ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, using a single, widely available scan — a transformative advance in early, accurate diagnosis. 

The tool, StateViewer, helped researchers identify the dementia type in 88% of cases, according to research published online on June 27, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It also enabled clinicians to interpret brain scans nearly twice as fast and with up to three times greater accuracy than standard workflows. Researchers trained and tested the AI on more than 3,600 scans, including images from patients with dementia and people without cognitive impairment. 

This innovation addresses a core challenge in dementia care: identifying the disease early and precisely, even when multiple conditions are present. As new treatments emerge, timely diagnosis helps match patients with the most appropriate care when it can have the greatest impact. The tool could bring advanced diagnostic support to clinics that lack neurology expertise. 

The rising toll of dementia 

Dementia affects more than 55 million people worldwide, with nearly 10 million new cases each year. Alzheimer's disease, the most common form, is now the fifth-leading cause of death globally. Diagnosing dementia typically requires cognitive tests, blood draws, imaging, clinical interviews and specialist referrals. Even with extensive testing, distinguishing conditions such as Alzheimer's, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia remains challenging, including for highly experienced specialists. 

StateViewer was developed under the direction of David Jones, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Neurology Artificial Intelligence Program.  

"Every patient who walks into my clinic carries a unique story shaped by the brain's complexity," Dr. Jones says. "That complexity drew me to neurology and continues to drive my commitment to clearer answers. StateViewer reflects that commitment — a step toward earlier understanding, more precise treatment and, one day, changing the course of these diseases." 

To bring that vision to life, Dr. Jones worked alongside Leland Barnard, Ph.D., a data scientist who leads the AI engineering behind StateViewer. 

"As we were designing StateViewer, we never lost sight of the fact that behind every data point and brain scan was a person facing a difficult diagnosis and urgent questions," Dr. Barnard says. "Seeing how this tool could assist physicians with real-time, precise insights and guidance highlights the potential of machine learning for clinical medicine." 

Turning brain patterns into clinical insight 

The tool analyzes a fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan, which shows how the brain uses glucose for energy. It then compares the scan to a large database of scans from people with confirmed dementia diagnoses and identifies patterns that match specific types, or combinations, of dementia. 

Alzheimer's typically affects memory and processing regions, Lewy body dementia involves areas tied to attention and movement, and frontotemporal dementia alters regions responsible for language and behavior. StateViewer displays these patterns through color-coded brain maps that highlight key areas of brain activity, giving all clinicians, even those without neurology training, a visual explanation of what the AI sees and how it supports the diagnosis. 

Mayo Clinic researchers plan to expand the tool's use and will continue evaluating its performance in a variety of clinical settings. 

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

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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:  

• Tia Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

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First patient celebrates 67th birthday using his new lungs to blow out candles on his birthday cake in honor of receiving the gift of life

PHOENIX — Mayo Clinic in Arizona announced it has added lung transplantation to its nationally recognized solid organ transplant program. The program delivers world-class care to critically ill patients battling end-stage lung disease who need a lung transplant to survive and restore their quality of life. 

The new Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona offers a multidisciplinary team of medical and surgical experts in the Southwest, supported by clinical innovation from across Mayo Clinic, bringing unparalleled experience and the latest in research-driven care to every patient.

"With the launch of our new lung transplant program, we are reinforcing our commitment to providing category-of-one care to patients with serious and complex medical needs. This new program strengthens our nationally acclaimed solid organ transplant program in Arizona, giving more patients access to the transformative gift of renewed life," says Richard Gray, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona. 

Jonathan D'Cunha, M.D., Ph.D., surgical director of the transplant program, says the team of experts will provide transplantation for the full range of patients with end-stage lung disease.

"This is the beginning of a remarkable new era for lung transplantation in Arizona," says Dr. D'Cunha. "We are excited and honored to offer patients and families renewed hope and a second chance at life through Mayo's unrivaled expertise in comprehensive adult organ transplant care."

Craig Scherer became the new program's first patient to undergo a lifesaving lung transplant on May 30. Soon after surgery, Craig was already beginning to breathe slowly on his own for the first time in years. He was discharged June 18 and is now back at home.

"It is surreal to be able to breathe again and not gasp for air. The reality has not even set in yet. I'm putting a lot of thought into finding the right words to express how deeply grateful I am for this gift," says Craig. 

Craig is one of the millions worldwide who have suffered loss of lung function due to chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. 

Over the years, the progressive disease slowly robbed the Arizona man of his ability to breathe, leaving him dependent on oxygen tanks for survival. "I couldn't go places, couldn't do things. My quality of life was zero. I was always very anxious and afraid the tanks were going to run out," says Craig. 

