, fistulas, malnutrition or weight regain.

A new era in obesity treatment

Dr. Ghanem says obesity treatment continues to evolve. A promising approach is the integration of anti-obesity medications with surgery.

"Combining medical and surgical therapies has tremendous potential — similar to how medications and surgery work together in cancer treatment," he says.

Mayo Clinic research has demonstrated that bariatric surgery provides long-term metabolic benefits, may reduce cancer risk and can even be performed at the same time as a liver transplant in select patients — improving long-term survival.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Caroline Auger, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post New year, new focus on health: Mayo Clinic expert highlights effective treatment options for obesity appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A new international study — believed to be the largest of its kind — examined what people know about perimenopause and what symptoms they experience. The results reveal a clear gap between what perimenopause symptoms people expect and what they experience.

Mayo Clinic researchers published a collaborative research study with Flo, a women's health application, to assess the perimenopause symptoms of 17,494 people from 158 countries. The study results are published in Menopause, the official journal of The Menopause Society.

Perimenopause marks the time leading up to the final menstrual period and includes the year after it ends. This transition can begin as early as the 30s and last for several years. Although it affects health and daily life, researchers have studied it far less than menopause.

"This study shines a light on how little we still understand about perimenopause and how much it affects people's daily lives," says first author Mary Hedges, M.D., a community internal medicine physician at Mayo Clinic in Florida. "At Mayo Clinic, we're working to expand that understanding so we can improve awareness and guide care that truly meets the needs of each patient."

Among more than 12,000 participants over age 35, the most common reported symptoms were fatigue (83%), exhaustion (83%), irritability (80%), low mood (77%), sleep problems (76%), digestive issues (76%) and anxiety (75%).

When asked what they associate with perimenopause, participants most often named hot flashes (71%), sleep problems (68%) and weight gain (65%). However, for those who said they were in perimenopause, 95% reported exhaustion and 93% reported fatigue — far higher than the rate of hot flashes. Exhaustion is a general decrease in performance, impaired memory, decreased concentration, and forgetfulness, whereas fatigue is physical exhaustion.

These findings show that fatigue, mood changes and sleep-related issues are central to many people's perimenopause experiences, the study authors say. Hormone changes may affect the body's natural rhythms and restorative sleep, while mood changes can be influenced by hormones, inflammation and diet.

The research highlights that perimenopause symptoms can significantly affect daily life, relationships and work. Responsibilities such as caregiving and coexisting health conditions may add to the strain, increasing fatigue and emotional stress.

Mayo Clinic researchers say the study underscores the importance of rethinking how clinicians approach midlife health. They emphasize that understanding what people are truly experiencing — not just what is traditionally expected — is essential to improving care and communication during this life stage.

Mayo Clinic continues to study how biological, lifestyle and social factors influence perimenopause symptoms and how greater awareness can help improve patient care. This work supports Mayo Clinic's vision to transform the practice of medicine through research that addresses real-world needs and leads to more informed, compassionate care.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Julie Ferris-Tillman, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Global study identifies gap between expectations, experience in perimenopause appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia and ROCHESTER, Minn. — Saudi German Health (SGH), a leading healthcare provider and pioneer in advancing medical excellence across the region, is expanding its relationship with Mayo Clinic. This milestone cements SGH as the largest group of Mayo Clinic Care Network members in the region, bringing world-class expertise and innovation closer to patients across the Kingdom and beyond.

SGH will integrate Mayo Clinic's clinical knowledge and resources to enhance patient outcomes, elevate quality of care and accelerate innovation. This week, SGH hospitals in Ajman, UAE, and Cairo, joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Over the next three years, five additional SGH hospitals across Saudi Arabia and the UAE will join the network, creating an unprecedented ecosystem of shared expertise.

The announcement was made at a landmark internal event in Riyadh, home of the first Saudi German hospital to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network.  The event brought together SGH leadership, physicians, key stakeholders and media, reflecting the shared commitment to transforming healthcare delivery in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.

