Science And Public Health

Today in Cell, we published new research showing how AI can help accelerate cancer discovery. With GigaTIME, we can now simulate spatial proteomics from routine pathology slides, enabling population-scale analysis of tumor microenvironments across dozens of cancer types and hundreds of subtypes.   Developed in partnership with Providence and the University of Washington, our hope is that this work helps scientists move faster from data to insight, revealing new links between genetic mutations, immune activity, and clinical outcomes, and ultimately improving health for people everywhere. https://lnkd.in/dSpPdtzz

🌍 NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in collaboration with data from the World Meteorological Organization, merges satellite observations, advanced models, and immense computing power to monitor aerosols in our atmosphere. These tiny, invisible solid or liquid particles — including black carbon (orange/red), sea salt (cyan), dust (magenta), and sulfates (green) — travel vast distances, affecting air quality, human health, climate, and visibility far from their source. 🔹 In South America, black carbon from wildfires burning in the Amazon rainforest drifts across the continent. 🔹 Over the Atlantic, massive plumes of dust from Northern Africa journey westward toward the Americas, influencing ecosystems, weather, and even hurricane formation. This striking visualization, powered by NASA’s Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model and informed by WMO’s authoritative climate data, delivers realistic, high-resolution weather and aerosol insights. These data streams fuel #AI innovation and help provide customized environmental predictions — critical tools for #climateresilience and disaster preparedness #EW4ALL. ➡ A reminder: Every particle tells a story about the planet’s interconnected systems — and our shared responsibility to protect them

Racial Bias in Medicine Episode 3: Lung Function Tests and Race In medicine, there is a device called the spirometer that incorrectly assumed that all Black and Asian people innately had lower lung capacity when compared to White people. Race-specific adjustments required test results from Black patients to be lower —in some cases by 15%— than those from White patients of the same sex, height, and age to be interpreted as abnormal. Last year, in May 2023, the American Thoracic Society recommended a race-neutral approach to interpreting spirometry. And a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2024 showed how more Black patients would have qualified for different disease classifications, occupational eligibility, disability payments, and more had the race adjustment not existed. I’ve been rebooting my racial bias in medicine series with updates! Make sure to follow along for more.

For decades, we’ve been told “we need to save the planet”. But the truth is, the planet will be fine. Over billions of years it’s weathered asteroid impacts, ice ages, and mass extinctions at a scale we can hardly imagine. What’s at stake now is something far more fragile: us. That’s the message at the heart of a new Lancet article which argues that as the climate warms and ecosystems falter, we are no longer facing a purely environmental crisis, but a full-scale public health emergency. Environmental breakdown is no longer altering only forests, coastlines, and deserts. It is disrupting the very foundations of human health and wellbeing: our bodies. The true costs of planetary breakdown are not found in charts. They are found in neonatal units and cancer registries, in stolen potential, and in the quiet grief of families facing wholly preventable illnesses and deaths. Recognising that human and planetary health are inseparable should not just sharpen our sense of urgency, it must fundamentally reshape how we govern, invest, and lead. For the last 150 years, we have been dismantling the very foundations of prosperity and doing so in the name of prosperity itself. There was a time where we could feign ignorance, but that time has long passed. The science is clear. The risks are measurable. The costs are already being paid in hospital admissions, in economic disruption, and in the slow erosion of public trust. What remains in doubt is not the data, but whether those in power are prepared to govern in accordance with the world as it is, not as it once was.

Brain health is the next frontier of healthcare, and we don’t have to wait for a miracle drug. The breakthrough at our fingertips, which is scalable and available to everyone, is applying what we already know: that daily behaviors can improve our brain health, and making small daily changes can transform what’s possible for our brain now and decades from now. Here’s what the science makes clear: Food: The brain is the hungriest, thirstiest organ in the body. It makes up just 2% of body weight, but requires 20% of your body’s primary fuel. Movement: Exercise — even low-intensity movement — is a powerful counterbalance for slowing cognitive decline. Sleep: Sleep functions as a kind of cleaning cycle for the brain, filtering out harmful proteins connected to Alzheimer's. Stress management: Over the long term, cortisol can kill neurons and shrink brain regions, especially those connected to learning, memory and decision-making. Connection: The human brain rewards us for connection and punishes us for isolation. I write about this in my latest piece for TIME: https://lnkd.in/dh5YuP68