Chronic lower respiratory diseases (CLRDs) are the fifth-leading killer in the U.S., according to a 2024 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report cited CLRD as the cause of death for approximately 145,000 people in the U.S. in one year. 

Craig's wife, Nanci, says he also lost the ability to speak. "He didn't have the oxygen to talk. We lived in silence and isolated," says Nanci. The couple has been married for 32 years.

Eventually, Craig reached the final stage of lung failure. Oxygen tanks were no longer enough to help him breathe. "We were truly desperate. We were down to weeks," says Nanci. "I didn't think he would make it to his next birthday." 

Dr. D'Cunha led the team of surgical specialists that performed Craig's transplant. He said patients like Craig all too often reach a point where supplemental oxygen is no longer sufficient to meet their respiratory needs.

"There are no medical interventions at that point. They have run out of time," he says. "Lung transplant becomes the patient's only option. In Craig's case, without the transplant, it likely would have resulted in his death."

Three weeks after his transplant, with daily physical therapy, Craig is back to walking and talking like he did years ago. "It is not an easy journey," says Dr. D'Cunha. "But it's a journey that gives patients like Craig hope — to see his grandchildren, the next milestone, or whatever his goals may be."

Ashraf Omar, M.B., B.Ch., medical director of the lung transplant program, took note of Craig's determination from the start. "I'm proud of Craig. He has always amazed me," says Dr. Omar. "He's a special person. Motivation is the cornerstone of his success." 

Mayo Clinic's new program in Arizona will offer the latest advancements in lung transplant innovation, including ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP), which is considered one of the most transformative breakthroughs in lung transplantation in recent years. EVLP improves the success of lung transplantation by helping preserve and evaluate donor lungs prior to transplant.  

Mayo Clinic Transplant Center, with integrated programs in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, is the nation's largest provider of adult solid organ transplantation. Mayo Clinic in Arizona is on target to surpass its 2024 record number of nearly 900 transplants.

In the first week of June alone, the Arizona program successfully performed a record-breaking 36 transplants. The addition of the lung transplant program establishes Mayo Clinic in Arizona as a comprehensive transplant destination medical center.

"As the leader in organ transplantation in the country, we are committed to our vision where no patient dies while waiting for a lifesaving transplant," says Bashar Aqel, M.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center in Arizona. "Our new program meets an urgent need for so many patients fighting to survive end-stage lung disease."

On June 23, Craig celebrated his 67^th birthday. He joined the team of surgeons who performed his lifesaving transplant for a news conference announcing the launch of the new transplantation program.  

The highlight of the event came when Craig addressed the crowd sharing what the transplant means to him. "These lungs are my 67^th birthday gift," said Craig, his hands resting on his chest. "This is the best birthday gift I could get in the world. It gave me life." 

Craig also expressed his gratitude for the staff at Mayo, the doctors, his family, his organ donor and the donor's family. "My heart goes out to the family. One day I hope I get to communicate my gratitude to them for giving me life. Most people don't get a second chance. I do," said Craig.

Dr. D'Cunha lit candles on a birthday cake for Craig in the shape of a set of lungs. In honor of the gift of life, Craig used his new lungs to blow out the candles with one single breath. Watch the emotional moment that was met with cheers and applause in recognition of the gift of life.

Craig and Nanci returned home to spend the rest of his birthday with family. Together they share four children, 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.  

"I have a lot of life left to live in me. Everything is a motivator — my wife, my kids, my grandkids, my health," says Craig. "Before, I had no quality of life and couldn't do anything. Now there’s nothing I can't accomplish."

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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:

• Marty Velasco Hames, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu     

Additional resources:   

• Press kit including b-roll and interviews available here for download.

• For more information about lung transplantation and referrals, visit Mayo Clinic Lung Transplant Program in Arizona or call 480-342-1010.

• Consider giving the gift of life. Learn more about how you can become an organ donor.

• Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news. 

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The PlatforMed event highlighted how platform thinking is advancing clinical care, empowering clinicians, and making high-quality care more accessible everywhere.

At PlatforMed 2025, the fourth annual gathering focused on platform transformation in healthcare, one message resonated above all: a platform-based approach is no longer just aspirational — it’s delivering measurable, meaningful change.

Held June 3-4 at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, PlatforMed brought together more than 250 leaders from healthcare, government, technology and academia. The event spotlighted how platform thinking is advancing clinical care, empowering clinicians, and making high-quality care more accessible everywhere.

"Our platform model benefits all," said Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., in his keynote address. "It certainly benefits patients. It benefits physicians and other providers. It benefits innovators. It benefits hospitals and others who run and pay for healthcare. As platform leaders, we are working together and shaping a better, more innovative way ahead for healthcare."

