In this episode of Better Edge, Paul Bryar, MD, and Dustin French, PhD, reflect on key takeaways from the 2026 ARVO Annual Conference, including insights from their own presentations, notable research highlights and emerging developments in ophthalmology.

In this episode of Better Edge, Transplant Hepatologist Laura Lulik, MD moderates a panel discussion about the Northwestern Medicine Liver Transplant Tumor Clinic. The conversation covers advances in imaging, systemic therapies and innovative procedures, as well as the clinic’s multidisciplinary approach.
The panel includes:
• Daniel Borja, MD, transplant surgeon
• Aparna Kalyan, MD, medical oncologist
• Robert Lewandowski, MD, interventional radiologist
• Amira Borhani, MD, abdominal radiologist

AI and robotic-assisted technologies in spine surgery have moved beyond early promise and are shaping clinical practice today.

In this episode of Better Edge, Alpesh A. Patel, MD, moderates a conversation with fellow spine surgeons Srikanth N. Divi, MD, and Najib El Tecle, MD, on how AI use in the field has evolved.

What They Cover:
• Where AI and robotics deliver real clinical value today
• How these technologies are being integrated into daily OR workflows
• Why surgeon judgment remains the driver of decisions
• Where the limitations are and what evidence is still needed
• How AI and robotics are reshaping the standard of care
• What’s next at the Northwestern Medicine Center for Spine Health

In this episode of Better Edge, Palak Shah, MD, the new chief of the Section of Heart Failure and medical director of the Heart Transplant Program at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, shares how his career has been shaped by the transformation of advanced heart failure care, from LVADs to transplantation. Dr. Shah discusses his clinical training and research, his systems-based vision for delivering advanced heart failure and surgical care closer to patients’ communities, and his commitment to equitable access, innovation and multidisciplinary collaboration. The conversation offers referring physicians insight into how Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute is shaping the next era of personalized, longitudinal heart failure care across a regional health system.

In this episode, Ishaan Hublikar, DO, and Kevin Roy, DO, discuss a complex case of ischemic spinal cord injury following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, highlighting the clinical nuances and rehabilitation challenges unique to vascular etiologies of SCI. They explore how early, intensive, multidisciplinary rehabilitation at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital — supported by specialized expertise and advanced technology — contributed to an unexpectedly rapid and meaningful functional recovery.

In this episode of Better Edge, Elnur Babayev, MD, MS, physician scientist and reproductive endocrinologist, discusses a complex case involving diminished ovarian reserve, advanced reproductive age and complications following intra ovarian platelet rich plasma (PRP).

Using this case as a lens, he examines the evidence gaps, safety concerns and opportunity costs associated with commercially marketed, unproven fertility interventions. The conversation highlights common misconceptions about ovarian “rejuvenation,” the limitations of ovarian reserve testing, and practical guidance for counseling, referral, and informed consent in caring for patients navigating reproductive aging.

Nearly two decades after the introduction of combined radiation therapy and temozolomide, the Stupp protocol remains the foundation of glioblastoma treatment. In this episode, Roger Stupp, MD, and Rimas Lukas, MD, take a look at how this regimen emerged as a durable standard of care and how clinical insights since then have refined its use.

Dr. Stupp and Dr. Lukas walk through the modern care pathway for newly diagnosed glioblastoma and the clinical trial landscape. They dive into why survival gains remain limited and what may finally move the field forward.

In this episode of Better Edge, Robert Brannigan, MD, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), discusses key updates from ASRM’s 2026 committee opinion on fertility preservation. Dr. Brannigan outlines what urologists should know about early identification, rapid referral, preservation options across adult and pediatric populations, documentation requirements and barriers to access. The conversation focuses on practical workflow considerations and how urologists can better support patients facing fertility threatening therapies.

In this episode, Sachin Patel, MD, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern Medicine, discusses the launch of Northwestern Medicine Dauten Behavioral Health Institute. Dr. Patel outlines the institute’s vision for advancing care for complex psychiatric conditions through integrated clinical excellence, research innovation and technology-enabled models of care.

The conversation highlights the institute’s role in establishing Northwestern Medicine as a national destination for bipolar disorder care and a leader in the future of academic psychiatry.

In this episode of Better Edge, orthopaedic surgeons Michael Stover, MD, and Ryan Selley, MD, discuss the latest in hip preservation strategies for young adults, with a focus on periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) for acetabular dysplasia.
Dr. Stover and Dr. Selley cover:
• Differentiating hip pathology appropriate for preservation vs. arthroplasty
• Clinical and radiographic criteria for PAO candidacy, including the role of cartilage health
• Long-term outcomes and durability of PAO in delaying or preventing total hip arthroplasty
• Emerging innovations such as 3D surgical planning, AI-assisted imaging and dynamic hip assessment