At Mayo Clinic, biomedical engineer Benjamin Brinkmann, Ph.D., is developing tools and technologies that help reveal brain patterns — making epileptic seizures more predictable and, one day, preventable. 

In a neurology lab at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Benjamin Brinkmann studies the brain's electrical rhythms across days, weeks and months — searching for patterns that reveal when seizures are most likely to occur. Working with neuroscientists and clinicians, he combines data from brain waves, vital signs and imaging to develop tools that interpret those signals and help guide patient care. 

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring seizures — sudden bursts of electrical activity that can interrupt movement, speech or awareness. About 3.4 million people in the U.S. live with the condition. For many, medication keeps seizures under control. But for those with drug-resistant epilepsy, the episodes can occur without warning — disrupting routines and independence. 

Dr. Brinkmann, a biomedical engineer, has dedicated his career to improving care for people with epilepsy. Working with Mayo Clinic's epilepsy team, he helps identify where seizures begin in the brain — essential information for those whose epilepsy is difficult to control. His long-term goal is to move from forecasting seizures to stopping them before they start. 

A clearer picture of epilepsy, one signal at a time

One example of that work is a study Dr. Brinkmann led with international collaborators. They tested a small implant that sits just under the skin behind the ear, recording brain activity as people go about their day. The device helps provide a more accurate picture than seizure diaries, which can miss or misclassify episodes. Accurate and continuous monitoring helps doctors track seizure patterns and adjust treatment.

Over 15 months, the team collected more than 72,000 hours of brainwave data from people with epilepsy. They recorded 754 seizures — nearly twice as many as were reported in diaries. About half of the study participants wore the device more than 20 hours a day and reported it did not interfere with daily life. The findings suggest that long-term, at-home brain monitoring can uncover seizure patterns missed in short clinic visits. 

Smartwatch uses AI to forecast seizures 

Dr. Brinkmann also led a study on wearable technology — a smartwatch that uses artificial intelligence to help forecast seizures before they happen. 

The watch tracks heart rate, movement, skin conductance and temperature, using machine learning to help clinicians find patterns that may signal a seizure. In findings published in Epilepsia, the team correctly predicted about 75% of seizures, with few false alarms. 

Dr. Brinkmann says the idea is simple: to give people a warning. A few minutes' notice can mean calling a caregiver, sitting down or avoiding a risky activity. In the future, those alerts could even trigger treatments automatically, using medication or gentle brain stimulation when seizure risk is high. 

Building the future of epilepsy care

Together, the implant and smartwatch studies show what's possible when brain activity can be tracked continuously. The research is opening a new window into how seizures develop and helping shape the next generation of neurotechnology at Mayo Clinic. 

Dr. Brinkmann's work contributes to Mayo's BIONIC program — short for Bioelectronics Neuromodulation Innovation to Cure — which unites scientists and clinicians to develop smarter, more responsive technologies and therapeutics for the brain, spine and nervous system. The goal is ambitious: systems that can sense trouble and respond instantly to stop it. 

In Dr. Brinkmann's lab, every signal adds to that future — each one bringing a clearer picture of epilepsy and what care might look like in the years ahead. 

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• GE HealthCare and Mayo Clinic launch GEMINI-RT, a strategic initiative to personalize radiation therapy by integrating imaging, artificial intelligence (AI) and patient monitoring across the cancer care continuum. 

• The collaboration focuses on four pillars — automation, predictive oncology, multi-modal therapies and outpatient monitoring — to enhance clinical outcomes, reduce clinician burnout and accelerate innovation in radiation oncology.
   
  

CHICAGO — GE HealthCare and Mayo Clinic today are announcing the GE HealthCare-Mayo Clinic Initiative in Radiation Therapy, known as GEMINI-RT, an ambitious new collaboration that aims to transform personalized radiation therapy and cancer care. Building on decades of collaboration and the Strategic Radiology Research Collaboration signed in 2023, GEMINI-RT plans to drive innovation in prediction, planning, automation, workflow and monitoring for radiation oncology.  

GEMINI-RT combines Mayo Clinic's world-class clinical and research expertise with GE HealthCare's leading technical and engineering innovation in oncology care and radiation therapy. The initiative aims to deliver comprehensive, personalized care by exploring integrating imaging, advanced therapies, dosimetry and patient monitoring at every step of the patient journey — from detection and diagnosis to treatment and follow-up. 

Radiation therapy is a cornerstone of cancer care, used in more than 50% of cases worldwide and for over 2 million U.S. patients annually^1,2. The rising rates of new cancer diagnoses worldwide, with 19.3 million new cases in 2022, continues to drive demand for this treatment³. Through GEMINI-RT, Mayo Clinic and GE HealthCare aim to make personalized radiation therapy accessible by integrating streamlined, data-driven solutions that will leverage Mayo Clinic's clinical expertise and patient outcomes data. 

