Stories - Oregon Health & Sciences University

22nd Doernbecher Freestyle auction raises over $2.4 million, a record

rideoutn@ohsu.edu (Nicole Rideout) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:34:00 GMT

Six young OHSU Doernbecher patients unveiled their personally designed Nike shoes at the 22nd Doernbecher Freestyle Auction on Friday, Oct. 16. (OHSU/Jordan Sleeth)

Six young patient-designers on Friday revealed their personally designed Nike footwear for the 22^nd Doernbecher Freestyle collection, a longstanding program and partnership between Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and Nike.

This year’s auction, held at the Portland Art Museum, raised over $2.4 million — the highest in the program’s history. The funds will help cover the cost of care for families in need; expand leading-edge research that benefits kids around the world; and support specialized care unavailable anywhere else in the region.

Learn more about the Doernbecher Freestyle program from the OHSU Foundation.

Proceeds included nearly $1.6 million raised by donors, most of which will go toward the planned construction of a new addition to the hospital. This addition will bring together the Mother-Baby Unit, Fetal Surgery Program and a new NICU, creating a continuum of care that begins before birth and supports families through a baby's earliest and most critical moments.

This year’s auction combined with the profits from last year’s Freestyle 21 retail sales have raised a total of $4.7 million for the children’s hospital.

Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. (OHSU)

“Every year, the Freestyle program reminds us of the incredible power of community, and we are exceedingly grateful for the supporters who generously contributed to help make it a success,” said OHSU President Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. “Ensuring Doernbecher continues to provide the best possible pediatric care for generations, including expanding neonatal intensive care for our smallest, most fragile patients, is imperative to that vision."

The event also highlighted an important milestone: Doernbecher’s 100th anniversary, which marks a century of innovative, compassionate and family-centered care.

Over the past 100 years, Doernbecher has transformed children’s health and well-being, pushing pediatric medicine forward and leading tidal shifts in children’s healthcare. This has been made possible by the expertise and passion from clinicians, alongside invaluable community and philanthropic support from programs like Doernbecher Freestyle, which has raised over $49 million since its inception in 2004.

Dana Braner, M.D., FAAP, FCCM (OHSU)

“A founding principle of Doernbecher was that it would be a lifesaving resource for kids and their families, regardless of their ability to pay. And that principle has become a promise that still stands firm today, thanks in huge part to the continuous support we receive from the community,” said Dana Braner, M.D., FAAP, FCCM, physician-in-chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, professor and chair of pediatrics in the OHSU School of Medicine, and Credit Unions for Kids chair.

Kate Azizi, president of the OHSU Foundation, emphasized the importance of philanthropic support for the children’s hospital.

Kate Azizi (Courtesy)

“Philanthropic support, like this generous partnership with Nike and the Freestyle program, allows OHSU Doernbecher to deliver exceptional care to children across Oregon and the region — now and for generations to come,” Azizi said. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who continues to make this one-of-a-kind event possible.”

Over the past year, the patient-designers worked closely with NIKE, Inc., design team employees who volunteer their time and expertise so each patient-designer can create their very own sneaker. Each design represents the patient’s personal story, including nods to their health journeys, families and communities, and interests and passions.

These six brave, talented kids are now among the 134 patient-designers who have made the program possible, alongside hundreds of NIKE, Inc., employees who volunteer their time to make each patient’s design dreams come true.

To date, the program has produced more than 130 unique shoes, all designed by OHSU Doernbecher patients.

The full Doernbecher Freestyle 22 collection will be available on the SNKRS App and at select retailers this winter. Nike and its retail partners will donate 100% of the profits from sales of the collection to Doernbecher.

“Kids are our future,” Braner said, “and the Doernbecher Freestyle program proves each year that our future is in excellent hands.”

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La 22.ª Subasta Freestyle de Doernbecher recauda una cifra récord de más de 2.4 millones de dólares

rideoutn@ohsu.edu (Nicole Rideout) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Seis jóvenes pacientes de OHSU Doernbecher presentaron sus zapatillas Nike que diseñaron personalmente para la 22.ª Subasta Freestyle de Doernbecher (Doernbecher Freestyle Auction) el viernes 16 de octubre. (OHSU/Jordan Sleeth)

El viernes, seis jóvenes pacientes diseñadores presentaron sus modelos de calzado Nike diseñados personalmente para la 22.ª Colección Freestyle de Doernbecher, un programa y colaboración de larga data entre el Hospital Infantil Doernbecher de Oregon Health & Science University y Nike.

Más información sobre el programa Freestyle de Doernbecher en la OHSU Foundation.

La subasta de este año, celebrada en el Museo de Arte de Portland, recaudó más de 2.4 millones de dólares, la cifra más alta en la historia del programa. Los fondos ayudarán a cubrir los costos de atención de familias necesitadas; ampliarán las investigaciones de vanguardia que benefician a niños de todo el mundo; y apoyarán una atención especializada que no está disponible en ningún otro lugar de la región.

Entre los fondos recaudados se incluyen casi 1.6 millones de dólares aportados por donantes, la mayor parte de los cuales se destinarán a la construcción prevista de una nueva ampliación del hospital. Esta ampliación reunirá la Unidad Madre-Bebé, el Programa de Cirugía Fetal y una nueva NICU, lo que permitirá ofrecer una atención continua que comienza antes del nacimiento y apoya a las familias en los primeros y más críticos momentos en la vida del bebé.

La subasta de este año, combinada con las ganancias de las ventas minoristas de la colección 21 de Freestyle del año pasado, ha recaudado un total de 4.7 millones de dólares para el hospital infantil.

Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. (OHSU)

"Cada año el programa Freestyle nos recuerda el increíble poder de la comunidad, y estamos sumamente agradecidos con quienes contribuyeron generosamente a que fuera un éxito", dijo el presidente de OHSU, Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. "Garantizar que Doernbecher siga brindando la mejor atención pediátrica posible durante generaciones, incluida la ampliación de la atención intensiva neonatal para nuestros pacientes más pequeños y frágiles, es fundamental para hacer realidad esa visión."

El evento también puso de relieve un hito importante: El centenario de Doernbecher, que marca un siglo de atención innovadora, compasiva y centrada en la familia.

En los últimos 100 años, Doernbecher ha transformado la salud y el bienestar de los niños(as), impulsando avances en la medicina pediátrica y liderando cambios radicales en la atención de salud infantil. Esto ha sido posible gracias a la experiencia y pasión de los profesionales clínicos(as), así como al valioso apoyo comunitario y filantrópico de programas recibido a través de programas como Freestyle de Doernbecher, que ha recaudado más de 49 millones de dólares desde su creación en 2004.

Dana Braner, M.D., FAA., FCCM

"Uno de los principios fundacionales de Doernbecher era que sería un recurso capaz de salvar vidas para los niños y sus familias, independientemente de su capacidad de pago. Y ese principio se ha convertido en una promesa que sigue firme hasta hoy, gracias en gran parte al apoyo continuo que recibimos de la comunidad", dijo Dana Braner, M.D., FAAP, FCCM, médico jefe en el Hospital Infantil Doernbecher de OHSU, profesor y director de Pediatría de la Facultad de Medicina (School of Medicine) de OHSU, y presidente de Credit Unions for Kids.

Kate Azizi (Courtesy)

Kate Azizi, presidenta de la Fundación OHSU, subrayó la importancia del apoyo filantrópico al hospital infantil.

"El apoyo filantrópico, como esta generosa colaboración con Nike y el programa Freestyle, permite a OHSU Doernbecher brindar una atención excepcional a niños de todo Oregón y la región, tanto ahora como para las generaciones futuras", dijo Azizi. "Estamos increíblemente agradecidos a todos los que siguen haciendo posible este evento único."

Durante el último año, los pacientes diseñadores trabajaron en estrecha colaboración con los empleados del equipo de diseño de NIKE, Inc., quienes ofrecen voluntariamente su tiempo y experiencia para que cada paciente-diseñador pueda crear su propio diseño de zapatilla. Cada diseño representa la historia personal del paciente, incluidas referencias a sus trayectorias de salud, familias y comunidades, e intereses y pasiones.

Estos seis valientes y talentosos niños(as) están ahora entre los 134 pacientes diseñadores que han hecho posible el programa, junto a cientos de empleados de NIKE, Inc. que ofrecen su tiempo como voluntarios para hacer realidad los sueños de diseño de cada paciente.

Hasta la fecha, el programa ha producido más de 130 modelos únicos de zapatillas, todos diseñados por pacientes de OHSU Doernbecher.

La colección completa de Freestyle 22 de Doernbecher estará disponible en la aplicación de SNKRS y en tiendas seleccionadas este invierno. Nike y sus socios minoristas donarán a Doernbecher el 100% de las ganancias de las ventas de la colección.

"Los niños son nuestro futuro", dijo Braner, "y el programa Freestyle de Doernbecher demuestra cada año que nuestro futuro está en excelentes manos."

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Accolades: Awards, honors and accomplishments October

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:55:00 GMT

Oleg Varlamov’s fetal immunity study published in Nature Communications

Oleg Varlamov, M.D., Ph.D. (OHSU)

A study published this month in Nature Communications provides the first single-cell atlas of fetal immune cells across the lung, spleen and umbilical cord blood of nonhuman primates, offering an unprecedented view of immune system development before birth. The research team, including OHSU corresponding author Oleg Varlamov, M.D., Ph.D., identified distinct immune cell populations and tissue-specific developmental programs, creating a resource that could advance the understanding of fetal immunity and inform strategies for childhood disease prevention.

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Aaron Grossberg research published in The Journal of Physiology

Aaron Grossberg, M.D., Ph.D. (OHSU)

Aaron Grossberg, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of radiation medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, recently had research published in The Journal of Physiology on pancreatic cancer cachexia and its relationship with cardiac dysfunction. The study was selected as an August 2026 Editor’s Choice in the journal.

Grossberg is a member of the Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and the Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, as well as part of the M.D./Ph.D. Program Committee in the OHSU School of Medicine.

In recognition of the honor, the journal invited Grossberg to participate in its Physiology Shorts series on YouTube, which features brief author videos summarizing selected research and its significance.

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Jennifer Huang receives the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Impact Award

Jennifer Huang, M.D. with spouse, Brandy Turnbull, at the awards ceremony. (Courtesy)

Jennifer Huang, M.D., director of Ambulatory Cardiology and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Exercise and Cardiac Rehabilitation, associate professor in the OHSU School of Medicine and a pediatric cardiologist in OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, was awarded the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Impact Award.

The award recognizes women who have invested in their communities and have worked to address the factors that impact health outside of the doctor’s office. She was celebrated at the EmpowHER ceremony.

The EmpowHER Awards celebrates girls and women who are leading change across the Portland community. This event highlights their impact, creates meaningful opportunities to connect, and shows young girls what it looks like to step into their own power as changemakers in Portland and beyond.

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David Huang named a Citation Laureate 2026

David Huang, M.D., Ph.D. (Courtesy)

David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., director of research and associate director of the OHSU Casey Eye Institute, Wold Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmic Imaging, and professor of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine, has been named a Citation Laureate 2026 by the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate.

Huang was recognized alongside James G. Fujimoto, Ph.D., and Eric A. Swanson, M.S., for co-inventing optical coherence tomography, known as OCT, a groundbreaking imaging technology that transformed ophthalmology and is now used worldwide to diagnose, monitor and guide treatment for vision-threatening diseases.

Citation Laureates are selected from a small group of researchers whose discoveries are of Nobel class based on their exceptional scientific influence and impact.

This remarkable honor reflects the global impact of OCT and Huang’s enduring contributions to vision research and patient care.

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Erik Brodt receives 2026 AISES Educator Partner Service Award

Erik Brodt, M.D. (OHSU)

Erik Brodt, M.D., professor of family medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine and director of OHSU’s Northwest Native American Center of Excellence, is the recipient of the 2026 Partner Service Award from the Advancing Indigenous Science & Engineering Society, known as AISES.

The award was presented at the AISES National Conference in Portland. Brodt was selected by the AISES staff for going above and beyond to support AISES and its mission to help Indigenous students build their future in STEM.

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Justin Merritt earns grant from National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

Justin Merritt, Ph.D. (OHSU)

Justin Merritt, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Biomaterials and Biomedical Sciences in the OHSU School of Dentistry, has earned $2.66 million in R01 grant funding over five years from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, for his project, “An experimental platform to investigate the role of polymicrobial synergy in oral inflammatory dysbiosis.”

The research will investigate how groups of harmful oral bacteria work together to cause disease. Merritt and his team will use a newly developed experimental model to examine how imbalances in the oral microbiome disrupt immune responses that help regulate inflammation in the mouth.

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OHSU psilocybin collaborative team research published in Frontiers in Public Health

A team from OHSU’s Psilocybin Education and Assessment Collaborative for Excellence, or PEACE, recently had research published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health on psilocybin preparedness and risk reduction.

The study was authored by Harland V. Harrison and Mizan Gaillard, students in the OHSU School of Medicine, along with Ryan R. Cook, Ph.D., Aryan Sarparast, M.D., and Ximena A. Levander, M.D., M.C.R., F.A.C.P., faculty in the OHSU School of Medicine.

PEACE provides individualized consultations for patients seeking medical and psychiatric guidance before using psilocybin, with a focus on education, risk assessment and harm reduction rather than providing or facilitating psychedelic treatment.

To better understand the patients seeking this type of care, the PEACE team designed a study examining participants’ clinical characteristics, motivations for consultation and preparedness for psychedelic experiences. The study found that among 29 patients seen through PEACE, most sought consultation for psychiatric concerns, while many reported prior psychedelic use and a history of trauma.

The findings provide an early look at the needs of patients proactively seeking medical guidance about psilocybin and highlight opportunities for clinicians to engage patients in informed, nonjudgmental conversations about psychedelic use as access continues to expand.

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Hyunjee Kim, Amy T. Edmonds awarded grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation

Hyunjee Kim, Ph.D. (OHSU)

Hyunjee Kim, Ph.D., a health economist, and Amy T. Edmonds, Ph.D., principal evaluation manager and health services researcher, both with the OHSU School of Medicine’s Center for Health System Effectiveness, were awarded a grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation to study Washington state’s WA Cares program, the nation’s first payroll-funded long-term care insurance program designed to expand access to long-term care.

Amy T. Edmonds, Ph.D. (OHSU)

Using quantitative analysis of administrative data, the study will examine who uses WA Cares benefits and how they are used; whether the program’s $36,500 lifetime benefit is sufficient to meet beneficiaries’ needs; and what happens after benefits are exhausted, including transitions to Medicaid.

The research will be complemented by a separate qualitative evaluation of WA Cares’ early implementation, funded by The Commonwealth Fund. Together, the studies will help identify gaps in access, inform coordination between WA Cares and Medicaid, and provide evidence for policymakers in other states considering similar long-term care insurance programs for older adults and family caregivers.

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Lucia Carbone’s bat evolution research featured on the cover of Nature

Lucia Carbone, Ph.D.

Lucia Carbone, Ph.D., holder of the Henry T. Swigert Endowed Professorship in Cardiovascular Medicine, professor of molecular and medical genetics in the OHSU School of Medicine, professor in the Division of Genetics at the Oregon National Primate Research Center, and director of the KCVI Epigenetics Consortium, contributed to groundbreaking research that sheds new light on bat evolution and origins.

The Carbone lab performed a chromatin conformation capture experiment on a bat specimen that was critical to assembling its genome for the study, “Reference genomes and fossils revise bat family phylogeny and biogeography,” published in Nature and featured on the journal’s cover.

The international study, involving 137 scientists, combined genomic data from 103 bat species with evidence from 44 fossil specimens to create the most comprehensive picture of bat evolution to date. The findings suggest that bats likely originated in Europe approximately 65 million years ago, shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs, challenging previous theories that placed their origin in Asia, Africa or North America.

Beyond answering a long-standing evolutionary question, the research has important implications for human health. Many bat species exhibit remarkable disease resistance and longevity. The genomic resources developed through this work provide scientists with a powerful framework for studying the genetic basis of these traits, with potential applications for research into aging, immunity and disease resistance in humans.

The findings are part of the Bat1K consortium, a global effort to sequence the genomes of all living bat species.

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Duncan Ramsey research published in Cancer

Duncan Ramsey, M.D., M.S., M.P.H. (Courtesy)

Duncan Ramsey, M.D., M.S., M.P.H., associate professor in the OHSU Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, is the lead author of a newly published study in Cancer examining long-term outcomes among survivors of Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that most often affects children and adolescents.

The study was conducted through the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a landmark multicenter collaboration based at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and one of the world’s leading resources for understanding the long-term health of childhood cancer survivors. The project included investigators from OHSU, Boston Children’s Hospital and other leading academic institutions.

The research team evaluated outcomes among 739 survivors of Ewing sarcoma diagnosed between 1970 and 1999. The findings showed that survivors face significantly elevated risks of chronic health conditions and late mortality compared with the general population, underscoring the importance of lifelong survivorship care and ongoing efforts to reduce treatment-related late effects.

