Dr. Marc Hedrick, President and CEO of Plus Therapeutics Inc., has expanded their focus from glioblastoma to leptomeningeal metastasis, a central nervous system cancer that is a growing challenge due to increased survival rates from primary cancers. Their highly sensitive, advanced diagnostic test, CNSide, can detect cancer cells in cerebrospinal fluid, addressing the shortcomings of imaging and outdated standard-of-care practices. Using AI and advanced data analytics, their lead drug candidate is uniquely suited for treating CNS cancers because its safety at high doses enables the precise delivery of radiation.

Marc explains, "Since we last talked and we discussed primarily the use of radiotherapeutics for the treatment of glioblastoma. We've expanded that pretty significantly into a disease called leptomeningeal metastasis. And I think we may have touched on that briefly, at least conceptually, a few years ago. But now it's really real. We've just completed a phase one trial, and we're expanding that with the goal of getting the drug approved, perhaps sooner than with glioblastoma, by focusing on leptomeningeal cancer, for which there's nothing approved. And maybe it would be a good idea to back up and explain a little bit about what that is, because there's an epidemic of it that's not commonly understood."

"So the central nervous system is a protected organ in the body. Now, I mean the brain and the spinal cord. And it's that way for a reason to keep bad things out. Things like infections, tumors, or certain chemical toxins. And that includes drugs. Only about 2% of all drugs get into the central nervous system, which is a problem from a therapeutic perspective. But there's an epidemic in terms of metastases to the brain and spinal cord. Let's call those the CNS collectively. And that's because many common tumors like breast cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, and melanoma are better controlled locally with drugs that don't have to worry about getting into the central nervous system. They just need to get into those specific organs and tissues and then exert control over the tumor where it occurred."

$PSTV #LM #CNS #Cancer #LeptomeningealMetastases #CNSide #BrainCancer #Oncology #Radiotherapeutics #MedicalInnovation #CancerResearch #Biotechnology #PatientCare #ClinicalTrials #HealthcareInnovation #CancerTreatment #Neuroscience #MedTech

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Dr. Marc Hedrick, President and CEO of Plus Therapeutics Inc., has expanded their focus from glioblastoma to leptomeningeal metastasis, a central nervous system cancer that is a growing challenge due to increased survival rates from primary cancers. Their highly sensitive, advanced diagnostic test, CNSide, can detect cancer cells in cerebrospinal fluid, addressing the shortcomings of imaging and outdated standard-of-care practices. Using AI and advanced data analytics, their lead drug candidate is uniquely suited for treating CNS cancers because its safety at high doses enables the precise delivery of radiation.

Marc explains, "Since we last talked and we discussed primarily the use of radiotherapeutics for the treatment of glioblastoma. We've expanded that pretty significantly into a disease called leptomeningeal metastasis. And I think we may have touched on that briefly, at least conceptually, a few years ago. But now it's really real. We've just completed a phase one trial, and we're expanding that with the goal of getting the drug approved, perhaps sooner than with glioblastoma, by focusing on leptomeningeal cancer, for which there's nothing approved. And maybe it would be a good idea to back up and explain a little bit about what that is, because there's an epidemic of it that's not commonly understood."

"So the central nervous system is a protected organ in the body. Now, I mean the brain and the spinal cord. And it's that way for a reason to keep bad things out. Things like infections, tumors, or certain chemical toxins. And that includes drugs. Only about 2% of all drugs get into the central nervous system, which is a problem from a therapeutic perspective. But there's an epidemic in terms of metastases to the brain and spinal cord. Let's call those the CNS collectively. And that's because many common tumors like breast cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, and melanoma are better controlled locally with drugs that don't have to worry about getting into the central nervous system. They just need to get into those specific organs and tissues and then exert control over the tumor where it occurred."

$PSTV #LM #CNS #Cancer #LeptomeningealMetastases #CNSide #BrainCancer #Oncology #Radiotherapeutics #MedicalInnovation #CancerResearch #Biotechnology #PatientCare #ClinicalTrials #HealthcareInnovation #CancerTreatment #Neuroscience #MedTech

plustherapeutics.com

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Kristy Yoskey, VP and Market Leader at PointClickCare, sees the evolution of demands of those living in senior living facilities from expecting basic housing to a desire for lifestyle choices, health services, and engagement in meaningful activities. On the facilities side, there is a shift from reactive to proactive care, where technology is used to monitor residents, identify behavioral changes, support clinical decision-making, and intervene early to prevent adverse events. In addition, the complexity of resident care is increasing, blurring the line between hospitality and healthcare and requiring greater care coordination and real-time updates for providers and family members.

