The award will support the Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in developing an AI-powered system to help identify personalized treatment options for children with cancer.

Children with idiopathic short stature respond differently to growth hormone therapy, making treatment outcomes difficult to predict. Researchers from South Korea developed a mathematical model to better capture these individual differences in growth response over time. By analyzing treatment and patient characteristics, the study offers new insights into why some children may experience greater catch-up growth than others—and points toward a more personalized approach to predicting outcomes before therapy begins.

Fungal bloodstream infections can be life-threatening, and accurately identifying the causative fungal species is important for clinicians to administer appropriate treatment. In a recent study, researchers from Japan developed an innovative workflow that uses various genomic and sequence-analysis techniques to identify fungal species in blood samples much faster than conventional methods. Their approach could help patients receive the most effective treatment for their specific fungal infection as soon as possible.

Solid tumors resist CAR cell therapy through antigen heterogeneity, poor infiltration, and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. A new review argues that oncolytic viruses and CAR cells should be co-designed as an integrated, self-amplifying therapeutic system rather than simply combined. The authors describe how oncolytic viruses can install new targets, remodel the tumor microenvironment, and deliver local immune support, outlining engineering strategies, translational challenges, and future directions for next-generation solid tumor immunotherapy.

As we grow older, our bodies accumulate “zombie cells”—living cells that have stopped dividing or functioning normally—but linger in our tissues, contributing to chronic inflammation and age-related diseases. A new study led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers and published today in Nature Aging helps explain why these cells, formally known as senescent cells, become increasingly difficult to eliminate. The research also points to a potential strategy for helping the body rid itself of these cells.