"GEMINI-RT is grounded in the concept of 'twinning the patient, personalizing the beam' — a transformative approach made possible by Mayo Clinic's extensive clinical expertise and outcomes data," said Bryan Traughber, M.D., vice chair of innovation for radiation oncology at Mayo Clinic. "The combination of research and technological acumen could allow us to model individual patient journeys with precision, enabling radiation therapy treatments that are truly tailored to each patient." 

The collaboration will deepen efforts across four strategic areas: 

• Automation: Collaborating on AI-powered solutions to eliminate repetitive tasks and accelerate treatment planning. 

• Predictive oncology: Harnessing clinical insights to personalize cancer treatment decisions and improve outcomes. 

• Multimodal therapies: Exploring approaches that combine radiation with emerging treatments like targeted drugs and precision heating for more effective care.  

• Connected care: Using AI, biomarkers and sensors to monitor patients beyond the clinic — with the aim of predicting side effects early and supporting treatment at home.  

"This effort enables us to collaborate on solutions that are not only leading-edge but also clinically meaningful, helping shape the future of personalized radiation therapy. By integrating innovative technology and AI across the care continuum, we can improve clinician experience, support high-quality patient care and help reduce burnout among care teams," said Dr. Ben Newton, global head of oncology for GE Healthcare.  

GEMINI-RT research and activities will be based at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, leveraging both organizations' strengths in clinical practice, research and product development. This initiative will build on the accomplishments of 2023 Strategic Radiology Research Collaboration in which GE HealthCare and Mayo Clinic are collaborating on projects in advanced magnetic resonance (MR) technologies and techniques, theranostics treatment for cancer, and diagnostic and interventional ultrasound. 

• [1] International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). 2023. “Expanding Global Access to Radiotherapy.”
• [2] American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). 2020. “Geographic Access to Radiation Therapy in the United States.” ASTRO Press Kit.
• [3] World Health Organization (WHO). 2024. “Global Cancer Burden Growing Amidst Mounting Need for Services.” WHO News Release.

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About GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. 
GE HealthCare is a trusted partner and leading global healthcare solutions provider, innovating medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and integrated, cloud-first AI-enabled solutions, services and data analytics. It aims to make hospitals and health systems more efficient, clinicians more effective, therapies more precise, and patients healthier and happier. Serving patients and providers for more than 125 years, GE HealthCare is advancing personalized, connected and compassionate care, while simplifying the patient's journey across care pathways. Together, its Imaging, Advanced Visualization Solutions, Patient Care Solutions and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics businesses help improve patient care from screening and diagnosis to therapy and monitoring. GE HealthCare is a $19.7 billion business with approximately 53,000 colleagues working to create a world where healthcare has no limits. 

GE HealthCare is proud to be among 2025 Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies.  

Follow GE HealthCare on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and Insights for the latest news, or visit its website or more information. 

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: 

• Caitlin Lamey, GE HealthCare, caitlin.lamey@gehealthcare.com
• Tom Millikin, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu  

The post GE HealthCare and Mayo Clinic unveil GEMINI-RT, a bold research collaboration in radiation therapy and advanced cancer care       appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Just 5%–10% of people who need cardiac MRI get the exam because of barriers like cost, time and access, says Dr. Tim Leiner, a Mayo Clinic radiologist who, along with Dr. Jacinta Browne, a Mayo Clinic radiology researcher, leads the Artificial Intelligence for Cardiovascular Imaging Research and Exploration Program.

Imaging of the heart, especially with MRI, is an important part of diagnosing heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide.

"That means they are operating without the best possible information. At Mayo the problem is lessened because we have so many resources, but, in general, this is a huge problem," Dr. Leiner says.

Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with Philips, an international health technology company, is testing a low-field MRI scanner enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI) to shorten scan times and improve image quality.

The team's work initially is searching for solutions in cardiac imaging while also looking at other parts of the body where their work can make an impact. They also hope to see cardiac MRI accessible to more people.

New ways of seeing

"Mayo Clinic is always investing resources and being at the forefront, trying to solve problems," Dr. Leiner says. "I think the secret is to stay curious and surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. And you create a safe atmosphere where people can speak up and bring ideas to the table for an open discussion."

The program's approach seeks to blend hardware and software developments to achieve results the researchers hope will be as good as or better than current methods.

Dr. Leiner says the team wants to learn if a new type of scanner, a 0.6-Tesla (0.6T) low-field-strength MRI system, is able to produce high-quality images faster and more easily for patients.

"Radiology is about getting the piece of information from the imaging test that allows you to make the best decision in the patient's care management, and once you have that information, you can move on," Dr. Leiner says. "I think what we're learning is that this lower field strength is entirely capable of giving you that information."

Team of experts

The Artificial Intelligence for Cardiovascular Imaging Research and Exploration Program brings together Mayo Clinic physicians, physicists and scientists from across specialties, including Radiology and Cardiovascular Medicine, as well as Philips, which installed the research-prototype MRI scanner in One Discovery Square on the Mayo Clinic campus in Rochester, Minnesota. Philips is a collaborator on research with the system.