The publication highlights OHSU’s leadership in national cancer survivorship research and demonstrates the value of collaborative, multicenter efforts to improve the long-term health and quality of life of childhood cancer survivors.

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Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center helps develop low-back pain guideline

The American Academy of Pain Medicine, or AAPM, the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center at Oregon Health & Science University, and Aggregate Analytics, Inc. announced the publication of a new clinical practice guideline and accompanying systematic review in the journal Pain Medicine.

Assessment and Treatment of Acute Low Back Pain: A Multidisciplinary Clinical Guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for outpatient care of adults with atraumatic acute low back pain lasting six weeks or fewer, with or without radiculopathy. The recommendations are intended to support individualized clinical judgment and shared decision-making.

Key findings from the guidelines:

Avoid routine early imaging. Do not routinely obtain imaging unless signs, symptoms or risk factors suggest serious spine pathology.
Begin with education and self-management. Explain the usual course, reassure patients that movement is generally safe, encourage continued low-impact activity, and consider appropriate self-management options.
Add evidence-based options when needed. If symptoms do not improve after one or two weeks, consider nonopioid and nonpharmacologic options based on the patient’s health, preferences, or prior response, safety, access, and cost.
Avoid routine initial opioid use. Consider a short course of short-acting opioids only in selected circumstances when pain remains severe despite optimized alternatives and the anticipated benefits outweigh the risks.

“Many patients with acute low back pain can improve without intensive intervention,” said Devan Kansagara, M.D. “This guideline gives clinicians a practical framework to identify serious conditions, help patients remain active, and add treatment selectively while respecting individual needs and preferences.”

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Eric Roeland, Kerri Winters-Stone awarded National Cancer Institute grant for CIPN clinical trial

Eric Roeland, M.D., FASCO, FAAHPM (OHSU)

Eric Roeland, M.D., FASCO, FAAHPM, a medical oncologist and palliative care specialist in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, and Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and a Penny and Phil Knight Endowed Professor in Cancer Research Innovation in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Division of Oncological Sciences, have been awarded a five-year, $3.3 million National Cancer Institute grant for a clinical trial to test a device to reduce symptoms of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, or CIPN, and improve functioning in people treated with chemotherapy for cancer.

Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D. (OHSU)

CIPN is a painful and distressing symptom that occurs in up to 90% of patients during treatment and has a significant negative impact on balance, stability and functioning. CIPN persists even after treatment stops in up to 80% of patients and is associated with a significantly higher risk of falls and disability. There are currently no approved treatments for CIPN and mobility impairments.

Roeland and Winters-Stone have conducted Knight-funded pilot research to show that therapeutic doses of low-intensity vibration produce a mechanical signal that reduces symptoms and improves mobility. This grant will provide more definitive evidence for this non-pharmacologic treatment that could improve outcomes for millions of cancer survivors living with persistent CIPN.

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Jessica Reid champions new ICD-10 CM codes for non-tubal ectopic pregnancies

Jessica Reid M.D., M.C.R., FACOG (Courtesy)

Jessica Reid, M.D., M.C.R., FACOG, an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the OHSU School of Medicine, successfully advocated for new ICD-10 diagnosis codes for non-tubal ectopic pregnancies, including cesarean scar, interstitial, cervical and cornual ectopic pregnancies. ICD-10 diagnosis codes are a standardized system of alphanumeric codes used by healthcare providers to classify and code diagnoses, symptoms and procedures. The new codes took effect on Oct. 1.

She presented information in support of these new codes to the Centers for Disease Control ICD-10 committee in September 2024, which led to approval. The expanded coding will improve identification and categorization of these rare pregnancy conditions and support research, quality improvement and patient care. Reid has long been a national advocate for improved diagnosis and management of cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy through publications, outreach and development of institutional best practices.

Reid has authored institution best practices with Lisa Bayer, M.D., a generalist obstetrician and gynecologist and a complex family planning sub-specialist at OHSU. She has also participated in outreach through podcasts in this area.

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Paula Amato perspective published in New England Journal of Medicine

Paula Amato, M.D. (OHSU)

Paula Amato, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of OHSU’s division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, recently had a perspective published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The piece, co-authored by Glenn Cohen, J.D., of Harvard Law School, addresses gaps in the World Health Organization’s current definition of infertility, which inhibits equitable access to fertility care.

The WHO describes infertility as “a disease of the male and female reproductive system defined as the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months of regular unprotected sexual intercourse,” effectively excluding LGBTQ+ people and single people who also face fertility challenges. Amato argues that the definition should be more expansive and cover the need for medical intervention, including the use of donor gametes or embryos, to achieve a successful pregnancy for LGBTQ+ and single people.

Because eligibility requirements for coverage of fertility care in the United States still often disadvantage LGBTQ+ and single people, there has been growing legal and policy pressure to eliminate discriminatory definitions of infertility. Of insurance plans that cover fertility treatments, many continue to define infertility as the inability to conceive after 6 to 12 months of unprotected heterosexual intercourse. As a result, LGBTQ+ and single people must often pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket for multiple donor-insemination cycles before becoming eligible for insurance coverage, whereas people in heterosexual relationships who have infertility can qualify for coverage immediately.

“Equitable access to fertility care is crucial for family formation, but current clinical definitions categorically exclude populations with real needs for assistance in reproduction,” Amato said. “Providers of fertility care should consider the needs of all individuals, regardless of marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity.”

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Multidisciplinary OHSU team has research published in JAMA Network Open

Jamie Lo, M.D., M.C.R. (OHSU)

Jamie Lo, M.D., M.C.R., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Ashley Benson, M.D., M.A., M.S., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and Joseph Shatzel, M.D., M.C.R., associate professor in medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, along with their colleagues, recently had research published in JAMA Network Open investigating the optimal route of iron therapy to treat pregnant people diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia.

Ashley Benson, M.D., M.A., M.S. (OHSU)

The research team and collaborators from institutions across the U.S. conducted a meta-analysis of 29 randomized trials that included nearly 12,000 pregnant individuals with iron deficiency anemia. Findings showed that compared with oral iron, intravenous iron was associated with improved maternal hematologic parameters and neonatal iron stores and reduced rates of blood transfusion during delivery hospitalization.

These findings may call for a greater role for treatment with IV iron in pregnancy.

Joseph Shatzel, M.D. (OHSU)

“This is an issue that impacts many people: nearly 18% of pregnant people are iron deficient and 5% of those have an iron deficiency that leads to anemia,” Lo said. “We know that addressing iron deficiency anemia during a pregnancy improves health outcomes for both the mother and baby, so it’s important as clinicians that we continue to investigate the most effective treatments.”

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Motoyuki Tsuda appointed research assistant professor

Motoyuki Tsuda, M.D., Ph.D. (OHSU)

Motoyuki Tsuda, M.D., Ph.D., a physician-scientist and postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of Rosalie Sears, Ph.D., Krista L. Lake Chair in Cancer Research and co-director of the OHSU Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care, has been appointed research assistant professor in the OHSU Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics.

Tsuda’s research focuses on pancreatic cancer, including the molecular mechanisms that contribute to tumor progression and treatment response. His work includes studies using in vivo models and patient-derived samples from OHSU’s Window of Opportunity clinical trials, as well as research examining MYC and other molecular drivers of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

His appointment as research assistant professor marks an important step toward his long-term goal of establishing an independent research program. Tsuda plans to continue his current studies, pursue external grant funding and develop research aimed at improving outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer.

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Kareem Woods selected for Social Mission Alliance Health Justice Fellowship

Kareem Woods (OHSU)

Kareem Woods, an OHSU M.D./Ph.D. student, has been selected for the 2026 – 27 Social Mission Alliance Health Justice Fellowship, a nine-month national program designed to develop emerging leaders committed to advancing health justice in health professions education and their communities.

Fellows participate in monthly seminars, a learning community, individualized mentoring, Social Mission Alliance programming and an in-person intensive, while developing a health justice project with ongoing mentorship.

Woods’ work at OHSU sits at the intersection of addiction research, community engagement and health equity. As part of the PEER-CM research team, he studies approaches that center the self-identified harm-reduction goals of people who use stimulants and has worked alongside peer support specialists to examine peer well-being. He also volunteers with OHSU Health Equity and their partnership with the Equitable Giving Circle, providing diabetes and hypertension screening at a community farmers market serving Portland residents, and mentors students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine and biomedical research. Across these experiences, he has focused on how research and health care can be designed with communities rather than simply for them, including how patients and communities can have greater influence over defining priorities and measures of success.

During the fellowship, Woods plans to build on this work by developing a community redress and shared-governance initiative connecting OHSU addiction researchers with community members in Portland. His proposal includes convening recurring community forums where researchers communicate their work directly to the public and community members identify gaps and priorities in addiction care, as well as developing educational content for OHSU trainees about historical harms that continue to shape trust in addiction medicine and research. His longer-term goal is to create a durable model that changes how researchers and communities share information, relationships and decision-making power.

The fellowship is especially meaningful to Woods’ development as a physician-scientist because it brings together two strands of his career that he has intentionally pursued in parallel: rigorous addiction science and work addressing the structural conditions that shape health and access to care. Selection for the fellowship provides dedicated mentorship, a national learning community and a structured opportunity to translate that commitment into an institutional and community-engaged project at OHSU.

Share link: https://news.ohsu.edu/2026/10/19/accolades-awards-honors-and-accomplishments-october#Woods

William Hersh awarded Morris F. Collen Award of Excellence

William Hersh, M.D. (OHSU)

William “Bill” Hersh, M.D., FACMI, FAMIA, FIAHSI, FACP, adjunct professor of medical informatics and clinical epidemiology in the OHSU School of Medicine, in November will receive the 2026 Morris F. Collen Award for Excellence during the American College of Medical Informatics, or ACMI, annual symposium.

In honor of an early trailblazer in medical informatics, Morris F. Collen, this prestigious award is presented to professionals whose lifetime commitment and dedication to the field have made a significant impact.

“Bill has been one of the most impressive ambassadors for the field of informatics in modern history. Through his research, teaching, mentorship, and expansive training programs, Bill is responsible for countless people learning about and calling themselves biomedical and health informaticians,” said Peter J. Embí, M.D., director of the National Library of Medicine and ACMI president. “I am one of those who had the privilege of training under Bill, and I am proud to call myself a graduate of his program at OHSU. Bill’s contributions to informatics have been truly extraordinary, and he is most deserving of this highest honor our college can bestow."

Hersh is a pioneering leader in biomedical informatics. From 2003 to 2022, he served as the Inaugural Chair of OHSU’s Department of Medical Informatics & Clinical Epidemiology, a nationally recognized center for innovation and research. He also developed and led OHSU’s Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program from 1996 to 2023.

Through decades of leadership, scholarship, and innovation, Hersh has significantly influenced the evolution of biomedical informatics, leaving a lasting impact on both the discipline and the healthcare professionals it serves.

Hersh will present an education session at AMIA’s 2026 Annual Symposium taking place Nov. 7 to 11. This year’s symposium theme, Harnessing Informatics to Accelerate Learning Health Systems, explores how informatics can help create health systems that adapt, improve, and get smarter in real time, all in the pursuit of better patient outcomes.

Share link: https://news.ohsu.edu/2026/10/19/accolades-awards-honors-and-accomplishments-october#Hersh

Recognize team or individual achievements with OHSU Accolades

Every day, OHSU members do amazing things. We want to celebrate the significant achievements of OHSU members, units, and programs, such as awards, grants, appointments, publications, and public recognitions. We publish these announcements regularly on OHSU Now and OHSU News: Awards and Accomplishments to celebrate with more than 29,000 members and our community. Nominate yourself, a colleague or any OHSU member using this Accolades intake form. Submissions edited for length and clarity.

Investigadores(as) de OHSU obtienen $12.5 millones para estudiar la ubiquitina, una molécula fundamental en la salud y la enfermedad

yeagera@ohsu.edu (Angela Yeager) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:57:00 GMT

Investigadores de OHSU —de izquierda a derecha: Michael Cohen, Ph.D., Tim Nice, Ph.D., Isabella Rauch, Ph.D. y Jonathan Pruneda, Ph.D.— han recibido más de 12,5 millones de dólares en subvenciones para estudiar la ubiquitina, una molécula celular que ayuda a regular algunas de las funciones más esenciales del organismo. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

¿Qué tienen en común las bacterias transmitidas por los alimentos, la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal, los accidentes cerebrovasculares, la enfermedad de Parkinson y el cáncer?

Investigadores de Oregon Health & Science University están descubriendo que todos ellos están relacionados a través de la ubiquitina, una pequeña molécula celular que ayuda a regular algunas de las funciones más esenciales del organismo. Nuevos fondos por un total aproximado de $12.5 millones, provenientes de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (National Institutes of Health) y fundaciones privadas, permiten a los científicos de OHSU investigar estas conexiones y explorar cómo un sistema biológico fundamental podría influir en una amplia variedad de enfermedades.

Estos fondos respaldan una colaboración cada vez más estrecha entre Jonathan Pruneda, Ph.D., profesor asociado de microbiología molecular e inmunología; Michael Cohen, Ph.D., profesor de fisiología química y bioquímica; Isabella Rauch, Ph.D., profesora asociada de microbiología molecular e inmunología; y Tim Nice, Ph.D., profesor asociado de microbiología molecular e inmunología. Todos pertenecen a la Facultad de Medicina de OHSU (OHSU School of Medicine). En conjunto, los investigadores estudian cómo las células usan la ubiquitina para mantenerse sanas, cómo las bacterias y otros gérmenes manipulan este sistema para causar enfermedades y qué sucede cuando el proceso deja de funcionar correctamente.

“La mayoría de las personas considera que la ubiquitina es una especie de etiqueta que marca las proteínas para su degradación”, explicó Pruneda. “Pero puede ser mucho más que eso y gran parte de lo que significan las señales de la ubiquitina siguen siendo un misterio”.

Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D. (OHSU)

Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D., profesor y director del departamento de microbiología e inmunología de la Facultad de Medicina de OHSU, destacó que la colaboración interdisciplinaria es fundamental para el avance de la ciencia.

“Aquí en OHSU contamos con investigadores de gran creatividad y rigor científico que estudian la ubiquitina y diversos aspectos de la biología”, afirmó. “Lo que los distingue no es solo su talento individual, sino lo que logran cuando unen sus conocimientos científicos”.

Aprender de las bacterias

En esta colaboración entre varios laboratorios dedicados al estudio de la ubiquitina, Jonathan Pruneda aborda el problema desde una perspectiva: enfermedades infecciosas. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

La ubiquitina actúa como una etiqueta molecular que se une a las proteínas y ayuda a determinar qué sucede con ellas dentro de las células. Hace décadas, los científicos(as) descubrieron su función en el reciclaje de proteínas, pero investigaciones más recientes han revelado que la ubiquitina también interviene en muchos otros procesos celulares.

Pruneda aborda el problema desde una perspectiva: enfermedades infecciosas.

Su laboratorio estudia bacterias patógenas que han desarrollado mecanismos para manipular el sistema de ubiquitina humano. Al apropiarse de estas señales celulares, las bacterias pueden neutralizar las defensas inmunitarias y crear condiciones favorables para las infecciones.

“Las bacterias reconocen la importancia de manipular el sistema de ubiquitina”, explicó Pruneda. “Esto les permite reprogramar nuestras células para favorecer la infección”.

Comprender cómo los patógenos aprovechan la ubiquitina permite conocer mejor los mecanismos de infección y, al mismo tiempo, ofrece una perspectiva más amplia de la biología celular. Las mismas vías celulares que atacan las bacterias suelen desempeñar funciones importantes en enfermedades que, a primera vista, no parecen tener ninguna relación con las infecciones.

Una colaboración que impulsa descubrimientos innovadores

Michael Cohen, Ph.D. encontró en Pruneda a un colaborador inesperado y juntos descubrieron una modificación de las proteínas que combina la ubiquitina con otra señal celular conocida como ribosilación ADP. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Uno de estos descubrimientos surgió de la colaboración entre Pruneda y Cohen.

En 2025, los investigadores reportaron el descubrimiento de una modificación de las proteínas hasta entonces desconocida, a la que denominaron "MARUbilación". Esta modificación combina la ubiquitina con otra señal celular conocida como ribosilación ADP. El hallazgo puso en duda la creencia, mantenida durante mucho tiempo, de que las proteínas solo pueden recibir un tipo de etiqueta molecular a la vez, y abrió una nueva área de investigación sobre cómo se comunican las células y responden al estrés.

“Nos dimos cuenta de que dos campos completamente distintos", las enfermedades infecciosas y la fisiología química, "en realidad están estudiando lo mismo”, explicó Cohen.

El descubrimiento ya ha recibido un importante respaldo financiero, que incluye una nueva subvención de los NIH y fondos de la Fundación G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers. Estos recursos permitirán determinar dónde ocurre la MARUbilación, identificar las enzimas responsables de incorporarla y eliminarla, y establecer su función en la señalización celular. Pruneda y Cohen esperan que este trabajo permita, con el tiempo, comprender mejor las enfermedades asociadas con una regulación anormal de las proteínas, entre ellas el cáncer, los procesos inflamatorios y las enfermedades neurodegenerativas.

