Mass General Brigham researchers developed FAHR-Face, a foundation AI model trained on more than 40 million facial photographs, and used it to create two tools that estimate biological age and predict survival outcomes in patients with cancer from a simple photo. Their new study found the model improved upon the team's earlier FaceAge technology, remained robust across common photo variations, cosmetic procedures and presence of makeup, and showed that lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol and drug use were associated with accelerated facial aging.

Gladstone Institutes scientists Melanie Ott, MD, PhD, and Alex Marson, MD, PhD, have earned one of the highest honors in health and medicine with their election to the National Academy of Medicine.

Nikki Thiele, a staff scientist in the Chemical Sciences Division of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has received a 2026 NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. The five-year National Institutes of Health grant supports innovative research with the potential for broad impact on biomedical and behavioral science. Thiele will develop innovative chelator designs to improve targeted radiopharmaceuticals.

A new MUSC study published in JAMA Pediatrics reveals a striking reversal in youth vaping trends: Girls are now vaping at higher rates than boys. Among teens ages 15 to 17, regular vaping among girls rose from 4.9% in 2021 to 7.8% in 2024, compared with 4.6% of boys. Although cigarette smoking among adolescents has fallen to historic lows, researchers warn that nicotine addiction remains a serious concern. “We have to sound the alarm bells for girls,” said Benjamin Toll, Ph.D., of MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. “But we also need to make sure that we’re addressing the boys, too.” The findings highlight the need for targeted prevention and treatment efforts to address changing patterns of youth nicotine use.