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.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — For some patients with the most common type of lung cancer, known as lung adenocarcinoma, there's new hope. In a new study published in Cell Reports, Mayo Clinic researchers have found several previously unknown genetic and cellular processes that occur in lung adenocarcinoma tumors that respond well to immunotherapy.

A recently approved group of drugs — immune checkpoint inhibitors — can boost the body's ability to eliminate a tumor and even keep the cancer from coming back. However, while the medications work well for some people, the drugs aren't effective for many other patients with the disease — and researchers are trying to determine why. 

"Our study describes the events that occur when a patient's tumor harbors only one copy of a cancer-causing gene, which occurs in 20% of cases," says Alan P. Fields, Ph.D., a cancer biologist at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and the principal investigator of the study. 

The research team found that the missing tumor-driving gene, known as PRKCI, results in tumors that are less aggressive. The missing gene also cultivates a more powerful immune response to tumors. Surprisingly, the research team found the improved immune response occurs with help from unexpected players: senescent tumor cells, also known as "zombie cells," which are typically associated with negative consequences of disease and aging. 

The study identified markers that may predict a positive response to immunotherapy and "ultimately may help clinicians stratify patients who are candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitors," says Joey Nguyen, a graduate student at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and lead author of the publication. 

Addressing the nation's leading cause of cancer death

Lung adenocarcinoma represents 40% of lung cancers in the U.S. and is the leading cause of cancer death. It's strongly associated with smoking, but it's also the most common type of lung cancer to occur in people who have never smoked, likely because of a combination of genetics and other environmental factors.  

Dr. Fields' lab at Mayo Clinic in Florida has long studied the effect of the PRKCI gene, which drives tumor growth. The gene also suppresses the immune system, keeping cancer-killing immune cells at bay. Because lung tumors depend on the gene to proliferate, Dr. Fields' team was surprised to find that in cases where a copy of the gene is missing, lung adenocarcinoma tumors still occur. Nguyen, who was studying PRKCI in the lab, was inspired to try to learn more about those unusual tumors.  

Early experiments found that the tumors without PRKCI grow less aggressively. The team also found that when PRKCI is missing, lung adenocarcinoma cells behave in an unusual way in their very early development, acquiring characteristics of lung cells that regenerate lung tissue after damage. 

The team collaborated with the lab of systems biology researcher Hu Li, Ph.D., to examine the process at a single cell level. "We found that the loss of PRKCI forces tumor cells to hijack a lung regeneration process to generate a tumor," Nguyen says. 

Tracking the effects of a missing gene

Nguyen also noticed that the tumors without PRKCI showed elevated levels of organized clusters of immune cells, called tertiary lymphoid structures. The presence of those clumped cells can be a sign that immune checkpoint therapy might work for a patient. But were they a result of the single copy of the PRKCI gene? 

Nguyen presented his research at a graduate school seminar where the project caught the attention of postdoctoral fellow Luis Prieto, Ph.D., who had an idea. Dr. Prieto wondered whether the clusters of immune cells might be connected in some way to senescent cells, those that enter a state of arrested development and don't die off. Dr. Prieto works in the lab of researcher Darren Baker, Ph.D., who investigates therapies to eliminate senescent cells in various disease processes.

The collaborating labs were amazed to find that senescent tumor cells actually activate the immune system, leading to the clusters of immune cells that combat the tumor. "The idea that senescent cells may be beneficial in certain settings like this is new to the field, as these 'zombies' are commonly associated with detrimental outcomes," says Dr. Baker, who is a co-corresponding author on the study.

The findings reveal three tumor characteristics that may be used to help clinicians identify candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitors: loss of the PRKCI gene, the presence of senescent tumor cells and an abundance of clustered immune cells. 

Further, says Dr. Fields, his team previously identified an approved drug that can inhibit PRKCI signaling, making a tumor that has the PRKCI gene act more like a tumor without it. 

"Now that we understand how PRKCI is working in a lung tumor, it may be possible to couple a PRKCI inhibitor with immunotherapy, so a future clinical trial that combines these approaches will certainly be an important avenue to explore," he says.