La relación entre estos descubrimientos y la salud intestinal

Tim Nice, Ph.D., se sumó a la colaboración entre Pruneda y Cohen al observar que ciertos genes relacionados con la vía celular recién descubierta parecían presentar alteraciones en el tejido intestinal de personas con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII). (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

La colaboración se amplió cuando Nice observó que ciertos genes relacionados con la vía celular recién descubierta parecían presentar alteraciones en el tejido vecinal de personas con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII).

“Descubrimos que los genes que intervienen en esta vía presentan alteraciones en las células epiteliales de las personas con EII”, explicó Nice. "Esto sugiere que esta vía podría influir en la susceptibilidad a las enfermedades inflamatorias o en la recuperación de estas enfermedades".

Con financiamiento de la Fundación Kenneth Rainin, Nice, Cohen y Pruneda están realizando investigaciones preliminares para determinar si las alteraciones de esta vía contribuyen a la inflamación intestinal crónica.

La investigación se apoya en un biobanco cada vez más amplio de organoides intestinales: modelos en miniatura del revestimiento intestinal cultivados en laboratorio a partir de tejidos donados tanto por personas sanas como por personas con EII. Estos organoides permiten a los investigadores estudiar cómo responden las células intestinales humanas a la inflamación y las lesiones en condiciones que reproducen con mayor fidelidad lo que ocurre en el organismo.

“Este es un proyecto de investigación exploratoria”, explicó Nice. “Estamos investigando una cuestión completamente nueva y no sabemos adónde nos llevará, lo que resulta verdaderamente emocionante”.

De la infección a la inflamación

Isabella Rauch, Ph.D., se sumó a la colaboración para trabajar con Pruneda en el estudio de cepas patógenas de E. coli, que también está relacionado con el trabajo de Nice sobre la EII. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

El laboratorio de Rauch usa muchos de estos mismos modelos de organoides para comprender cómo las bacterias patógenas aprovechan las vías de señalización de la ubiquitina durante una infección. Su equipo estudia los mecanismos naturales que usan las células para protegerse de las bacterias y otros microorganismos dañinos, así como las vías que estos usan para superar dichas defensas.

“Hemos identificado varios ejemplos de formas de defensa del organismo humano, y Jonathan nos ayudó a encontrar bacterias que interfieren con ellos para obtener una ventaja”, explicó Rauch.

La colaboración entre Rauch y Pruneda, financiada por los NIH, se centra en las cepas patógenas de E. coli y los mecanismos moleculares que usan estas bacterias para manipular las células huéspedes. Al comprender estos mecanismos, los investigadores esperan identificar posibles blancos terapéuticos que permitan detener las infecciones sin recurrir a los antibióticos tradicionales.

Más allá de las infecciones, Rauch considera que los hallazgos también podrían ayudar a explicar qué falla en las enfermedades inflamatorias crónicas. Es en este ámbito donde su investigación se relaciona con la de Nice.

“Hasta cierto punto, la superficie del intestino de las personas con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal se comporta como si hubiera una infección, aunque en realidad no la haya”, explicó. “Si logramos comprender mejor lo que ocurre allí, quizás podamos identificar dónde intervenir para favorecer la recuperación del tejido”.

Generamos conexiones

Para Pruneda, estas subvenciones representan mucho más que un avance científico. También demuestran el valor de reunir a investigadores de distintas especialidades para abordar cuestiones biológicas de interés común.

“Creo que lo que está quedando de manifiesto es el carácter colaborativo de la investigación en OHSU. Una simple conversación sobre el trabajo que realiza una persona en otro laboratorio puede dar lugar a nuevas ideas, nuevas fuentes de financiamiento y nuevos descubrimientos”, afirmó.

Ese espíritu de colaboración ha convertido una pequeña señal molecular en un tema común de investigación que abarca las enfermedades infecciosas, la inmunología, las neurociencias, la biología del cáncer y la gastroenterología. A medida que avanzan los proyectos que acaban de recibir financiamiento, los investigadores de OHSU esperan que la comprensión de uno de los sistemas de señalización más fundamentales en la biología permita descubrir nuevas oportunidades para mejorar la salud humana.

“Este tipo de investigación colaborativa es lo que permitirá obtener los mejores resultados para los pacientes”, afirmó Rauch.

La investigación fue apoyada por el financiamiento del Instituto Nacional de Ciencia Médica General (National Institute of General Medical Science) de los NIH, subvención número R35GM142486; del Instituto Nacional de Alergias y Enfermedades Infecciosas (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), subvenciones números R01AI184933 and R01AI194691; y del Instituto Nacional de Trastornos Neurológicos y Accidentes Cerebrovasculares (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), subvención número R01NS150625. También recibió apoyo adicional mediante una subvención del programa Innnovator Award de la Fundación Kenneth Rainin y otra subvención de la Fundación G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers. El contenido es responsabilidad única de los autores y no necesariamente representa las opiniones oficiales de los patrocinadores.

Todas las investigaciones que involucren animales en OHSU deben ser revisadas y aprobadas por el Comité Institucional del Cuidado y Uso de Animales (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, IACUC) de la universidad. La prioridad del IACUC es garantizar la salud y la seguridad de los animales que participan en la investigación. El IACUC también revisa los procedimientos para garantizar la salud y seguridad de las personas que trabajan con los animales. No se puede realizar ningún trabajo con animales vivos en OHSU sin la aprobación del IACUC.

OHSU researchers secure $12.5 million to explore ubiquitin, a fundamental driver of health, disease

yeagera@ohsu.edu (Angela Yeager) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:02:00 GMT

OHSU researchers, from left, Michael Cohen, Ph.D., Tim Nice, Ph.D., Isabella Rauch, Ph.D. and Jonathan Pruneda, Ph.D., have received more than $12.5 million in grants to study ubiquitin, a cellular molecule that helps regulate some of the body's most essential functions. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

What do foodborne bacteria, inflammatory bowel disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and cancer have in common?

At Oregon Health & Science University, researchers are finding they share a connection through ubiquitin, a tiny cellular molecule that helps regulate some of the body’s most essential functions. New investments totaling approximately $12.5 million from the National Institutes of Health and private foundations are allowing OHSU scientists to follow those connections, showing how a fundamental biological system may shape a wide range of diseases.

The awards support a growing collaboration among Jonathan Pruneda, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology; Michael Cohen, Ph.D., professor of chemical physiology and biochemistry; Isabella Rauch, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology; and Tim Nice, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology, all in the OHSU School of Medicine. Together, the researchers are studying how cells use ubiquitin to stay healthy, how bacteria and other germs hijack the system to cause disease, and what happens when the process goes wrong.

“Most people think of ubiquitin as a tag for protein degradation,” Pruneda said. “But it can do a lot more than that, and a lot of what ubiquitin actually signals for is still a mystery.”

Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D.

Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D., professor and chair of microbiology and immunology in the OHSU School of Medicine, said the collaboration across disciplines is critical to advancing science.

“We have the most creative and rigorous minds working on ubiquitin and various aspects of biology right here at OHSU,” he said. “What sets them apart isn’t just their individual brilliance, it’s what happens when they bring their science together.”

Learning from bacteria

In the multi-lab ubiquitin collaboration, Jonathan Pruneda approaches the problem from one angle: infectious disease. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Ubiquitin acts like a molecular tag, attaching to proteins and helping direct what happens to them inside cells. Scientists first recognized its role in protein recycling decades ago, but more recent research has revealed that ubiquitin also influences many other cellular processes.

Pruneda approaches the problem from one angle: infectious disease.

His laboratory studies bacterial pathogens that have evolved ways to manipulate the human ubiquitin system. By hijacking these cellular signals, bacteria can disable immune defenses and create conditions favorable for infection.

“Bacteria recognize the importance of manipulating that ubiquitin system,” Pruneda said. “That allows them to rewire our cells to support infection.”

Understanding how pathogens exploit ubiquitin provides insight into infection, and also offers a window into broader cell biology. The same pathways targeted by bacteria often play important roles in diseases that appear entirely unrelated to infection.

Breakthrough collaboration

Michael Cohen, Ph.D., joined an unlikely partner in Pruneda to discover a protein modification that combines ubiquitin with another cellular signal known as ADP-ribosylation. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

One of those discoveries emerged from a collaboration between Pruneda and Cohen.

In 2025, the researchers reported the discovery of a previously unknown protein modification they named “MARUbylation,” which combines ubiquitin with another cellular signal known as ADP-ribosylation. The finding challenged a long-standing assumption that proteins receive only one type of molecular tag at a time, and opened a new area of investigation into how cells communicate and respond to stress.

“We realized that two completely different fields” — infectious disease and chemical physiology — “are actually looking at the same thing,” Cohen said.

The discovery has already attracted substantial support, including a new NIH award and funding from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation to map where MARUbylation occurs, identify the enzymes that create and remove it, and determine its role in cellular signaling. Pruneda and Cohen hope the work could eventually provide insights into diseases driven by abnormal protein regulation, including cancer, inflammation and neurodegeneration.

Connecting discoveries to the gut

Tim Nice, Ph.D., joined the Pruneda-Cohen collaboration when he noticed genes involved in the newly discovered pathway appeared altered in intestinal tissue from people with IBD. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

The collaboration expanded when Nice noticed that genes involved in the newly discovered pathway appeared altered in intestinal tissue from people with inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.

“We found that genes involved in this pathway are altered in epithelial cells from individuals with IBD,” Nice said. “That suggests this pathway might be altering either susceptibility to inflammatory disease or recovery from inflammatory disease.”

With funding from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Nice, Cohen and Pruneda are conducting early investigations on whether disruptions in the pathway contribute to chronic inflammation in the intestine.

The work relies on a growing biobank of intestinal organoids, miniature laboratory-grown versions of the gut lining developed from tissue donated by both healthy individuals and people with IBD. These organoids allow researchers to study how human intestinal cells respond to inflammation and injury in ways that more closely mirror what happens in the body.

“This is a discovery project,” Nice said. “We’re exploring a totally brand-new question, and we don’t know where it’s going to lead us, which is really exciting.”

Infection to inflammation

Isabella Rauch, Ph.D., joined the collaboration working with Pruneda on pathogenic E. coli, which also links to Nice's research on IBD. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Rauch’s laboratory uses many of the same organoid models to understand how disease-causing bacteria exploit ubiquitin pathways during infection. Her team studies how cells naturally protect themselves from harmful bacteria and other germs, and how those germs find ways to break through those defenses.

“We have found multiple examples where we know of a defense pathway in the human body, and Jonathan helped us find bacteria that mess with this to their advantage,” Rauch said.

The NIH-funded collaboration between Rauch and Pruneda centers on pathogenic E. coli and the molecular tools the bacteria use to manipulate host cells. By understanding those mechanisms, researchers hope to identify potential therapeutic targets that could stop infection without relying on traditional antibiotics.

Beyond infection, Rauch believes the findings may also help explain what goes wrong in chronic inflammatory diseases, which is where her work intersects with Nice’s.

“To a certain extent, the surface of the intestine in people with inflammatory bowel disease behaves as if they had an infection, although they don’t,” she said. “If we can understand better what’s going on there, maybe we can find where to intervene and allow the tissue to heal.”

Building connections

For Pruneda, the awards highlight more than scientific progress. They demonstrate the value of bringing together researchers with different areas of expertise to tackle common biological questions.

“I think what’s emerging is the collaborative nature of research at OHSU and that conversations about what someone down the hall is doing can lead to new ideas, new funding and new discoveries,” he said.

That collaborative spirit has turned a small molecular signal into a unifying research theme spanning infectious disease, immunology, neuroscience, cancer biology and gastroenterology. As the newly funded projects move forward, OHSU researchers hope that understanding one of biology’s most fundamental signaling systems will reveal new opportunities to improve human health.

“This kind of collaborative research,” Rauch said, “is what will lead to the best outcomes for patients.”

This study was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, award number R35GM142486, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, award numbers R01AI184933 and R01AI194691, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, award number R01NS150625. Additional support was provided by an Innovator Award from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and an award from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funders.

All research involving animal subjects at OHSU must be reviewed and approved by the university’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The IACUC’s priority is to ensure the health and safety of animal research subjects. The IACUC also reviews procedures to ensure the health and safety of the people who work with the animals. No live animal work may be conducted at OHSU without IACUC approval.

Investigadores de OHSU exploran el vínculo entre intestinos, salud cerebral para personas con VIH

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 19:01:00 GMT

Afam Okoye, Ph.D., y Jacob Estes, Ph.D., encabezan una nueva iniciativa de investigación en OHSU para indagar cómo el daño en el tracto gastrointestinal contribuye a la neuroinflamación en adultos mayores y personas con VIH. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Investigadores de Oregon Health & Science University han asegurado una subvención federal $5.8 millones a cinco años para investigar si el daño al sistema gastrointestinal contribuye a la neuroinflamación en personas que viven con VIH (Virus de Inmunodeficiencia humana), elevando de esta forma el potencial de nuevos tratamientos para preservar la función cerebral en personas con VIH y adultos(as) mayores.

Afam Okoye, Ph.D. (OHSU)

“Si bien los medicamentos antirretrovirales son muy exitosos para suprimir el virus, hemos visto personas con VIH que tienen trastornos neurocognitivos similares a lo que ocurre a medida que las personas envejecen”, afirma el coinvestigador principal Afam Okoye, Ph.D., profesor del Instituto de Vacunas y Terapia Génica de OHSU (OHSU Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, VGTI). “Si podemos mostrar una relación dinámica entre la inflamación en el intestino y el cerebro, esta línea de investigación puede luego conducir a tratamientos nuevos para reducir la neuroinflamación”.

La subvención del Instituto Nacional de Salud Mental (National Institute of Mental Health) de los NIH permitirá que los investigadores alineen modelos primates no humanos con tejidos de autopsias para comprender mejor la interacción entre la inflamación en el intestino y la salud cerebral en personas con VIH.

Por mucho tiempo los científicos(as) han relacionado la inflamación en el sistema gastrointestinal con un deterioro cognitivo en el cerebro. Las personas con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal están en un riesgo mayor para las enfermedades de Parkinson y Alzheimer, por ejemplo.

Este problema afecta de modo desproporcionado a personas que viven con VIH.

Los investigadores conjeturan que esto pudiera relacionarse con el hecho de que la infección inicial del virus —incluso cuando subsecuentemente se mantiene bajo control gracias a terapias antirretrovirales—, ocasiona daño duradero a las células inmunitarias del sistema gastrointestinal. El equipo de investigación incluirá a patólogos(as) de OHSU y especialistas de enfermedades infecciosas en los NIH para caracterizar mejor exactamente cómo es que la inflamación intestinal se vincula con la función cerebral.

Conozca más sobre el Centro Nacional de Investigación de Primates de Oregón de OHSU.

Esta investigación también incluirá primates no humanos del Centro Nacional de Investigación de Primates de Oregón de OHSU(Oregon National Primate Research Center, ONPRC).

“La neuroinflamación en personas con VIH es muy difícil de estudiar”, afirma Okoye, que también forma parte de la División de Patobiología e Inmunología del ONPRC. “Se trata de estudios muy desafiantes de hacer; pero sí tenemos pericia y experiencia en el modelo primate no humano. Es alto el riesgo, pero la recompensa también es altamente gratificante”.

En última instancia, pudiera ser posible desarrollar terapias dirigidas que minimicen la inflamación dañina o descontrolada mientras que se retienen los efectos bienhechores de un sistema inmunitario fuerte.

Jacob Estes, Ph.D. (OHSU)

“La inflamación por sí misma no es mala”, explica el coinvestigador principal Jacob Estes, Ph.D., profesor y director del VGTI. “Mediar en la infección es parte de la respuesta del sistema inmunitario. Con el tiempo, esta investigación podría conducir a objetivos precisos que limitarían la patología que daña la función cerebral pero que no del todo cierran la capacidad del sistema inmunitario de hacer cosas que necesita hacer para fomentar la salud”.

La subvención del Instituto Nacional de Salud Mental de los NIH es R01MH146623.

Todas las investigaciones que involucren animales en OHSU deben ser revisadas y aprobadas por el Comité Institucional del Cuidado y Uso de Animales (sigla en inglés, IACUC) de la universidad. La prioridad del IACUC es garantizar la salud y la seguridad de los animales que participan en la investigación. El IACUC también revisa los procedimientos para garantizar la salud y seguridad de las personas que trabajan con los animales. No se puede realizar ningún trabajo con animales vivos en OHSU sin la aprobación del IACUC.

OHSU researchers explore link between gut, brain health for people with HIV

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:39:00 GMT

Afam Okoye, Ph.D., and Jacob Estes, Ph.D., are leading a new research initiative at OHSU to investigate how damage in the gastrointestinal tract contributes to neuroinflammation in older adults and people with HIV. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Oregon Health & Science University researchers have secured a $5.8 million, five-year federal award to investigate whether damage to the gastrointestinal tract contributes to neuroinflammation in people living with HIV — raising the potential for new treatments to preserve brain function in people with HIV and older adults.

Afam Okoye, Ph.D.