"It's a truly multidisciplinary lab that I think can bring about a lot of progress because you're getting viewpoints from scientists, clinicians and engineers," Dr. Browne says. "That means that what you're doing will be impactful for patient care."

Dr. Browne says Philips' presence on site enhances their research as well. "What is really great is the close collaboration that we have with Philips, the fact that we can just walk into each other's offices and chat. And because we have an agreement with them, we have first access to a lot of the new work-in-progress products, and we're at the table with them so we can also influence slightly the way in which they are going to go with some of those products," she says.

"Mayo Clinic’s cardiac MRI research program has the potential to improve patient access to vital diagnostic imaging," said Dr. Ioannis Panagiotelis, business leader of MR at Philips. "Their commitment to improving patient care through faster, more accessible, and personalized imaging aligns closely with our mission, and collaborating with their multidisciplinary team allows us to contribute technology that could make a meaningful difference for patients."

The Artificial Intelligence for Cardiovascular Imaging Research and Exploration Program is looking at what improvements may be feasible for cardiac MRI in several areas:

• Is there a way to more uniquely tailor exams in real time?
• Can scan duration be reduced?
• Can imaging distortions created by medical implants be reduced?
• Can diagnosis be improved?

"We are investigating what we can do with such a system for cardiac imaging and for other body areas," Dr. Leiner says. Both Mayo and Philips are contributing AI algorithms to integrate into the scanner.

Imaging the individual

"We're looking at having a personalized cardiac MRI examination, which is going to be autonomous," Dr. Browne says. 

She adds that the goal is for images to be segmented and measured during the first scan sequence so it can be determined if the heart is functioning normally or if there are signs of cardiac disease. Those findings can then help determine — in real time — whether additional imaging is needed and, if so, what sequences will provide the necessary information to assist in treatment planning.

"You're tailoring that examination, but you're also potentially shortening the majority of the examination, so we'll get some time savings," she says, adding that the immediacy of the information would allow for additional imaging at that time to save the patient from having to return for a follow-up.

Faster scan time

Need for cardiac imaging exceeds scanner availability, Dr. Leiner says, so it's important to use existing machines as efficiently as possible to ensure that patients get the scans they need when they need them.

He says the program is looking for ways to develop faster imaging protocols to scan patients quickly while getting the necessary clinical information for diagnosis and treatment planning. Cardiac exams are typically an hour long.

"One way we're doing that is by using AI tools to shorten the image acquisition time, though if you shorten the acquisition time, you get lower signal-to-noise in MRI (meaning the images may not be as clear)," Dr. Leiner says. "But if you denoise the images that you get, those sort of lower-quality images, you can then reconstruct images that look as good as if they were acquired with a normal spatial resolution and machine settings."

If successful, these tools may reduce scan time, he adds. "It's about making this whole pipeline more efficient and more robust."

Clearer images

With stronger MRI systems, most often 1.5T or 3T scanners, imaging patients who have implanted medical devices such as pacemakers can be challenging, Dr. Leiner says. With the higher-field-strength machines, those devices create distortions, called artifacts, in the images that can reduce anatomical visibility for physicians.

He says the researchers hope that the 0.6T scanner and AI solutions will help reduce the noise and improve the clarity in those images.

"What we need to do is come up with new ways in which we can get a higher signal, whether that is through the physics engineering of the pulse sequences we use in order to get the examination or whether it is through the use of AI, using denoising and image-sharpening techniques," Dr. Browne says. "There are so many unanswered questions because we don't know how this technology is going to work for all of the standard cardiac examinations."

"It's not inconceivable that in the future, AI algorithms will be able to reduce some artifacts at higher field strengths that you get in patients with devices or with other issues," Dr. Leiner says.

Shared knowledge

Research from the Artificial Intelligence for Cardiovascular Imaging Research and Exploration Program will be shared during the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 111th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting Nov. 30—Dec. 4 in Chicago.

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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:

• Ethan Grove, Mayo Clinic Radiology, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic cardiac MRI research program seeks to improve access to diagnostic imaging appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — For many people living with cancer, symptoms such as pain, anxiety or insomnia can quickly spiral into an emergency room visit. Such visits can be financially costly and take an emotional toll on patients and their caregivers.  

A new study led by Mayo Clinic researchers found that using digital check-ins and a remote care team can help patients manage symptoms before they reach a crisis point.

"Our goal was simple but ambitious," says study lead Andrea Cheville, M.D., professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. "We wanted to see if automating symptom check-ins and care through the electronic health record could improve patients' lives without adding to the burden on oncology teams. What we found is that this approach not only eased symptoms like anxiety and depression but also kept thousands of patients out of the hospital. That tells us technology can help us successfully extend the reach and efficacy of care." 

For Becky Johnson, participating in the Enhanced EHR-Facilitated Cancer Symptom Control Trial (E2C2) meant better sleep — despite the anxiety she felt about her double breast cancer diagnosis in 2022 at the age of 40. 

