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July 22, 2026

UCSD, IGI Partnership Expands CRISPR Innovation Across Health, Agriculture, and the Environment

California may be known as the Golden State, but it may well be referred to as the Genome Editing state after this week’s announcement of an inter-state partnership. The University of California (UC), San Diego, and the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), founded by Nobel laureate and CRISPR gene editing co-discoverer Jennifer Doudna, announced a new partnership to jointly develop cutting-edge genomic tools for addressing large-scale challenges in health and the environment.

Doudna founded the IGI in 2015 with the aim of translating the success of gene editing in the lab into practical solutions for large societal problems. Initially formed as a partnership between UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco with a focus on using CRISPR in human health, the IGI expanded to include sustainable agriculture and climate change applications of genome editing, adding UC Davis as a partner. UC San Diego is joining as the IGI’s fourth UC partner campus, combining research strengths in environmental and marine science, engineering and computer science, and biomedical and life sciences to develop the next generation of genome-editing tools and applications.

“I’m thrilled that the IGI is now partnering with UC San Diego,” said Doudna. “The mission of the IGI is to develop solutions that can not only scale to meet the biggest challenges in health and climate, but to make solutions that are accessible to those who need them most. UC San Diego helps us expand that real-world impact.”

An artistic depiction of a jumbo phage infecting a bacterium.
[Margot Riggi]

The relationship between UC San Diego and IGI research labs has been building over the past decade. For several years, the IGI has been collaborating with UC San Diego researchers Joe Pogliano, PhD, professor in the Department of Molecular Biology, and Kit Pogliano, PhD, dean and professor in the School of Biological Sciences, on applied microbiology projects. They have worked with UC Berkeley-based labs on developing new therapies focusing on “jumbo phage” for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections as well as a novel defense strategy against viral infections.

In 2023, UC San Diego researchers were awarded $10 million by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to explore the biomedical promise of jumbo phage as therapeutic agents. Also in 2023, the IGI received a $70 million gift through the Audacious Project to develop microbiome-editing tools and apply them to problems caused by microbes and microbiome imbalances, including livestock methane emissions and inflammatory diseases like asthma. Other areas of the effort focus on developing more efficient tools for genome editing across a wide breadth of microorganisms to expand the impact of this technology.

In the environmental arena, UC San Diego researchers have worked closely with UC Berkeley labs since 2018 to develop tools for combatting crop pests, managing disease-carrying mosquito populations, and developing safe protocols for environmental applications of genomic technologies.

“UC San Diego brings exceptional strengths across biological sciences, medicine, engineering, computation, environmental research, and ocean science that align powerfully with the IGI’s mission,” said Pogliano.

In addition to the current collaborations, IGI’s executive director Brad Ringeisen foresees multiple areas of synergy: “UC San Diego’s strengths in engineering, medical devices, environmental research, and the microbiome complement IGI’s current research areas, and allow us to expand our societal impact in new ways,” he said.

New joint projects of particular interest include interdisciplinary programs designed to bolster the climate resilience of our oceans and soils through innovative scalable solutions, and combining UC Berkeley’s biotechnology discovery engine with UC San Diego’s biomedical research and health system to improve the drug discovery pipeline for rapid translation across areas like antimicrobial resistance and neurodegenerative disease.

The post UCSD, IGI Partnership Expands CRISPR Innovation Across Health, Agriculture, and the Environment appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.

July 21, 2026

Diagnostic Discrimination of BOKE STARS, a Bimodal Continuous Performance Test, for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment in Chinese Children: Single-Center Case-Control Study

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 6.3% of Chinese children, but only 10% are diagnosed, as diagnosis is hindered by low awareness and lack of culturally adapted, objective tools. Existing continuous performance tests are unimodal and lack validity. Objective: This study aimed to conduct an initial evaluation of the diagnostic discrimination of BOKE STARS (Sustained Task and Attention Response Screening), a culturally adapted bimodal continuous performance test, for distinguishing children with ADHD from typically developing children in a Chinese clinical setting. Methods: In this prospective, single-center diagnostic accuracy study with a case-control design, 100 children aged 6 to 12 years (n=50 with ADHD and n=50 controls) were recruited at Xinhua Hospital between January and May 2024. Parents completed the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale–fourth version (SNAP-IV), and children completed the BOKE STARS assessment on a tablet device under standardized conditions. Group comparisons were conducted using independent-sample 2-tailed tests or Mann-Whitney tests, as appropriate. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed in the full case-control sample to assess diagnostic discrimination. Sensitivity and specificity were reported descriptively across ROC-derived cutoffs; these cutoffs were not interpreted as clinically validated diagnostic thresholds. Secondary exploratory analyses included comparisons among ADHD subtypes and correlations between BOKE STARS indices and parent-reported SNAP-IV symptom severity scores. Results: Compared with controls, children with ADHD performed significantly worse on all major BOKE STARS indices, including errors of omission, errors of commission, reaction time, reaction time variability (RTV), discrimination prime, and total score. In the full case-control sample, the total score showed the strongest diagnostic discrimination (area under the ROC curve [AUC] 0.962, 95% CI 0.931-0.992), followed by RTV (AUC 0.919, 95% CI 0.867-0.971), errors of omission (AUC 0.884, 95% CI 0.818-0.950), and discrimination prime (AUC 0.819, 95% CI 0.737-0.900). Errors of commission (AUC 0.689, 95% CI 0.585-0.792) and reaction time (AUC 0.634, 95% CI 0.524-0.743) showed comparatively weaker discrimination. No significant differences were observed among ADHD subtypes. Several BOKE STARS indices were modestly correlated with SNAP-IV inattention and hyperactivity or impulsivity scores. Conclusions: BOKE STARS showed promising preliminary diagnostic discrimination for identifying Chinese children with ADHD in this case-control sample, with the total score and RTV showing the strongest discriminatory performance. However, because the case-control design artificially fixed the ratio of ADHD cases to controls, diagnostic performance estimates and exploratory cutoffs should be interpreted cautiously and should not be considered representative of real-world clinical diagnostic performance. BOKE STARS may serve as an adjunctive assessment tool to complement clinical interviews and caregiver-reported rating scales, but further external validation in larger and clinically heterogeneous populations is required before broader clinical implementation.
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July 21, 2026