"This is more than working together, it is a promise," says Makarem Sobhi Al-Batterjee, vice chairman of Saudi German Health. "By working side by side with Mayo Clinic, we are combining our strengths to create a future where exceptional healthcare is accessible to all. Together, we are ensuring that every patient receives the highest standard of care, right here at home. This is a direct reflection of the SGH promise of Caring Like Family."

The strengthened relationship currently includes facilities in Jeddah, Dammam and Ajman, with Riyadh and Cairo being previous members.

"Our relationship with Saudi German Health reflects a deep commitment to advancing care through knowledge sharing and clinical transformation," says Dr. Eric Moore, medical director, Mayo Clinic International, and chair of head and neck surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "Together, we are elevating healthcare standards and delivering meaningful value for patients and communities throughout the Middle East." 

A key focus of the next phase is the introduction of specialty-based clinical transformation programs, beginning with cardiovascular care, a critical priority for the region's healthcare landscape.

Mayo Clinic experts will conduct comprehensive annual evaluations at SGH's designated hub hospitals, codeveloping clinical transformation roadmaps. The purpose is to improve quality of care and patient safety, enhance operational efficiency and service delivery, and build leadership capabilities and specialized expertise.

The knowledge exchange from the transformation roadmaps will be shared across SGH hospitals that are part of the network, ensuring consistent world-class standards for all patients.

SGH and Mayo Clinic's relationship reflects a simple but powerful idea: when global expertise and local passion unite, extraordinary healthcare becomes possible.

"`Working Together. Working for You.' is not just our theme, it's our commitment," adds Al-Batterjee. "Through this relationship, we are bringing Mayo Clinic's world-class practices to our communities, building trust and transforming lives. Ultimately, this relationship is about people, our patients, our teams and the families we care for every single day."

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Saudi German Health strengthens relationship with Mayo Clinic, becoming largest group of Mayo Clinic Care Network members in the region appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Mayo Clinic is marking the five-year anniversary of its office in Dubai, opened to assist patients and their families, Mayo Clinic Laboratories clients, healthcare payers, referring physicians, and others interested in connecting with Mayo. 

The office recently moved to a new location in Dubai Healthcare City.

For patients who may have a serious or complex disease, the office staff, fluent in Arabic and English, helps make appointments at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London.

"We are pleased to commemorate the five-year anniversary of Mayo Clinic's office in Dubai, which is one of many important ways that we engage with people in the Emirates and surrounding countries," says Dr. Eric Moore, medical director, Mayo Clinic International, and chair of head and neck surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. "Mayo Clinic serves as a trusted navigation point for the region's most challenging medical cases, providing cutting-edge expertise that complements local care. We strive to make communication as seamless as possible as part of our longstanding commitment to patients, healthcare providers and others seeking to collaborate with Mayo Clinic."

Patients and their families seeking Mayo Clinic appointments can reach out to the Dubai office for assistance with travel, lodging, billing and insurance arrangements; general orientation to Mayo Clinic; facilitation of Mayo review of medical records; and coordinating future appointments. These services are provided at no cost to patients. The office does not provide medical care.

The office staff may be reached by email at dubaioffice@mayo.edu or by phone at +971-55-526-8899. The office is located at Office 401, Al Jalila Foundation, Dubai Healthcare City.

Mayo Clinic has patient information offices throughout the world, including in India, Indonesia, Canada, China and several countries in Latin America.

Mayo Clinic accepts appointment requests directly from patients and patient referrals from physicians. Interpreters are available at no cost to assist with communication between healthcare providers and patients whose primary language is not English.

Mayo Clinic is ranked the best hospital in the world by Newsweek and is top ranked in more specialties than any other hospital in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report. In 2024, Mayo cared for patients from every U.S. state and 135 countries.

