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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion: Science is Utah's quiet engine — don't stall it with cuts to important funding
Science quietly powers Utah's prosperity. From lifesaving diagnostics at ARUP Laboratories and cutting-edge biotech startups to clean energy research at Utah State and drought-resistant crops developed through university partnerships, science is behind much of what makes life in Utah better, longer and more secure. In 2024, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded over $300 million to Utah institutions. That funding supported thousands of jobs, helped launch companies, and enabled groundbreaking research in everything from cancer treatments to Alzheimer's to rare disease therapies. Public health advances that benefit every Utahn — urban or rural — almost always begin through federally funded research. But now, that progress is in jeopardy. Proposed cuts and restrictions to NIH funding could have devastating effects on Utah's research institutions and economy. The plan to slash NIH's overall budget by nearly half, coupled with a proposal to reduce the indirect cost reimbursement to universities from around 50% to 15%, would mean far less money to cover the real costs of doing science. Basics like lab space, utilities, data storage and administrative support aren't luxuries — they're the infrastructure that makes research possible. For public universities like the University of Utah and Utah State, this isn't just a budget concern. It's a structural threat. Without adequate indirect cost support, universities would either have to drastically scale back research activity or shift the financial burden to students and state taxpayers. Both options would weaken Utah's competitive edge in science and technology. The consequences would ripple far beyond campus. Utah is known for its 'Industry' motto — a title that honors the resourcefulness and hard work that built our communities. Today, that industrious spirit thrives in our biotech labs, clean tech startups and health research centers. But industries can't thrive without innovation. Utah's life sciences sector depends on a steady pipeline of NIH-supported talent and discoveries emerging from research. Companies like Recursion, Myriad Genetics and BioFire Diagnostics thrive because of academic partnerships and access to skilled graduates. Pulling funding would slow innovation and shrink the talent pool. But it's not just about economics. It's about people. NIH funding supports clinical trials that help Utah families battling cancer. It funds suicide prevention programs in our schools, mental health outreach in rural counties, and pediatric care innovations at Primary Children's Hospital (PCH). It supports research for Native American communities and families dealing with chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma. Without that funding, many of these programs would disappear. I've seen the impact of public health investment firsthand. After I tested positive for latent tuberculosis as a student, I received free weekly treatment and health monitoring through the Utah County Health Department. It was science-backed care, delivered through a local system supported by federal resources. Without that treatment, I could have developed active tuberculosis — a threat not just to me but also to others. The system worked because it was built on scientific research and proactive policy. That kind of safety net doesn't happen without sustained funding. Furthermore, my nephew, Wesley, was cared for at PCH when he was just four months old. He was diagnosed with polyarteritis nodosa, a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and damage to the heart. The NIH not only funds various programs at PCH but also was crucial to backing the science that led to properly diagnosing and saving Wesley. These cuts hurt the next generation. Graduate students and early career scientists — many of whom come from Utah — rely on federal research grants to get their start. If funding dries up, so do those opportunities. We risk losing promising young minds to other careers or other countries. This is not a partisan issue. Scientific progress should never be about politics. Every Utahn benefits from the medications they take, the clean water they drink, the safe food they eat and the medical care they receive. All of these are underpinned by science. Restricting it weakens our shared safety net and quality of life. Utah is built on hard work, innovation and foresight. Cutting science funding now would undermine the very foundation that allows us to adapt, compete and care for our communities. Science works for Utah — let's keep it that way.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
U.S. has most measles cases since 2019's record wave
The U.S. now has more measles cases than were recorded in all of 2024, making the early tally of 2025 second only to the 2019 record tally in recent history. While most of the cases are part of the Texas outbreak, cases have now been confirmed in 14 states: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont and Washington. The count includes only confirmed cases, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which notes probable cases in other jurisdictions. Two children have died, one with measles as the official cause of death and the other as a probable cause of death that's under investigation. In both cases, measles was confirmed. Thursday, Utah pathologist Dr. Ben Bradley, medical director of virology of Salt Lake City-based ARUP Laboratories, on a national briefing warned that the full effect of measles might not be seen for years, as a rare complication can appear even a decade after someone apparently recovers from the virus. Bradley is also an assistant professor in the pathology department at the University of Utah. The briefing sponsored by the College of American Pathologists, is titled "Measles Re-emergence and How it Becomes Deadly." Measles was officially eradicated in the U.S. in the year 2000, thanks in large part to 'strong public health programs bother nationally and in the states' that contributed to controlling the highly infectious virus," said Dr. Donald Karcher, president of the college and a professor at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC., during the briefing. Bradley noted a potential for serious complications in the form of either severe pneumonia that leads to respiratory failure and death, or acute encephalitis, where inflammation in the brain can be deadly. He said that the virus can infect children and wipe out their immune system's antibodies against previous illnesses, which some call 'immune amnesia.' Said Bradley, 'They get lower antibodies against previous infections.' And their immune systems can be weak for longer than just during the acute infection period, too. The other complication, which as noted is very rare, is called sub acute sclerosing panencephalitis or SSP, which he described as 'a progressive degenerative neurological condition that is uniformly fatal. Because it can happen about 10 years after the virus infection, that means 'the virus is no longer present in the person's system but is still causing severe disease at a community level." He also noted that babies are vulnerable to measles because they are too little to have vaccines. 'What I want to stress is this isn't just a one-time respiratory illness that comes and goes. There are many downstream implications from this infection both to the individual and to the community,' said Bradley. Bradley said even well-vaccinated communities will have pockets that aren't immune. 'You know when you have a large population and a very diverse population, there's risk that you can have that kind of tinderbox effect where someone comes in and causes big spread within a community.' He noted that vitamin A can be a supportive measure that can diminish mortality in children with measles, but does not prevent measles infection. And self-dosing can be dangerous, as well, because too much is toxic. The CDC surveillance count Friday reported that more than a third of the cases this year involve children younger than 5, while 42% were children ages 5 to 19. In 21% of cases, the person with measles is 20 or older. And i 3% cases, age is not known. Fifty of the 301 people with measles this year have been hospitalized; the age group with highest hospitalization are those under 5 years of age (27%). CDC reported that the majority of the 2025 measles cases involve people who either were have not received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine or with unknown vaccination status. Three percent received one dose of the vaccine and 2% received both MMR vaccine doses. The vaccine is considered at least 95% effective at preventing someone from getting measles.
