Breakthroughs host Erin Spain takes a look back on the year 2020 and how Feinberg scientists responded to COVID-19 while publishing high-impact papers unrelated to the pandemic and making vital discoveries across the research enterprise during a difficult time.
Ankit Bharat, MBBS, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Northwestern Medicine and director of the Lung Transplant program, shares findings that support why lung transplantation should be considered for patients who have developed irreversible lung disease due to COVID-19.
A $30 million dollar, phase 3 clinical trial at Northwestern is set to investigate whether exercise can slow Parkinson’s disease progression. Daniel Corcos, PhD, a professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, is leading the trial and explains what he hopes to accomplish.
Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, with more than 100,000 new cases diagnosed every year. Surgery is often the primary treatment. A new Northwestern Medicine study shows patients whose surgery was performed by a highly skilled surgeon had a 70 percent lower risk of dying over five years compared to patients with a lower skilled surgeon.
As flu season begins and COVID-19 continues to spread, Michael Ison, MD, is here to share some of his latest findings. He is part of Northwestern research teams running studies both on COVID-19 and on influenza vaccines and treatments.
A rare blood disorder related to people missing a protein, called PAI-1, was identified in a small Amish community. Douglas Vaughan, MD, studies the community and found that those without the protein seem to live longer and healthier lives. Now a PAI-1 inhibitor drug will be used for the first time in the U.S. in a clinical trial for people with COVID-19.
Millions of people are now living with COVID-19 and their long-term outcomes are unknown. Northwestern’s Jeffrey Linder, MD, says more research studies on this group are needed to provide better information about COVID-19 care before, during and beyond the hospital.
A team of Northwestern scientists have come together from across disciplines to develop a COVID-19 antibody test designed for at-home use. Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD, is part of the team working on this test to determine prior exposure to the virus.
Although COVID-19 doesn’t necessarily discriminate, some communities are far more susceptible to the disease. People who are black or African-American are more likely to contract the virus – and to die from it. Clyde Yancy, MD, discusses reasons for these outcomes and the need to fully address health care disparities in America.
While the world anxiously awaits a vaccine for COVID-19, some physicians on the front lines are trying new or repurposed therapies in an effort to help COVID patients. Benjamin Singer, MD, a Northwestern physician-scientist, discusses his experiences in the ICU during this time and his recently published letter warning against the use of unproven therapies.