Research
Tubes of blood spinning on a centrifuge.

Deep plasma proteomics: Back to the future

Blood plasma is collected from people routinely during clinical care and for research. It is potentially a rich source of protein biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes, for measuring response to treatment, and for revealing disease biology. Yet identifying such biomarkers in plasma with proteomics, our best available tool, has been a challenge: Ninety-nine percent ... Read More
Research
Sam and his family pose at a formal event about SSADH deficiency.

Conquering a rare metabolic condition: A family, a pediatrician, and two labs join forces

As a newborn, Sam Hoffman never cried or made a sound. His mother, Carolyn, often had to wake him up to feed him. He missed many of his infant milestones. At one visit, his pediatrician tapped his leg and couldn’t get a reflex. A urine test found extremely high levels of 4-hydrobutyric acid or GHB ... Read More
Research
Dr. Hedequist looks at a model of a spine after spinal fusion surgery.

Robotics, spinal fusion, and the quest for 100 percent accuracy

In any spinal fusion surgery, accurate screw placement is a top priority, and for good reason. Incorrectly positioned screws are the number one cause of surgical complications and revision surgeries according to the Scoliosis Research Society. While the vast majority of malpositioned screws — between four and 15 percent of all screws placed — do not ... Read More
Research
An ionocyte under magnification.

Making ionocytes: A step toward cell or gene therapy for cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators were a breakthrough for cystic fibrosis, improving the movement of chloride and water and moistening mucus secretions. But these drugs are expensive, don’t work in all patients with cystic fibrosis, and have side effects and interactions with other drugs. People who do respond to CFTR modulators must take ... Read More