"I was continually Googling for more information about treatments, prognosis, new terminology and the experiences of others. And the steroid medications I took for treatment prior to chemo messed with my ability to sleep, too. It got to a point where my body's norm was to wake in the middle of the night and not fall back asleep, taking a toll on my ability to heal," says Johnson, program director for the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences Sonography Program. 

As part of the trial, Johnson regularly submitted digital surveys about various aspects of her health. Insomnia quickly rose to the top, prompting a phone call from a nurse, who counseled Johnson on ways to get a better night's rest. The nurse also gave Johnson a link to a self-paced online class with sleep strategies based in cognitive behavioral therapy.  

"A virtual or phone call visit, especially when I didn't have anything physically wrong, was so convenient and efficient," says Johnson. The intervention helped, and her sleep improved.  

To make such interventions possible, the researchers developed automations in the Plummer Chart, the software system that manages patients' electronic health records (EHRs) and helps Mayo teams coordinate care. Between 2019 and 2023, just over 50,200 patients across 15 cancer specialties at Mayo Clinic enrolled in the E2C2 trial. Like Johnson, they filled out short surveys about pain, fatigue, sleep, anxiety and other symptoms before clinic visits or monthly between visits. The system automatically sorted their responses. Mild scores were simply logged, moderate ones triggered the system to send the patient self-care tips, and severe scores prompted outreach by a remote symptom care manager — a nurse or social worker who could work with patients via phone or video. 

Behind the scenes, the software became both an automated traffic controller and safety net. For care teams, it routed information to patients automatically so they could focus on the work that required their expertise. For patients, it made getting support easier, with no additional appointments or travel. 

The trial results showed that the automated surveys and responses built into the EHR made care more efficient and, ultimately, improved patients' symptoms.  

• Patients reported less anxiety and depression, with modest improvements in other symptoms. 

• Patients had 40% to 60% fewer acute care encounters, including emergency visits, hospitalizations, and ICU admissions. 

All of this was achieved with just 2-3 full-time care managers plus 20 percent of one physician's time supporting more than 50,000 study participants. 

The E2C2 trial showcases a new approach to using digital tools in cancer care. By automating routine monitoring and triaging of patient symptoms and well-being through the patient's electronic health record, a small care team can support a large patient population. 

"The gains we saw are encouraging and point to a scalable way to extend supportive oncology care beyond the clinic walls, meeting patients where they are," says Dr. Cheville. "The next step is to ensure that these tools are available to healthcare teams, enabling them to efficiently reach every patient who needs supportive care." 

The E2C2 trial was funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI) as part of the Cancer Moonshot℠. The study was conducted as part of NCI’s IMPACT Consortium. Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and additional funding.

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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:   

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

The post Small team, big impact: Automation helps relieve symptoms to keep cancer patients out of the ER  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed and tested a new 3D surface scanning approach that gives neurosurgeons even greater precision when operating deep inside the brain.  

The system aligns a patient's head, facial features and surgical head frame with brain images, achieving sub-millimeter accuracy — a level of precision that can make a critical difference in delicate procedures. 

In a feasibility study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery, the 3D scanning method proved more accurate than the CT scan typically used during neurosurgery, all while eliminating exposure to radiation.  

Researchers say the approach could make complex procedures, such as deep brain stimulation, drainage and biopsies safer and more efficient, while enhancing patient comfort. Because it integrates with most surgical navigation systems, it may also bring high-precision guidance to operating rooms that don't have a CT scanner. 

How the new 3D approach works 

Using cameras and structured-light scanning, the new system creates high-resolution 3D models of the patient's face and the surgical frame that keeps the head still. It merges these images into a detailed spatial “map” of the patient's position in the operating room. That map is then matched with pre-surgery brain scans, such as MRI or CT images, giving surgeons precise, real-time guidance to reach the exact target in the brain.  

In the study, the system's computer analysis aligned images with an average precision of 0.14 millimeters — compared with about 0.20 millimeters typically achieved with CT scans. The difference is roughly the width of a pencil tip, but in delicate brain surgery, that fraction can be enough to affect accuracy. 

Teamwork behind the breakthrough 

The project combined Mayo Clinic's engineering and surgical expertise. Jaeyun Sung, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic computational biologist, clinical AI researcher and corresponding author, led the engineering and computational work. Dr. Sung focuses on using engineering and computer science to develop advanced precision medicine tools for patient care.  

"When engineers and neurosurgeons look at the same challenge, we see different details, and that's where breakthroughs can happen," Dr. Sung says. "This is about building the next generation of surgical tools that bring engineering-level, sub-millimeter precision directly into the operating room." 

Kendall Lee, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic neurosurgeon, led the surgical integration of the technology and said it could make a real difference for patients and improve his practice.  

"Some of the most important steps in neurosurgery happen before we even begin the operation," Dr. Lee says. "This new 3D scanning method is safe, quick and cost-effective, and it can help us hit the right target more accurately, improving how we care for patients."  