“Even though antiretroviral drugs are very successful at suppressing the virus, we’ve seen people living with HIV have neurocognitive disorders similar to what happens when people age,” said co-lead investigator Afam Okoye, Ph.D., professor in the OHSU Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute. “If we can show a dynamic relationship between inflammation in the gut and the brain, this line of research could then lead to new treatments to reduce neuroinflammation.”

The award from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health will enable researchers to align nonhuman primate models with human autopsy tissues to better understand the interplay between inflammation in the gut and brain health among people living with HIV.

Scientists have long associated inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract with impaired cognition in the brain. People with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, for example.

This problem disproportionately affects people living with HIV.

Researchers surmise this may be related to the fact that the initial infection of the virus — even when it’s subsequently held in check by antiretroviral therapies — causes lasting damage to immune cells in the GI tract. The research team will include pathologists at OHSU and infectious disease specialists at the NIH to better characterize how exactly inflammation in the gut is linked to brain function.

Learn more about OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center.

The research also will involve nonhuman primates at OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center.

“Neuroinflammation in people with HIV is very hard to study,” said Okoye, who is also part of the Division of Pathobiology and Immunology at the ONPRC. “These are very challenging studies to do, but we have expertise and experience in the nonhuman primate model. It’s high risk but also high reward.”

Ultimately, it may be possible to develop targeted therapies that tamp down harmful or runaway inflammation while retaining the beneficial effects of a strong immune system.

Jacob Estes, Ph.D.

“Inflammation in and of itself is not bad,” said co-lead investigator Jacob Estes, Ph.D., professor and director of the VGTI. “It’s part of the immune system’s response to mediate infection. Ultimately, this research could lead to precision targets that would limit pathology that harms brain function but doesn’t completely shut off the immune system’s ability to do the things it needs to do to promote health.”

The grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health of the NIH is R01MH146623.

Comer tarde en la noche puede ser malo para el hígado, según un estudio

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 17:01:00 GMT

Un nuevo análisis indica que no comer tarde por la noche para coincidir con el ritmo circadiano del cuerpo puede reducir el riesgo de enfermedades del hígado. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Una nueva investigación dirigida por Oregon Health & Science University indica que debe pensarlo dos veces antes de deleitarse con un refrigerio nocturno si quiere preservar la salud del hígado.

El estudio, publicado en la revista Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, documenta un aumento de la correlación entre las personas que reportaron comer tarde por la noche (que se define como comer después de la cena o después de la hora de acostarse) y el riesgo aumentado de dos tipos de enfermedad hepática: esteatosis hepática relacionada con disfunción metabólica y cirrosis.

La investigación anterior relacionaba comer tarde por la noche con cardiopatías y obesidad, pero en el nuevo estudio los investigadores(as) se propusieron encontrar una señal de enfermedad hepática en los refrigerios nocturnos.

Robert Wilechansky, M.D. (Courtesy)

"Algunos estudios han insinuado esta idea, pero este es de los primeros análisis a largo plazo que hace una conexión explícita con la esteatosis hepática", explicó el autor principal Dr. Robert Wilechansky, un hepatólogo de OHSU que se especializa en trasplantes de hígado.

Wilechansky se dio cuenta de que los trabajadores(as) con turno de noche lidian con la falta de alineación del ciclo natural de día-noche del cuerpo, y tienen tasas elevadas de obesidad y cardiopatías. Con tanto como el 30% de la población de EUA afectada por esteatosis hepática, se preguntó si pequeños cambios en los horarios de las comidas podrían marcar una diferencia.

"Sabemos que el hígado está muy sintonizado con los ritmos circadianos", dijo. "Entonces, nos interesa cambiar el horario de comidas de tal manera que podamos ver una diferencia en salud sin cambiar la composición de lo que la gente come".

Los investigadores(as) analizaron tres grandes conjuntos de datos preexistentes que abarcan toda la nación: el Estudio de Salud del Personal de Enfermería, el Estudio de Salud del Personal de Enfermería II y el Estudio de Seguimiento de Profesionales de la Salud. Extrajeron hábitos de dieta y estilo de vida reportados por casi 200,000 participantes en esos tres estudios, los agruparon por conductas de alimentación y luego buscaron correlaciones con personas que reportaron esteatosis hepática o cirrosis.

Hallaron un aumento del 20% al 30% en todas las enfermedades hepáticas en el grupo de personas que reportaron comer tarde de noche en comparación con quienes no lo hacen.

"Es importante recordar que, de las personas que desarrollaron esteatosis hepática, solo una fracción reducida desarrolló formas graves de la enfermedad como cirrosis hepática", aclaró Wilechansky. "Aun así, la gran lección aquí es que confinar la ingesta de calorías a varias horas antes de la hora de acostarse puede ser ventajoso."

Nuevo ensayo clínico

Un coautor que estudia ritmos circadianos dijo que el nuevo estudio se fundamenta en investigación anterior que revela la importancia del reloj corporal para la salud general.

Andrew McHill, Ph.D. (OHSU)

"Estamos viendo una y otra vez que el horario de ciertas conductas, ya sea dormir, comer o hacer ejercicio, realmente importa", afirmó el coautor Andrew McHill, Ph.D., profesor asociado y psicólogo circadiano y del sueño en OHSU. "Por ejemplo, hemos demostrado que comer durante la noche, cuando el reloj biológico interno fomenta el sueño, reduce la capacidad del cuerpo de metabolizar los alimentos de manera igualmente eficaz y puede conducir, con el tiempo, a obesidad, diabetes y ahora mala salud hepática."

Destacó que la investigación previa en modelos animales revela que el hígado es uno de los órganos más susceptibles a la falta de coordinación de tiempo entre comer y dormir.

Wilechansky advierte que el estudio es observacional y basado en datos en gran medida autoinformados por participantes, pero sí brinda un punto de partida para más investigación.

Con esa finalidad, forma parte de un equipo en OHSU que está reclutando para un estudio que monitoreará conductas de alimentación de manera directa y verificará si comer más temprano mejora las mediciones clínicas de esteatosis hepática subyacente. El nuevo estudio brinda un punto de partida para poner a prueba estos descubrimientos.

"Nuestros descubrimientos se agregan a la creciente cantidad de literatura que conecta comer tarde por la noche con resultados metabólicos y hepáticos adversos", escriben los autores.

Además de Wilechansky y McHill, los coautores(as) son Kevin Casey, M.P.H., el Dr. Andrew Chan, Ph.D. y la Dra. Tracey Simon, del Massachusetts General Hospital en Boston.

La investigación contó con el apoyo de la Fundación de la Asociación Estadounidense del Estudio de Enfermedades Hepáticas (American Association of the Study of Liver Diseases Foundation), subvención CTORA24-179910.

Late-night eating may be bad for your liver, study suggests

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

A new analysis suggests refraining from late-night eating to align with the body’s circadian rhythms and reduce the risk of liver disease. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

New research led by Oregon Health & Science University suggests you should think twice about indulging in a late-night snack if you’d like to preserve liver health.

The study, published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, documents an increase in the correlation between people who reported late-night eating — defined as eating after dinner or after bedtime — and a heightened risk of two types of liver disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and cirrhosis.

Previous research has associated late-night snacking with heart disease and obesity, but in the new study, researchers set out to find a signal of liver disease in late-night eating.

Robert Wilechansky, M.D. (Courtesy)

“A few studies have hinted at this idea, but this is among the first long-term analyses to explicitly draw the connection to fatty liver disease,” said lead author Robert Wilechansky, M.D., a hepatologist at OHSU who specializes in liver transplantation.

Wilechansky noted that night shift workers grapple with misalignment of the body’s natural day-night cycle, with elevated rates of obesity and heart disease. With as much as 30% of the U.S. population affected by fatty liver disease, he wondered whether small changes in timing meals might make a difference.

“We know the liver is very much in tune with the body’s circadian rhythms,” he said. “So we’re interested in changing the timing of eating in a way that could make a difference in health, without changing the composition of what people eat.”

Researchers analyzed three large, preexisting nationwide datasets: the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. They extracted diet and lifestyle habits self-reported by almost 200,000 participants in all three studies, grouped them by eating behaviors, and then looked for correlations to people who reported fatty liver disease or cirrhosis.

They found a 20% to 30% increase in all forms of liver disease among the group of people who reported late-night eating compared to those who did not.

“It’s important to remember, of the people who developed fatty liver disease, only a small fraction develop serious forms of the condition like liver cirrhosis,” Wilechansky said. “Even so, the big take-away here is that confining your calorie intake to several hours before bedtime might be beneficial.”

New clinical trial

A co-author who studies circadian rhythms said the new study builds upon previous research revealing the importance of the body clock to overall health.

Andrew McHill, Ph.D. (OHSU)

“We are seeing over and over again that the timing of behaviors, whether it’s sleep, eating or exercise, really matters,” said co-author Andrew McHill, Ph.D., associate professor and sleep and circadian physiologist at OHSU. “For example, we have shown that eating during the night, when the internal biological clock is promoting sleep, reduces the ability of your body to metabolize foods as efficiently and can eventually lead to obesity, diabetes and now poor liver health.”

He noted that previous research in animal models reveals the liver to be one of the organs most susceptible to misalignment in timing between eating and sleep.

Wilechansky cautions that the study is observational and based on broadly defined self-reported data, but it does provide a starting point for more research.

To that end, he is part of a team at OHSU recruiting for a study that will monitor eating behaviors directly and see whether eating earlier improves clinical measures of underlying fatty liver disease. The new study provides a starting point to put the findings to the test.

“Our findings add to the growing body of literature linking late-evening eating patterns to adverse metabolic and liver outcomes,” the authors write.

In addition to Wilechansky and McHill, co-authors include Kevin Casey, M.P.H., Andrew Chan, M.D., Ph.D., and Tracey Simon, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The research was supported by the American Association of the Study of Liver Diseases Foundation, award CTORA24-179910.

OHSU recibe $7.5 millones para impulsar la terapia génica contra las enfermedades renales

yeagera@ohsu.edu (Angela Yeager) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 18:30:00 GMT

Hiroyuki Nakai, M.D., Ph.D., ha recibido más de $7.5 millones en nueva financiación de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud para desarrollar terapias génicas que algún día podrían proporcionar tratamientos duraderos para enfermedades renales hereditarias. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Investigadores de la Oregon Health & Science University han recibido más de $7.5 millones en nuevos fondos de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (sigla en inglés, NIH) para desarrollar terapias génicas que algún día podrían proporcionar tratamientos duraderos para enfermedades renales hereditarias que actualmente dejan a los pacientes enfrentándose a complicaciones médicas de por vida, diálisis o trasplantes de órganos.

Hiroyuki Nakai, M.D., Ph.D. (OHSU)

La financiación apoya el trabajo del Dr. Hiroyuki Nakai, Ph.D., Profesor Distinguido en Medicina Molecular en el Departamento de Genética Molecular y Médica de la School of Medicine de OHSU. Las subvenciones incluyen una subvención R21 de $448,000 del Centro Nacional para el Avance de las Ciencias Traslacionales y dos subvenciones R01 del Instituto Nacional de Diabetes y Enfermedades Digestivas y Renales, una de $3 millones y la otra de $4 millones.

En conjunto, las subvenciones plurianuales apoyarán el desarrollo de terapias génicas con virus adenoasociados (sigla en inglés, AAV), para el síndrome de Alport y la cistinuria, dos enfermedades renales hereditarias para las que actualmente no existen tratamientos curativos.

"Para las enfermedades renales hereditarias, la gente sabe que la terapia génica debería funcionar si podemos entregar genes terapéuticos a las células adecuadas", dijo Nakai. "Pero ha habido barreras técnicas significativas. Ha sido muy difícil transmitir genes al riñón. Nuestro objetivo es desarrollar nuevas tecnologías para suministrar genes al riñón, especialmente en los podocitos y túbulos renales, que son objetivos críticos para tratar estas enfermedades".

Según el Instituto Nacional de Diabetes y Enfermedades Digestivas y Renales, la enfermedad renal crónica afecta a unos 35.5 millones de adultos en Estados Unidos y contribuye de manera sustancial al gasto sanitario. Un trasplante de riñón puede costar más de $440,000 por paciente, sin contar la atención médica de por vida que se requiere después. Sin embargo, muchos trastornos renales hereditarios aún carecen de tratamientos que aborden la causa genética subyacente.

El síndrome de Alport afecta a una de cada 5,000 personas, según la Fundación Nacional del Riñón (National Kidney Foundation). El trastorno daña las unidades de filtrado de los riñones y también puede causar pérdida auditiva y anomalías oculares. Aunque los medicamentos pueden ralentizar la progresión de la enfermedad, muchos pacientes acaban desarrollando insuficiencia renal, requiriendo diálisis o trasplante.

La cistinuria, que afecta aproximadamente a uno de cada 7,000 nacimientos, provoca cálculos renales recurrentes a partir de la infancia. Los pacientes suelen someterse a cirugías repetidas y se enfrentan a un mayor riesgo de daño renal crónico con el tiempo.

Superar las barreras

Durante años, el laboratorio Nakai ha estado desarrollando nuevos enfoques para superar los desafíos que han limitado la investigación en terapia génica renal. El equipo ha creado seis tecnologías que abordan los principales obstáculos, incluyendo cápsides de AAV modificadas que atacan de forma más eficaz las células renales; diseños génicos mejorados; métodos de administración mejorados; estrategias para reducir efectos fuera del objetivo; tecnologías de evasión inmune; y sistemas capaces de administrar genes terapéuticos demasiado grandes para vectores AAV convencionales.

Las nuevas subvenciones se basan en casi ocho años de trabajo centrado en el desarrollo de terapia génica para el síndrome de Alport. Uno de los principales retos ha sido la entrega del gen de gran tamaño del colágeno IV responsable de la enfermedad.

"El gen es grande y no cabe en un vector AAV estándar", dijo Nakai. "Desarrollamos un sistema que divide el gen en dos partes y las entrega por separado. Una vez que entran en la célula objetivo, pueden reconstituirse en el producto génico terapéutico de longitud completa. Ese enfoque ha funcionado muy bien en nuestros estudios y nos ha permitido avanzar en este trabajo".

Tres proyectos complementarios

Las tres subvenciones apoyan un esfuerzo coordinado para desarrollar terapias génicas para dos enfermedades renales hereditarias mientras avanzan tecnologías que podrían beneficiar a muchas otras.

Una de las subvenciones apoyará el desarrollo de una terapia génica AAV para el síndrome de Alport, un trastorno genético causado por defectos en el colágeno IV, una proteína fundamental para el sistema de filtrado del riñón. Los investigadores diseñarán vectores nuevos de AAV para entregar copias sanas del gen a podocitos, células renales especializadas esenciales para mantener la función renal normal. El equipo evaluará la seguridad y eficacia de la terapia en estudios preclínicos utilizando modelos de ratón y primates no humanos.

Una segunda subvención impulsará la investigación traslacional orientada a acercar la terapia del síndrome de Alport a la aplicación clínica. Los investigadores estudiarán cómo se comporta la terapia génica en el riñón, evaluarán las respuestas inmunitarias y generarán los datos necesarios para respaldar futuros estudios en humanos.

La tercera subvención se centra en la cistinuria, la causa hereditaria más común de cálculos renales. La enfermedad es causada por mutaciones en genes que codifican transportadores de aminoácidos en las células del túbulo renal, lo que conduce a la formación recurrente de cálculos y daño renal progresivo. Los investigadores desarrollarán y optimizarán vectores AAV diseñados para entregar genes sanos directamente a estas células y evaluarán su seguridad y eficacia.

Juntos, los proyectos se basan en tecnologías desarrolladas en el laboratorio de Nakai para superar barreras de larga data en la terapia génica renal y establecer una plataforma que eventualmente podría adaptarse para muchas otras enfermedades renales hereditarias y adquiridas.

Esperanza para pacientes y familias

Para las personas con enfermedades renales hereditarias, la investigación ofrece esperanza para tratamientos que aborden la causa raíz de la enfermedad en lugar de limitarse a controlar los síntomas.

"Aunque existen tratamientos como la diálisis y el trasplante de riñón, la gente sigue viviendo con miedo", dijo Nakai. "Algunos(as) pacientes se preocupan por necesitar un segundo trasplante en el futuro. Si este tratamiento tiene éxito, podremos eliminar muchos de esos temores y mejorar sustancialmente la calidad de vida de los(as) pacientes".

Recientemente, Nakai asistió a una reunión internacional sobre el síndrome de Alport en Budapest, donde investigadores(as), médicos(as), representantes de la industria y personas con la enfermedad se reunieron para debatir avances en el campo.

"He escuchado a muchos(as) pacientes expresar su deseo de nuevas terapias", dijo. "Como son enfermedades hereditarias, muchas personas no solo piensan en sí mismas, sino también en sus hijos(as) y las generaciones futuras. Quieren saber qué se puede hacer para que sus hijos(as) tengan una vida mejor".

Más allá del síndrome de Alport y la cistinuria, Nakai cree que las tecnologías desarrolladas a través de estas subvenciones podrían crear una plataforma para tratar muchos otros trastornos renales.

