Baylor College of Medicine

Artificial intelligence-enabled analysis of electron micrographs to assess mitochondrial morphology in triple-negative breast cancer

Advancements in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have enabled in-depth studies of biological specimens, offering new avenues to large-scale imaging experiments with subcellular resolution. Mitochondrial morphology is of growing interest in cancer biology due to its crucial...

A Practical Guide to Mixed-Effects Models for Clustered Data in Pediatric Research

Clustered data, in which observations are grouped within higher-level units, arise frequently in pediatric research. Common examples include repeated measures within patients and patients nested within hospitals. Observations within the same cluster tend to be correlated, and sta...

Study protocol for first national vasa previa perinatal registry

Vasa previa is a rare but potentially catastrophic obstetric condition characterized by unprotected fetal blood vessels over or adjacent to the internal cervical os. Although advances in prenatal ultrasound have dramatically improved neonatal survival through planned cesarean del...

What’s Old Is New Again: Varicella

The availability of a varicella vaccine has led to significant decreases in incidence of this once-common childhood disease. In the setting of rising vaccine hesitancy, health care clinicians are now more frequently facing questions about infections caused by varicella zoster vir...

The hematology workforce in the United States: past, present, and strategies for the future

From 2017-2021, the American Society of Hematology (ASH) completed the largest study ever conducted of the hematology workforce in the United States (US). The study highlighted a deficit in the classical hematology (CH) workforce: despite very high CH clinical volumes encountered...

Continuing Trend of Increased Operative Treatment of Clavicle Fractures in Pediatric Patients in the United States Despite a Lack of Supporting Evidence in the Literature

Introduction: Pediatric clavicle fractures are among the most common fractures in this age group. Current research supports the efficacy of nonoperative treatment for these injuries in pediatric patients. Our study seeks to examine the current trends in the management of these fr...

Decreased cerebrospinal fluid NDRG2 is associated with non-Alzheimer's disease derived mild cognitive impairment

Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) lacks clear clinical biomarkers. N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is predominantly localized in astrocytes and is implicated in cognitive function. Objective This study aims to explore whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NDRG2 cou...

Contraceptive counseling among individuals with genetic conditions: a retrospective cohort study

Individuals with genetic conditions are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes; therefore, effective postpartum contraception is essential. Limited data exists regarding postpartum LARC counseling and uptake in this population. A retrospective chart review was used to e...

Encapsulation of AAVs into Protein Vault Nanoparticles as a Novel Solution to Gene Therapy’s Neutralizing Antibody Problem

Abstract Although adeno-associated virus (AAV) has enjoyed enormous success as a delivery modality for gene therapy, it suffers from high prevalence of preexisting neutralizing antibodies in human populations, limiting who can receive potentially life-saving treatments. As a nove...

Best-Practice Perioperative Optimization for Craniosynostosis Surgery

Abstract Perioperative optimization in craniosynostosis surgery demands coordinated attention across the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods, yet considerable practice variation persists across craniofacial centers. Surgical approaches range from minimally inv...

Discovery andDevelopment of First-in-Class Cereblon-RecruitingRIPK1 Degraders

Abstract Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) is a critical regulator of programmed cell death and is implicated in various pathological conditions, particularly in mediating tumor resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). In this study, we have pioneered the de...

Impact of Immunosuppression Type on 30-Day Postoperative Outcomes Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Retrospective National Cohort Study of 66,162 Patients

Study DesignRetrospective Cohort Study.ObjectivesPerioperative immunosuppression management in spine surgery lacks robust evidence. Most NSQIP-based ACDF models utilize a binary steroid variable, failing to distinguish corticosteroids from biologics or synthetic DMARDs. This stud...

A Rare BCR::SPECC1L::ABL1 Fusion in a Pediatric Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patient

BACKGROUND: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm typically defined by BCR::ABL1 p210 fusions isoforms. OBSERVATIONS: An 8-year-old female CML patient harbored a typical t(9;22)(q34;11) Philadelphia chromosome and BCR::ABL1 fusion by conventional karyoty...

Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV Who Engage in Chemsex in Barcelona, Spain: Epidemiological Patterns and Implications for Infection Control

Background: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections are increasingly reported among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) engaging in chemsex, yet data remain limited. This ambispective cohort study conducted at H...

Injury Severity and Near-Absent Helmet Use in NTDB-Eligible Pediatric E-Scooter Trauma: A Single-Center Descriptive Series

Pediatric e-scooter injuries have risen rapidly, yet single-center data describing injury severity, admission patterns, and helmet use within high-acuity trauma populations remain limited. We describe a single-center retrospective series of 31 National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB)–eli...

Pregnancy Ambivalence, History of Pregnancy, Condom Use, and Contraceptive Use Among U.S. Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) are 5–8 times more likely than housed peers to become pregnant. A more nuanced examination of YEH pregnancy desire may better inform pregnancy and pregnancy prevention guidance. This study examined pregnancy ambivalence, pregnancy history, co...

The Triple Win: The Influence of Institution-Sponsored Volunteering on Faculty and Staff Wellbeing and Satisfaction

Abstract Employer-supported volunteering, including volunteer time-off (VTO), has been associated with positive work-related outcomes and may mitigate burnout. This report describes a five-year VTO initiative for faculty and staff at Baylor College of Medicine’s School of Health...

The Impact of Earthquake-Induced Healthcare Disruption on an Established Developmental Hip Dysplasia Screening Program in an Earthquake Zone

Background/Objectives: Pandemics and natural disasters may delay the diagnosis and treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). In this study, we evaluated the effect of 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake-induced healthcare disruption on the DDH screening program. Methods: M...

Growth Differentiation Factor-15 in Acute Coronary Syndromes: Prognostic Value and Barriers to Clinical Implementation

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin has made the diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) faster and more precise, but it does not measure the broader biological vulnerability that often determines the outcome after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Growth differentiation factor-15...

The impact of structural variation on Alzheimer’s disease in the Alzheimer’s disease sequencing project

Structural variants (SV), genomic alterations spanning more than 50 base pairs, can significantly impact gene expression and protein function. However, their contribution to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains poorly understood. Leveraging a novel SV calling pipeline, we identified...