Kristy explains, "We've seen a real shift within senior living, and this is sort of a passion of mine. Residents in senior living are not just looking for hospitality, a place to go, and a roof over their heads anymore. They want lifestyle. They want health, they want purpose in life, they want independence. So we've seen real shifts in acuity levels, which means complexity, care needs are shifting. And we're seeing families sort of wanting more transparency, real-time updates. COVID really shifted a lot of things post-2020, and senior living did not necessarily get past that."

"So they want to know that their loved one's not only safe, but they're also thriving, and they're receiving care. Residents want to know that someone's going to help coordinate their care and not just put them in an apartment and leave them alone. They're moving in for something that they need, some sort of help or something that is beyond what they can do in a community-type home. So the last thing I'll say here is that hospitality and healthcare have really become blurred in senior living since COVID. It's been a hot topic. We're seeing a lot more clinical services onsite and a lot more coordinated care happening. So the teams, the tools, all of that happening onsite within assisted independent memory care are now a necessity."

#PointClickCare ##SeniorLiving #HealthTech #AI #DigitalHealth #ElderCare #ResidentWellness #HealthcareInnovation #ProactiveCare #SeniorCare #PointClickCare #WellnessCoordination #HealthcareTransformation #AgingInPlace #ClinicalTechnology

pointclickcare.com

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Kristy Yoskey, VP and Market Leader at PointClickCare, sees the evolution of demands of those living in senior living facilities from expecting basic housing to a desire for lifestyle choices, health services, and engagement in meaningful activities. On the facilities side, there is a shift from reactive to proactive care, where technology is used to monitor residents, identify behavioral changes, support clinical decision-making, and intervene early to prevent adverse events. In addition, the complexity of resident care is increasing, blurring the line between hospitality and healthcare and requiring greater care coordination and real-time updates for providers and family members.

Kristy explains, "We've seen a real shift within senior living, and this is sort of a passion of mine. Residents in senior living are not just looking for hospitality, a place to go, and a roof over their heads anymore. They want lifestyle. They want health, they want purpose in life, they want independence. So we've seen real shifts in acuity levels, which means complexity, care needs are shifting. And we're seeing families sort of wanting more transparency, real-time updates. COVID really shifted a lot of things post-2020, and senior living did not necessarily get past that."

"So they want to know that their loved one's not only safe, but they're also thriving, and they're receiving care. Residents want to know that someone's going to help coordinate their care and not just put them in an apartment and leave them alone. They're moving in for something that they need, some sort of help or something that is beyond what they can do in a community-type home. So the last thing I'll say here is that hospitality and healthcare have really become blurred in senior living since COVID. It's been a hot topic. We're seeing a lot more clinical services onsite and a lot more coordinated care happening. So the teams, the tools, all of that happening onsite within assisted independent memory care are now a necessity."

#PointClickCare ##SeniorLiving #HealthTech #AI #DigitalHealth #ElderCare #ResidentWellness #HealthcareInnovation #ProactiveCare #SeniorCare #PointClickCare #WellnessCoordination #HealthcareTransformation #AgingInPlace #ClinicalTechnology

pointclickcare.com

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Sarah Smith, Qualitative Specialist and Global Behavioral Science Strategy Lead at Oracle Life Sciences, is focused on the critical role of behavioral science in improving recruitment and retention in clinical trials. Oracle Life Sciences is working to address historical underrepresentation in clinical trials by combining behavioral insights with integrated technologies to identify at-risk populations and understand barriers to participation. Using nudges to encourage trial participation, conducting decentralized trials, and applying AI to reshape patient engagement are strong tools for building trust and improving accessibility.

Sarah explains, "Behavioral science is about understanding behavior. It draws from a number of disciplines like psychology, anthropology, and behavioral economics. But what it tells us is that people aren't rational. They don't always do the things that we expect them to do. So if we want to engage people, if we want to engage them properly, if we want to ensure that all the things we do are equitable and have an equal playing field, then we need to really understand why people do the things they do and to try and help us make sense of that in a way that encompasses everybody."

"We see treatment and technology advancing, but there are many communities that aren't part of that still, that are underrepresented. Factors like gender, ethnicity, culture, conditions that carry a stigma, socioeconomic issues, and geographic limitations - all of these things can limit the opportunity, ability, and willingness of individuals to participate in clinical trials. And that means the impact of those trials is less generalizable because those people are not represented. They're just simply not there. So the treatment that is aimed at these people is not measured in those groups. Oracle is working to address this by combining a deeper understanding of behavior with integrated technology to try to close this gap in representation to give more inclusive patient-centered care that unifies clinical, behavioral, and safety data across settings. To give a more holistic view, to give more coordinated care, to identify risks earlier, to identify patients that perhaps just need a bit more attention - a more personalized engagement."