"Una vez que establecemos estos métodos, podemos aplicar tecnologías similares a muchas enfermedades renales diferentes", afirmó. "Nuestra esperanza es que lo que aprendamos de estos proyectos acabe abriendo puertas no solo para enfermedades hereditarias, sino potencialmente también para otras enfermedades renales graves".

Los proyectos de Nakai involucran a un equipo multidisciplinario de coinvestigadores de OHSU, entre ellos la Dra. Nicole Andeen, Ben Burwitz, Ph.D., el Dr. Masahiro Horikawa, M.B.A., el Dr. Ian Metzler, MTM y el Dr. Kentaro Yamada, Ph.D., junto con los investigadores Jeffrey Miner, Ph.D., de la Universidad de Washington en St. Louis y Jonathan Nelson, Ph.D., de la Universidad del Sur de California. Mary Nabity, D.V.M., Ph.D., de la Universidad Texas A&M, es coinvestigadora principal de la beca R21.

Esta investigación cuenta con el apoyo del Centro Nacional para el Avance de las Ciencias Traslacionales de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud bajo el número de subsidio R21TR005230 y del Instituto Nacional de Diabetes y Enfermedades Digestivas y Renales de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud bajo los números de subsidio R01DK146261 y R01DK144804. El contenido es responsabilidad exclusiva de los autores y no necesariamente representa la visión oficial de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud.

En nuestro interés por garantizar la integridad de nuestra investigación y como parte de nuestro compromiso con la transparencia pública, OHSU regula, rastrea y gestiona activamente las relaciones que nuestros investigadores puedan mantener con entidades ajenas a OHSU. En relación con esta investigación, Nakai, de OHSU, tiene un interés financiero en NeoSakura, una empresa que podría tener un interés comercial en los resultados de esta investigación. Lea los detalles del programa sobre conflictos de interés de OHSU para obtener más información sobre cómo abordamos estas relaciones comerciales.

OHSU awarded $7.5 million to advance gene therapy for kidney diseases

yeagera@ohsu.edu (Angela Yeager) — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Hiroyuki Nakai, M.D., Ph.D., has been awarded more than $7.5 million in new National Institutes of Health funding to develop gene therapies that could one day provide lasting treatments for inherited kidney diseases. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have been awarded more than $7.5 million in new National Institutes of Health funding to develop gene therapies that could one day provide lasting treatments for inherited kidney diseases — which currently leave patients facing lifelong medical complications, dialysis or organ transplantation.

Hiroyuki Nakai, M.D., Ph.D. (OHSU)

The funding supports the work of Hiroyuki Nakai, M.D., Ph.D., Distinguished Professor in Molecular Medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine’s Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics. The awards include one R21 grant for $448,000 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, and two R01 grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, one for $3 million and another for $4 million

Together, the multi-year grants will support the development of adeno-associated virus, or AAV, gene therapies for Alport syndrome and cystinuria, two inherited kidney diseases for which no curative treatments currently exist.

“For inherited kidney diseases, people know gene therapy should work if we can deliver therapeutic genes to the right cells,” Nakai said. “But there have been significant technical barriers. It has been very difficult to deliver genes to the kidney. Our aim is to develop new technologies to deliver genes to the kidney, particularly podocytes and renal tubules, which are critical targets for treating these diseases.”

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, chronic kidney disease affects an estimated 35.5 million adults in the United States and contributes substantially to health care spending. A kidney transplant can cost more than $440,000 per patient, not including the lifelong medical care required afterward. Yet many inherited kidney disorders still lack treatments that address the underlying genetic cause.

Alport syndrome affects an estimated one in 5,000 people, according to the National Kidney Foundation. The disorder damages the kidneys’ filtering units and can also cause hearing loss and eye abnormalities. Although medications can slow disease progression, many patients ultimately develop kidney failure, requiring dialysis or transplantation.

Cystinuria, which affects about one in 7,000 births, causes recurrent kidney stones beginning in childhood. Patients often undergo repeated surgeries and face an increased risk of chronic kidney damage over time.

Overcoming barriers

For years, Nakai’s laboratory has been developing new approaches to overcome the challenges that have limited kidney gene therapy research. The team has created six technologies that address major obstacles, including engineered AAV capsids that more effectively target kidney cells; improved gene designs; enhanced delivery methods; strategies to reduce off-target effects; immune-evasion technologies; and systems capable of delivering therapeutic genes that are too large for conventional AAV vectors.

The new grants build on nearly eight years of work focused on developing gene therapy for Alport syndrome. One of the central challenges has been delivering the large collagen IV gene responsible for the disease.

“The gene is big and doesn’t fit in a standard AAV vector,” Nakai said. “We developed a system that splits the gene into two parts and delivers them separately. Once they enter the target cell, they can be reconstituted into the full-length therapeutic gene product. That approach has worked really well in our studies and allowed us to move this work forward.”

Three complementary projects

The three grants support a coordinated effort to develop gene therapies for two inherited kidney diseases while advancing technologies that could benefit many others.

One award will support development of an AAV gene therapy for Alport syndrome, a genetic disorder caused by defects in collagen IV, a protein critical to the kidney’s filtering system. Researchers will engineer novel AAV vectors to deliver healthy copies of the gene to podocytes, specialized kidney cells essential for maintaining normal kidney function. The team will evaluate the therapy’s safety and effectiveness in preclinical studies using mouse and nonhuman primate models.

A second grant will advance translational research aimed at moving the Alport syndrome therapy closer to clinical application. Researchers will study how gene therapy behaves in the kidney, assess immune responses and generate data needed to support future human studies.

The third grant focuses on cystinuria, the most common inherited cause of kidney stones. The disease is caused by mutations in genes that encode amino acid transporters in kidney tubule cells, leading to recurrent stone formation and progressive kidney damage. Researchers will develop and optimize AAV vectors designed to deliver healthy genes directly to these cells and evaluate their safety and effectiveness.

Together, the projects build on technologies developed in the Nakai laboratory to overcome longstanding barriers in kidney gene therapy, and establish a platform that could eventually be adapted for many other inherited and acquired kidney diseases.

Hope for patients, families

For people with inherited kidney diseases, the research offers hope for treatments that address the root cause of disease rather than simply managing symptoms.

“Even though there are treatments such as dialysis and kidney transplantation, people still live with fear,” Nakai said. “Some patients worry about needing a second transplant in the future. If this treatment is successful, we can remove many of those fears and substantially improve patients' quality of life.”

Nakai recently attended an international Alport syndrome meeting in Budapest, where researchers, physicians, industry representatives and people with the disease gathered to discuss progress in the field.

“I heard from many patients expressing their desire for new therapies,” he said. “Because these are inherited diseases, many people are not only thinking about themselves, but also about their children and future generations. They want to know what can be done so their children can have a better life.”

Beyond Alport syndrome and cystinuria, Nakai believes the technologies developed through these grants could create a platform for treating many other kidney disorders.

“Once we establish these methods, we can apply similar technologies to many different kidney diseases,” he said. “Our hope is that what we learn from these projects will eventually open doors not just for inherited diseases, but potentially for other serious kidney conditions as well.”

Nakai’s projects involve a multidisciplinary team of OHSU co-investigators, including Nicole Andeen, M.D., Ben Burwitz, Ph.D., Masahiro Horikawa, M.D., M.B.A., Ian Metzler, M.D., MTM, and Kentaro Yamada, M.D., Ph.D., along with researchers Jeffrey Miner, Ph.D. of Washington University in St. Louis, and Jonathan Nelson, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California. Mary Nabity, D.V.M., Ph.D., of Texas A&M University, is co-principal investigator of the R21 grant.

This research is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number R21TR005230, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R01DK146261 and R01DK144804. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

In our interest of ensuring the integrity of our research and as part of our commitment to public transparency, OHSU actively regulates, tracks and manages relationships that our researchers may hold with entities outside of OHSU. In regard to this research, OHSU’s Nakai has a financial interest in NeoSakura, a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research. Review details of OHSU's conflict of interest program to find out more about how we manage these business relationships.

El ‘Doc’ está de turno: Perro de asistencia brinda consuelo a pacientes de cáncer

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Gracias a una colaboración con Assistance Dogs Northwest, Doc, un labrador amarillo, brinda consuelo a pacientes del centro de infusión de OHSU en South Waterfront. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Angela Allen recuerda el primer día que conoció a Doc, un perro de apoyo hospitalario en Oregon Health & Science University.

Llevaba dos años en tratamiento contra el cáncer de colon y recibía quimioterapia en el campus del hospital ubicado en South Waterfront. Mientras el medicamento recorría sus venas, empezó a sentir los síntomas que ya le resultaban familiares: fatiga, náuseas y un sabor metálico en la boca.

Entonces escuchó un tintineo. Supo de inmediato qué era.

Angela acaricia a Doc en una sala para infusiones de OHSU en South Waterfront. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

“Le pregunté a mi enfermera: ‘¿Hay un perro aquí?’, contó Allen, de 47 años, quien vive en Tigard con su esposo, sus dos hijos y un goldendoodle.

Ese día sí había un perro en el centro de infusión: un labrador amarillo llamado Doc. Doc había estado trabajando en OHSU desde enero de 2026 como parte de una colaboración entre el hospital y Assistance Dogs Northwest (ADNW).

“En cuanto asomó la cabeza en mi habitación, todos los pensamientos sobre el cáncer simplemente se desvanecieron", dijo Allen. "Doc tiene unos ojos grandes, marrones y dulces, y una cabeza grandota. Se acerca, apoya la cabeza en tu regazo y todo lo demás se te borra de la mente. Lo único en lo que piensas es en darle cariño".

De hecho, la credencial de Doc en OHSU dice su cargo: Director de Mimos. Y parece saber por instinto quién necesita más su atención.

Ese día, Allen notó que Doc pasó bastante tiempo con su hijo de 17 años, que estaba atravesando un momento difícil.

"Eso es algo que me encanta de Doc. A la quimioterapia me acompañan distintas personas: mi esposo, mis amigos, mis hijos", explicó. "Y muchas veces nadie se acuerda de ellos. Fingen estar contentos por mí, pero ellos también están lidiando con tristeza y angustia. Doc percibe por lo que están pasando y les presta atención".

Todo es mejor con Doc

Trisha Silbernagel y Doc at OHSU. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Doc les ha alegrado el día a cientos de pacientes desde que fue asignado a Trish Silbernagel, M.S.N., RN, TCTCN, gerente de enfermería de infusión de OHSU, como su cuidadora y guía.

Tras una semana de capacitación intensiva en el campus de ADNW en Brainbridge Island, Washington, Silbernagel se llevó a Doc a vivir con ella. Lo lleva al trabajo cuatro días a la semana y cuenta que ha sido sorprendente ver el vínculo que ha creado con el personal de enfermería oncológica y el personal de apoyo.

"Por las mañanas, cuando lo llevaba a la unidad, las enfermeras hacían fila para verlo", contó. "Al principio pensábamos que, una vez que pasara la emoción inicial, el personal interactuaría menos con él. Pero no ha sido así: el personal lo necesita tanto hoy como cuando empezó. Me dicen constantemente cuánto ha mejorado sus vidas. Ya no quieren irse a trabajar a ningún otro lugar porque aquí tenemos a Doc".

Silbernagel cuenta que, cuando los enfermeros(as) tienen un día difícil, van a buscar a Doc a su oficina y pasan un rato con él.

"Unas cuantas lágrimas, un rato acurrucados(as) con Doc y se sienten mejor. Pueden volver al trabajo sintiéndose mejor mentalmente", explicó Silbernagel.

Y para ella también supone volver a interactuar con los(as) pacientes, en una manera sumamente positiva.

"Me encanta hacer las rondas con Doc", dijo. "Al principio era una gran responsabilidad y me llevó un tiempo acostumbrarme. Pero ya descubrimos nuestro ritmo, y es muy gratificante ver el efecto que Doc tiene en prácticamente todas las personas que entran en contacto con él".

Más información: El Instituto Oncológico Knight de OHSU ofrece los últimos tratamientos, tecnologías, cientos de estudios de investigación y ensayos clínicos

Según Silbernagel, incluso los(as) pacientes que no tocan a Doc sonríen con solo verlo. Un estudio de 2023 realizado por el Centro Oncológico Virginia Piper (Virginia Piper Cancer Center) reveló que el 100% de los(as) pacientes encuestados(as) consideró que los perros de terapia ayudaban a reducir la ansiedad y relajarse. Después de la visita de un perro de terapia, los niveles de ansiedad disminuyeron un 31% y los niveles de relajación aumentaron un 25%.

Como fundadora y directora ejecutiva de ADNW, Maureen Maurer ha visto una y otra vez la diferencia que puede marcar un perro.

"No existe ninguna otra especie con la que tengamos una relación como esta", afirmó Maurer. "Los perros nos entienden muy bien. Se dan cuenta cuando estamos sufriendo y son verdaderamente compasivos. Donde quiera que haya sufrimiento humano, los perros pueden ayudar a aliviarlo".

El camino de Doc hasta OHSU

La colaboración entre ADNW y OHSU comenzó hace unos 15 años, cuando Maurer ayudó a incorporar el primer perro de asistencia en Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Casey (a la izquierda) y Darby reconfortan a pacientes y familias en el Hospital Infantil OHSU Doernbecher. (OHSU)

Hoy, Darby y Casey, dos labradores amarillos (Darby es la hermana de Doc) tienen más de 2,500 seguidores en Instagram (@dogsofdoernbecher), y todos los días brindan consuelo y alegría a los(as) niños(as). Además Doc y Darby se reúnen con frecuencia para jugar.

Doc era el más tranquilo de toda la camada y se desenvolvió muy bien al aprender las más de 90 órdenes que deben dominar estos perros.

La orden "visit" indica que debe apoyar el mentón en el regazo de una persona. “Snuggle” significa que debe subirse con cuidado a la cama del hospital y acostarse junto al (a la) paciente. Con la orden "lap", apoya la mitad superior de su cuerpo sobre el regazo de una persona. “Fist bump” significa que acerca y presiona su hocico húmedo contra un puño. Pero quizás lo que más le gusta es dejarse caer sobre los pies de un(a) paciente y mirarlo(a) como si dijera: "¿Me acaricias, por favor?".

En un principio, estaba previsto que fuera enviado a Oriente Medio para prestar servicio con el Ejército de Estados Unidos. Los perros de ADNW desempeñan muchas funciones además de trabajar en hospitales: algunos son perros de servicio para personas con discapacidades y otros forman parte de equipos que trabajan junto a personal de respuesta ante crisis.

Pero cuando se acercó el momento de que Doc abordara un avión de transporte militar, Maurer explicó que en la organización tuvieron la corazonada de que necesitaba un entorno más tranquilo.

"Cada uno de nuestros perros tiene una personalidad diferente y prestamos mucha atención a eso", explicó. "Cada uno tiene un propósito especial y nuestro trabajo consiste en ayudarlos a encontrarlo".

Maurer afirma que es increíble observar cómo los perros de ADNW van desarrollando su función. La intuición y el efecto tranquilizador de Doc no la sorprenden: una vez asignados a su función, estos perros superan todas las expectativas.

“No todos los perros pueden estar todo el día en un hospital. Puede ser estresante y agotador. Doc es ideal para este trabajo porque le encanta estar con las personas, pero también es muy estoico. Puede desenvolverse en un entorno con mucha carga emocional o agotador sin que lo afecte. Tiene un temperamento muy tranquilo y un nivel de energía bajo. No se emociona demasiado ni se distrae con facilidad".

Maurer señaló que Doc también tiene una excelente conciencia corporal. Es cuidadoso y no tira objetos ni interfiere con cables o tubos. Evita los vendajes y las vías intravenosas y centra su atención en las personas. Es un perro feliz y le encanta sonreír.

Un buen chico que lleva alegría

Una paciente sentada en un sillón para infusiones se inclina para acariciar a Doc en OHSU. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

A Silbernagel no se le escapa la ironía de que un cachorro llamado Doc, que tenía apenas 8 semanas, acabara creciendo para trabajar en un hospital.

"Estaba destinado a ser así", dijo.

Silbernagel se asegura de que Doc mantenga un buen equilibrio entre el trabajo y el descanso. Su chaleco azul es la señal de que está "trabajando". Y en cuanto se lo quitan, sale corriendo de un lado para otro como cualquier otro perro.

"Sí, cuando llegamos a casa se vuelve loco durante una media hora", contó. "Así libera toda esa energía y puede simplemente ser un perro y hacer las cosas que hacen los perros".

Para Allen, saber que podrá ver a Doc hace que, de alguna manera, las largas jornadas de quimioterapia sean más llevaderas.

"Los días de infusión, cada vez que alguien entra en mi habitación, sé que me va a preguntar cómo me siento. Recibo una atención excelente y la agradezco, pero durante todo el día estoy concentrada en una sensación desagradable tras otra", explicó Allen.

"Cuando entra Doc, no tengo que explicar nada. Es otra manera de demostrar cuánto te importa otro ser, y agradezco mucho que OHSU reconozca eso".

