A person using a robotic exoskeleton walks with the assistance of a walker, smiling as they move along a pathway. Next to them, a person in a white lab coat is also smiling. They are outside a building with large windows and columns.

Restoring walking and sensation after paralysis is an ambitious goal. A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, Caltech and UC Irvine is now one step closer, testing a two-way brain-computer interface w/a wearable robotic exoskeleton. https://bit.ly/4trDrWv

A four-photo collage featuring honored Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Amy Lee, Andy McMahon and W. Martin Kast.

A four-photo collage featuring honored Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Amy Lee, Andy McMahon and W. Martin Kast.

A four-photo collage featuring honored Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Amy Lee, Andy McMahon and W. Martin Kast.

A four-photo collage featuring honored Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Amy Lee, Andy McMahon and W. Martin Kast.

Celebrating four Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers honored with 2026 faculty awards:

🔸 Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, PhD, MPH: health equity storytelling
🔸 Amy Lee, PhD: 45 yrs of cancer biology
🔸 Andy McMahon, PhD, FRS: founded USC Stem Cell
🔸 W. Martin Kast, PhD: defeating HPV cancers

A group of five people standing together outdoors, all making peace signs. They are positioned under a green umbrella with potted plants and brick walls in the background. Everyone is smiling and dressed in formal to semi‑formal attire.

“There are times when you’ll ask for change, and times when you’ll have to create it.”

Announcing a $2.3M gift from Allyson Felix to advance maternal health research, supporting @drfejzo.bsky.social work focusing on GDF15 to identify early risk. https://bit.ly/4toeUBF

#Pregnancy

Largest study of pregnancy sickness identifies new genetic drivers of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).

Led by @drfejzo.bsky.social, Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers expand on GDF15 findings, pointing to potential treatment pathways. https://bit.ly/4ejSbSu #Pregnancy

red indicates mouse embryonic stem cells and green indicates mouse epiblast stem cells. The two cell types were co-cultured under GSK3α inhibition and maintained their distinct identities.

Stem cell identity may be controlled by a shared checkpoint. Keck School of Medicine of USC and NIH researchers identify GSK3α as a regulator of differentiation, advancing regenerative medicine and cancer research. https://bit.ly/4cfZLuT

📷 Duo Wang/Ying Lab/USC Stem Cell

A group of people seated in a classroom, engaging in a discussion. A panel of four individuals sits at the front, with an audience facing them. A large monitor is mounted on the wall behind the panel.

A group of people is seated at tables. Two individuals at the front are engaged in conversation. The person on the left, wearing glasses and a blazer, is smiling with arms crossed. The person on the right, wearing a suit, holds a piece of paper. Water bottles and snacks are on the table. Audience members face them, listening attentively.

A group of students seated in a classroom, focusing attentively. The student in the foreground wears glasses and a light-colored shirt, holding a bag with papers on their lap. Other students are seated nearby with notebooks and water bottles on their desks.

Two individuals are seated at a table, attentively listening. In the foreground on the table, there is a mobile phone, an empty wrapper, and a coffee cup from OmniFuels. A cabinet and television are visible in the background.

Retired and former faculty sat down with M1 and M2 students at a Salerni Student Chapter panel to talk candidly about the realities of medical training, including the importance of well-being and support.

“If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, talk to someone. You don’t have to carry it alone.”

Woman smiling at the camera wearing a white lab coat with short brown hair.

Man wearing a white lab coat smiling at the camera with silver hair

Man wearing a white lab coat looking at the camera with silver hair

Woman with glasses and shoulder length brown hair in a white lab coat smiling at the camera

Paula Cannon, PhD, Alan Epstein, MD, PhD, Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, and Bodour Salhia, PhD, have been named 2026 NAI Senior Members for innovations spanning gene therapy, antibody technologies, precision oncology, and liquid biopsy diagnostics. → https://bit.ly/4tBZf1q

#CancerResearch #Science 🧪

A group of people standing and smiling in a well-lit room. They are dressed in business casual attire, and several are wearing name tags. There is a table with papers in the foreground. The background is plain, enhancing the focus on the group.

A conference room with round tables and people seated, engaging in discussion. A large screen displays the "Keck School of Medicine" logo. The tables are decorated with floral centerpieces, and the room has a neutral color scheme.

A woman in a pink blazer being handed a sweater by a woman in a yellow blazer. Four other people are standing next to them on stage holding gift sweaters as well

Dean's POV 📸 Staff award selfies✌️

Proud to celebrate the dedicated staff who power our mission every day. Your excellence, collaboration, and commitment to our community make everything we do possible.

A tranquil beach scene at the Salton Sea, featuring a white sandy shore with scattered rocks and calm blue water under a partly cloudy sky. Mountains are faintly visible in the distance.

