In The News: Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV

Managed Healthcare Executive

An immunotherapy produced complete remission in more than 60% of patients with advanced squamous cell skin cancer, according to a new study showing better outcomes than previously reported in clinical trials. The research, published in Cancers, followed 36 patients in a community practice setting who received Libtayo (cemiplimab), Regeneron’s checkpoint inhibitor that blocks the PD-1 pathway. Led by Tina Fung, a medical student at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the study found more than 61% of patients achieved complete remission, while about 28% experienced partial responses.

Alzforum

BACE1, aka β-secretase, is infamous for its fateful snip of amyloid precursor protein that leads to the production of Aβ peptides. Yet this might not be the only way BACE1 eggs on Alzheimer’s pathogenesis. According to a study published February 26 in Neuron, the enzyme also cleaves protein subunits off GABAAR, a receptor that transmits inhibitory currents responsible for reining in neuronal activity.

KTNV-TV: ABC 13

Your next meal at home or in a restaurant might come with an unintended ingredient that could make you sick, they're called microplastics. Joshua Khorsandi is a first-year medical student at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine. He's focused on raising awareness about these tiny particles and their long-term health effects.

Nevada Business

Dr. Marc J. Kahn, Dean: “My finest moment was watching our first class graduate. Seeing 60 students, 30 percent of whom are first generation college students, receive their MD degrees was truly an inspiration and something I’ll never forget.”

KSNV-TV: News 3

Health officials in West Texas are urging the community to remain vigilant following the death of a child from complications related to measles amid an outbreak in the area.

KSNV-TV: News 3

Mounting research over the last few years has found microplastics in nearly every organ in the body, as well as in the bloodstream and in plaque that clogs arteries.

KNPR News

Twenty-five years ago, Clark County had a population of 1.4 million but no medical school. The lone medical school was in Washoe County, which had four times fewer people. But today, four schools in Southern Nevada offer medical doctorates.

KLAS-TV: 8 News Now

Doctor Jeffrey Cummings is world-renowned in the field of Alzheimer’s research and he leads UNLV’s Center for Transformative Neuroscience. He and six other scientists published research Wednesday that looked at the potential existing drugs have for the research and treatment of Alzheimer’s, for example, drugs like rasagiline for Parkinson’s or bexarotene for cancer. It’s called repurposing.

KSNV-TV: News 3

Researchers say public health warnings are essential to avoiding further harm as online searches for gambling addiction surge. It's all happening as the number of states with legalized sports betting has expanded in recent years, prompting a need for more public health awareness.

PlasticsToday

Plastic cutting boards are now on the enemies list of some legislators in Nevada. A feature article in today’s Las Vegas Sun recounts the crusade of a medical student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to push state lawmakers to ban the use of plastic cutting boards in places that serve food. The reason? The plastic cutting boards could release microplastics into your dinner.

KSNV-TV: News 3

The flu just doesn't seem to be letting up as people are calling out of work and school to deal with the virus that's particularly worse during the winter. The more people are indoors, the more the flu spreads.

Las Vegas Sun

When Joshua Khorsandi moved to Las Vegas last year to start at UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, he noticed many restaurants using plastic cutting boards to prepare food.