#OracleLifeSciences #lifesciences #ClinicalResearch #PatientCentricity #PatientEngagement #ClinicalTrials #Healthliteracy #BehavioralScience #HealthEquity #AI #Healthcare #Diversity #Inclusion #MedicalResearch #Innovation

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Sarah Smith, Qualitative Specialist and Global Behavioral Science Strategy Lead at Oracle Life Sciences, is focused on the critical role of behavioral science in improving recruitment and retention in clinical trials. Oracle Life Sciences is working to address historical underrepresentation in clinical trials by combining behavioral insights with integrated technologies to identify at-risk populations and understand barriers to participation. Using nudges to encourage trial participation, conducting decentralized trials, and applying AI to reshape patient engagement are strong tools for building trust and improving accessibility.

Sarah explains, "Behavioral science is about understanding behavior. It draws from a number of disciplines like psychology, anthropology, and behavioral economics. But what it tells us is that people aren't rational. They don't always do the things that we expect them to do. So if we want to engage people, if we want to engage them properly, if we want to ensure that all the things we do are equitable and have an equal playing field, then we need to really understand why people do the things they do and to try and help us make sense of that in a way that encompasses everybody."

"We see treatment and technology advancing, but there are many communities that aren't part of that still, that are underrepresented. Factors like gender, ethnicity, culture, conditions that carry a stigma, socioeconomic issues, and geographic limitations - all of these things can limit the opportunity, ability, and willingness of individuals to participate in clinical trials. And that means the impact of those trials is less generalizable because those people are not represented. They're just simply not there. So the treatment that is aimed at these people is not measured in those groups. Oracle is working to address this by combining a deeper understanding of behavior with integrated technology to try to close this gap in representation to give more inclusive patient-centered care that unifies clinical, behavioral, and safety data across settings. To give a more holistic view, to give more coordinated care, to identify risks earlier, to identify patients that perhaps just need a bit more attention - a more personalized engagement."

#OracleLifeSciences #lifesciences #ClinicalResearch #PatientCentricity #PatientEngagement #ClinicalTrials #Healthliteracy #BehavioralScience #HealthEquity #AI #Healthcare #Diversity #Inclusion #MedicalResearch #Innovation

Oracle.com/life-sciences

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Dr. Josh Eloge, Associate Director for the Woman's Board Treatment Research Center, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Rush University Medical Center, and Founder of Connected Neuroscience has a focus on treatment-resistant depression which is defined as depression that is not relieved by at least two first-line medications. Research has identified that TRD is associated with hyperactivity in a specific brain region, shifting attention from a chemical view of depression to a neurobiological one. Research on deep-brain stimulation and implantable technology is demonstrating neuromodulation and reductions in hyperactivity.

Josh explains, "So depression, kind of a low mood, is something that is universally experienced, right? It's part of the human condition to a certain extent. However, when a low mood persists for most of the time and is accompanied by problems with being able to enjoy things, disruptions in sleep, appetite, or even thoughts about life not being worth living, one might be experiencing something called a major depressive episode, part of a major depressive disorder. And this is a specific psychiatric disorder that requires attention. Frankly, there are poor outcomes associated with this. About one in five Americans will experience a major depressive episode at some time in their life, so it's a little bit more common than people might think, and there are some effective treatments. So in my work, both seeing patients and in the research that I do here at Rush, we're looking at major depressive episode and trying to think how can we best treat this disorder to get people back to being able to enjoy things that they like to do, being with their family, have meaningful work, these sorts of things."

"However, the research also shows that about a third of patients who try these different medications don't ultimately get the response that we are hoping for. And this has been termed treatment-resistant depression - when you try at least two of these first-line medications, but the symptoms are still present, and this is where a lot of the research that we've been working on in this specific population has been focused on."

#ConnectedNeuroscience #MentalHealth #Neuroscience #DeepBrainStimulation #TreatmentResistantDepression #MedicalResearch #Innovation #RushUniversity #BrainHealth #ClinicalTrials #Psychiatry #NeuroModulation #DBS #TRANSCENDstudy #TRD

connectedneuroscience.com

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Dr. Josh Eloge, Associate Director for the Woman's Board Treatment Research Center, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Rush University Medical Center, and Founder of Connected Neuroscience has a focus on treatment-resistant depression which is defined as depression that is not relieved by at least two first-line medications. Research has identified that TRD is associated with hyperactivity in a specific brain region, shifting attention from a chemical view of depression to a neurobiological one. Research on deep-brain stimulation and implantable technology is demonstrating neuromodulation and reductions in hyperactivity.

