News from the Baylor Ecosystem
BCM faculty, clinicians, researchers, and staff are advancing medicine and changing the ways we deliver and access care. Here we feature an array of information channels to keep you up to date with the latest advancements from the BCM community, including:
- Momentum, which spans health news, medical education updates, healthcare, community, and events around BCM
- From the Labs, which spotlights new and innovative bench science from BCM researchers.
- The Stitch, which shares the expertise of researchers and clinicians in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery as well as the voices of patients who have undergone surgery and found healing.
- PolicyWise, which explores the full spectrum of health and science policy, from public health to emerging biotechnologies.
- BCM News, which features the headlines-making accomplishments of researchers, faculty, and staff from across BCM.
- Progress Notes, which shares students' stories from the clinics, their thoughts on medicine and healthcare, and stories from the frontlines of research.
- BCM Family, which helps you catch up on news from Baylor College of Medicine posted on the BCM Family newsletter online.
Featured News
How Larval Fruit Fly Brains Convert Sensory Signals to Movement
Researchers have created the first complete connectome of a larval fruit fly brain, mapping all 3,016 neurons and 548,000 synapses. This detailed wiring diagram reveals how sensory inputs are processed and transformed into movement, offering insights into fundamental neural circuits.
AI reveals how protein modifications link mutations to disease
BCM researchers have developed an AI model called DeepMVP, which predicts how genetic mutations affect post-translational modifications in proteins, linking these changes to diseases like cancer, heart conditions, and neurological disorders. The model outperforms previous tools and offers a new avenue for understanding disease mechanisms and developing targeted therapies.
What everyone should know about colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer thrives in silence—BCM’s Dr. Punam Amin dispels myths and urges screening beginning at age 45 (or earlier for high-risk individuals), highlighting the role of colonoscopy and lifestyle changes in prevention and early detection.
Control-Alt-Delete: Why data integrity matters in medicine
During National Suicide Prevention Month, BCM highlights the importance of reducing stigma, checking in with loved ones, and starting conversations that can save lives—especially given the heightened suicide risk among medical professionals and students. Resources like the 988 crisis line and NAMI’s toolkit are emphasized as vital supports.
Researchers uncover a new player mediating metformin’s anti-diabetic action
BCM researchers have uncovered that metformin’s blood sugar–lowering effects also involve the brain—specifically by inhibiting Rap1 in the ventromedial hypothalamus—revealing a previously unrecognized central nervous system pathway that opens up new treatment possibilities.
Silent but Deadly: Chagas Disease and the Rise of A Tropical Illness in the RGV
Momentum highlights the increasing risk of Chagas disease in the Rio Grande Valley—where warm climate, poor housing, and local “kissing bug” vectors contribute to continued transmission in humans, dogs, and wildlife—stressing the need for heightened awareness and physician vigilance.