The Dubai office also provides support for current and prospective Mayo Clinic Laboratories customers, healthcare providers and payers, and others reaching out to Mayo Clinic, including organizations interested in learning more about the Mayo Clinic Platform, Mayo Clinic Care Network membership and Mayo Clinic Global Consulting services.

"The Dubai office reflects our mission to put the needs of the patient first by providing timely access to Mayo Clinic Laboratories' expertise and resources in the region. It enables us to support clients in real time while serving as a trusted partner to healthcare organizations internationally," says Dr. William Morice II, president and CEO of Mayo Clinic Laboratories.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic marks 5-year anniversary, new location for Dubai office, its first in the region appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — A new international study led by Mayo Clinic researchers has identified a genetic factor that may explain why some patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver experience more severe liver damage after chemotherapy.

For patients with colorectal liver metastases, surgery offers the best chance of long-term survival. To improve outcomes, many patients receive chemotherapy before surgery. While this approach can shrink tumors to make them more operable, one potential side effect is injury to the liver. Until now, it hasn't been clear why certain patients' livers are more prone to chemotherapy-associated liver injury.

"This is the first study to clearly show that a genetic predisposition plays a significant role in how the liver tolerates chemotherapy," says Patrick Starlinger, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center hepatobiliary and pancreas surgeon and senior author of the study published in The Lancet eBioMedicine.

In this study, the researchers reviewed 551 patients who had chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the tumor. They looked at liver health tests to see how chemotherapy affected liver function and genetic markers that are already linked to liver disease in other settings. 

They found that a specific gene variant in the PNPLA3 gene, which is known to affect fat metabolism in the liver, was strongly linked to liver injury after chemotherapy. Patients with two copies of this variant were especially vulnerable, and all of them developed signs of significant liver injury after chemotherapy.

Genetic differences help explain global variation

According to Dr. Starlinger, the PNPLA3 variant is common worldwide, but its prevalence differs by population. For example, in Japan, the mutation is present in more than 41% of the population. It's found in more than 71% among people of Peruvian descent, but fewer than 10% of people in some European populations have it.

Because the genetic variation is more common in certain groups, such as people of Asian or Latin American descent, this may help explain why previous studies in different countries have reported conflicting results about the benefits of giving chemotherapy before and/or after surgery when treating colorectal liver metastases.

Personalizing care to maximize benefit, minimize risk

The findings suggest that a blood test to check for the PNPLA3 variant, along with monitoring liver health, could help doctors identify patients at higher risk for liver damage from chemotherapy.

"These findings offer us insight into how we can adjust treatment strategies to best manage the care for patients diagnosed with colorectal liver metastases, while potentially avoiding a negative side effect of chemotherapy," says Dr. Starlinger. "Chemotherapy may still be an appropriate treatment option, and with this information, we can personalize treatment for each patient — for example, tailoring chemotherapy or allowing more time for the liver to recover before surgery."

For a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding, review the study.

### 

About Mayo Clinic 
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news. 

Media contact: 

• Chloe Corey, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post New study links genetic variation to chemotherapy-related liver damage in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

HAINAN, China and ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic and Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital, a member of the Leczcore Group, have announced that the hospital is the newest member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. This formal relationship marks an important step in Leczcore's mission to provide world-class, patient-centered care to communities in Hainan and the surrounding area.

Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital is one of three hospitals operated by Leczcore Group, which also oversees wellness centers dedicated to postoperative recovery and chronic disease management. As a Mayo Clinic Care Network member, Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital gains access to Mayo Clinic's extensive clinical knowledge and expertise to enhance care.

"Becoming a Mayo Clinic Care Network member is a realization of Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital's concept of 'boundaryless medical care,'" says Leczcore President Liu Xiangli. "We have not only introduced advanced medical technology, but more importantly, we are incorporating the patient-first service values ​​of Mayo Clinic, allowing our members to enjoy world-class medical services without having to go abroad."