Dr. Farrugia detailed how Mayo Clinic Platform is turning innovation into outcomes. He shared examples such as increased survival rates in glioblastoma patients associated with specific anti-seizure medications and tighter control of hyperglycemia — correlations made possible by analyzing Platform-derived data. He also described how synthetic placebo arms, created from simulated patient populations, are making clinical trials faster, more affordable and more inclusive.

Mayo Clinic Platform is the first healthcare platform of its kind, designed to bring together an ecosystem of data, solution developers, and healthcare providers to benefit all and create much-needed new cures. Today, Platform is turning innovation into impact by:

• Supporting clinicians with intelligent resource orchestration to enable just-in-time, personalized care.
• Empowering researchers to validate real-world insights and generate new hypotheses.
• Enabling innovators to turn decades of clinical data into practice-ready solutions.
• Fueling real-time collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem.

PlatforMed is not just a showcase event — it's a working session for the future of care. Through expert insights, real-world case studies, and interactive discussions, the event equips decision makers with the tools and partnerships needed to lead this transformation.

Featured speakers at PlatforMed 2025 included:

• Michael Howell, M.D., chief clinical officer, Google.
• Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global.
• David Reich, M.D., chief clinical officer and president, Mount Sinai Health System and Mount Sinai Queens.
• Eric Schmidt, former CEO, Google.
• Dan Wattendorf, M.D., Director of Innovative Technology Solutions, Global Health Division, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Dwight Diercks, senior vice president, Software Engineering, Nvidia.

Key themes and takeaways

Sessions were organized around four core themes: Administrative Operations, Clinical Evolution, Investment, and Global Reach — each underscoring Platform’s role in reshaping care delivery.

These were some of the takeaways from the event:

• The future of healthcare will be seamless and integrated across life experiences, not confined to the walls of a clinic.
• Technology must be designed with clinicians, not just for them. Tools should solve real problems, improve workflows, and elevate the human side of care.
• Burnout stems from administrative tasks, not patient care. Platform solutions can reduce documentation time, giving clinicians time back with patients.
• True transformation requires collaboration across sectors, institutions, and disciplines. No one can solve healthcare’s biggest challenges alone.

Throughout the event, speakers emphasized that the goal is not just to modernize care, but to transform it. Platform thinking is the foundational shift needed to meet the demands of a complex, data-rich, and rapidly evolving healthcare environment.

“We're here to make a difference," said John Halamka, M.D., Dwight and Dian Diercks President of Mayo Clinic Platform. "We're here to make an impact. We’re here to be part of the global transformation of healthcare. And we're here at a time when the only way to do it is with partnerships and collaboration around platform thinking."

Learn more: Mayo Clinic Platform

Related content:

• Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate Showcase celebrates promise of health tech innovation for improving patient care
• New Mayo Venture Partner (MVP) program announced to accelerate innovation

The post From vision to reality: PlatforMed showcases how platform-driven care is transforming medicine appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In a bold step to transform cancer care, Mayo Clinic is bringing new hope for patients diagnosed with the most aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers. Today, Mayo Clinic opened the new 228,000-square-foot Duan Family Building at its Jacksonville, Florida location. The building will house the first carbon ion therapy program in the Americas, and advanced technology that can seamlessly deliver both carbon ions and protons to treat the same tumor. 

"Carbon ion therapy and other heavy particle therapies are the advanced radiation therapies of our future," says Cheryl Willman, M.D., executive director, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. "When battling our patients' complex, currently radioresistant cancers at Mayo Clinic, we need the advantage of these next-gen radiation tools, which can be fine-tuned to target and treat aggressive tumors while minimizing the impact to surrounding tissue."

As a leading National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center with locations in Florida, Minnesota and Arizona, Mayo Clinic is uniquely qualified to bring carbon ion therapy, as well as the dual carbon ion and proton treatment option, to the Americas.

"Mayo Clinic is building a better future where more cures are possible — giving new hope to patients with aggressive cancers," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic. "This is the latest demonstration of our commitment to patient-centered healthcare transformation through our Bold. Forward. strategy."

While treatment with carbon ion therapy is expected to begin in 2028 and proton therapy in 2027, the opening of the Duan Family Building marks a significant milestone. Beginning this summer, other cancer treatment options will be offered in the new building, including photon therapy, immunotherapy, chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy (CAR-T cell therapy) and more, along with sophisticated imaging technology.

"The emerging treatments that will be offered in the Duan Family Building, including carbon ion therapy, are an important part of the integrated cancer practice at Mayo Clinic, ensuring constant, research-driven innovation in the care we are providing to patients," says Kent Thielen, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida. 

Mayo Clinic researchers, working with outside global experts, are also exploring the use of other heavy ions beyond carbon in clinical studies to evaluate their potential benefits in future cancer care.