Josh explains, "So depression, kind of a low mood, is something that is universally experienced, right? It's part of the human condition to a certain extent. However, when a low mood persists for most of the time and is accompanied by problems with being able to enjoy things, disruptions in sleep, appetite, or even thoughts about life not being worth living, one might be experiencing something called a major depressive episode, part of a major depressive disorder. And this is a specific psychiatric disorder that requires attention. Frankly, there are poor outcomes associated with this. About one in five Americans will experience a major depressive episode at some time in their life, so it's a little bit more common than people might think, and there are some effective treatments. So in my work, both seeing patients and in the research that I do here at Rush, we're looking at major depressive episode and trying to think how can we best treat this disorder to get people back to being able to enjoy things that they like to do, being with their family, have meaningful work, these sorts of things."

"However, the research also shows that about a third of patients who try these different medications don't ultimately get the response that we are hoping for. And this has been termed treatment-resistant depression - when you try at least two of these first-line medications, but the symptoms are still present, and this is where a lot of the research that we've been working on in this specific population has been focused on."

#ConnectedNeuroscience #MentalHealth #Neuroscience #DeepBrainStimulation #TreatmentResistantDepression #MedicalResearch #Innovation #RushUniversity #BrainHealth #ClinicalTrials #Psychiatry #NeuroModulation #DBS #TRANSCENDstudy #TRD

connectedneuroscience.com

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Dr. Eugene Manley, biomedical scientist turned social impact leader and Founder and CEO of the STEMM & Cancer Health Equity Foundation, is focused on increasing STEMM workforce diversity and improving outcomes for underserved cancer patients. He highlights the lack of diversity in foundational lung cancer research and the need to expand the number of cell lines being included to develop more effective therapies. Eugene also raises concerns about barriers to clinical trial participation and the need to engage local community partners and AI to raise awareness and improve accessibility.

Eugene explains, "The SCHEQ Foundation, which is a short name for STEMM and Cancer Health Equity, is tasked with working to increase STEMM workforce diversity and improve outcomes for underserved patients navigating the cancer care continuum. This is done broadly through trying to increase STEMM access and exposure, mentorship and training programs to help students navigate career transitions, and providing information and resources to underserved patients to help them navigate and access the care they're entitled to."

"There are many paths into the medical field now. If you're trying to do particularly applied research or do things that directly impact patient outcomes, then yes, you might want to go more of a technical path. But as we mentioned, AI is the new thing on the block. It's a lot of looking at trends, variances, and differences in data, and then you can use that to predict how things may act or behave. However, the downside of this is that the data is often based on one population, one race, or ethnicity, which makes it harder to broadly generalize these results. So that's a lot of the challenges that we're seeing right now."

#SCHEQ #HealthEquity #STEMM #CancerResearch #DiversityInScience #BiomedicalResearch #ClinicalTrials #LungCancer #HealthDisparities #MedicalInnovation #SocialImpact #HealthcareAccess #PrecisionMedicine

scheq.org

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Dr. Eugene Manley, biomedical scientist turned social impact leader and Founder and CEO of the STEMM & Cancer Health Equity Foundation, is focused on increasing STEMM workforce diversity and improving outcomes for underserved cancer patients. He highlights the lack of diversity in foundational lung cancer research and the need to expand the number of cell lines being included to develop more effective therapies. Eugene also raises concerns about barriers to clinical trial participation and the need to engage local community partners and AI to raise awareness and improve accessibility.

Eugene explains, "The SCHEQ Foundation, which is a short name for STEMM and Cancer Health Equity, is tasked with working to increase STEMM workforce diversity and improve outcomes for underserved patients navigating the cancer care continuum. This is done broadly through trying to increase STEMM access and exposure, mentorship and training programs to help students navigate career transitions, and providing information and resources to underserved patients to help them navigate and access the care they're entitled to."

"There are many paths into the medical field now. If you're trying to do particularly applied research or do things that directly impact patient outcomes, then yes, you might want to go more of a technical path. But as we mentioned, AI is the new thing on the block. It's a lot of looking at trends, variances, and differences in data, and then you can use that to predict how things may act or behave. However, the downside of this is that the data is often based on one population, one race, or ethnicity, which makes it harder to broadly generalize these results. So that's a lot of the challenges that we're seeing right now."

#SCHEQ #HealthEquity #STEMM #CancerResearch #DiversityInScience #BiomedicalResearch #ClinicalTrials #LungCancer #HealthDisparities #MedicalInnovation #SocialImpact #HealthcareAccess #PrecisionMedicine

scheq.org

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