Through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, physicians at Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital will have access to tools and services such as AskMayoExpert and eConsults, which enable Leczcore doctors to consult directly with Mayo Clinic specialists when needed. This connection supports Leczcore's strengths in oncology screening, executive health and chronic disease management, while opening new opportunities for:

• Enhancing clinical standards and operational processes.
• Advancing quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
• Strengthening nursing leadership, capability and training.
• Expanding patient education and improving overall experience.
• Establishing a trusted care pathway for the most serious and complex cases through direct referrals to Mayo Clinic destination centers in Rochester, Minnesota; Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida.

"We are honored to welcome Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital to the Mayo Clinic Care Network," says Eric Moore, M.D., medical director, Mayo Clinic International, and chair of Head and Neck Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital's focus on advancing preventive care, recovery and chronic condition management aligns closely with our values. We look forward to working together to expand access to high-quality care and deliver meaningful outcomes for patients in Hainan and the surrounding area."

The Mayo Clinic Care Network includes carefully selected independent organizations worldwide that are committed to working together to improve the quality and value of healthcare. Members retain their independence while benefiting from Mayo Clinic's decades of experience and best practices.

Through membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network physicians have access to Mayo Clinic clinical tools and services, including:

AskMayoExpert

• This point-of-care tool offers concise clinical information on hundreds of medical conditions and includes medical protocols, treatment recommendations and medical references. The database can be used wherever healthcare is provided.

eBoards

• These live, scheduled video conferences enable medical teams at member hospitals to review and discuss complex cases with a Mayo Clinic multidisciplinary panel and other doctors in the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Healthcare Consulting

• Member hospitals have access to Mayo's extensive experience, knowledge and subspecialty expertise to attain clinical, operational and business goals.

Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital and other members of the Mayo Clinic Care Network remain independent. Created in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network has more than 45 member organizations across the U.S. and in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

###

About Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital
 
Hainan Mellsser Hospital is located in Lecheng, Hainan — the only national-level International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone approved by the State Council. It benefits from the exceptional timing advantage of the State Council's special Nine Policies for Lecheng, the geographic advantage of the Hainan Free Trade Port, and the "human synergy" advantage of bringing together world-class medical experts and elite management professionals.

The hospital features a diverse range of departments, including Health Screening & Imaging, International Medicine, Precision Medicine, Reproductive & Anti-aging Medicine, Customized Anti-aging Services, and Five-Dimensional Cardiac Wellness. With top-tier international medical services, highly precise diagnostic equipment and renowned global medical specialists, Hainan Mellsser Hospital is committed to delivering one-stop, high-quality healthcare services to members both domestically and internationally.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contacts:

• Qian Chen, Mellsser Hospital Branding, chenqian-83@163.com
• Elizabeth Baxter, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Leczcore Hainan Mellsser Hospital joins Mayo Clinic Care Network appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Cancer, stroke, bone loss among diseases and conditions studied in microgravity

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Mayo Clinic physician and researcher Dr. Abba Zubair’s work combines two passions — medicine and space — for the benefit of astronauts and people on Earth. His research in space is yielding discoveries in cancer, stroke, bone loss and more. In this expert alert, Dr. Zubair answers five questions about his studies in microgravity.

What are you hoping to accomplish through your research?

"The goal is to harness the uniqueness of the space environment for the betterment of humanity, be it on Earth or in space," Dr. Zubair says."We wanted to take advantage of the environment at the International Space Station to study how it affects human physiology."

The absence of gravity and the impacts of radiation and vacuum are three fundamental aspects of the uniqueness of space, adds Dr. Zubair, who has sent three research projects to the International Space Station (ISS) since 2017, with more to come.

As a regenerative biotherapeutics specialist, Dr. Zubair's work focuses in part on adult stem cells — known as mesenchymal stem cells —and their use in future treatments for stroke. He noted that he uses stem cells in regenerative medicine and in supporting Mayo's bone marrow transplant program.

