Beth Newcomb

USC Annenberg Media reports that USC professor Duke Han is co-leading a $39 million NIH-funded initiative to develop an accessible, open-source digital platform for detecting Alzheimer’s-related brain changes earlier. The initiative aims to democratize cognitive assessments currently held behind proprietary tools. USC Leonard Davis faculty member Michelle Keller is also quoted in the story, emphasizing how earlier detection via public tools may enable timely interventions and improve equitable access to cognitive health care. “When we are allowing people to identify potential cognitive decline earlier, it means we can intervene earlier, ” she said.

Chosun Biz quoted Caleb Finch’s commentary in eLife on new findings in naked mole rats that show negligible aging, or no increase in mortality risk with advancing years. “This is the first confirmation of a mammal whose mortality risk does not increase with age,” Finch said.

The Good Men Project quoted Eunyoung Choi about how heat negatively affects your body at a cellular level. “The physical toll of heat might not show up right away as a diagnosable health condition, but could be taking a silent toll at the cellular or molecular level of our body,” Choi said.

Career Ahead Online references the USC Leonard Davis School’s Master of Science in Applied Technology and Aging (MSATA) program as a model preparing professionals for evolving roles at the intersection of aging, senior care, and technology.

NewsBreak featured an article on species that seem to defy aging. The article references work by Caleb Finch exploring “negligible senescence” and mechanisms that enable these organisms to maintain biological function far longer than typical.

Medscape discusses new concerns around polypharmacy in midlife and the risks posed by taking five or more medications. USC Leonard Davis School faculty member Michelle Keller is quoted as recommending that physicians regularly review patients’ full medication lists—including over-the-counter supplements—to identify prescriptions that may no longer be necessary.

Country & Townhouse discusses “The Longevity Diet,” the nutrition plan developed by Valter Longo of the USC Leonard Davis School, explaining its foundations in plant-based eating, periodic fasting, and lifestyle practices shown to support healthspan and reduce disease risk.

MedCentral quoted Mireille Jacobson regarding a study that found that men with dementia experience higher mortality rates and increased healthcare utilization compared to women. “While the results are very intriguing, I think more analysis is needed to assess whether these results are attributable to differences in unobserved factors, such as disease severity, or inadequately controlled factors, such as comorbid conditions, between men and women, or whether there is truly a sex difference in mortality after a dementia diagnosis,” she said.