New OB/GYN Chair: Reflections and Vision for Future

On October 1, 2020, Nawal M. Nour, MD, MPH, became the chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Upon assuming her role, Dr. Nour became the first African-American department chair at the Brigham, the first department chair of Sudanese descent and the third woman to be named to a chair role. Dr. Nour succeeded Robert L. Barbieri, MD, who served in the role for 27 years and helped establish the department as a world leader in compassionate clinical care, teaching, research, innovation and discovery.

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Surgery for Shoulder Fractures Not Always the Best Approach

x-ray of shoulder fracture

A network meta-analysis conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital adds to the growing body of evidence favoring nonsurgical treatment (NST) for older patients with 3- and 4-part proximal humerus fractures (PHFs).

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Study Identifies Potential Biomarkers for Preeclampsia Risk

Separate clusters of circulating microparticle-associated proteins
Clusters of circulating microparticle-associated proteins sampled in the blood of women at 12 weeks’ gestation who later go on to develop preeclampsia. McElrath et al, Nature Scientific Reports 2020. Image used with permission.

Preeclampsia occurs in up to 7 percent of all pregnancies and is the third-leading cause of maternal mortality around the world. Yet despite how common it is, surprisingly little is known about its underlying causes. This lack of information has made it difficult to develop methods for determining which women are most at risk of developing preeclampsia and to find ways to reduce that risk or effectively treat the condition after it develops.

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A Case Study: TAVR in Patient With Congenital Heart Defect

TAVR procedure

Over the past decade, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has evolved from a high-risk procedure to one that has become a standard of care. Each year, thousands of patients undergo this minimally invasive procedure.

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$12.5M Grant to Develop Targeted Glioma Therapies

brain scan

At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Tracy Batchelor, MD, MPH, chair of the Department of Neurology, has received a Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

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Brigham Leads the Way in Brain Circuit Therapeutics

brain imaging
Dr. Siddiqi’s trial uses brain imaging to target specific circuits (white arrows). Siddiqi et al, Am J Psychiatry 2020

Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently opened its innovative Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics. A joint clinical, research and education initiative, the new center brings together experts from neurology, psychiatry, neurosurgery and neuroradiology to develop innovative treatment methods for brain disorders that don’t respond to medication.

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Can a Daily Pill Prevent Pancreatic Cancer?

Man holding small fishtank
Sahar Nissim, MD, PhD, used zebra fish to validate the research findings.

A rare genetic mutation discovered by a researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital could hold the clues to developing new management strategies for pancreatic cancer. Sahar Nissim, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine in the Brigham’s Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy & Genetics Divisions, found the mutation in a single family with a strong history of pancreatic cancer and published his findings in Nature Genetics. He said the discovery may have broader implications for all patients with pancreatic cancer, regardless of whether or not they have the mutation.

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Effort Aims to Bring Diabetes Care to Latinx Community

Woman playing with child

Latinx people are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as non-Hispanic whites, according to the American Diabetes Association. As part of its larger goal of addressing health care disparities in minority populations, Brigham and Women’s Hospital has begun efforts to advance systems of care, research and community programs that elevate the health status of communities in the Boston area, including the Latinx community.

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Gut Molecule Targets Diabetes After Bariatric Surgery

illustration showing changes after gastric surgery

A study from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School has uncovered a molecular mechanism that may help to explain why type 2 diabetes goes into remission in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery. Published in Nature Chemical Biology in August, the study is the first to identify an anti-diabetic small molecule whose levels are increased by bariatric surgery.

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Brigham’s Otolaryngology Division Grows in Line With Mission

surgeon

The Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital offers expert, individualized care for a range of conditions affecting the ear, nose and throat. Since 2017, Ravindra Uppaluri, MD, PhD, has served as the division chief for the group’s multidisciplinary faculty and staff.

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