We’ve all had some experience of struggles with mental health. Maybe you’ve stood by a loved one in a time of need. Maybe you’ve been through tough moments yourself. Too often, illness is only half the challenge, with people forced to wait too long and fight too hard to get the help they need. The simple fact is that mental health services haven’t kept pace with rising demand. The result is a system that waits to step in only when someone reaches crisis, leaving their family under unbearable strain and piling more pressure on our NHS. This needs to change. Today, we’re announcing a major expansion of NHS mental health services so people can get help earlier and closer to home. This includes 100 new community mental health centres, where people with severe needs can walk in without a referral and get support without waiting months. In addition, we’re setting up 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments, giving people in crisis fast, same-day specialist care. Community-led, community-based support is an approach we used to great effect in Greater Manchester. These services will make it much easier for people to get the right support, at the right time, in the right place. Mental health specialists will work alongside GPs, councils, charities and families, and provide direct links to housing and employment support. The first of these new facilities will open their doors and offer their help later this year. We know there’s a profound mental health crisis impacting younger generations. There are those who are quick to criticise young people today, but that’s never been my way. Our country’s future depends on them – and they will have this government’s support. The overwhelming majority of the one million young people not in education, employment or training want the chance to build their future. But poor mental health, combined with a system that can’t keep up, robs them of that opportunity. These new NHS facilities will help get lives moving again. When I spoke outside Downing Street on day one of the job, I promised we’d help people live well. I said we’d invest in success, rather than pay for failure. This is what that promise looks like. And to everyone who’s struggling with their mental health today: don’t give up hope. Help is out there and more is on the way.

Pandemics don't start in hospitals. They often start in forests. Neil Vora, MD of Conservation International has spent decades on the frontlines of public health—fighting Ebola, rabies, and leading New York City’s COVID response. But what he wants you to know is this: We can prevent outbreaks before they happen. And it starts with protecting nature. Here are three key insights from Vora’s work: 1/ Deforestation fuels disease. ↳ When we cut down forests, we create new pathways for viruses to jump from wildlife to humans. ↳ Loss of biodiversity leaves behind species that thrive near humans—often the ones carrying harmful pathogens. ↳ Stressed animals, displaced from their habitats, are more likely to get sick and transmit disease. 2/ Prevention beats reaction. ↳ Investing in nature conservation—like protecting and reforesting key ecosystems—reduces spillover risk. ↳ Prevention is more equitable. Outbreak responses often fail to reach the most vulnerable, but stopping them at the source protects everyone. ↳ Brazil’s efforts in the 2000s to curb Amazon deforestation cut rates by 70%, showing that solutions are possible. 3/ One Health is the way forward. ↳ The health of people, animals, and the environment are interconnected. ↳ Indigenous communities have understood this for centuries—science is finally catching up. ↳ Tackling climate change, improving livestock practices, and ending illegal wildlife trade are critical steps. "The tragedy is not a lack of solutions—it's the lack of will to implement them," says Vora. Protecting forests and wildlife isn’t just about biodiversity—it’s about preventing the next pandemic. And the good news? We already know what works. Vora made these points during a conversation with Mike DiGirolamo. You can listen to it here: https://lnkd.in/g3CMhGVq 📷 Rainforest on Madagascar's Masoala Peninsula. By me.

Antibiotics have saved billions of lives. They are one of the most powerful medical discoveries in history. But their power is at risk. Antimicrobial resistance (#AMR) is rising fast. It could cause up to 10 million deaths annually by 2050. And yet, it has been over 50 years since a novel chemical class of antibiotic was approved for the life-threatening infections at the top of the World Health Organization's priority list. Why? Because developing new antibiotics is one of the toughest challenges in science. There are reasons: ➡️ Bacteria evolve rapidly, developing resistance through multiple mechanisms. ➡️ Bacteria and human cells share many biological processes, making it hard to target them without harming human cells. ➡️ Their outer membrane blocks many compounds, making drug design incredibly complex. It’s not just science though. It’s also economics. Developing antibiotics involves enormous investment and high risk. Without the right incentives, innovation stalls. At Roche, we are committed to addressing all these challenges. We continue to invest in antibiotics R&D. One of our candidates for a novel antibiotic is now entering phase III — the final stage of clinical development. And there is even more: We’re also advancing diagnostics in this area — to ensure we use the right antibiotic, for the right patient, at the right time. Fighting antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and it is more important than ever. #AntimicrobialResistance #Innovation #AMR