Desde que recibió el diagnóstico, su propio perro, un goldendoodle llamado Eddie se ha convertido en su "perro velcro": no se separa de ella. Sabe que no puede llevar a Eddie al hospital, pero dice que Doc es lo más parecido a tenerlo allí con ella.

"Si tuviera que describir a Doc en pocas palabras, la primera que me viene a la mente es amor", dijo Allen. "Y suavidad; sus orejas son las más suaves. Y alegría. Es decir, basta con verlo para que se te dibuje una sonrisa de inmediato. Ni siquiera tiene que hacer nada. Es simplemente un chico juguetón. Un buen chico Y llena de alegría a quienes lo rodean".

The ‘Doc’ is in: Assistance dog provides comfort to patients with cancer

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Through a partnership with Assistance Dogs Northwest, Doc, a yellow labrador, comforts patients at the OHSU infusion center on the South Waterfront. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Angela Allen remembers the first day she met Doc, a hospital facility dog at Oregon Health & Science University.

She was two years into treatment for colon cancer, getting chemotherapy at the hospital’s South Waterfront Campus. As the medicine seeped through her veins, she felt a familiar fatigue, nausea and metallic taste in her mouth set in.

Then she heard a jingling sound. She knew instantly what it was.

“I asked my nurse, ‘Is there a dog in here?’” said Allen, 47, who lives in Tigard with her husband, two children and a goldendoodle.

Angela Allen prepares for infusion at OHSU on the South Waterfront while Doc lays at her feet. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

There was a dog in the infusion center that day, a yellow labrador named Doc. He’d been on the job at OHSU since January 2026 as part of the hospital’s partnership with Assistance Dogs Northwest, or ADNW.

“When he popped his head into my room, every thought of cancer just melted away,” Allen said. “Doc has these sweet, big brown eyes and this big block head, and he comes and lays it on your lap, and everything just disappears from your mind. All you’re focused on is giving him cuddles.”

Indeed, Doc’s OHSU badge bears his title: Director of Cuddles. And he seems to intuitively know who needs his attention the most.

That day, Allen noticed he spent quite a bit of time with her 17-year-old son, who was having a tough time.

“That’s one thing I love about Doc. I have different people come with me to chemo — my husband, my friends, my kids,” she said. “And they often get forgotten. They’re pretending to be happy for my benefit, but they’re also dealing with heaviness and sorrow. Doc senses what they’re going through, and he acknowledges them.”

Better with Doc

Trish Silbernagel, M.S.N., RN, TCTCN, and Doc near OHSU on the South Waterfront. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Doc has brightened the day of hundreds of patients since he was matched with OHSU Infusion Nurse Manager Trish Silbernagel, M.S.N., RN, TCTCN, as his handler.

After a week of intensive training at the ADNW Washington campus on Bainbridge Island, Silbernagel brought Doc home to live with her. She brings him to work with her four days a week, and said it’s been remarkable how much he’s bonded with the oncology nurses and support staff.

“I’d bring him onto the floor in the morning, and the nurses would line up to see him,” she said. “At first, we were like, well maybe after the initial excitement wears off, he’ll have less staff interaction. But no — the staff needs him just as much today as when he started. I hear it all the time that he’s made their lives so much better. They never want to go work anywhere else, because we have Doc here.”

When nurses have a tough day, Silbernagel said they’ll come find Doc in her office and spend some time with him.

“A few tears, a snuggle with Doc, and they feel better. They can go back to work in a better mental place,” Silbernagel said.

And she gets to interact with patients again, in an overwhelmingly positive way.

“I love making the rounds with Doc,” she said. “It was a big responsibility at first, and it took some getting used to. But we’ve found our groove, and it’s very gratifying to see the difference Doc makes for just about anybody who comes into contact with him.”

Learn more: OHSU Knight Cancer Institute offers the latest treatments, technologies, hundreds of research studies and clinical trials

Silbernagel said even the patients who don’t touch Doc smile, just from seeing him. One 2023 study by the Virginia Piper Cancer Center found that 100% of patients surveyed felt therapy dogs helped with anxiety and relaxation. Anxiety levels decreased by 31% after a therapy dog visit and relaxation levels increased by 25%.

The difference a dog can make is something Maureen Maurer has seen over and over again, as founder and executive director of ADNW.

“There’s no other species we have this kind of relationship with,” Maurer said. “Dogs understand us so well. They can see when we’re suffering, and they’re truly compassionate. Anywhere there’s human suffering, dogs can make it better.”

Doc’s journey to OHSU

Casey, left, and Darby comfort patients and families at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. (OHSU)

The partnership between ADNW and OHSU began about 15 years ago, when Maurer helped place the first hospital facility dog at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Today, Darby and Casey, two yellow labs (Darby is Doc’s sister) have more than 2,500 Instagram followers (@dogsofdoernbecher), and they comfort and delight children every day. And Doc and Darby do get together for regular playdates.

Doc was the most laid back of all his littermates, and did well learning the more than 90 commands service dogs must master.

“Visit” means he puts his chin on a lap. “Snuggle” means he hops carefully onto a hospital bed and lays next to a patient. “Lap” means he puts the top half of his body on a lap. “Fist bump” means he smooshes his wet nose against a fist. But perhaps his favorite thing to do is to melt onto a patient’s feet, and look up at them as if to say, “pets please?”

Initially, he was slated to go to the Middle East to serve with the U.S. Army. ADNW dogs work in many capacities besides hospitals, as service dogs for people with disabilities and as critical team members alongside crisis responders.

But when the time drew near for Doc to get on a military transport plane, Maurer said her organization had a gut feeling that he needed a calmer environment.

“Every one of our dogs has a different personality, and we are very attuned to that,” she said. “Each one has a special purpose, and it’s our job to help them find it.”

Watching ADNW dogs grow into their roles is an amazing process, Maurer said. Doc’s intuition and calming effect is no surprise to her; once placed, her dogs go above and beyond.

“Not every dog can handle being in a hospital all day. It can be stressful and tiring. Doc is really well-suited to it, because he loves people, but he is also quite stoic. He can handle an emotionally charged or draining environment, and not absorb it. He’s got a very calm temperament, low energy. He doesn’t get too excited or distracted.”

He also has excellent body awareness, Maurer said. He’s gentle and doesn’t knock things over or disturb cords or tubes. He avoids bandages and IVs and focuses on people. He’s a happy dog and loves to smile.

A good boy bringing joy

Angela Allen pets Doc in an infusion room at OHSU on the South Waterfront. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

The irony that an 8-week-old puppy named Doc grew up to work in a hospital isn’t lost on Silbernagel.

“It was meant to be,” she said.

Silbernagel makes sure that Doc has a good work-life balance. His blue vest is his cue that he’s “on the job.” And the minute it comes off, he gets the zoomies just like any other dog.

“Yeah, he goes crazy for about half an hour when we get home,” she said. “He gets it all out, he’s able to just be a dog and do dog things.”

For Allen, knowing she’ll get to see Doc makes the long days of chemotherapy somehow tolerable.

“On those infusion days, every time someone walks into my room, I know they’re going to ask me how I’m feeling. I get great care and I appreciate it, but the whole day, I’m focused on one crummy feeling after another,” Allen said.

“When Doc walks in, I don’t have to explain anything. It’s a different way of showing how much you care for another being, and I really appreciate that OHSU recognizes that.”

Her own dog, a goldendoodle named Eddie, has become her “Velcro dog” since she was diagnosed. She said she knows she can’t bring Eddie into the hospital with her, but Doc is the next best thing.

“If I had to describe Doc in a few words — love is the first word that comes to my mind,” Allen said. “And soft; he has the softest ears. And joy. I mean, you see him and it’s just this instant smile, he doesn’t even have to do anything. He’s just a goofy boy. A good boy. And he brings people joy.”

OHSU utiliza la medicina bioelectrónica en el nervio vago para favorecer la recuperación de pacientes con accidentes cerebrovasculares y artritis

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Este verano, los(as) neurocirujanos(as) de OHSU se convirtieron en los primeros de la región en implantar pequeños dispositivos para estimular el nervio vago. Uno de ellos se utiliza para aliviar los síntomas de la artritis reumatoide y el otro, para ayudar a los pacientes a recuperar la función de los brazos y las manos después un accidente cerebrovascular. El dispositivo de la izquierda se usa para rehabilitación después de un accidente cerebrovascular, mientras que el de la derecha se emplea para tratar la artritis reumatoide. (OHSU)

Los(as) neurocirujanos(as) de la Oregon Health & Science University han logrado un importante hito médico: son los primeros en Oregón en implantar pequeños dispositivos en el nervio vago para favorecer la recuperación.

En uno de los tratamientos, el dispositivo estimula la capacidad natural del cerebro para repararse y recuperarse de un accidente cerebrovascular. El otro tipo de tratamiento, que OHSU comenzó a ofrecer durante el verano, consiste en estimular el nervio para producir un efecto antiinflamatorio que alivia los síntomas de la artritis reumatoide.

En ambos casos, el tratamiento mediante la estimulación del nervio vago abre una nueva vía para la recuperación.

Ahmed Raslan, M.D. (OHSU)

“Este tratamiento transformará la vida de muchos pacientes”, afirmó Ahmed Raslan, M.D., director del Departamento de Neurocirugía de la Facultad de Medicina de OHSU (OHSU School of Medicine). “Marca el comienzo de una nueva era en la medicina bioelectrónica”.

Los pequeños dispositivos electrónicos estimulan el nervio vago, el nervio craneal más largo del cuerpo. El dispositivo emite impulsos eléctricos diseñados para tratar determinadas enfermedades. Estos dispositivos, aprobados por la Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de Estados Unidos (por su sigla en inglés, FDA), se utilizan para tratar diversas enfermedades. Entre los primeros casos atendidos en OHSU, se encuentran el tratamiento de la artritis reumatoide y la recuperación de la movilidad en las manos en pacientes después de un accidente cerebrovascular.

Obtenga más información sobre las innovaciones de OHSU en procedimientos neurológicos.

En ambos casos, se implanta un pequeño dispositivo que se conecta al nervio vago izquierdo.

Una vez activado, el dispositivo envía pequeños impulsos eléctricos a lo largo del nervio vago. Los(as) pacientes apenas perciben la estimulación, pero los impulsos dirigidos con precisión transmiten la señal a través del nervio hasta el tronco encefálico.

Rehabilitación después un accidente cerebrovascular

En el caso de accidentes cerebrovasculares, se implanta debajo de la piel del pecho un dispositivo del tamaño aproximado de un pulgar, conectado mediante un cable al nervio vago izquierdo. La señal puede ayudar a los(as) pacientes a recuperar la función, especialmente de las extremidades superiores, como las manos y los brazos.

“Al estimular el nervio vago, se estimula la formación de nuevas conexiones sinápticas en el cerebro”, explicó el neurocirujano Adam Lipson, M.D., profesor asistente de Neurocirugía de la Facultad de Medicina de OHSU, quien realizó los dos primeros procedimientos de rehabilitación después de un accidente cerebrovascular el 4 de septiembre. “Se ayuda al cerebro a reorganizarse y a crear nuevas vías que sustituyan las dañadas por el accidente cerebrovascular”.

El dispositivo Vivistim se implanta mediante un procedimiento ambulatorio, por lo que los(as) pacientes pueden regresar a casa el mismo día.

Para las dos primeras pacientes tratadas el 4 de septiembre, el procedimiento representa una esperanza.

Lauren Vogel de La Center, Washington, que aparece en esta imagen montando a caballo antes de sufrir un accidente cerebrovascular, espera poder retomar plenamente sus actividades como entrenadora de caballos después de someterse a nuevo procedimiento de estimulación del nervio vago en OHSU para favorecer su recuperación. (Cortesía de Lauren Vogel)

Lauren Vogel, 47, de La Center, Washington, ha recuperado gradualmente la función después de sufrir un accidente cerebrovascular en agosto del 2023 que inicialmente le paralizó el lado izquierdo del cuerpo. Gracias a un programa intensivo de fisioterapia, ha vuelto a caminar, pero todavía no ha recuperado la función de los dedos de la mano izquierda, lo que representa una dificultad importante, ya que es zurda.

Una vez que se active el dispositivo el 30 de septiembre, espera poder dedicarse a la rehabilitación para recuperar por completo la función.

Sueña con retomar su antigua profesión como entrenadora de caballos.

“Me entusiasma tener esta oportunidad”, afirmó. “No hay garantías, pero tenemos esperanza y, por mi parte, voy a esforzarme”.

Curiosamente la otra paciente de OHSU que recibió el tratamiento el 4 de septiembre también espera con ilusión el día en que pueda retomar sus actividades ecuestres.

Stacey Leah Melvin de Eagle Point, Oregon, posa junto a su hijo, Jordan, y los caballos de este, Sunny, a la izquierda, y Sky. Como una de las dos primeras pacientes de OHSU en recibir un nuevo tratamiento de estimulación del nervio vago para favorecer la rehabilitación después de un accidente cerebrovascular, espera poder recuperar por completo su independencia. (Cortesía)

Stacey Leah Melvin, 58, de Eagle Point en Southern Oregon, estuvo hospitalizada inicialmente durante un mes y medio tras sufrir un accidente cerebrovascular en enero del 2022. Aunque ha recuperado progresivamente algunas funciones, las secuelas que persisten en el brazo y la mano izquierdos le impide realizar actividades cotidianas que muchas personas dan por sentadas: cargar las bolsas de la compra, abrir frascos o cepillarse el cabello.

Lo que más ilusión le hace es que el tratamiento le permita ayudar a su hijo de 18 de edad.

“Me gustaría quitarle un poco de carga a mi hijo para que no tenga que ayudarme con las tareas cotidianas”, comentó. “Me encantaría poder ayudarlo en sus exhibiciones de caballos, aunque solo sea para pasarle un cepillo o sujetarle los caballos”.

Tratamiento para la artritis reumatoide

OHSU fue el primer hospital en el noroeste del Pacífico en ofrecer el tratamiento.

En los primeros casos, Raslan implantó debajo de la piel del cuello un dispositivo inalámbrico del tamaño de una pastilla de vitaminas y lo conectó directamente al nervio vago izquierdo.

Brooke Braun (Courtesy)

Brooke Braun, 48, de Wilsonville, Oregon, fue una de las primeras pacientes en recibir este tratamiento en OHSU, el 25 de agosto.

Todavía es demasiado pronto para saber si el dispositivo mejorará la artritis incapacitante que padece desde los 23 años. Sin embargo, Braun se mostró agradecida por haber podido recibir el tratamiento cerca de casa, después de pasar los dos años anteriores investigando por su cuenta sobre el dispositivo de modulación neuroinmune SetPoint.

Fue entonces cuando conoció por primera vez acerca del nervio vago y descubrió que se estaban desarrollando dispositivos similares para tratar enfermedades que van desde la epilepsia hasta la depresión.

“Cuando supe que la estimulación del nervio vago podía controlar algo tan severo como las crisis convulsivas, de pronto todo comenzó a tener sentido para mí”, explicó Braun. “Si puede afectar los mensajes que llegan al cerebro, empecé a creer realmente que también podría ayudar a regular el sistema inmunitario y la inflamación que me provoca la artritis”.

Su reumatólogo de OHSU considera que el dispositivo es una terapia complementaria para los(as) pacientes que tienen dificultades para controlar la artritis con los medicamentos antiinflamatorios disponibles.

“Normalmente, el nervio vago puede detectar una respuesta excesiva del sistema inmunitario y enviar una señal de regreso a través del propio nervio para indicarle que debe calmarse”, explicó Cong-Qiu Chu, M.D., Ph.D., profesor de medicina especializado en artritis y enfermedades reumáticas de la Facultad de Medicina de OHSU. “El uso de un neuromodulador para estimular las fibras de este nervio podría beneficiar a los(as) pacientes que no responden a los medicamentos disponibles”.

OHSU uses bioelectric medicine in vagus nerve to help patients heal from stroke, arthritis

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

OHSU neurosurgeons this summer became the first in the region to implant small devices to stimulate the vagus nerve, in one case to improve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and in the other case to help patients rehabilitate function in their arms and hands following strokes. The device on the left is used in rehabilitation following stroke, while the device on the right is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. (OHSU)

Neurosurgeons at Oregon Health & Science University have achieved a medical milestone: They are the first in Oregon to implant small devices in the vagus nerve to promote healing.

In one treatment, the device stimulates the brain’s natural capacity to heal itself and recover from stroke. The other form of treatment initiated by OHSU over the summer involves stimulating the nerve to create an anti-inflammatory effect that eases symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

In both scenarios, the treatment via the vagus nerve opens a new avenue for healing.

Ahmed Raslan, M.D. (OHSU)

“This will be life-altering treatment for a lot of patients,” said Ahmed Raslan, M.D., the chair of neurological surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine. “It opens up a new era in bioelectronic medicine.”

The small electronic devices stimulate the vagus nerve, which is the longest cranial nerve in the body. The device sends electrical impulses designed to treat certain conditions. The FDA-approved devices are used for a variety of conditions, including the initial cases at OHSU to treat rheumatoid arthritis and to help people recover movement in their hands following strokes.