Clinical Decision Support for Digital Dietary Counseling Under GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy: Convergent Mixed Methods Usability and Treatment Satisfaction Pilot Study of the Personalized Nutrition Advisor

Background: Dietary counseling is an essential complement to the growing use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) to achieve sustainable weight loss. Diverse patient needs, the demand for ongoing support, and limited resources underscore the potential of using digital support tools. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the usability, treatment satisfaction, and weight effects of a personalized nutrition advisor (PNA), a prototype decision-support tool designed to facilitate personalized weight management counseling. Methods: We assessed usability, treatment satisfaction, and weight effects of a web-based PNA prototype dashboard designed to help dietitians deliver personalized remote dietary counseling in overweight adults (BMI ≥28 kg/m² at pharmacotherapy initiation) who had achieved ≥5% weight loss with GLP-1 RA therapy over 12-weeks. The PNA dashboard generated tailored nutritional recommendations to help participants achieve personalized weight loss goals based on an energy balance model that estimated daily caloric intake and nutritional quality using frequent body weight measurements, dietary logs, and physical activity data from a lifestyle-tracking app. To evaluate the PNA’s usability, we used a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach, combining a validated quantitative usability survey and qualitative focus-group interviews and feedback questionnaires with both dietitians and patients, alongside patient-reported satisfaction metrics for PNA-guided consultations (treatment satisfaction, general self-efficacy, and perceived health impact). Thematic analysis with a hybrid deductive-inductive methodology was applied to qualitative data, using 4 a priori themes derived from this study’s conceptual framework regarding prior expectations, perceived utility and satisfaction, usability challenges, and suggestions for clinical integration. Percent weight loss during the intervention was assessed as an exploratory outcome. Results: Among 78 participants (58/78, 74% women), on GLP-1 RA (mean weight loss of −13.3%, SD 6.7%, after 10, SD 5, months of treatment), between 3 and 5 remote nutrition consultations were delivered with PNA support. After the 3-month intervention period, weight loss was sustained in all participants (−0.2%, SD 2.5%), with 21% (16/78) suspending the GLP-1 RA due to drug shortages. Dietitians rated the PNA’s usability as moderate (62%) on the Healthcare Systems Usability Scale. Patients evaluated the perceived health impact of the PNA-assisted consultations at 19.1 (SD 3.5) of 25 on the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale. No significant differences were observed in patient-reported treatment satisfaction (=.78) or self-efficacy (=.57) before and after PNA-assisted care. Qualitative analysis identified convergence with quantitative findings across themes of usability, treatment satisfaction, and clinical integration, with divergence observed for self-efficacy and tracking motivation. Both patients and dietitians found the PNA valuable for generating actionable nutritional insights. Conclusions: While effective implementation of tools such as the PNA prototype demands dietitian training and workflow integration, they offer scalable, personalized nutrition or lifestyle guidance—as a therapeutic decision-support tool within weight loss interventions, with or without adjunct GLP-1 RA pharmacotherapy. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05997771; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05997771
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July 21, 2026

Medtech CDMO Aptyx names new CEO

Aptyx has promoted CFO David Price to the role of CEO effective immediately, succeeding former Aptyx CEO Gregg Tobin. Price joined the Tempe, Arizona-based medical device contract development and manufacturing organization as CFO in 2025 and is “the right leader to build on Aptyx’s strong foundation and accelerate the company’s continued growth,” said John Pless,…

The post Medtech CDMO Aptyx names new CEO appeared first on Medical Design and Outsourcing.