Children living near California’s Salton Sea are showing slower lung development. A USC study of nearly 500 children links dust exposure from the drying lakebed to reduced lung function growth, with potential lasting health effects. #PublicHealth https://bit.ly/4c4Nyca

A visualization of the complex data networks that power AI4AD2, where AI is used to connect brain scans, genetics, and other biological data to better understand Alzheimer’s disease.

Keck School of Medicine of USC in Los Angeles is advancing Alzheimer’s disease research with a $30.7M NIH investment to expand AI-driven analysis of brain imaging, genetics, and multi-omics data. https://bit.ly/4tvwALv


📷 Stevens INI

Three people smiling at the camera, the man in the middle is holding a chair statue

Man standing at podium with flowers in the front

Two individuals are standing indoors, holding an award together. One is handing the award to the other. There is a floral arrangement in the background on a counter, and the environment appears to be a warmly lit event space or reception area.

A group of people sitting around a long dining table adorned with white flowers and place settings. They are looking towards a speaker at the end of the table. Above the speaker, a large, colorful 3D brain model is projected on a screen. Text on the screen reads "USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute" and "USC Keck School of Medicine.

Paul Thompson, PhD, has been installed as the inaugural Popovich Chair in Neurodegenerative Diseases at Keck School of Medicine of USC, recognizing his global impact on brain research and work spanning disciplines from ophthalmology to computational biology.

📷:Stevens INI/USC

Back of head of Dean Carolyn Meltzer, MD, as she looks over the crowd of students on Match Day 2026

Dean’s POV 📸 On Match Day, our graduating class took their next step toward changing lives. As Dean, moments like these are why I love what I do. Congratulations, Keck School of Medicine Class of 2026!

Two people sit closely at a table, looking at a photo album together. One has an arm around the other. In the foreground, there is a bowl of fruit. The setting appears warm and supportive.

95% of people with Down syndrome develop Alzheimer's by 40, yet historically they've been excluded from clinical trials. A gift from the Linda and Mike Mussallem Foundation to Epstein ATRI is changing that. Study led by Dr. Michael Rafii → https://bit.ly/3Q2BJMj

#MedSky

photo of baby looking into the camera, over the shoulder of woman looking at a doctor off screen. baby looks sweet but worried

Mohamed Abou-el-Enein, MD, PhD, at @keck.usc.edu secured up to $6.8M to build UNICORN — an AI-driven framework advancing gene therapy for rare pediatric diseases. Groundbreaking research, right here in Los Angeles. Read more → https://bit.ly/4rSPpXu

A person is holding a red sign that reads, "Keck School of Medicine of USC, I MATCHED! 2026" with blank spaces labeled "Specialty" and "Program." The background shows a building with the Keck School of Medicine logo. The hashtag "#KSOMMatch2026" is visible on the sign.

Match Day 2026 is here! Today, Keck School of Medicine medical students find out which residency program they matched into and we are here for every single moment. #KSOMMatch2026.

Watch the livestream: https://bit.ly/3PmsQwS

An individual in a white coat works at a desk with two computer monitors displaying medical charts and eye-related data. The setting appears to be a medical office, with a sign reading "EXAM 22" in the background.

Keck School of Medicine of USC medical student Ryan Shean, mentored by Benjamin Xu, MD, PhD (USC Roski Eye Institute), is testing AI for glaucoma diagnosis. Early findings show “performance has approached that of specialists.” https://bit.ly/4uwUQhp

Two researchers in white lab coats and blue medical gloves looking at a slide in a stem cell lab

Dean's POV 📸 Introducing the Center for #StemCell Engineering in the Doheny Building, a collaboration between @USCStemCell and @USCViterbi Biomedical Engineering. It will engineer cells and tissues and advance tools in physiology, omics, computation, AI, and machine learning. https://bit.ly/4qnDd1e

@uscini.bsky.socialstudy finds early Alzheimer’s brain markers differ across racial and ethnic groups. Results highlight need for more inclusive #AlzheimersResearch for all communities. https://bit.ly/3PzpkPG

Video/Stevens INI. Blue = lower tau levels, red = higher tau levels

Thanks for sharing the incredible work of @crumplab.bsky.social #StemCell

A digital illustration showing a human liver with a focus on fat accumulation, depicted as yellow globules within a partially translucent organ against a dark, smoky blue background.

New USC study: cardiometabolic risk factors hit women's livers harder than men's. High waist circumference linked to 11-fold increase in liver fibrosis in women vs fourfold in men. This is among the first studies to examine how sex differences shape that risk. https://bit.ly/4aYP7JD

A person stands at a clear podium, speaking into a microphone. Behind them is a building with a large sign reading "Keck School of Medicine of USC."