Associated Press
11-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Pramana and ARUP Laboratories Partner to Digitize Pathology Slides and Develop AI-Powered Hematopathology Algorithms for Deployment via Edge AI
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. & SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 11, 2025-- Pramana, Inc., an AI-enabled health tech company modernizing the pathology sector, and ARUP Laboratories, the largest nonprofit clinical and academic reference laboratory in the United States, announced a collaboration to digitize pathology slides and develop AI-powered algorithms to improve the assessment of bone marrow biopsies and address other key diagnostic challenges in hematopathology. The partnership combines ARUP's hematopathology expertise with Pramana's cutting-edge SpectralHT autonomous whole-slide imaging scanners to advance diagnostic precision and efficiency. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 'Hematopathology involves highly complex and difficult-to-scan specimens, where traditional methods often fall short in delivering consistent and reproducible results,' said David Ng, MD, medical director of Hematologic Flow Cytometry and Applied Artificial Intelligence at ARUP Laboratories. 'By combining our deep clinical expertise with Pramana's large-scale digitization and AI-driven analysis, we have the ability to develop and clinically validate new AI algorithms that will improve diagnostic accuracy and workflow efficiency. Additionally, this collaboration lays the foundation for the broad distribution of these AI tools, ensuring greater accessibility and impact across the pathology community.' The AI model development process will be led by ARUP, drawing on its expert hematopathologists and annotation tools to train, refine, and validate the algorithms using real-world clinical cases and pathology slides obtained for this purpose. These algorithms will be designed and tested to run efficiently on Pramana's SpectralHT scanners, demonstrating the viability of in-line edge computing for real-time AI-powered diagnostics. ARUP and Pramana will explore commercialization strategies to enable the seamless deployment and distribution of advanced diagnostic algorithms per regulatory standards, which will run efficiently on scanners and drive broader industry adoption in clinical diagnostics. 'This collaboration with ARUP Laboratories showcases how AI-driven pathology can redefine industry standards, making diagnostics more scalable, efficient, and interoperable,' said Prasanth Perugupalli, chief product officer at Pramana. 'By leveraging edge computing, we're accelerating the adoption of advanced diagnostic algorithms, including those for complex hematopathology cases. This approach enhances precision, removes scalability barriers, and seamlessly integrates AI-driven insights into lab workflows.' Pramana's SpectralHT scanners feature in-line Edge AI computing, allowing real-time quality control and automated image processing. This streamlined workflow reduces the burden on lab personnel while ensuring high-quality data output. The SpectralHT scanners' volumetric imaging capabilities improve image quality and detail while enhancing scanning efficiency, even for the most challenging diagnostic slides, such as microbiology, hematopathology, parasitology, and cytology. The ongoing partnership between ARUP Laboratories and Pramana underscores a broader commitment to digitization and AI-driven pathology advancements, signaling the potential for deeper integration and expanded initiatives, including clinical applications. About Pramana, Inc. Pramana, Inc., an AI-powered health tech company modernizing the pathology sector, enables seamless digital adoption by pathology labs and medical centers. Built upon extensive industry experience and patented technological innovation, Pramana is a gateway for pathologists and physicians to utilize AI-enabled decision support. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., and backed by Matrix Capital, a global leader in customized investment solutions, and NTTVC, a leading firm backing diverse founders within the technology spectrum. For more information, visit About ARUP Laboratories Founded in 1984, ARUP Laboratories is a leading national reference laboratory and a nonprofit enterprise of the University of Utah's Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and its Department of Pathology. ARUP offers more than 3,000 tests and test combinations, ranging from routine screening tests to esoteric molecular and genetic assays. In addition, ARUP is a worldwide leader in innovative laboratory research and development, led by the efforts of the ARUP Institute for Research and Innovation in Diagnostic and Precision Medicine™. ARUP is ISO 15189 and CAP accredited. For more information, visit Pramana: Andrea Sampson, Sampson PR Group [email protected]: Bonnie Stray KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA UTAH MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY MEDICAL DEVICES HEALTH TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE BIOTECHNOLOGY HEALTH SCIENCE ONCOLOGY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Pramana Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/11/2025 08:10 AM/DISC: 03/11/2025 08:09 AM