This building and the advances in cancer care treatment technology housed within represent a significant investment, largely thanks to the generosity and vision of our benefactors. 

Advancing radiation therapy

Many patients with cancer require radiation therapy during their treatment. Different forms of radiation therapy have varying biological impacts on cancer cells.

• Photon therapy: This is the most common form of radiation therapy, which uses X-rays or gamma rays — packets of light energy called photons — to treat cancer. Beams are directed at the tumor, preventing the cancer cells from growing or dividing.

• Proton beam therapy: This particle therapy directs a precise dose of positively charged particles (protons) at cancer cells, destroying their genetic material while minimizing the impact on surrounding, healthy cells. This is especially beneficial for treating tumors near vital organs and cancer in children.

• Carbon ion therapy: This heavy particle therapy delivers positively charged particles (carbon ions) that release their energy upon hitting the targeted cancerous tumor. The particles destroy cancer cells with very little damage to surrounding tissue. It is particularly effective against cancer cells that are resistant to other forms of radiation.

Advances in radiation therapies, such as carbon ion and dual modality treatments of proton beam and carbon ion, enable clinicians to create highly individualized, precise and effective treatments, ultimately bringing more cures to patients.  

How radiation therapies work

In 2019, Mayo Clinic and technology innovator Hitachi began working together to bring carbon ion therapy to the Americas. While carbon ion therapy was discovered in the United States in the 1970s, the technology has only been available for clinical care at a handful of centers in Asia and Europe.

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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: 

• Tia R. Ford, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

Media kit:

• Duan Family Building media kit with soundbites, images, animation

The post Mayo Clinic takes the next step in making heavy particle therapy available in the Americas for patients with aggressive cancers appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic’s Business Development team, consistently recognized as one of the top commercialization operations among academic medical centers, is expanding its capabilities through a new initiative: the Mayo Venture Partner (MVP) program. In response to the dynamic and evolving healthcare landscape, Mayo Clinic is enlisting industry veterans to create groundbreaking technologies, co-invest in aligned companies and build new ventures from the ground up.

The MVP program brings together seasoned entrepreneurs, investors and executives who will leverage their expertise with Mayo Clinic’s world-class research and clinical expertise. These leaders will play a pivotal role in identifying high-potential opportunities across Mayo Clinic's research and clinical practices, forming new companies and accelerating innovations that advance patient care.

The inaugural MVPs are:

• Amy DuRoss — Healthcare innovation leader with deep expertise in policy, commercialization and diagnostics.
• Audrey Greenberg — Company builder, executive leader and expert in launching and scaling ventures across life sciences, healthcare and other industries.
• Brian Poger — Serial entrepreneur and venture strategist with a track record in digital health and healthcare services.

Working in close partnership with the Mayo Clinic Business Development team, the MVPs will help forge strategic collaborations and deliver real-world impact, underscoring Mayo Clinic's enduring commitment to transforming healthcare.

To date, the Business Development team has returned more than $1.2B in revenue to Mayo Clinic to support its clinical practice, education and research. Additionally, the team has helped create more than 180 companies, licensed 4,848 Mayo Clinic-created technologies through 2,913 agreements, and issued 4,159 patents.

This program and these efforts align with Mayo Clinic's vision to transform healthcare by:

• Accelerating innovation — Turning cutting-edge research, data and other resources into real-world solutions for patients. 
• Enhancing patient care — Bringing new treatments and technologies to patients that offer cures and the ability to connect with the healthcare system in ways that increase access and decrease costs. 
• Building strategic partnerships — Leveraging external expertise and resources to amplify impact.

Mayo Clinic is dedicated to driving progress and expanding its impact through innovation. This initiative is an exciting opportunity for investors, CEOs and innovators to collaborate with Mayo Clinic and be part of a future that prioritizes patient-centric, transformative healthcare solutions.

More about the MVPs:

Amy DuRoss

Amy is a Mayo Venture Partner focused on launching and scaling companies at the intersection of life sciences, software, and biopharma services. She has spent her career advancing therapies and technologies that improve patient outcomes and expand access to innovation. Amy was co-founder and CEO of Vineti, a pioneer in advanced therapy supply chain software, and held senior leadership roles at GE Ventures and Navigenics. She played a key role in creating California’s $8.5 billion stem cell initiative (Proposition 71) and served as chief of staff at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Amy serves on several boards across life sciences and biopharma services, is a Health Innovator Fellow at the Aspen Institute, and holds MBA and MA/BA degrees from Stanford University.

