A new AI model designs peptides (short proteins) that are targeted by enzymes called proteases, which are overactive in cancer cells. Nanoparticles coated with these peptides can act as sensors that signal if cancer-linked proteases are present in the body.

In a world-first, a team of researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, has successfully performed a coronary artery bypass — a normally open-heart surgery — without cutting the chest wall. The team employed a novel intervention to prevent the blockage of a vital coronary artery, which is a very rare but often lethal complication following a heart-valve replacement. The results suggest that, in the future, a less traumatic alternative to open-heart surgery could become widely available for those at risk of coronary artery obstruction.

January 6, 2026 – The American Pediatric Society (APS) is pleased to announce that Vanderbilt University School of Medicine has been selected as the host institution for the newly reinstated APS Howland Visiting Professor Program. This program serves as an extension of the prestigious APS John Howland Award, the highest honor bestowed by APS in recognition of distinguished leadership and contributions to academic pediatrics.