July 21, 2026

Medline to open new distribution facility in California

Medline (Nasdaq:MDLN) announced today that it plans to open a new distribution facility in Perris, California. The approximately 1-million-square-foot facility marks the latest expansion to the company’s distribution network, following a buildout in Texas earlier this year. Northfield, Illinois-based Medline says it adds capacity and operational flexibility to support healthcare providers across the state. The…

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July 21, 2026

Inside the first-of-its-kind Enable Injections enFuse drug delivery wearable

When Sanofi won FDA approval in July 2026 for the first anticancer treatment administered with an on-body injector (OBI), the Enable Injections enFuse platform made it possible. The enFuse OBI secured its initial combination product FDA approval in 2023 for adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a rare blood disorder. That milestone made enFuse the “first…

The post Inside the first-of-its-kind Enable Injections enFuse drug delivery wearable appeared first on Medical Design and Outsourcing.

July 21, 2026

How to Secure a Medical Device You Can’t Patch

By Joseph M. Saunders, Founder and CEO, RunSafe Security A medical device cleared today may stay in clinical service for 15 years or more, but the software inside it does not always age well. New vulnerabilities get discovered, open source components fall out of date, and attack techniques keep improving. Frontier AI tools now make…

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July 21, 2026

A Network Visualization Query System for Multidrug Compatibility Based on a WeChat Mini Program: Preliminary Usability and Efficiency Evaluation

Background: Intravenous drug incompatibility is a significant medication safety hazard, particularly in complex multidrug regimens. Traditional text-based, pairwise query methods are inefficient and impose a substantial cognitive load on clinicians. While network visualization has the potential to address these challenges, its application in drug compatibility queries remains underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to design, develop, and evaluate a novel drug compatibility query system based on a WeChat Mini Program. The system integrates diverse data sources and uses network visualization to present complex compatibility relationships. We sought to empirically assess its impact on efficiency and user experience. Methods: A preliminary crossover usability and efficiency evaluation was conducted. Phase 1 involved the construction of a drug compatibility knowledge base from authoritative handbooks and drug labels, and the development of the query system. Phase 2 comprised a system evaluation with 36 pharmacists, 6 physicians, and 5 nurses. The evaluation included a scenario-based task completion time analysis comparing the system (Mode A) with traditional print-based resources (Mode B), a quality assessment using the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS), and structured posttask user feedback to gather insights on user experience. Results: The query system demonstrated a substantial reduction in task completion time, with median time savings of 2.85 (IQR 1.98‐4.15) minutes, 5.45 (IQR 3.95‐7.20) minutes, and 31.2 (IQR 27.5‐35.1) minutes, respectively, in 3 scenarios with different complexity. The system received a high mean overall quality score of 3.88 (SD 0.35) on the MARS. The functionality dimension scored the highest (mean 4.21, SD 0.51), while engagement scored the lowest (mean 3.21, SD 0.62). Posttask structured feedback revealed five major areas of user feedback: (1) baseline experience and first impressions, (2) user experience with network visualization, (3) perceived efficiency and cognitive load, (4) trust and information quality, and (5) future application considerations. Users praised the system’s efficiency and intuitive design but expressed a strong need for transparent data sources and management advice to build trust. Conclusions: A query system based on network visualization demonstrates potential to support the efficiency of multidrug compatibility queries within this preliminary evaluation. It may mitigate cognitive load and offer an at-a-glance understanding of complex drug relationships. However, formal clinical accuracy validation remains a mandatory precondition before bedside clinical deployment is considered.
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July 21, 2026

Beyond Teleconsultation: Exploring the Role of Mobile Health Technologies in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive, multisystem disease requiring long-term monitoring of respiratory, cardiac, and functional status. Advances in care have extended survival, increasing the need for continuous, coordinated management. In parallel, digital health technologies have enabled remote monitoring and data collection outside traditional clinical settings. This Viewpoint examines the role of device-based remote monitoring in DMD and argues that it should be understood as an emerging multisystem digital surveillance framework rather than a collection of isolated technologies. This Viewpoint is based on a synthesis of published literature on device-based remote monitoring and digital health technologies in DMD and experiences at our center. The aim was to outline the current clinical and technological landscape and support an interpretive perspective. Device-based monitoring in DMD encompasses a range of technologies, including home spirometry, ventilator-integrated telemonitoring, wearable activity sensors, cardiac rhythm monitoring, and interactive rehabilitation systems. These approaches enable longitudinal assessment of physiological and functional parameters in real-world settings. However, the current evidence base is heterogeneous and largely limited to feasibility studies, small cohorts, and extrapolated data. While data acquisition is technically feasible and increasingly available, integration into clinical workflows remains constrained by the lack of validated digital biomarkers, standardized monitoring frameworks, and interoperable data systems. Remote monitoring in DMD is evolving toward a connected, multisystem model of disease surveillance. Its clinical impact will depend on the validation of digital end points, development of decision support frameworks, and integration into multidisciplinary care pathways. Bridging the gap between data generation and clinical decision-making remains a key priority for future research and implementation. These findings support a shift from isolated technologies toward a coordinated, clinically integrated model of multisystem care in DMD.
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