Get connected

Audrey Greenberg

Audrey is a Mayo Venture Partner with deep experience in biotech entrepreneurship and global platform development who has built and scaled companies at the forefront of healthcare innovation. Audrey co-founded the Center for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM), a global leader in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. Under her leadership, CBM raised $500 million, launched 350,000 square feet of GMP space, formed a $100 million joint venture with the University of Pennsylvania, and was acquired by SK pharmteco. She went on to lead commercial strategy for SK pharmteco’s 2,000-person global organization. Earlier in her career, Audrey was a private equity executive and investment banker managing over $90 billion in AUM. She is widely recognized for her leadership in life sciences and serves on public, private, and nonprofit boards. Audrey is a CPA and holds an MBA from Wharton.

Get connected

Brian Poger

Brian is a Mayo Venture Partner helping launch companies rooted in Mayo Clinic science. He has dedicated his career to improving patient outcomes and making healthcare more affordable. Brian was founding CEO of Senior Educators (now Alight Health Exchange) and Benefitter, a widely used benefits platform for small businesses. He held leadership roles at Aon, HealthMarkets, and UnitedHealthcare following the acquisitions of his startups. Most recently, he served as an executive in residence at Frazier Healthcare Partners. Brian began his career at Eli Lilly and McKinsey & Company. He holds an MBA with distinction from Kellogg and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, magna cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis.

Get connected

To learn more, visit the Mayo Clinic Business Development website and subscribe to its e-newsletter and follow the Mayo Clinic Ventures LinkedIn page.

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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:

• Tom Millikin, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post New Mayo Venture Partner (MVP) program announced to accelerate innovation appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Many people have no symptoms, but in some cases, the infection can spread to the brain, bones, or spine and become life-threatening. Because symptoms often mimic the flu or pneumonia, valley fever is frequently misdiagnosed. Current tests can be slow and unclear, delaying the right treatment.

Dr. Thomas Grys, a Mayo Clinic researcher working in collaboration with Arizona State University, is developing next-generation tools to detect valley fever earlier and more accurately. The goal is to help patients get answers and early treatment.

Here's how Mayo Clinic is advancing the future of valley fever diagnoses.

Watch: Faster diagnosis for valley fever with new test in development

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:55) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script

From the vast deserts of the Southwest to the laboratory of Dr. Thomas Grys at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, microscopic fungal spores of valley fever are the focus of research.

"Spores are kind of like the seeds of the fungus. They are very durable. They can exist and persist in the environment. And they're tiny, so they float in the air and we can breathe them in," says Dr. Grys.

Each year, up to 3% of people in the Southwest are exposed to infection and develop antibodies, no matter how long they’ve lived there. Dr. Grys says valley fever infections are common, but the current diagnostics could be better.

"And one of the most frustrating things is, if someone has symptoms of a brain infection with valley fever, it's difficult to confirm whether they have that in their brain or not, and if they do, they're going to be on antifungal medications for the rest of their life. We cannot cure it from the brain," he says.

Rapid test

That's why this rapid antibody test being developed — similar in format to a COVID-19 test —  is so important.

"The test we're working on can detect antibodies in 10 minutes. We still have to wait for the body to respond to the fungus, but once it does, we can provide answers in 10 minutes," Dr. Grys says.

The shortened time to detect fungal antibodies means that answers could be back in time to inform patient care during their visit.

"Some patients come in four or five times until they figure out what's happening. Every single time going to the doctor, you have to find transportation, you might have to find childcare. It's a burden to have to go in," he says.

And for patients, Dr. Grys says the rapid antibody test could change the paradigm.

"The median time to diagnosis is 23 days. Half of the people take more than 23 days to find out they have valley fever. If we can get testing that's more rapid and get answers faster, people will be more prone to test because a decision can be made while the patient is there," he says.

Availability

The antibody test is licensed to a startup company, and the test is expected to be commercially available for laboratory use by the end of 2025.

Treatment

For advanced cases of valley fever, the Cocci Clinic at Mayo Clinic in Arizona offers a coordinated, multispecialty team — including infectious diseases specialists, pulmonologists, neurologists, dermatologists and cardiothoracic surgeons. 

The post (VIDEO) Faster diagnosis for valley fever: New test in development appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Regenerative Medicine Minnesota has awarded funding to three projects aimed at strengthening Minnesota's capabilities for developing and delivering therapies that replace, restore, rejuvenate or regenerate damaged cells, tissues or organs.

Co-led by the University of Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic, Regenerative Medicine Minnesota brings together the state's leading research institutions to accelerate breakthroughs and bring new therapies to patients across the state.

The funded projects were selected for their potential to overcome challenges that slow the development and delivery of new therapies. Each project aims to build sustainable, widely accessible resources to help move regenerative treatments from the lab to patients more quickly.