Learn more about OHSU’s innovation in neurological procedures.

In each case, a small device is implanted and connected with the left vagus nerve.

Once it’s activated, the device sends small electrical signals along the vagus nerve. Patients barely feel it, but the precisely targeted pulse carries the signal through the nerve to the brainstem.

Rehabilitating after stroke

In stroke, a thumb-size device is implanted under the skin in the chest with a wire connecting it to the left vagus nerve. The signal can help patients recover function especially in extremities like hands and arms.

Adam Lipson, M.D. (OHSU)

“By stimulating the vagus nerve, you stimulate new synapse connections in the brain,” said neurosurgeon Adam Lipson, M.D., an assistant professor of neurological surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine who conducted the first two cases of stroke rehabilitation on Sept. 4. “You’re assisting the brain to reorganize and supplant the pathways that were damaged by the stroke.”

Implanting the Vivistim device is done in an outpatient procedure; people go home the same day.

For the first two OHSU patients on Sept. 4, the procedure offers hope.

Lauren Vogel of La Center, Washington, shown riding here before her stroke, is looking forward to resuming full activities as a horse trainer following a new procedure at OHSU to stimulate her vagus nerve and promote recovery. (Courtesy of Lauren Vogel)

Lauren Vogel, 47, of La Center, Washington, has slowly regained function following a stroke in August 2023 that initially paralyzed the left side of her body. She’s walking again with the help of intensive physical therapy, but she continues to lack function in the fingers of her left hand — a major problem, given she’s left-handed.

Once the device is activated, she’s looking forward to putting in the work to regain full function.

She envisions returning to her previous occupation as a horse trainer.

“I’m excited for the opportunity,” she said. “Nothing’s guaranteed, but we’re hopeful and I’ll definitely put the work in.”

Coincidentally, the other OHSU patient to undergo the treatment Sept. 4 is also looking forward to the day she can resume equestrian activities.

Stacey Leah Melvin of Eagle Point, Oregon, stands with her son, Jordan, and his horses, Sunny, left, and Sky. As one of the first two OHSU patients to undergo a new treatment stimulating her vagus nerve to help rehabilitate following a stroke, she’s looking forward to becoming fully independent. (Courtesy)

Stacey Leah Melvin, 58, of Eagle Point in Southern Oregon, was initially hospitalized for a month and a half following her stroke in January 2022. She’s steadily regained function, but the residual disability in her left arm and hand leaves her unable to do the basic things people take for granted: carrying groceries, opening jars, brushing her hair.

She’s most looking forward to the treatment enabling her to help her 18-year-old son.

“I’d like to take some burden off my son so that he doesn’t have to help me with daily tasks,” she said. “I would love to help him in his showing of horses, just by being able to be there to hand him a brush or hold onto his horses.”

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, OHSU is the first in the Pacific Northwest to offer the treatment.

In the first cases, Raslan implanted a vitamin-sized wireless device in the neck under the skin and directly connected it with the left vagus nerve.

Brooke Braun (Courtesy)

Brooke Braun, 48, of Wilsonville, Oregon, is one of the first patients to receive the treatment at OHSU on Aug. 25.

It’s too early to know whether the device improves the debilitating arthritis she’s had since she was 23 years old. Braun was gratified to receive the treatment close to home after spending the previous two years doing her own research into the SetPoint neuroimmune modulation device.

That’s when she first learned about the vagus nerve — and the fact that similar devices were being developed to treat conditions ranging from epilepsy to depression.

“When I learned stimulating the vagus nerve could control something as serious as seizures, something in my mind clicked,” Braun said. “If it can affect messaging to the brain, then I started to really believe it could help with the immune system and inflammation causing my arthritis.”

Her OHSU rheumatologist sees the device as a complementary therapy for patients struggling to control arthritis through existing anti-inflammatory medications.

Cong-Qiu Chu, M.D., Ph.D. (OHSU)

“Normally, the vagus nerve can sense an overreaction by the immune system and then sends a signal back through the nerve to tell the immune system to calm down,” said Cong-Qiu Chu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine (arthritis and rheumatic diseases) in the OHSU School of Medicine. “Using a neuromodulator to stimulate the fibers within this nerve may benefit patients who aren’t responsive to available medications.”

OHSU obtiene $4.6 millones para ampliar los ensayos clínicos en comunidades rurales marginadas

rideoutn@ohsu.edu (Nicole Rideout) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Las redes de atención médica rural de Oregon Health & Science University y University of Washington han asegurado una renovación en el financiamiento para apoyar sus colaboraciones con comunidades rurales de todo Oregón y el Noroeste, a fin de asegurar que las investigaciones de vanguardia lleguen a las personas en los lugares donde viven. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Investigadores de la Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network de Oregon Health & Science University y sus colegas de la Practice and Research Network de la región WWAMI de University of Washington School of Medicine han asegurado $4.6 millones en financiamiento renovado para CARE for Health™, a fin de acercar dos prometedores estudios clínicos y apoyo continuo de infraestructura para las comunidades rurales que a menudo quedan fuera de las investigaciones.

La adjudicación de 36 meses apoyará el rol continuo de las dos redes como uno de seis centros regionales en la iniciativa CARE for Health™, denominada Primary Care Rural and Frontier Clinical Trials Innovation Center, o PRaCTICe. Los centros de CARE for Health™ como PRaCTICe trabajan para asegurarse de que las personas que viven en áreas rurales y fronterizas tengan mayor acceso a las investigaciones de vanguardia y a tratamientos basados en evidencias en clínicas de atención primaria para recibir cuidados por enfermedades comunes y crónicas.

El nuevo financiamiento respaldan las actividades de apoyo a la infraestructura y de diseño colaborativo de PRaCTICe, además de la participación en dos nuevos estudios: uno enfocado en ampliar la intervención de salud materna basada en doulas en los entornos rurales, y otro en donde se evalúa la acupresión en puntos auriculares como estrategia de autocontrol para el dolor crónico.

Melinda Davis, Ph.D., MCR (OHSU)

“Esta labor tiene por objetivo asegurarnos de que las comunidades rurales están representadas en las investigaciones y que tienen acceso a intervenciones que podrían mejorar los resultados sanitarios en donde vive la gente”, explicó Melinda Davis, Ph.D., directora de la Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network, conocida como ORPRN, y profesora de medicina familiar en OHSU School of Medicine.

“Históricamente, muchos ensayos clínicos se realizaron principalmente en entornos urbanos. CARE for Health^TM nos ayuda a desarrollar abordajes y programas que también se pueden adaptar e implementar con éxito en las comunidades rurales”.

Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. (OHSU)

El presidente de OHSU, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, M.B.A., dijo que las subvenciones solidifican las contribuciones de la institución para la salud rural.

“Esta inversión fortalece la capacidad de OHSU para vincularse con las comunidades rurales del Noroeste para asegurar que las investigaciones de vanguardia lleguen a las personas en los lugares donde viven”, agregó Elnahal. “OHSU se enorgullece de su papel único como el centro médico académico del estado, y estos nuevos estudios demuestran lo valioso que eso puede ser para los oregoneses”.

Apoyo de Doulas para familias rurales

Uno de los proyectos recientemente financiados adaptará y probará una intervención con doulas que anteriormente se enfocó en madres negras en sistemas sanitarios urbanos. A través del apoyo de CARE for Health™, los investigadores explorarán de qué forma se puede implementar el modelo en un entorno de atención primaria rural en el Noroeste.

El estudio se basa en un ensayo actual con financiamiento de los Institutos Nacionales de la Salud en el Medical College of Wisconsin. PRaCTICe y sus colegas de CARE for Health™ llevarán a cabo tareas preliminares para personalizar la intervención según las comunidades rurales y evaluar su viabilidad en un centro médico rural.

Ellen Tilden, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM (OHSU)

El proyecto también incluye conocimientos expertos de Ellen Tilden, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM, miembro del personal docente de la OHSU School of Nursing, cuyo trabajo se enfocó en cuidado de las doulas y las políticas de salud materna.

“Hay mucha evidencia que demuestra que el cuidado de las doulas da mejores resultados perinatales, como mayores índices de partos vaginales seguros, mejor satisfacción con el nacimiento y trayectorias de lactancia materna mejoradas”, comentó Tilden.

“Sin embargo, gran parte de esta ciencia se enfoca en poblaciones urbanas. Esperamos que este estudio genere evidencia que pueda fomentar una mayor adopción de los servicios de doulas en las comunidades rurales, donde las opciones de atención maternal son cada vez más limitadas”.

Abordaje sin medicamentos para el dolor crónico

El segundo proyecto será una colaboración con un ensayo clínico nacional liderado por University of Texas Health Science Center, el cual examina la acupresión en puntos auriculares, una técnica que usa pequeñas semillas colocadas en puntos específicos de la oreja para crear una presión constante que los pacientes pueden autorregular. En estudios anteriores se ha sugerido que este método puede ayudar a reducir los síntomas del dolor crónico.

Claire Simon, M.D. (Univ. of Wash.)

Gracias a la nueva adjudicación, ORPRN ayudará a inscribir a los pacientes de las clínicas rurales de Oregón y Wyoming, a fin de que el alcance del estudio se amplíe y asegure que los residentes rurales también estén representados en la investigación. Los participantes recibirán asistencia presencial o remota para la intervención, o recursos educativos solamente, y esto permitirá que los investigadores comparen los diferentes abordajes a la hora de implementarlos.

Sebastian Tong, M.D. (Univ. of Wash.)

Este estudio forma parte de NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory. El Dr. Sebastian Tong, profesor asociado de medicina familiar en University of Washington School of Medicine y coinvestigador de la subvención PRaCTICe, es un investigador de la iniciativa del Noroeste. La Dra. Claire Simon, de University of Washington, se desempeñará como investigadora principal en el lugar.

“Las comunidades rurales experimentan índices más altos de dolor crónico, además de menos acceso a servicios integrales de control del dolor”, manifestó Tong. “Este estudio ofrece acceso a un tratamiento sin medicamentos para el dolor crónico que de otra forma no estaría disponible a los residentes rurales”.

Participación de la zona rural en la investigación

ORPRN forma parte de una red nacional más amplia de organizaciones de investigación con base en la práctica que conecta clínicas comunitarias con investigadores de todo el país. El objetivo de la red es incrementar la participación de poblaciones que tradicionalmente han estado subrepresentadas en la investigación clínica, a la vez que se acelera la adopción de tratamientos y modelos de atención efectivos.

Desde la recepción del financiamiento inicial de CARE for Health™ en 2024, ORPRN ayudó a clínicas rurales a participar en múltiples estudios, incluidos proyectos enfocados en el dolor crónico y la coordinación de la atención. La red combina relaciones a largo plazo con centros de salud comunitarios y clínicas rurales con conocimientos expertos sobre la implementación de ensayos clínicos, participación comunitaria y transformación de sistemas sanitarios.

“Un objetivo clave de redes como la nuestra es entender qué problemas de salud importan más a nuestros socios clínicos y comunitarios, para luego usar ese conocimiento a fin de fomentar los estudios de investigación que llevamos a cabo y de atraer la atención de investigadores que desean realizar su trabajo en entornos del mundo real”, explicó Davis. “Esto ayuda a asegurar que los hallazgos de la investigación sean relevantes no solo para los centros médicos académicos, sino también para las personas y los lugares que a menudo se enfrentan a las mayores barreras a la hora de recibir atención”.

El estudio sobre doulas de Care for Health™ es un ensayo con financiamiento de los Institutos Nacionales de la Salud, liderado por la Dra. Anna Palatnik, del Medical College of Wisconsin. El ensayo sobre dolor crónico es liderado por Jennifer Kawi, Ph.D., Jane Bolin, Ph.D. y Hulin Wu, Ph.D., de University of Texas Health Science Center. El financiamiento de CARE for Health™ aprovecha la infraestructura creada en parte gracias a una colaboración con el Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute y el Institute of Translational Health Sciences de la University of Washington School of Medicine.

El programa CARE for Health™ recibe apoyo a través de una iniciativa nacional diseñada para ampliar el acceso a la investigación clínica en comunidades rurales y marginadas. El financiamiento se utiliza para la implementación, la participación comunitaria y la participación en ensayos clínicos en todo el Noroeste. La adjudicación de CARE for Health™ fue aportada por los Institutos Nacionales de Salud, conforme al Acuerdo de Otras Transacciones número 4OT2OD038368-02. El National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences de NIH brinda apoyo adicional para las redes conforme a las adjudicaciones de subvenciones números UL1TR002369 y UL1TR002319.

El contenido es responsabilidad única de los autores y no necesariamente representa las opiniones oficiales de los NIH ni de otros patrocinadores.

OHSU secures $4.6 million to expand clinical trials in underserved rural communities

yeagera@ohsu.edu (Angela Yeager) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

The Oregon Health & Science University and University of Washington rural practice networks have secured renewed funding to support their partnerships with rural communities across Oregon and the Northwest, ensuring groundbreaking research reaches people where they live. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University’s Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network and their partners at the University of Washington School of Medicine’s WWAMI region Practice and Research Network have secured $4.6 million in renewed CARE for Health™ funding that will bring two promising clinical studies and ongoing infrastructure support to rural communities — which are often left out of research.

The 36-month award will support the two networks’ ongoing role as one of six regional hubs in the national CARE for Health™ initiative, called the Primary Care Rural and Frontier Clinical Trials Innovation Center, or PRaCTICe. CARE for Health™ hubs like PRaCTICe work to ensure that people living in rural and frontier areas have greater access to leading-edge research and evidence-based treatments in primary care clinics to address common and chronic clinical conditions.

The new funding supports PRaCTICe's infrastructure support and co-design efforts, as well as participation in two new studies: one focused on expanding a doula-based maternal health intervention into rural settings, and another evaluating auricular point acupressure as a self-management strategy for chronic pain.

Melinda Davis, Ph.D., MCR (OHSU)

“This work is about making sure rural communities are represented in research and have access to interventions that could improve health outcomes where people live,” said Melinda Davis, Ph.D., director of the Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network, known as ORPRN, and professor of family medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine.

“Historically, many clinical trials have been conducted primarily in urban settings. CARE for Health™ helps us develop approaches and programs that can be successfully adapted and implemented in rural communities, as well.”

Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. (OHSU)

OHSU President Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A., said the grants help solidify the institution’s contributions to rural health.

“This investment strengthens OHSU’s ability to partner with rural communities across the Northwest to ensure groundbreaking research reaches people where they live,” Elnahal said. “OHSU is proud of our unique role as the academic health center for the state, and these new studies demonstrate how meaningful that can be for Oregonians.”

Doula support for rural families

One of the newly funded projects will adapt and test a doula intervention that has previously focused on Black mothers in urban health systems. Through CARE for Health™ support, researchers will explore how the model can be implemented in rural primary care settings in the Northwest.

The study is based on an ongoing National Institutes of Health-funded trial at the Medical College of Wisconsin. PRaCTICe and its CARE for Health™ partners will conduct preliminary work to tailor the intervention for rural communities and evaluate its feasibility in a rural health center.

Ellen Tilden, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM (OHSU)

The project also includes expertise from OHSU School of Nursing faculty member Ellen Tilden, Ph.D., CNM, FACNM, whose work has focused on doula care and maternal health policy.

“There is a strong body of evidence demonstrating that doula care leads to improved perinatal outcomes, such as higher rates of safe vaginal birth, better satisfaction with birth, and improved breastfeeding trajectories,” Tilden said.

“However, much of this science is focused on urban populations. We hope this study will generate evidence that can inform broader adoption of doula services in rural communities where maternity care options are increasingly limited.”

Non-drug approach to chronic pain

The second project will partner with a national clinical trial led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston examining auricular point acupressure, a technique that uses tiny seeds placed on specific points of the ear to provide ongoing pressure that patients can self-administer. Previous studies have suggested that this method may help reduce chronic pain symptoms.

Sebastian Tong, M.D. (Univ. of Washington)

Through the new award, ORPRN will help enroll patients at rural clinics in Oregon and Wyoming, expanding the study’s reach and ensuring rural residents are represented in the research. Participants will receive either in-person or remote support for the intervention, or educational resources alone, allowing researchers to compare different implementation approaches.

The study is part of the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory. Sebastian Tong, M.D., an associate professor in family medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and co-investigator on PRaCTICe grant, is an investigator for the Northwest effort.

Claire Simon, M.D. (Univ. of Washington)

Claire Simon, M.D., of the University of Washington will serve as site principal investigator.

“Rural communities experience higher rates of chronic pain, as well as poorer access to comprehensive pain services,” Tong said. “This study brings access to a non-drug treatment for chronic pain that would otherwise not be available to rural residents.”

Rural participation in research

ORPRN is part of a broader national network of practice-based research organizations that connect community clinics with investigators across the country. The network’s goal is to increase participation from populations that traditionally have been underrepresented in clinical research, while accelerating the adoption of effective treatments and care models.

Since receiving its initial CARE for Health™ funding in 2024, ORPRN has helped rural clinics participate in multiple studies, including projects focused on chronic pain and coordinated care. The network combines long-term relationships with community health centers and rural clinics with expertise in clinical trial implementation, community engagement and health systems transformation.

