8 billion people: Four ways climate change and population growth combine to threaten public health, with global consequences

The human population has doubled in 48 years, and worsening climate change has left the world facing serious health risks, from infectious diseases to hunger and heat stress.

Maureen Lichtveld, Dean of the School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Nov. 10, 2022 ~9 min

Nanosensors target enzymes to monitor and study cancer

By analyzing enzyme activity at the organism, tissue, and cellular scales, new sensors could provide new tools to clinicians and cancer researchers.

Bendta Schroeder | Erika Reinfeld | Koch Institute • mit
Nov. 2, 2022 ~8 min


With over-the-counter birth control pills likely to be approved, pharmacists and pharmacies could play an ever-increasing role in reproductive health care

Some states already allow pharmacists to provide birth control to patients with a prescription. But FDA approval of an over-the-counter birth control pill could greatly expand access.

Marian Jarlenski, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences • conversation
Oct. 28, 2022 ~8 min

MIT engineers develop sensors for face masks that help gauge fit

The system measures biological and environmental changes, and detects contact between the mask and the wearer’s skin.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Oct. 20, 2022 ~7 min

MIT system “sees” the inner structure of the body during physical rehab

A system for monitoring motion and muscle engagement could aid the elderly and athletes during unsupervised physical rehabilitation for injuries or impaired mobility.

Rachel Gordon | MIT CSAIL • mit
Oct. 11, 2022 ~8 min

Study finds the risks of sharing health care data are low

Greater availability of de-identified patient health data would enable better treatments and diagnostics, the researchers say.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Oct. 6, 2022 ~7 min

Neurodegenerative disease can progress in newly identified patterns

A machine-learning method finds patterns of health decline in ALS, informing future clinical trial designs and mechanism discovery. The technique also extends to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Lauren Hinkel | MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab • mit
Sept. 27, 2022 ~10 min

Nope, telemedicine doesn’t limit access to care

"For patients, the message is clear and reassuring: Telemedicine is an effective and efficient way of receiving many kinds of health care."

Jim Miller-Rochester • futurity
Sept. 22, 2022 ~6 min


In-home wireless device tracks disease progression in Parkinson’s patients

By continuously monitoring a patient’s gait speed, the system can assess the condition’s severity between visits to the doctor’s office.

Adam Zewe | MIT News Office • mit
Sept. 21, 2022 ~9 min

Artificial intelligence model can detect Parkinson’s from breathing patterns

An MIT-developed device with the appearance of a Wi-Fi router uses a neural network to discern the presence and severity of one of the fastest-growing neurological diseases in the world.

Alex Ouyang | Abdul Latif Jameel Clinic for Machine Learning in Health • mit
Aug. 22, 2022 ~6 min

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