An OHSU study finds gene therapy for sickle cell disease has become substantially more unaffordable, jeopardizing patient access, especially among the 50,000 people with the disease enrolled in Medicaid.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute has enrolled its first subject in a clinical trial that tests the safety, tolerability and best dose of iadademstat when administered with the standard-of-care venetoclax and azacitidine in patients with newly diagnosed AML. Study lead Curis Lachowiez, M.D., says, “Given the activity observed with LSD1 inhibition in combination with azacitidine in AML, testing a triplet combination, including iadademstat with the highly active backbone of azacitidine+venetoclax, is the logical next step to hopefully improve outcomes of patients living with AML, if proven to be safe and active”: Globe Newswire press release picked up by outlets across the country.

In a ProPublica story about seeking mental health care, experts recommend patients reach out directly to a practitioner to verify whether they are included in their health network. Jane Zhu, M.D., says, “Verify, verify, verify. Accuracy in behavioral health provider directories is akin to a coin flip.”

Alexandra Bartlett, Ph.D., discusses her research in a mouse model to develop nontoxic immunotherapy strategies that address ‘on-target, off-tumor’ toxicity among patients with prostate cancer. She says, “If the treatment is too toxic, it does not matter if it is effective at shrinking tumors.”

In a small trial, researchers at OHSU, The University of Florida and The University of Pennsylvania find a novel gene therapy restored useful vision to most patients with the rare, inherited blindness known as Leber congenital amaurosis type I, or LCA1.

A study finds nerve cells cause one response versus another: “Sneeze neurons” in the nasal passages relay sneeze signals to the brain, and separate neurons send cough messages in mice. Matthew Drake, M.D., says, “That’s welcome news because these conditions can be incredibly frustrating and the side effects of current treatments can be incredibly problematic."

OHSU researchers are investigating how your grandparents’ diets may affect your developing baby, in the hope of better understanding nutrition’s role in the inheritance of chronic diseases.

OHSU researchers are investigating how your grandparents’ diets may affect your developing baby, in the hope of better understanding nutrition’s role in the inheritance of chronic diseases.

Beverly Emerson, Ph.D., discusses a study that assessed progressive changes in cancer cells when dosed with increasing drug concentrations over a year. She says, “[These findings] contribute much needed detail to our knowledge of evolutionary principles of survival at micro to macro scales -- from cells to organisms to species.”

Research suggesting tube tying isn't as permanent or effective as once thought. Julia Tasset, M.D., says, “This is an important new finding that will help gynecologists better counsel patients.”