The projects are:

Derivation of Induced Pluripotent (Adult) Stem Cell Lines in Minnesota with Superior HLA Compatibility for Manufacturing Clinical Cell Therapy Products

James Dutton, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

This initiative tackles a key challenge in regenerative medicine: access to clinical-grade starting materials. The project will generate high-quality, regulatory-compliant induced pluripotent (adult) stem cell (iPSC) lines with less risk of the immune system rejecting the cells. These lines will be made available to researchers across Minnesota, enabling the development of versatile, cost-effective cell therapies that can benefit a broad range of patients. By building a local supply of standardized starting materials, the project provides a long-term advantage to Minnesota's research community.

The Genome Engineering for Regenerative Medicine (GERM) Consortium

David Largaespada, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

Addressing the critical need for quality and safety standards in gene-edited therapies, this new consortium will bring together academic and industry experts to establish best practices for gene delivery, editing and evaluation. The GERM Consortium will provide essential guidance and resources to ensure that genetically engineered therapies are developed with precision and safety. Through this collaborative effort, Minnesota will become a hub for innovation and regulatory compliance in cell and gene therapy.

Minnesota BRIDGE — Boosting Regenerative Medicine Innovation through Development, Growth, and Engagement

Melanie Graham, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

This project focuses on a major translational bottleneck: the lack of robust preclinical models. Minnesota BRIDGE will create a state-of-the-art translational research infrastructure that enables more predictive preclinical testing of regenerative therapies. By establishing this capability, Minnesota will become one of the few places in the nation equipped to accelerate therapy development with cutting-edge preclinical models — streamlining the path to clinical trials and patient care.

Together, these projects advance Regenerative Medicine Minnesota's goal of bringing new therapies to patients in Minnesota and beyond while establishing the state as a leader in regenerative medicine.

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About Regenerative Medicine Minnesota

Regenerative Medicine Minnesota was established in 2014 by the Minnesota State Legislature to improve the health of Minnesotans by advancing regenerative medicine. This state-wide initiative opens new economic opportunities through commercialization of technologies and leverages the strengths of Minnesota institutions to position the state at the forefront of regenerative medicine. The initiative distributes approximately $4 million in funding statewide every year for research, commercialization, and clinical translation initiatives that improve or increase access to scientifically proven regenerative medicine throughout the state. Learn more at www.regenmedmn.org.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate celebrated the program’s most recent cohort of health tech startups, including 15 innovative businesses from around the world. During the showcase event, held April 23 in Eagan, Minn., each company presented progress and outcomes from the 30-week accelerator program, providing a glimpse into the future of medicine.

"We are incredibly proud to celebrate these 15 companies. Their dedication and accomplishments have raised the bar, and we look forward to continuing to support their efforts as they make strides in advancing patient care worldwide,” says Jamie Sundsbak, senior manager of Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate.

Using Mayo Clinic Platform’s global, de-identified data network, Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate helps startups validate and prepare their artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solutions for clinical and administrative deployment, in line with healthcare industry standards. The program provides participants access to Mayo Clinic experts in regulatory, clinical, technology, and business domains.

Learn more about each company in the Showcase:

• Bloom Standard’s RAPIDscan is a one-minute, easy-to-use ultrasound device that helps detect and monitor heart and lung conditions, providing quick assessments and supporting healthcare staff at all levels with AI-driven guidance for diagnosis and patient referrals.

• Ethos is an AI-powered platform that detects and monitors alcohol use, helping healthcare providers identify and treat individuals at risk for Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease.

• Hope AI uses clinical evidence, advanced statistics, and AI technology to address challenges in clinical trials, such as long durations, large sample sizes, slow patient recruitment, and high costs, by optimizing trial design and accelerating development timelines.

• Lasa Health uses AI and machine learning (ML) to help diagnose and manage pelvic pain disorders.

• OPTT is a digital mental health platform that helps clinicians deliver data-driven, measurement-based care by providing clinically validated content and AI-powered insights to improve patient evaluations and treatment decisions.

• PEP’s AI persona, Addie, helps hospitals identify post-acute care candidates and streamline the recovery process, ensuring smooth handoffs between acute and post-acute providers for better patient outcomes.

• PONS uses AI to enhance ultrasound imaging, providing deeper insights into disease progression with improved scan resolution, tissue contrast, and noise reduction, all without the need for costly new hardware.

• Respiree™ uses AI and ML to track and manage disease progression across the care continuum, providing clinically validated insights based on data in electronic health records.

• Smart Opinion, Inc. uses AI to enhance ultrasound accuracy for early breast cancer detection, particularly in women with dense breast tissue, offering real-time support to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce false positives and negatives.

• Splink, Inc. specializes in AI-driven early diagnosis and behavior change solutions for brain disorders like dementia, depression, and schizophrenia, addressing both prevention and post-onset stages, with a focus on dementia in aging populations.

• Ubie- Home uses its AI-powered symptom checker to guide 12 million patients to appropriate care, supporting 1,800 hospitals and clinics worldwide to improve clinical outcomes for consumers, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies.