Basel Sharaf, M.D., D.D.S., a Mayo Clinic surgeon and lead author of the study, sees even greater possibilities ahead for the technology.  

"In the future, 3D surface scanning could be as simple as using a smartphone," Dr. Sharaf says. "With advanced AI, the system could adapt in real time, even predicting small shifts in the brain to help surgeons work with greater accuracy and a smoother workflow."  

Next Steps: Advancing automation, AI and clinical validation

The team is now working to add automation and artificial intelligence to help make the process faster and easier to use. They are also testing new hardware and running a larger clinical trial to further evaluate the technique's effectiveness in brain surgery.  

Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding.

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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 

The post Mayo Clinic researchers develop 3D scanning approach for ultra-precise brain surgery  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Over two years ago, a devastating hip condition and a misdiagnosis threatened to sideline a young high school basketball player for good. But thanks to advanced medical expertise and innovation at Mayo Clinic, the 16-year-old prep star in North Carolina is back in the game — stronger, more determined and inspiring others with his comeback story.

Jason Howland has his story.

Watch: Mayo Clinic restores hoop dreams for teen athlete

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:44) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Watch him on the court, and it’s clear that 16-year-old Roman Solheim loves playing basketball.

"I love the competitive nature, just competing and having fun with my guys," he says.

A 6-6 high school sophomore in Greensboro, North Carolina, Roman has high hopes for the future. "I want to go to a D1 school, preferably a high major, and become an engineer," he says.

But three years ago, those hoop dreams were nearly deflated by a subtle hitch in his step.

"We couldn't figure out anything because he, being Roman, didn't say too much. He didn't really complain about it," says Kristie Solheim, Roman's mother.

"I was just limping, not moving the same way that I usually do," Roman says.

"He went through some therapy, and he started playing again, but his limping was more pronounced at that point. And then it started to be painful," says Brent Solheim, Roman's father.

Roman's doctors diagnosed him with avascular necrosis, a lack of blood supply to the bone. "There's not a good treatment for it. He has to stop playing all sports to preserve his hip as long as possible, and he's looking at a hip replacement in 10 years," Brent says.

"It's crazy. It just wrecked my world, basically," Roman says.

"We said, 'We're going to get a second opinion at Mayo.' And that's what we did," Brent says.

A multidisciplinary team of experts at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, quickly determined the true cause of Roman's limp and hip pain.

"They said I had chondroblastoma, which is a benign bone tumor on my femoral head," Roman says.

"The tumor was inside his femoral head, the ball in the socket joint. It is a rare tumor, but especially for younger patients with open growth plates, it's something that we see commonly here," says Dr. Emmanouil Grigoriou, a Mayo Clinic hip preservation surgeon.

Dr. Grigoriou performed the surgery to remove Roman's tumor. "We were able to surgically and safely dislocate the hip so we can actually take the ball out of the socket, so we can see exactly the tumor, remove it in its entirety, and then put in extra bone — just to let it and help it heal — and then put everything back in place," he says.

A key component of surgical planning and the procedure itself was a 3D-printed replica of Roman's ball-and-socket joint created by the Anatomic Modeling Unit at Mayo Clinic.

"The green is Roman's tumor, and this is a model of his very specific hip with his very specific tumor," says Dr. Grigoriou as he displays the replica of Roman's femoral head.

Two years after the tumor was removed, Roman is back on the court and better than ever. "I can jump a lot higher now," Roman says.

"It was amazing to see him back on the court after, you know, being told he couldn't play again," Brent says.

"We're very proud. He's been through a lot. He's very brave," Kristie says.

"Anything is possible. I came from being told I would never play again to playing at a very high level," Roman says. "You can do way more than what you think."

The post (VIDEO) Mayo Clinic restores hoop dreams for teen athlete appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

New program extends reach of Mayo Clinic's data-driven expertise to benefit more patients 

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic today announced the launch of Mayo Clinic Platform_Insights, a new offering from Mayo Clinic Platform designed to give healthcare organizations of all sizes across the globe access to Mayo Clinic's digital expertise, data-driven insights and clinical knowledge. 

Mayo Clinic Platform_Insights delivers Mayo Clinic's rich clinical and operational expertise to healthcare providers through a guided, affordable path to reduce the digital divide driven by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI). Many healthcare providers risk falling behind in keeping up with AI advances. The Mayo Clinic Platform_Insights program helps organizations navigate the complex AI landscape in healthcare and implement solutions to solve their biggest challenges. 

Technology to benefit patients 

"When we share knowledge, we make better decisions — both in diagnosis and treatment," says Maneesh Goyal, chief operating officer, Mayo Clinic Platform. "This new program allows us to extend the reach and expertise of leading healthcare organizations within our digital ecosystem to help others perform better and improve patient outcomes everywhere." 

At the core of Mayo Clinic Platform_Insights is data-driven insights, enabled by AI, shared alongside Mayo Clinic's best practices, guidance and support.

