Lori Lerner, MD, associate professor of urology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, is the recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Contribution Award from the American Urological Association (AUA).

Lerner, who also is chief of urology and deputy chief of surgical service at the VA Boston Healthcare System, received this honor for advancing novel surgical technologies and education related to benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as BPH. Each year, the AUA honors the contributions of physician researchers and educators to the field of medicine, the specialty of urology, and the AUA.

A new study published in Addiction has identified genetic factors that influence both a person’s risk of developing an addiction and their educational attainment. Researchers found that some genetic variants affect both traits in opposite directions, meaning that a higher genetic risk for addiction is associated with an increased likelihood of lower educational attainment.

The American College of Cardiology is launching an early cardiovascular disease prevention education program to honor the contributions of Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC, and his lifelong commitment to establishing a culture of prevention in children. The Fuster Prevention Forum is an in-person educational course that will teach clinicians effective ways to educate children, parents and educators in their communities on nutrition, physical activity and emotional well-being.

Smoking, vaping and dabbing — the process of vaporizing highly potent cannabis concentrates at extremely high temperatures — all were associated with any past two-week binge drinking occurrence.