Cancer Research Spotlights Innovation

Illustration shows the connections between medical interventions and the human body.

Inova grants foster cutting-edge studies with power to transform care  When potentially deadly melanoma spreads, growing numbers of patients are offered immunotherapy to unleash the immune system’s power to kill cancer cells. But only some cancer patients respond to immunotherapy — perplexing doctors hoping to rein in the threat.  Now Inova scientists are among the…

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How Cardiovascular Genetic Testing Makes a Difference

mom, dad and son holding a family photo

Inova helps one family manage gene-influenced heart disease For decades, Stephen Aldo, now 62, was diagnosed with an “insignificant” heart murmur — nothing serious enough to affect his career with the United States Marine Corps. However, while stationed in Japan in 1984, a routine physical uncovered a disease that ultimately ended his military career. Stephen…

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NPR Visits Inova to Document Infant-Health Research Study

nurse swabbing a newborn baby

Inova’s vaginal seeding study featured on NPR’s Morning Edition NPR’s Morning Edition has profiled the groundbreaking vaginal seeding study at Inova Women’s Hospital that aims to discover if babies born by C-section will benefit from a swab of their mother’s microbes. The article explains how vaginal seeding “was developed in response to the sharp rise…

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Improving the Infant Microbiome: New Inova Study Leads the Way

Suchitra K. Hourigan, MD, is board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric gastroenterology. She sees patients at Pediatric Specialists of Virginia, a medical collaboration between Inova and Children’s National. Newborn babies inherit a lot from their mothers — including beneficial bacteria that can influence their health for years to come. The human body is home to trillions…

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For babies born by Caesarean section, can a simple swab reduce rates of obesity, asthma and allergies?

newborn grasping adult finger

Inova clinical trial investigates outcomes of exposing newborns to mother’s microbes While Caesarean section (CS) delivery can be lifesaving for both new mothers and their babies, children born by CS have an approximately 50 percent increased risk of childhood obesity, along with asthma and allergies. There is a marked difference between the microbiomes, the community…

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Genetic testing & counseling helped guide this breast cancer patient’s journey

Family Matters Genetic testing and counseling help guide a Northern Virginia wife and mother’s decisions about her breast cancer treatment When Nicole Sharabi, 42, tested positive last year for stage 3, triple-negative breast cancer, she was ready to take action. But before beginning any medical treatment, Nicole underwent genetic testing. “I wanted as much information…

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The Importance of Infants’ Exposure to Micro-Organisms, New York Times

Many studies have strongly suggested that the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit the human body influence our current and future health and may account for the rising incidence of several serious medical conditions now plaguing Americans, young and old. Dr. Suchitra Hourigan, a pediatric gastroenterologist and director of the Inova Translational Medicine Institute in Falls…

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C-Suite Awards: Aaron Black, Inova Translational Medicine Institute, Washington Business Journal

On the surface, the goals of personalized medicine, widely considered the future of medicine, are quite clear. Put patients into groups based on their genomic makeup, give doctors an edge in identifying potential threats, and shift from reactive to preventive treatment.  But collecting and analyzing the data that drives this industry is inherently complex, and Aaron…

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Immunotherapy: Cancer Care Gets Customized

Timothy L. Cannon, MD, is board certified in medical oncology and hematology, and has a special interest in managing gastrointestinal cancers. Dr. Cannon is the clinical director and moderator of Inova’s weekly molecular tumor board, which matches patients with targeted therapies based on molecular diagnostics.      Tiffani A. DeMarco, MS, CGC, is a board-certified…

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