• Voythos is developing a machine-learning platform that predicts life-threatening complications in patients with complex aortic disease, helping surgeons intervene precisely to reduce morbidity and mortality with advanced data integration and predictive modeling.

• Whyze Health uses AI to integrate clinical and patient data from both hospital and home settings, enabling continuous monitoring of treatment efficacy and safety while providing insights to improve patient care and outcomes.

• Ystory uses an AI-driven app to provide personalized, evidence-based support for women over 35, providing guidance on menopause awareness, diagnosis, and treatment.

• Yuimedi is a health-tech company transforming medical data management with YuiQuery, an AI-powered solution that simplifies SQL query generation, helping healthcare teams efficiently analyze data and make faster data-driven decisions.

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About Mayo Clinic Platform
Founded on Mayo Clinic's dedication to patient-centered care, Mayo Clinic Platform enables new knowledge, new solutions, and new technologies through collaborations with health technology innovators to create a healthier world. To learn more, visit Mayo Clinic Platform at www.mayoclinicplatform.org.

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting 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:

• Kaitlin Haar, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate Showcase celebrates promise of health tech innovation for improving patient care appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Explore the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications in healthcare at Mayo Clinic's 2025 AI Summit: Generative AI, Information Retrieval and Evidence-Based Medicine. The event will take place July 7–8 in Rochester, Minnesota. A virtual attendance option will also be offered.

Mayo Clinic is now accepting abstract submissions for talks, poster presentations and workshops. The deadline to submit abstracts is May 15.

About the summit

The AI Summit will bring together AI experts and the healthcare community to discuss advances in the field and explore opportunities and challenges ahead. The event will be hosted by the Department of Artificial Intelligence and Informatics in collaboration with the Mayo Clinic AI community.

"This summit offers an exciting chance to engage with cutting-edge ideas, collaborate across disciplines and shape how AI can help bring solutions that meaningfully improve healthcare. It's not just about what's possible — it's about what's next, and how we can get there together," says Cui Tao, Ph.D., chair of Mayo Clinic's Department of Artificial Intelligence and Informatics. Dr. Tao is the Nancy Peretsman and Robert Scully Chair of AI and Informatics.

The summit is open to Mayo Clinic staff and students, as well as the public.

Keynote speakers

Attendees will hear from leading experts through keynote presentations, lightning talks, panel discussions and a poster session. Featured keynote speakers are:

• Clark Otley, M.D., chief medical officer, Mayo Clinic Platform
  "AI and Healthcare: What the World Needs."
• Jeroen van der Laak, Ph.D., professor of computational pathology at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  "Toward Clinical Adoption of AI in Pathology."
• Yifan Peng, Ph.D., associate professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine
  "Large Language Models for Clinical Evidence Extraction, Retrieval and Summarization."
• Greg Corrado, Ph.D., distinguished scientist and senior director at Google Research
  "Accelerating Scientific Breakthroughs With AI."
• Matthew Callstrom, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of Generative Artificial Intelligence at Mayo Clinic
  "Data-Driven Medicine: Transforming Clinical Insights with Generative AI."

Event chair Hamid Tizhoosh, Ph.D., and co-chair Fred Fan, Ph.D., of Mayo Clinic's Department of Artificial Intelligence and Informatics, will oversee the program.

View the complete agenda.

Register to attend

Early-bird registration is $375 for general attendees and $250 for students. After May 1, rates will increase to $475 for general attendees and $350 for students.

Register now to attend.

Submit an abstract or workshop proposal

Mayo Clinic invites abstract submissions from people working in AI-related fields. The conference will cover an array of topics — from how AI models can assist healthcare professionals with training, diagnostics, treatment and evidence-based care, to challenges in areas such as AI bias, ethical considerations and the translation of AI research into clinical care.

Presentation formats are:

• Lightning talk
• Poster presentation
• Workshop or tutorial

The top 10 abstracts will be published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings — Digital Health.

Submit an abstract by May 15 for consideration.

Learn more

Visit the AI Summit website for more details and the full agenda.

Explore the Mayo Clinic Cardiology and Radiology AI Summit, to be held May 8.

The post Submit abstracts and register for Mayo Clinic’s AI Summit appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

JACKSONVILLE — More than 2 million people in the United States are living with limb loss — 1.7 million of whom use a prosthetic limb. One of those people is Hamaad Khan, D.O., a first-year internal medicine resident with Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education (MCSGME). With the guidance and resources available at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Khan is developing an idea that could significantly improve outcomes for patients using prosthetics.