The image shows a close-up of a map of Southern California with multiple colored pins marking various locations. Each pin is attached to a label with names such as "Emma Marie Longo," "Alison Acloang Engelo," and "Ethan Collete Kong." The pins cluster around areas including Los Angeles and San Diego.

A speaker stands at a podium addressing a large outdoor audience on a sunny day. The crowd is seated on a paved area with some standing near the back. Two people are visible to the left, observing the event. Tall trees and multi-story buildings are in the background.

Dean's POV 📸 Match Day is almost here.

Every year I look forward to Match Day because it is the accumulation of all the hard work our students have put into their training. This year's event is on March 20th, and it will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel. Good luck! #KSOMMatch2026

A group of people are gathered for a photo in a room. They are wearing casual clothes and lanyards, with some seated and others standing. visible in the background is a banner featuring a sunburst design.

Four people are standing in front of a banner that reads "Los Angeles Brain Bee" and includes the UCLA Brain Research Institute logo. One person is holding a certificate. They are all smiling, and the setting appears to be indoors with a wooden wall in the background.

A group of people are seated in a conference room, facing a panel of speakers at the front. An American flag is visible near the speakers. The room has large windows with curtains and a ceiling with lights and a projector.

A group of people gathers outside a building near a board labeled "Language." Towers and trees are visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

The LA Brain Bee brought together students, families, and educators for a celebration of neuroscience and academic curiosity. Hosted by Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute (ZNI) and UCLA Brain Research Institute, it highlighted the incredible talent of high school scholars across the region.

A group of five people stands together smiling against a bright pink background. One person holds a small spine model, and another holds a laptop with visible stickers. They are making peace signs with their hands.

What does a 3D-printed spine have to do with art? Ask @summerin3d.bsky.social PhD, @@virtuallyjon.bsky.social, PhD, Edgar Arceneaux, USC President Beong-Soo Kim, and Shri Narayanan, all together at USC's Arts + Health Symposium "Radiology Live" panel.

Dean’s POV 📸 Our researchers are #1.

The Keck School of Medicine ranks #1 in NIH funding per investigator in the '25 Blue Ridge rankings, a testament to the incredible research happening across our departments. So proud of this incredible accomplishment.

The image is a promotional graphic from the Keck School of Medicine of USC. It features a large yellow circle with the text "#1" and the words "We're #1 in NIH Funding per Investigator" next to it. The top right corner reads "Igniting Discovery."

We're #1 🥇

The FY'25 Blue Ridge rankings are out and we are #1 in @NIH funding per investigator!

Top-10 departments for NIH funding in their fields:

# 1 Population and Public Health Sciences
# 5 Neurology
#5 Ophthalmology
#5 Physiology and Neuroscience
#7 Orthopaedics

#MedSky

Headshot of woman wearing a navy blazer, pring shirt, and necklace. She is smiling at the camera.

Congratulations are in order 🎉 Donna Elliott, MD, EdD, the Keck School of Medicine’s vice dean for medical education and professor and chair of the Department of Medical Education, has been named Chair-Elect of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). #MedSky

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk Related News USC study finds new evidence linking dementia to problems with the brain’s waste clearance system January 7, 2025 Pioneering study targets Alzheimer’s disease risk factors among Californi...

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk, according to new research from USC's Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute. https://bit.ly/4s9jXVC

(Photo/Stevens INI)

Dean's POV 📸 Can we prevent Alzheimer's disease within the next 10 years? I believe we can.

At USC, using the power of our 5 Alzheimer's institutes, we imagine a day when a routine blood test detects Alzheimer’s disease decades before symptoms appear.

A collage of hip joint models and 3D printed pelvic structures is displayed. The upper left shows a series of colored anatomical images, highlighting the pelvic bone in different angles. To the right, a white 3D printed pelvis is placed on a light surface. The bottom right features another printed pelvis model with metal components beside it.

3D printing didn't just support this surgery. It made it possible.

Thanks to the incredible collaboration between Nathanael Heckmann, MD, @summerin3d.bsky.social & @virtuallyjon.bsky.social, a patient who came to @keckmedicineusc.bsky.social to repair a previously failed hip surgery can walk again.

A group of smiling people is gathered outdoors on a paved area with trees in bloom. They are in front of the Keck School of Medicine of USC building.

A group of four people standing outside on a paved area with trees and a building in the background. They are smiling and appear casually dressed. Two of them are holding water bottles, and one has a lanyard with an ID.

A group of five people standing on a campus pathway in front of a building with the sign "Museo." They are smiling, holding snacks, and appear relaxed. Trees and other people are visible in the background.

Today, our Class of 2028 medical education students are launching into their clerkship phase. They will be integrated into clinical teams, caring for real patients, and exploring the core clerkships. We are excited to see them flourish. Join us in cheering them on ⬇️