See 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:

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

The post Mayo Clinic researchers identify why some lung tumors respond well to immunotherapy appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Clinicians typically classify meningiomas — the most common type of brain tumor — into three grades, ranging from slow-growing to aggressive.

But a new multi-institutional study suggests that appearances may be deceiving. If a tumor shows activity in a gene called telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), it tends to recur more quickly, even if it looks low-grade under the microscope.

The findings, published in Lancet Oncology, could significantly change how doctors diagnose and treat meningiomas.

"High TERT expression is strongly linked to faster disease progression," says Gelareh Zadeh, M.D., Ph.D., a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic and senior author of the study. "This makes it a promising new biomarker for identifying patients who may be at greater risk of developing aggressive disease."

This research will be presented at the Society for Neuro-Oncology conference on Nov. 22.

"This is one example of how precision diagnostics of cancer may ultimately improve patient outcomes," says Kenneth Aldape, M.D., Mayo Clinic pathologist and study co-author.

An early warning sign

Meningiomas — tumors of the meninges, the protective tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord — are generally considered benign. But a small subset of these tumors has a mutation in the TERT gene, which is linked to faster growth and a shorter time before the tumor returns after treatment.

TERT is the active part of telomerase, an enzyme that maintains telomeres, the protective ends of chromosomes. In most healthy adult cells, TERT is switched off. But if it becomes switched back on, it can fuel cancer development by driving unchecked cell growth.

In this study, the researchers wanted to see whether high TERT expression, even in the absence of the TERT genetic mutation, also predicted worse outcomes. They looked at more than 1,200 meningiomas from patients across Canada, Germany and the U.S., and they found that nearly one-third of them had high TERT expression despite not having the mutation.

These patients had earlier tumor regrowth compared to those without TERT expression, though their outcomes were better than patients with full-blown TERT mutations.

"TERT-positive tumors behaved like they were one grade worse than their official diagnosis," says Dr. Zadeh. "For example, a grade 1 tumor with TERT expression acted more like a grade 2."

Guiding treatment decisions

The findings suggest that testing for TERT activity could help doctors predict which patients are at higher risk for recurrence and may need closer monitoring or more intensive treatment.

"Because meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumor, this biomarker could influence how thousands of patients are diagnosed and managed worldwide," says Dr. Zadeh.

"TERT expression can help us more accurately identify patients with aggressive meningiomas," Chloe Gui, M.D., a neurosurgery resident at the University of Toronto, Mayo Clinic research collaborator and the study's lead author, explains on a podcast hosted by The Lancet Oncology. "This information allows us to offer treatment tailored to the tumor's behavior."

The team is currently investigating ways to incorporate TERT expression into the clinical workflow. The research is part of a larger effort at Mayo Clinic called the Precure initiative, focused on developing tools that empower clinicians to predict and intercept biological processes before they evolve into disease or progress into complex, hard-to-treat conditions.

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 to 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 New genetic biomarker flags aggressive brain tumors appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new, personalized approach to deep brain stimulation (DBS) for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. By mapping each patient's unique brain wave patterns, the method allows physicians to target the precise area in the brain where stimulation is most effective, moving beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all approach.

DBS involves implanting electrodes in the brain to deliver electrical pulses that help prevent and control seizures. While effective, DBS is typically administered with electrodes placed in the same brain region across most patients. Mayo Clinic physician-scientists are now tailoring the treatment to an individual's seizure network before DBS placement.

"Our unique approach aims to tailor neuromodulation for each patient," says Nick Gregg, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead author of a paper published in the Annals of Neurology. "We're moving away from one-size-fits-all to an individualized approach that maximizes seizure network engagement to better modulate abnormal brain wave activity."

Once researchers identify the specific area in the thalamus — a small relay hub deep within the brain — that connects to a patient's seizure network, they can fine-tune stimulation settings for that individual. Because seizures occur infrequently, clinicians analyze erratic brain wave patterns that signal abnormal activity.