What If Wearables Could Save More Lives Than Surgeons? This visionary report from Deloitte, Google and The Royal Society reimagines the NHS in 2035, not as a treatment machine, but as a prevention-first, AI-powered, people-centered system. Here comes the knowledge scoop: ✅ From treatment to protection Tackling chronic diseases before they escalate—via early detection, coaching, and smart nudges. ✅ Personalized prevention at scale Genomics + AI + wearables = tailored health plans from birth to old age. ✅ “Clinician in your pocket” AI companions that explain your health data, guide decisions, and book checkups. ✅ Everyday spaces as health hubs Supermarkets, schools, and pharmacies evolve into community prevention centers. ✅ Smart, healthy workplaces Stress sensors + AI = early intervention, better wellbeing, less burnout. ✅ A whole-ecosystem approach Beyond the NHS—educators, startups, non-profits, local govs, and you. 💰 But here’s the challenge: How do we incentivize prevention in a system built—and paid—for treatment? 💡 5 structural shifts to flip the model: 1️⃣ Value-Based Payments: Reward outcomes, not procedures. 2️⃣ Ring-Fenced Prevention Budgets: Protect funding from acute-care demands. 3️⃣ Tax Incentives for Healthier Behavior 4️⃣ Digital Vouchers for Preventative Tools 5️⃣ Rewards for Ethical Data Sharing 🔄 But real change doesn’t only start at the top, it starts with all of us. Here are 5 simple ideas anyone can put into action today: 🌱 1. Track one health metric daily Use your phone or wearable to monitor steps, sleep, or heart rate—consistency builds awareness. 📚 2. Make health literacy a family habit Read one article or watch a video together on mental health, nutrition, or preventive care. 📅 3. Schedule screenings before symptoms Don’t wait. Book that check-up, blood pressure test, or vaccination now—proactive beats reactive. 🛒 4. Vote with your wallet Support workplaces, brands, and services that prioritize community wellbeing and healthy environments. 🤝 5. Talk prevention with others Whether in schools, workplaces or online—normalize conversations about staying well, not just treating illness. 💬 This is more than a policy document, it’s a mindset shift. It’s about reshaping our relationship with health before it becomes illness. What’s your favorite personal prevention habit? Or: What would help you make healthier choices easier?

While scientific knowledge in the early Middle Ages stagnated across much of the Western world, the Middle East flourished with intellectual and medical breakthroughs. The Islamic Golden Age generated important advances in #neuroscience that laid the foundation for both Islamic and European medical thought for centuries. Ibn Sina (Avicenna, 980–1037 CE) was a Persian polymath whose most famous work, “The Canon of Medicine,” was a comprehensive medical encyclopedia written in the early 11th century. He described the structure of the #brain in detail, dividing it into three “ventricles,” which he believed had distinct functions: 👉 The front part of the brain was involved in receiving sensory information. 👉 The middle part was assigned to imaginative and associative functions, helping the brain to integrate and process sensory input. 👉 The back ventricle was responsible for #memory storage. Although this division isn’t accurate by modern standards, the idea of compartmentalisation of brain functions was innovative. Indeed, the idea was not widely accepted within the scientific community until the ground-breaking studies of Paul Broca in the mid-19th century. In addition, Ibn Sina’s work revealed insight into how disruptions in brain function could lead to cognitive or emotional problems. He described several mental and neurological conditions, including: 👉 Epilepsy, which he identified as a brain disorder, countering earlier ideas that it was caused by supernatural forces. 👉 Stroke, which he correctly recognised as a blockage of blood flow to the brain. 👉 Depression (or “melancholia”), which he associated with an imbalance of bodily humours. While his explanation was rooted in ancient theories, he acknowledged the brain’s central role in emotional and mental states. He proposed a holistic view of health, suggesting that psychological states and emotions could affect physical health. For example, he suggested that stress, emotions, and mental states could impact both mental and physical well-being. This was a revolutionary change relative to thinking at the time. Finally, Ibn Sina linked his medical theories of the brain with philosophical questions about the soul and intellect. He argued for the brain’s role in reason, memory, and cognition but distinguished between the material processes of the brain and the immaterial nature of the intellect, predating Descartes’ similar arguments by 600 years. Ibn Sina’s insights into the brain influenced European and Islamic medicine for centuries after his death. They helped transition medical thought from purely superstitious and religious explanations of mental and neurological conditions to more scientific approaches. His work bridged the gap between ancient Greek thought and later Renaissance medicine and laid the groundwork for what would eventually become neuroscience. What other historical figures do you think deserve more attention that they typically receive? Please do share!