"I also know how challenging it is to grow them in the lab. One of the first fundamentals is to see how the absence of gravity influences how stem cells divide and the growth rate," Dr. Zubair explains. "We wanted to see whether cells grown in space are any better or grow faster than cells grown in the lab. When we did our first space flight, we had a really interesting finding, because we realized that the absence of gravity affects stem cells, but it depends on the type of stem cells."  

That led Dr. Zubair to another project on the ISS: studying how mesenchymal stem cells, the precursor for bone-forming cells, play a role in bone formation or osteoporosis, bone loss. He notes that astronauts tend to lose bone density despite rigorous exercise. 

How might your research benefit people with cancer?

Dr. Zubair is also studying how leukemia stem cells, the cells that form the seed of this blood cancer, respond to the space environment.

"We are also working to understand the impact of space radiation, from the angle of how we can mitigate the effect of radiation and prevent cancer," Dr. Zubair says. "In the long run, we really want to protect astronauts, especially during long-term space travel, such as to Mars, where they would be deep in space and away from any magnetic field protection that we get from Earth."

The research also may benefit people on Earth by revealing how to protect stem cells or cells in general when there is radiation exposure, such as nuclear accidents, he adds.

In addition, Dr. Zubair's space research could have implications for CAR-T treatment, bone marrow transplants or other therapies for cancer patients.

"If we can understand how stem cells in space, especially hematopoietic stem cells (cells that live in the bone marrow and produce cells that function in the blood), expand and differentiate to make immune cells like T cells, microphages, we will learn how to make them more efficiently," Dr. Zubair says.

You've remarked that you can envision a time when people might go into space to receive certain medical treatments. How would that work, and might it be possible to simulate microgravity for those treatments on Earth?

If cells proliferate more in space, for example if cancer cells go into what is called cell cycle and multiply abnormally when they proliferate, then chemotherapy will be more effective, Dr. Zubair says.

"If that is the case, that absence of gravity can induce leukemia cells or other cancer cells to go into cell cycle, that makes them susceptible to chemotherapy," he explains. "So instead of giving the chemo on Earth, you might go into space where the absence of gravity makes the cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy. That would be one more reason to go to space. That is definitely something that I would love to explore."

It would be difficult to create a comparable microgravity environment on Earth, but technically, it could be done, Dr. Zubair adds.

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network."

"Microgravity on Earth is basically like going into a swimming pool, a state of buoyancy where you are kind of in suspension; the gravity is canceled out by the effect of the water," he says. "Now, obviously it wouldn't be pleasant to be in water for quite some time. In the lab, we use a microgravity simulator where cells are suspended. It would be interesting if you could do the same for a human being."

What attracted you to space research?

Dr. Zubair grew up in Kano, Nigeria, and remembers gazing at the night sky as a child.

"As far back as I can remember, I was always fascinated by what is out there in space. Looking at the moon and all the stars, and really that ignites my passion for space and space exploration," Dr. Zubair says.

Dr. Zubair's first dream was to become an astronaut, but an adviser in high school counseled him to find a more practical career, and he pursued medicine.

What's next?

One of Dr. Zubair's next two payloads to the International Space Station, not yet scheduled for launch, will examine whether umbilical cord blood cells, rich in stem cells and potential therapeutic value, can be expanded. Another study will explore different cell types that participate in bone formation and whether the problem of bone loss in space can be alleviated through use of a special compound. 

"If it works, then definitely we will see how we can treat patients with osteoporosis, particularly women, cancer patients, or people who are bedridden for a long time and are not weight-bearing, which affects their bone," Dr. Zubair says.

Dr. Zubair notes that all of his space experiments are done in parallel on Earth with identical cells to compare the two results and validate the findings from space.

 "I really think there is a lot out there that is just waiting for us to explore and use," he says. "And that's why I do what I do."

Dr. Zubair has been honored by NASA with the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for demonstrating that human-derived mesenchymal stem cells grown aboard the International Space Station could be used for potential clinical applications.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic researcher harnesses uniqueness of space to advance medicine on Earth appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.