"We're trying to disrupt the pathological hypersynchrony and reduce network excitability to lower seizure risk," says Dr. Gregg.

Ten patients received this personalized approach while being evaluated for epilepsy surgery. The next phase of research will follow those who have since received permanent DBS implants using this personalized approach.

"The long-term goal is to quiet the seizure network, so it is eventually forgotten. Reorganizing the neuronal network could move us beyond controlling seizures to actually curing epilepsy."

This research is part of Mayo Clinic's Bioelectronic Neuromodulation Innovation to Cure (BIONIC) initiative, which unites clinical insight with cutting-edge engineering to deliver novel diagnostics and therapies. Through intellectual property development, strategic partnerships and patient-centered trials, BIONIC transforms innovation into impact — advancing care for complex neurological conditions.

Dr. Gregg's research was supported by the Tianqiao & Chrissy Chen Institute. 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 physicians map patients’ brain waves to personalize epilepsy treatment appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new tool that can estimate a person's risk of developing memory and thinking problems associated with Alzheimer's disease years before symptoms appear. The research, published in The Lancet Neurology, builds on decades of data from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging — one of the world's most comprehensive population-based studies of brain health.

The study found that women have a higher lifetime risk than men of developing dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a transitional stage between healthy aging and dementia that often affects quality of life but still allows people to live independently. Men and women with the common genetic variant, APOE ε4, also have higher lifetime risk.

Predicting Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is marked by two key proteins in the brain: amyloid, which forms plaques, and tau, which forms tangles. Drugs recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration remove amyloid from the brain and can slow the rate of disease progression for people with MCI or mild dementia.

"What's exciting now is that we're looking even earlier — before symptoms begin — to see if we can predict who might be at greatest risk of developing cognitive problems in the future," says Clifford Jack, Jr., M.D., radiologist and lead author of the study.

The new prediction model combined several factors, including age, sex, genetic risk as associated with APOE genotype and brain amyloid levels detected on PET scans. Using the data, researchers can calculate an individual's likelihood of developing MCI or dementia within 10 years or over the predicted lifetime. Of all the predictors evaluated, the brain amyloid levels detected on PET scans was the predictor with the largest effect for lifetime risk of both MCI and dementia.

"This kind of risk estimate could eventually help people and their doctors decide when to begin therapy or make lifestyle changes that may delay the onset of symptoms. It's similar to how cholesterol levels help predict heart attack risk," says Ronald Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., neurologist and director of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, who is a co-author of the study.

The research stands apart because it draws from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, a long-running effort in Olmsted County, Minnesota, that tracks thousands of residents over time. The analysis for this study included data from 5,858 participants. Unlike most studies, Mayo researchers are able to continue following participants even after they stop actively taking part, using medical record data — ensuring nearly complete information about who develops cognitive decline or dementia.

"This gives us a uniquely accurate picture of how Alzheimer's unfolds in the community," says Terry Therneau, Ph.D., who led the statistical analysis and is the senior author of the study. "We found that the incident rate of dementia was two times greater among the people who dropped out of the study than those who continued to participate."

The study elevates the significance of MCI, which is the stage targeted by current Alzheimer's drugs that slow but do not stop progression.

While the new tool is currently a research instrument, it represents a major step toward more personalized care. Future versions may incorporate blood-based biomarkers, which could make testing more accessible.

The work was supported by the National Institute on Aging, the GHR Foundation, Gates Ventures and the Alexander Family Foundation.

The research is part of a larger effort at Mayo Clinic called the Precure initiative focused on developing tools that empower clinicians to predict and intercept biological processes before they evolve into disease or progress into complex, hard-to-treat conditions.

"Ultimately, our goal is to give people more time — time to plan, to act and to live well before memory problems take hold," says Dr. Petersen.

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 scientists create tool to predict Alzheimer’s risk years before symptoms begin appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Rochester, Minn. — Ten outstanding Mayo Clinic alumni have been honored with this year's Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Awards. The recipients have made remarkable contributions to medical practice and research, including vital work in the areas of stroke prevention and treatment, magnetic resonance imaging, pancreatic and molecular biology, healthcare reform, and more.