"Digital solutions and artificial intelligence have enormous potential to transform healthcare but there are barriers to widespread adoption," Goyal adds. "When organizations partner with us, they gain access to proven clinical and administrative solutions and the technical framework to integrate them seamlessly."

Solutions available on Mayo Clinic Platform are trained and validated on the data network available through Mayo Clinic Platform_Connect, a global health data network of academic research partners powering limitless innovation and next-generation care. This growing network today encompasses 26 petabytes of clinical information, including more than 3 billion laboratory tests, 1.6 billion clinical notes and more than 6 billion medical images from hundreds of complex diseases.  

"Technology should enhance, not complicate, the practice of medicine," says Clark Otley, M.D., Mayo Clinic Platform's chief medical officer. "Mayo Clinic Platform_Insights brings the humanism back into medicine by ensuring that every digital innovation serves one purpose: improving the patient experience and outcomes."

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About Mayo Clinic Platform
Mayo Clinic Platform is a strategic initiative of Mayo Clinic that enables collaboration, data-driven innovation and responsible AI development to transform healthcare globally. By securely connecting health systems, innovators and researchers, Mayo Clinic Platform accelerates the discovery, validation and deployment of solutions that improve care for patients everywhere. 

Media contact:

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

The post Mayo Clinic launches Mayo Clinic Platform_Insights to advance digital innovation and quality improvement across healthcare    appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

When nursing teams lead, healthcare moves forward.

This theme came to life at two recent Mayo Clinic events focused on driving nursing innovation: Nursing Nexus on Sept. 25–26 in Rochester, Minnesota, and the Nursing Transformation Conference on Sept. 29–30 in Bloomington, Minnesota. Together, these forums created space for nursing staff to connect, ideate and reimagine the future of healthcare.

Nursing Nexus: Staff voices powering change

Mayo Clinic's second annual Nursing Nexus event, "Connecting Staff Voices to Transform Healthcare," brought together staff in nine different roles from across the Department of Nursing to generate and discuss ideas for using artificial intelligence (AI), automation and other technologies to solve real-world challenges. 

The event centered on four themes:

• Driving future-forward innovation and transformation.
• Redefining the care team of 2030 and beyond.
• Combining human connection and technology to sustain compassion in care delivery.
• Building the skills and capacity to lead change.

Participants gathered to learn about emerging technologies and to brainstorm through ideation sessions and group discussions about solving issues in day-to-day patient care. The result: more than 200 tangible ideas for assessment and possible development at Mayo Clinic.

Several concepts explored at last year's Nursing Nexus have already moved into practice, including Nurse Virtual Assistant.

"At these events, and in any room where a nurse is present, the energy makes it clear: When nurses lead, healthcare moves forward," says Ryannon Frederick, chief nursing officer of Mayo Clinic.

She emphasized that the voice of staff is vital at every stage, from idea to implementation.

Nursing Transformation Conference: From insight to impact

The Nursing Transformation Conference, which was titled "From Insight to Impact: Nurses Shaping the Future," expanded the conversation to a national scale. Held in person and streamed virtually, the conference highlighted how nurses are not just implementers of change, but drivers of innovation across care models, informatics and workforce design.

Keynote speakers were Oriana Beaudet, vice president of innovation for the American Nurses Association Enterprise; Micky Tripathi, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic's chief AI implementation officer; and Frederick.

Frederick emphasized three core principles to ignite and sustain transformation:

1. Disruptive thinking — challenging assumptions and creating solutions that are fundamentally better, not just incremental improvements.
2. Engineering desirability — designing changes that people want to adopt, making the easiest choice also the right one.
3. Sustaining influence — reinforcing innovation through systems such as behaviors, storytelling and champions.

The overarching message was clear: Nursing teams are not just adapting to change; they are driving it.

Breakout sessions spotlighted innovations in:

• Technology: ambient nursing documentation, virtual wound care in critical access hospitals and digital workforce planning platforms.
• Patient care: nurse-led cell sampling for eosinophilic esophagitis and new ways of leveraging the licensed practical nurse role to address delayed discharges.
• Workforce and leadership: predictive staffing, communication redesign and microlearning pathways to accelerate change.
• Entrepreneurship in nursing: cultivating nurse-led innovation and business thinking in approaches to care.

Attend the Nursing Transformation Conference online through October 2026.

Learn more

Explore how nurses are leading innovation at Mayo Clinic:

• Mayo Clinic nurses lead the way with AI-powered Nurse Virtual Assistant.
• "AI in Play: Worker Smarter, Not Harder" interview with Frederick on the "See You Now" podcast, produced by Johnson & Johnson and the American Nurses Association. 

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Treatments such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy and immunotherapy have had limited success against advanced prostate cancer due to the tumor's ability to rewire and survive. But hope is on the horizon, thanks to a new Mayo Clinic study that uncovers how prostate cancer exploits a protein in order to resist targeted therapies and evade the immune system.