“A key goal for networks like ours is to understand what health issues matter most to our community and clinical partners, then we can utilize that knowledge to inform the research studies we pursue and how we engage researchers who seek to conduct their work in real-world settings,” Davis said. “This helps ensure research findings are relevant not only to academic medical centers, but also to the people and places that often face the greatest barriers to care.”

The Care for Health™ doula study is a National Institutes of Health-funded trial led by Anna Palatnik, M.D., at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The chronic pain clinical trial is led by Jennifer Kawi, Ph.D., Tonychris Nnaka, Ph.D., M.P.H., RN, CPH, and Hulin Wu, Ph.D., of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. CARE for Health™ funding builds on infrastructure created in part through partnership with the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute and the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Institute of Translational Health Sciences.

The CARE for Health™ program is supported through a national initiative designed to expand access to clinical research in rural and underserved communities. Funding supports implementation, community engagement and clinical trial participation across the Northwest. The CARE for Health™ award was provided by the National Institutes of Health, under the Other Transactions Agreement number 4OT2OD038368-02. Additional support for the networks is provided by the NIH 's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through grant award numbers UL1TR002369 and UL1TR002319. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or other funders.

OHSU inscribe a su primer participante de la Costa Oeste en un ensayo de edición genética por colesterol alto

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Ahmad Masri, M.D., M.S., es el investigador del centro de OHSU en un ensayo multicéntrico y abierto que evalúa la seguridad del uso de la edición genética CRISPR para ayudar a tratar el colesterol alto. “Si funciona de forma segura, podría ser una opción para cualquier adulto con LDL alto y mayor riesgo de arteriosclerosis”, dijo Masri. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Oregon Health & Science University ha inscrito al primer participante en la Costa Oeste en un ensayo clínico que utiliza edición genética para reducir una forma de colesterol alto conocida por aumentar el riesgo de infarto y accidente cerebrovascular.

El ensayo multicéntrico y abierto está evaluando la seguridad de una infusión única de una nanopartícula lipídica utilizando la edición genética CRISPR para inhibir la función de un gen asociado al colesterol.

“Tiene el potencial de transformar la vida de una persona con niveles peligrosamente altos de colesterol”, dijo el investigador del sitio de OHSU, Ahmad Masri, M.D., M.S., profesor asociado de medicina (medicina cardiovascular) en la School of Medicine de la OHSU. “El objetivo es proporcionar una terapia única que pueda administrarse a una persona y reducir su carga de colesterol durante las décadas siguientes.”

OHSU es el único centro de la Costa Oeste que inscribe participantes en el ensayo y uno de los 17 centros en el mundo que prueban el fármaco conocido como CTX310.

El estudio está reclutando a personas de entre 18 y 75 años que no pueden controlar las formas “malas” del colesterol, incluidos los triglicéridos y las lipoproteínas de baja densidad, o LDL, mediante el uso de medicamentos existentes como las estatinas.

La infusión única de nanopartículas CRISPR Cas9 induce una mutación en un gen hepático llamado ANGPTL3, apagando la producción de una proteína que normalmente dificulta la capacidad del cuerpo para eliminar el colesterol.

“Todos tenemos este gen”, dijo Masri. “Su función es, esencialmente, actuar como un sistema de frenos para ralentizar la eliminación del colesterol, lo cual es útil desde un punto de vista evolutivo para combatir el hambre.”

Sin embargo, un exceso de colesterol —especialmente LDL— puede acumularse en las arterias hasta el punto de aumentar el riesgo de infartos y accidentes cerebrovasculares. El colesterol alto es una amenaza para la salud que afecta a unos 86 millones de adultos en Estados Unidos, según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de EE. UU.

Si la nueva terapia génica resulta ser segura y eficaz, Masri afirmó que podría tener un impacto profundo en la salud humana.

“Si funciona de forma segura, podría ser una opción para cualquier adulto con LDL alto y mayor riesgo de arteriosclerosis”, dijo Masri. “Inicialmente, sería más útil para pacientes que no toleran estatinas u otros medicamentos alternativos — o que están tomando esos medicamentos y aún tienen colesterol alto.”

La primera participante inscrita en OHSU es una mujer de 54 años cuyo nivel de LDL es tan alto que se somete a un tratamiento especializado conocido como aféresis para eliminar el colesterol del torrente sanguíneo cada semana y controlar sus niveles. Masri dijo que los participantes iniciales son los más afectados por el colesterol alto y, por tanto, los más propensos a beneficiarse del nuevo tratamiento de edición genética.

El ensayo clínico está patrocinado por CRISPR Therapeutics.

OHSU enrolls first West Coast participant in gene-editing trial for high cholesterol

robineri@ohsu.edu (Erik Robinson) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Ahmad Masri, M.D., M.S., is the OHSU site investigator for a multicenter, open-label trial evaluating the safety of using CRISPR gene editing to help treat high cholesterol. “If it works safely, it could be a choice for any adult with high LDL at elevated risk for arthrosclerosis,” he says. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

Oregon Health & Science University has enrolled the first participant on the West Coast in a clinical trial using gene editing to reduce a form of high cholesterol known to raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The multicenter, open-label trial is evaluating the safety of a one-time infusion of a lipid nanoparticle using CRISPR gene editing to inhibit the function of a gene associated with cholesterol.

“It has the potential to transform the lifetime of an individual with dangerously high levels of cholesterol,” said OHSU site investigator Ahmad Masri, M.D., M.S., associate professor of medicine (cardiovascular medicine) in the OHSU School of Medicine. “The goal is to provide a one-time therapy that could be given to an individual and reduces their cholesterol burden over decades to follow.”

OHSU is the only center on the West Coast enrolling participants in the trial, and one of 17 centers in the world testing the drug known as CTX310.

The study is enrolling people 18 to 75 years of age who are unable to control the “bad” forms of cholesterol, including triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, through the use of existing medications like statins.

The one-time infusion of CRISPR Cas9 nanoparticles induces a mutation in a liver gene called ANGPTL3, turning off the production of a protein that normally hinders the body’s ability to clear cholesterol.

“All of us have this gene,” Masri said. “Its job is to essentially act as a brake system to slow the clearing of cholesterol, which is useful in an evolutionary standpoint to combat starvation.”

However, too much cholesterol — especially LDL — can build up in arteries to the point that it raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes. High cholesterol is a health threat affecting an estimated 86 million adults in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If the new gene therapy proves to be safe and effective, Masri said it could have a profound impact on human health.

“If it works safely, it could be a choice for any adult with high LDL at elevated risk for arthrosclerosis,” Masri said. “Initially, it would be most useful for patients who can’t tolerate statins or other alternative medications — or they’re on those medications and still have high cholesterol.”

The first participant enrolled at OHSU is a 54-year-old woman whose LDL level is so high she undergoes a specialized treatment known as apharesis to remove cholesterol from the blood stream every week to control her levels. Masri said the initial participants are the most acutely affected by high cholesterol and so most likely to benefit from the new gene-editing treatment.

The clinical trial is sponsored by CRISPR Therapeutics.

New board of directors, executive leadership team signal ambitious momentum for OHSU Knight Cancer Institute

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Inside the OHSU Knight Cancer Research Building. The Knight Cancer Group announced its inaugural board of directors to help guide the organization's next phase of growth. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

The Knight Cancer Institute has continued to gain momentum in the last year since the historic $2 billion gift from Phil and Penny Knight to transform cancer care and research.

In April, Vista Pavilion, the largest adult cancer care facility in the Pacific Northwest, opened providing quality care and a wraparound experience focused on patient needs. Research and care are accelerating each other, allowing discoveries to reach patients faster through clinical trials and precision medicine. A new governance structure was created and approved giving the Knight Cancer Group authority and accountability to move the Knight Cancer Institute’s cancer care program – faster and with greater collaboration – toward the future.

And today, the Knight Cancer Group announced its inaugural board of directors, bringing together accomplished leaders from diverse geographic locations and industries, including major healthcare organizations, Fortune 500 companies, public policy, philanthropic initiatives, research, and academic institutions to help guide the organization's next phase of growth.

Brian Druker, M.D. (OHSU)

“What excites me most is the diversity of expertise we’ve been able to assemble,” said Brian Druker, M.D., president of the Knight Cancer Group. “These leaders are all united by a belief that we can fundamentally change how cancer is detected, treated and experienced. Paired with an extraordinary executive team, we now have the experience and leadership to realize our vision and lofty mission to end cancer as we know it.”

The announcement comes amid growing national recognition for the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Oregon. In the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings, OHSU was again named the No. 1 hospital in Oregon, while the Knight Cancer Institute was recognized as the top cancer program in the Pacific Northwest and ranked No. 25 nationally for cancer care, rising from No.27 last year.

Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. (OHSU)

“Our goal is to create the best cancer care experience in the nation,” said OHSU President Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. “Establishing this board and executive leadership team is a critical milestone that strengthens collaboration across OHSU, and advances our shared commitment to realizing the extraordinary promise of Phil and Penny Knight’s historic investment.”

The Knight Cancer Group board appointments mark continued momentum and a significant milestone for the Knight Cancer Group, which was formally approved by the Oregon Health & Science University board of directors in June as a self-governing nonprofit organization. The Knight Cancer Group will have the authority to provide management, coordination, oversight and accountability for the Knight Cancer Institute, the cancer program at OHSU.

The nine-member Knight Cancer Group board led by Brian Druker, M.D., who was elected President, includes:

Peter Bragdon, J.D. (Courtesy)

Peter Bragdon, J.D., is president of Columbia Sportswear Company, where he oversees international markets, emerging brands, and a range of corporate functions. He has more than two decades of leadership experience with Columbia, including serving as executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel, managing complex regulatory, governance and corporate affairs. Bragdon brings public policy and communications experience from his early career as a political journalist, along with national industry leadership through board service with the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry and other industry organizations. He previously served as chief of staff to Oregon governor Ted Kulongoski and as a Port of Portland commissioner. He is the chair of the Oregon Community Foundation board and is on the board of directors for NW Natural and the Portland branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Mark Ganz, J.D. (Courtesy)

Mark Ganz, J.D., is the founder and principal of Lion Creek Partners, a healthcare-focused advisory and investment firm, and former president and CEO of Cambia Health Solutions. He led Cambia Health Solutions from 2003 to 2021, driving significant strategic and cultural transformation while expanding its focus on consumer-centered healthcare innovation. Ganz previously held senior leadership roles across Cambia, including chief legal officer and head of public policy, and continues to bring extensive governance experience through board service with national health organizations, public companies and nonprofit institutions.

David Brailer, M.D., Ph.D. (Courtesy)

David Brailer, M.D., Ph.D., founder and chairman of Health Evolution, a national healthcare leadership forum, served under former President George W. Bush as the nation’s first National Health Information Technology Coordinator, where he led the federal effort to digitize healthcare and establish a national strategy for electronic health records. A physician, economist and former senior executive at The Cigna Group, Brailer has also founded and led healthcare investment and advisory organizations, bringing deep expertise in health system transformation, policy and innovation.

Sheryl WuDunn, M.B.A., M.P.A. (Courtesy)

Sheryl WuDunn, M.B.A., M.P.A., is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, best-selling author, and banker. She worked at The New York Times as a foreign correspondent and at Goldman Sachs before advising mission-driven growth companies in healthcare and technology and supporting women-focused initiatives. WuDunn recently has been elected as vice chair of Harvard University's board of overseers and previously served as a trustee of Princeton University and Cornell University.

Susan Hedlund, M.S.W., LCSW (Courtesy)

Susan Hedlund, M.S.W., LCSW, is the director of supportive care initiatives for the Sheri and Les Biller Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on health and community well-being, and the former director of Patient and Family Services at the Knight Cancer Institute. She has more than 30 years of experience supporting individuals and families facing serious illness, loss and end-of-life care. A longtime educator and national leader in oncology social work, Hedlund has held faculty roles at OHSU, Portland State University, and University of Washington, led a national professional association, and contributed extensively to scholarship and innovation in palliative and psychosocial care.

Ed Benz, M.D. (Courtesy)

Ed Benz, M.D., is the Richard and Susan Smith Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. A hematologist and physician-scientist, Benz led one of the nation’s premier cancer centers as the former president and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute while also serving as the director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. Previously chair of medicine and physician-in-chief at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Benz has held national leadership roles across major medical societies and is widely recognized for his research on the genetics of blood disorders and his contributions to academic medicine.

David M. Reese, M.D. (Courtesy)

David M. Reese, M.D., chairs the board for the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. From 2005 to 2026 he worked at Amgen, where he ultimately led research & development and became the firm’s first chief technology officer. Previously, Reese was director of clinical research for the Breast Cancer International Research Group and a co-founder, president and chief medical officer of Translational Oncology Research International, a not-for-profit academic clinical research organization. Reese is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed training in internal medicine and hematology/oncology at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, subsequently serving on the faculty at UCLA and the University of California, San Francisco.

Brian Druker, M.D., president of Knight Cancer Group, is an internationally renowned physician-scientist who developed Gleevec, the first targeted therapy to successfully treat cancer at its molecular source. Gleevec not only changed chronic myeloid leukemia from a fatal diagnosis to a manageable condition, it also ushered in the era of precision medicine.

Dr. Druker joined OHSU in 1993 and became director of the OHSU Cancer Institute in 2007. Under his leadership, the institute evolved into the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, building a national and international reputation for innovative cancer research, prevention, early detection, and nationally recognized patient care focused on their needs.

In 2025, Dr. Druker and the Knight Cancer Institute entered an even more ambitious chapter following a historic $2 billion commitment from Phil and Penny Knight. The investment is intended to help create a new model of cancer care in which every patient can have access to innovative clinical trials and comprehensive support, including genetic, psychological and financial counseling, symptom management and survivorship care.

Dr. Druker earned both his undergraduate degree in chemistry and his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego, graduating from medical school in 1981. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Barnes Hospital at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, followed by fellowship training in medical oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.

Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A., president of OHSU, oversees a budget of more than $6.2 billion and more than 22,000 employees – the city of Portland’s largest employer and one of the largest employers in the state. He is responsible for strategic planning, financial sustainability, and excellence and quality across the health care, research and education missions to ensure the university continues to thrive.

Before joining OHSU, he was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as Under Secretary for Health at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He led the largest integrated health system in the nation alongside a team of nearly 400,000 professionals, delivering world-class care to 9 million enrolled veterans. In this role he oversaw the largest expansion of veteran benefits and care in a generation, enrolling more than 800,000 new veterans into health care, and upgrading coverage for more than 900,000 veterans.

Dr. Elnahal also previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. University Hospital is a Level I trauma center, the principal academic medical center for Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, and New Jersey’s only public hospital. Dr. Elnahal led University Hospital through the COVID-19 public health emergency and turned around the hospital’s finances. Dr. Elnahal received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and his M.B.A. with Distinction from Harvard Business School.

Along with the new KCG Board of Directors, a new KCG executive leadership team has also been assembled since the unprecedented $2 billion to the Knight Cancer Institute from Phil and Penny Knight in August 2025 to establish a new global standard for cancer care.

This executive leadership team led by Brian Druker, M.D, president of KCG, oversees strategy, priorities and overall direction for the Knight Cancer Institute, working closely with the board of directors and OHSU executive leaders.

In addition to Druker, the KCG executive leadership team includes:

Joel Helmke, M.H.A. (OHSU)

Joel Helmke, M.H.A., chief executive officer for cancer healthcare, responsible for enterprise performance and operational execution across the clinical cancer program at the Knight Cancer Institute.

Shivaani Kummar, M.D., FACP (OHSU)

Shivaani Kummar, M.D., FACP, director of the Knight Cancer Institute and chief scientific and academic officer, responsible for leading the institute's research, clinical and educational missions and overseeing the National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant and associated infrastructure.

Stephen Petersen, M.B.A. (Courtesy)

Stephen Petersen, M.B.A., chief financial officer, responsible for financial stewardship and long-term sustainability across the institute's research, clinical and educational programs at the Knight Cancer Institute.

Nilda Bonet, M.B.A. (Courtesy)

Nilda Bonet, M.B.A., chief human resources officer, responsible for shaping and operationalizing the organization's people strategy at the Knight Cancer Institute.

Alison Soileau, Ph.D., FACHE (Courtesy)

Alison Soileau, Ph.D., FACHE, chief experience officer, responsible for patient, family and caregiver experience strategy and advancing a culture of service excellence at the Knight Cancer Institute.

Graciela Gomez Cowger, J.D. (Courtesy)

Graciela Gomez Cowger, J.D., chief transformation officer, responsible for integration and transformation efforts across the cancer enterprise at the Knight Cancer Institute.

Anna Liza Rodriguez, M.S.N., M.H.A., RN, OCN (Courtesy)

We are also pleased to welcome Anna Liza Rodriguez, M.S.N., M.H.A., RN, OCN, chief nursing executive, who is part of Joel Helmke’s leadership team, responsible for providing strategic direction for the oncology nursing practice across the Knight Cancer Institute.