The Distinguished Alumni Award was established in 1981 by the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees to acknowledge and show appreciation for the exceptional contributions of Mayo Clinic alumni to the field of medicine, including medical practice, research, education and administration. Alumni receiving this award are recognized nationally — and often internationally — in their fields.

This year's recipients were honored at the Mayo Foundation House in Rochester in October. 

The 2025 recipients:

• Thomas Brott, M.D.
  Dr. Brott is a professor of neurology and consultant in the Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Florida, as well as the emeritus Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Professor of Neurosciences. Dr. Brott led the charge to treat stroke as a neurologic emergency and materially improved the management of carotid artery disease, affecting the care of millions of patients around the world. He also played a major role in the approval of alteplase, the first drug deemed safe and effective for acute ischemic stroke treatment.
• Richard Ehman, M.D.
  Dr. Ehman is a consultant in the , a professor of radiology and the Blanche R. and Richard J. Erlanger Professor of Medical Research at . Dr. Ehman is a pioneer in groundbreaking clinical applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). He helped shape modern imaging science and led the Mayo Clinic body MRI practice to become one of the largest in the world.    
• Herbert Gaisano, M.D.
  Dr. Gaisano is a professor of medicine and physiology at the University of Toronto, a staff physician in the Division of Gastroenterology in the University Health Network, and a senior scientist at Toronto General Research Institute in Canada. He is recognized worldwide as one of the top investigators in the pancreatic exocrine and islet function fields, and he leads a premier pancreatic cell biology research laboratory. His research has illuminated the pathogenesis of common diseases such as diabetes and pancreatitis. 
• Raymond Gibbons, M.D.
  Dr. Gibbons is an emeritus professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and a retired consultant in the  at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Dr. Gibbons is an expert in coronary artery disease, the founder and former co-director of the Mayo Clinic Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, a past president of the American Heart Association and a noted leader in healthcare reform.
• Allan Jaffe, M.D.
  Dr. Jaffe is a consultant in the Division of Ischemic Heart Disease and Critical Care and the Wayne and Kathryn Preisel Professor of Cardiovascular Disease Research at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, as well as professor of medicine and professor of laboratory medicine and pathology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Dr. Jaffe is a researcher and leading authority on myocardial disease biomarkers, and he helped develop and validate the first cardiac troponin I assay, the blood test of choice for the diagnosis of heart attacks.
• Peter Layer, M.D., Ph.D.
  Dr. Layer is former medical director and physician-in-chief of the Israelitic Hospital and an emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany. He played a crucial role in developing the hospital into one of the leading clinical and academic institutions for gastrointestinal disease in Germany. His research has illuminated the diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal diseases such as acute and chronic pancreatitis. 
• David Lee, M.D.
  Dr. Lee is a professor of ophthalmology and the Susan and Richard Anderson Distinguished Chair in Ophthalmology at McGovern Medical School, in the University of Texas Health Science Center, in Houston, Texas. Dr. Lee is a highly sought-after specialist known for his ability to handle the most complex and challenging diabetes and glaucoma cases, and his academic contributions have advanced the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma worldwide.
• Eric Matteson, M.D.
  Dr. Matteson is an emeritus professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and a retired consultant in the Division of Rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. As an internationally renowned clinician-scientist, Dr. Matteson conducted extensive epidemiological, mechanistic and clinical studies that have significantly advanced the understanding of rheumatic diseases. He was a pioneer in the use of biologics for the treatment of rheumatic disease, which have improved the quality of life for countless patients. 
• Vladimir Parpura, M.D., Ph.D.
  Dr. Parpura is a distinguished professor and director of the International Translational Neuroscience Research Institute at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in Hangzhou, China. He discovered that astrocytes — non-neuronal cells of the central nervous system — could release chemicals/transmitters, much like neurons, and communicate with neurons. His discovery of this process, known as gliotransmission, and his subsequent research has had a remarkable impact on the fields of neuroscience and cell biology.
• Vicente Torres, M.D., Ph.D.
  Dr. Torres is a consultant in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He is also a professor of medicine and the Robert M. and Billie J. Pirnie Professor of Kidney Disease Research in Honor of Michael J. Krowka, M.D. Dr. Torres is an international leader in nephrology and a founding figure in the research of polycystic kidney disease (PDK). He led clinical trials that resulted in the clinical development of tolvaptan, the first and only specific treatment for autosomal dominant PDK (ADPKD). 