In December, Dr. Khan won Mayo Clinic in Florida's 2024 Alligator Tank — a "Shark Tank"-style pitch competition presented by Mayo Clinic Research Innovation — with his idea to bring sensor technology to prosthetic sockets, which are used to help fit amputees to their prosthetic limbs.

Alligator Tank is open annually to individual innovators from the Mayo Clinic in Florida campus as well as teams with at least one member based on the Florida campus. Contestants are judged by a five-member panel hailing from across the Florida campus, including researchers, consultants, engineers and business developers. (Mayo Clinic's Minnesota and Arizona campuses have similar competitions, known, respectively, as Walleye Tank and Roadrunner Sprint.)

Despite competing against more seasoned innovators, Dr. Khan came out on top, receiving $50,000 in funding, with an additional $500 for being voted the crowd favorite. His success could only be realized through MCSGME, where trainees are empowered to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and develop groundbreaking, innovative solutions to lead the global transformation of healthcare.

Innovation a lifetime in the making

Dr. Khan was born with only a partial left arm, having experienced Amniotic Band Syndrome in the womb — a condition where parts of the amniotic sac wrapped around his forearm, hindering its development. He started using prosthetics at three months old and required a new prosthetic arm every time he outgrew the previous one. By 17, he had been through nearly 20 prostheses, each one taking several weeks of fitting and sizing prior to use.

As he got older, Dr. Khan was fitted with a cable-powered prosthesis, enabling greater functionality and giving him the confidence to complete emergency medical technician training. He volunteered as an EMT, serving several years as chief of his university's volunteer EMT service during his undergraduate education. This solidified his desire to pursue a career in medicine, where he will specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation beginning in July 2025.

Dr. Khan knows the trials and tribulations that an ill-fitting socket presents and felt strongly that the functionality and daily use of prosthetics depends almost entirely on the improvement of this core element.

"I have always been fascinated by how clinicians use a simple yet effective method to create personalized sockets for their patients, but there have been few significant advancements in this process in recent years," he says. "I figured it was time to bring in something new."

Each prosthetic socket is custom made and acts as a direct interface between the prosthesis and the patient's limb. Studies show that ill-fitted prosthetics can lead to pressure injuries, skin breakdown, hypersensitivity and other problems that may keep people from using their prosthesis daily.

The idea Dr. Khan pitched at Alligator Tank brings sensor technologies into the socket itself, identifying areas during the fitting that might lead to discomfort or injury with continued use of the prosthesis.

"The goal is to catch these problem points early in the socket creation process and provide a comfortable fit for the patient with greater time and cost effectiveness," he says.

From innovator to entrepreneur

As a patient and a physician, Dr. Khan knew that finding a way to accelerate the socket-fitting process while lowering clinician costs presented a great business opportunity.

The opportunities at Mayo Clinic allowed Dr. Khan to develop his Alligator Tank pitch. In addition to consulting with friends who have experienced limb loss and professional prosthetists who make the devices, he spoke with several Mayo physicians who regularly care for amputees and witness the effects of poor socket fit. They encouraged Dr. Khan to explore ways to improve and update the current process for prosthetic fitting.

He also worked closely with faculty within Mayo Clinic's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department who helped him develop his idea, Internal Medicine faculty who encouraged his interest in innovation and helped him make many connections within their Mayo Clinic network, and faculty involved with Mayo's partnership with Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital who taught him about common problems facing amputees and introduced him to patients living with limb loss.

Dr. Khan is now working with Mayo Clinic Research Innovation, Mayo Clinic Ventures and other internal resources as he continues his efforts to turn his idea into a reality.

Fostering entrepreneurial spirit in Mayo's trainees

Clinical innovation and entrepreneurship are strategic areas of importance for MCSGME. Trainees can enroll in a four-week elective course or a year-long academy, both aimed at helping develop and strengthen skill sets in clinical innovation and thinking. Additionally, Mayo Clinic in Florida was the first in the nation to create a formal innovation curriculum embedded into its Internal Medicine residency program, in which Dr. Khan is currently a trainee.

Abdallah El Sabbagh, M.D., associate program director for innovation for the Internal Medicine residency, says Dr. Khan's success is attributable in large part to the support and connections he found at Mayo Clinic, which fosters innovation and creates such opportunities for its trainees.

"For years, innovation has remained an untapped resource in medical training, despite its undeniable importance in advancing patient care and transforming healthcare delivery," he says. "We are fortunate that Mayo Clinic recognizes the immense value of innovation and has committed significant resources to making it a priority in medical education.

"Dr. Khan's story should inspire trainees across all of Mayo Clinic that anything is possible in this institution and that they should carry forward with their ideas, as creativity knows no age, hierarchy or background. What it knows is that the needs of the patients come first."

The post Resident and lifelong amputee’s prosthetic innovation wins big at Alligator Tank appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.