Nuclear pores are entries to the nucleus made up of proteins called nucleoporins. While nucleoporins usually stay at their post and help regulate the flow of molecules that can come in and out of the nucleus, researchers discovered that soluble POM121 — a subtype of the nucleoporin POM121 — uses its ability to navigate freely to help cancer cells grow and spread.

Dr. Veronica Rodriguez-Bravo, associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and senior author of the study published in Cancer Discovery, says her team's research revealed that soluble POM121, known as sPOM121, builds specialized hubs in the nucleus that rewire gene activity.

"Nobody had looked at the role of this soluble 'off-pore' nucleoporin because in gene expression analyses across databases, everything is classified under the primary nucleoporin. But through detailed analysis we saw an increase in sPOM121 in prostate cancer when compared to noncancerous tissue and a further increase in metastatic therapy resistant tumors," says Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo.

"We started digging for its purpose and found it had a distinctly relevant role in driving prostate cancer progression to lethal stages of the disease," says Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo. The study combined patient tumor analyses, molecular profiling and preclinical models to identify the protein and test its role in metastatic prostate cancer.

The study builds on her previous research, which identified POM121's key role in transporting cancer-promoting proteins into the nucleus.

'Logistic centers' that promote cancer

As a soluble protein, sPOM121 can roam freely in the nucleus, where DNA instructions are stored. "Because it's not attached to the structure that surrounds the nucleus, it can form condensates — which act like logistic centers — and bind to other proteins that regulate gene accessibility and activation," says Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo.

Most notably, sPOM121 partners with a protein called SMARCA5 that modifies DNA packaging to allow a protein called beta-catenin to enhance its expression. Beta-catenin is known to drive therapy resistance and immunosuppressing genes.

Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo says this discovery offers a possible explanation for prostate cancer growth and spread when treated with standard therapy and poor response to immunotherapy.

A potential key to treatment-resistant prostate cancer

The study tested whether blocking sPOM121-driven cancer programs like beta-catenin could improve the effectiveness of treatments such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, which help the immune system attack cancer.

"We found that targeting the soluble POM121-beta-catenin pathway really enhances the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The tumors started getting a lot of T-cell infiltration and shrank," says Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo. "Beta-catenin inhibitors are currently being investigated in multiple tumor types, and our results provide the rationale to investigate the efficacy of these inhibitors alone or in combination with immunotherapy for prostate cancer."

Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo also pinpoints the strong unmet need to develop specific nucleoporin inhibitors that could target multiple cancer-driving signal pathways by disrupting these critical logistic centers. The disruption of these logistic centers by targeting sPOM121 would induce a blackout in the cancer cell, increasing the effectiveness of current therapies, but further investigation is needed to directly target sPOM121, says Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo. 

Broader impact beyond prostate cancer

Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo says this study has observed the accumulation of POM121 in multiple tumor types. Her team now hopes to investigate whether the soluble form, sPOM121, is a common cancer driver or plays an earlier role in disease progression.

"If this is really controlling fundamental pathways fueling tumor progression, targeting sPOM121 might potentially benefit more patients in the future," she says.

She also hopes the study will encourage researchers to investigate how cancer might exploit other off-pore nucleoporins.

"We believe sPOM121 is one of many other nucleoporins that orchestrate key transcriptional hubs in the depth of the nucleus. Cancer likes to have a lot of tools on its belt, so we propose these off-pore nucleoporins are selected and used efficiently during tumor evolution," says Dr. Rodriguez-Bravo. 

Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding.

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Paul Rhee suffered a stroke that resulted in weakness and spasticity in his right arm and leg. His son, Dr. Peter Rhee, spent the next decade perfecting his research that led to the intricate hand nerve surgery that restored his father’s mobility and function.

When Paul Rhee had a stroke in 2015, it changed everything. He lost movement in his arm, endured painful spasms, and withdrew from daily life because of the unwanted attention his bent arm caused. Simple joys — social gatherings, attending church, spending time with family, holding a fishing rod — slipped away. 

For his son, Peter Rhee, D.O., M.S., a hand and microvascular surgeon at Mayo Clinic, the experience was both deeply personal and professionally motivating. “Fishing was something my dad and I always dreamed of sharing across generations. After his stroke, even that was gone,” Dr. Rhee recalls. “It took away part of who he was.”

Fishing was more than just a pastime. For Dr. Rhee, it was symbolic of family and continuity. 

That loss became a powerful motivator. Dr. Rhee was determined not just to help his father, but to develop a treatment that could restore hope for patients everywhere who live with spasticity following brain or spinal cord injury.

The Mayo difference

What Dr. Rhee achieved could only happen at Mayo Clinic.

Spasticity occurs when the brain or spinal cord can’t properly control signals to the muscles, causing them to contract uncontrollably and often creating deforming postures. Traditional treatments for spasticity focus on surgically altering the muscles, but Dr. Rhee identified the nerves as the root problem. 