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About the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association
The Mayo Clinic Alumni Association was incorporated in 1915 with a mission to connect our alumni and bring Mayo Clinic values to the world. The association serves more than 32,800 alumni who live and work in over 80 countries.

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:

• Lisa Speckhard-Pasque, Mayo Clinic Alumni Relations, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post Mayo Clinic Alumni Association announces 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that can identify obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) using the results from an electrocardiogram (ECG) – a common heart test. The innovation could make it faster, cheaper, and easier to spot sleep apnea, particularly in women, who are often underdiagnosed.

A common but underrecognized condition

OSA affects more than 936 million adults ages 30-69 worldwide and poses significant cardiovascular risks. People with OSA experience repeated episodes of upper airway collapse or blockage during sleep. This collapse causes breathing to stop or become shallow repeatedly, which often leads to loud snoring and gasping. Despite its prevalence, it often goes undiagnosed.

"Obstructive sleep apnea or OSA is a highly prevalent disease with important cardiovascular consequences," says Virend Somers, M.D., Ph.D., Alice Sheets Marriott Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and senior author of the study published in JACC: Advances. "OSA affects the heart to the point where AI algorithms can detect the OSA signature from the ECG, which in essence is a representation of the electrical activity of the heart muscle cells," Dr. Somers adds.

AI model shows strong performance — especially for women

In the study, the researchers used AI algorithms to review the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) test results of 11,299 patients at Mayo Clinic who had undergone the test along with sleep evaluations. More than 7,000 of them had a known diagnosis of OSA, and 4,000 were controls.

"The most surprising finding was the increased visibility on the ECG of OSA in the females compared to the males, even though the OSA severity was less in the females," says Dr. Somers.

"This is relevant since emerging data consistently suggest that females have a greater relative likelihood of suffering the cardiovascular consequences of OSA, even if their OSA may be considered 'milder' by standard diagnostic criteria," he adds.

The test also strongly suggests women may suffer more damage to their heart muscle cells from OSA, Dr. Somers says.

Dr. Somers underscores that this approach may have the potential to evaluate whether a given OSA treatment may be able to reduce a patient's cardiovascular risk.

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:

• Terri Malloy, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

The post How Mayo Clinic experts are using AI to better detect sleep apnea, especially in women 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.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — HealthLocator, a new, free digital tool, launches today to help patients and families find hospitals that consistently provide high-quality care.

HealthLocator gathers national quality data into a single, easy-to-navigate tool that allows users to search by city, specialty, or hospital. With just a few clicks, people can compare hospitals based on performance and make more informed choices about their care.

"HealthLocator brings together existing external national quality data into one clear, trusted source to help people select a high-quality hospital for themselves or a loved one," says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic.

For more than a decade, Mayo Clinic has used a combination of publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on clinical quality, hospital patient safety and associated infection metrics, and patient experience to inform and advance its own improvement initiatives. These same evidence-based measures are used to rate more than 5,000 U.S. hospitals featured in HealthLocator.

"HealthLocator offers a clear, evidence-based view of hospital quality that aligns with Mayo Clinic's primary value: the needs of the patient come first," says Sean Dowdy, M.D., chief value officer for Mayo Clinic and the Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Associate Dean for Practice Transformation. "By helping people make informed healthcare decisions, we're improving lives."

More information about HealthLocator’s methodology is available in New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst.

Created for patients by those who serve them, HealthLocator is offered as a free public service. Users do not need to create an account, and there are no subscriptions.

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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:

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

The post Find trusted, high-quality hospitals nationwide with HealthLocator  appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.