Developing a new surgical procedure was no small task. It required years of research and the support of a broad, multidisciplinary team at Mayo Clinic. Physical medicine physicians, anesthesiologists, rehabilitation specialists, therapists, and scientists in the Motion Analysis Lab all played crucial roles in bringing Dr. Rhee’s vision to life.

“I don’t think it would have been possible, even if I had the will as the surgeon, without the supporting cast, the resources, the support — everyone buying into the fact that no matter how complicated it is, we can do it together,” Dr. Rhee explains.

Mayo’s Motion Analysis Lab is nationally accredited and one of fewer than 20 labs of its kind in the U.S., it is also one of only two that evaluates both children and adults. Here, patients aren’t studied through static images like X-rays or MRIs. Instead, they are evaluated while moving, allowing experts to see exactly when and how their muscles misfire or fail.

Patients often arrive without a clear diagnosis, only knowing that something isn’t working the way it should. Staff in the lab spend three to four hours with each patient, using advanced motion capture and electromyography (EMG) sensors to measure how the brain communicates with the muscles. Some sensors are placed on the skin for larger muscles, while fine wire electrodes, as thin as a human hair, are used for deeper or smaller muscles. These tools provide precise, real-time data about how the muscles respond to nerve signals.

“By using dynamic EMG, we can see how the muscles are firing compared to how the arm moves,” says Dr. Rhee. “That helps us plan the surgery with a level of accuracy that isn’t possible in most academic medical centers in the world. With every patient visit, I had more ideas about how to treat patients like my father,” he says.  

This level of integration between science and surgery is rare. “The only way you can get this kind of information is through the collaboration of a physician and a scientist,” says Kenton Kaufman, Ph.D., Director, Motion Analysis Lab. “We can see how the upper extremity muscles are functioning while the person is moving. And these types of studies are not done anywhere else but at Mayo Clinic.”

The Motion Analysis Lab doesn’t just inform surgery; the team collects data during surgeries themselves. The lab is able to study human muscle physiology in-vivo, something not done anywhere else in the world. This research has already led to publications in top-ranked medical journals and continues to advance the understanding of spasticity and its treatment.

“Dr. Rhee’s procedures not only restore function, but also quality of life,” adds Dr. Kaufman. “Patients sense the hope that they’ll have a better outcome, because of the time we take to gather the data needed to achieve the best possible surgical results.”

From a single patient to nationwide impact

Dr. Rhee, the sole physician qualified to conduct Paul Rhee's surgery, obtained institutional authorization following a thorough review by the Mayo Clinic Ethics Committee. In December 2022, and again in March 2023, Dr. Rhee performed his new surgical procedure on his father. 

The results were profound. Paul regained movement in his arm, was able to relax muscles that had been locked in place for years, and found the confidence to reengage with his community. Most importantly, he could once again hold a fishing rod — a milestone that symbolized freedom and independence.

“After the surgery, he no longer feared people staring at his arm and was able to reconnect with his community,” Dr. Rhee reflects.

The same procedure is now changing lives for patients across the country. Dr. Rhee and his team perform two to three of these complex upper extremity reconstructions each week, often lasting up to 14 hours and involving the entire limb from shoulder to fingertip. Mayo Clinic is one of fewer than 10 centers nationwide where this type of surgery is available, and the team performs more spasticity-related reconstructions than any other center in the U.S.

Dr. Rhee also trains fellows in hand and reconstructive surgery, ensuring that the next generation of surgeons can carry this innovation forward. Over the past six years, nearly 30 physicians have learned the procedure under his guidance. “Following the Mayo brothers’ tradition of sharing expertise, we are expanding access to this surgery worldwide,” he notes.

His colleague, Kitty Wu, M.D., who trained under Dr. Rhee and joined Mayo’s staff in 2023, is expanding the technique further to treat lower extremity spasticity. “Our procedures are restoring hope for patients who thought they had forever lost the function of their limb,” Dr. Wu says. “In some cases, the procedure even prevents permanent disability.”

“Dr. Wu trained at Mayo and expanded on our unique techniques. Together, we offer comprehensive upper and lower extremity reconstructive surgery to adult and pediatric patients,” Dr. Rhee adds.  

For Dr. Rhee, the lessons extend beyond the operating room. “I ask patients what they want to do most that they can’t do now. For many in the Midwest, it’s fishing — something close to my heart as well. When I can say, ‘I believe we can get you back to fishing, holding a grandchild or simply moving without pain’ it builds trust and hope. And that’s what Mayo is about.”

Category of one

What happened for Paul Rhee is much more than a single success story. It represents the best of Mayo Clinic: a seamless integration of practice, research and education; teams of experts working together; and a patient-first mission that drives innovation.

Thanks to this pioneering work, Paul can once again fish with his son and grandchildren, an experience the family thought was lost forever. Thanks to the pioneering spirit of our staff, stories like Paul’s remind us why Mayo Clinic remains a place where innovation, teamwork and patient-first care change lives every day.

Watch: Dr. Rhee and his father before and after the surgery

 Journalists: Video (2:17) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network."

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