A robot trained on videos of surgeries performed a lengthy phase of a gallbladder removal without human help. The robot operated for the first time on a lifelike patient, and during the operation, responded to and learned from voice commands from the team—like a novice surgeon working with a mentor.
The robot performed unflappably across trials and with the expertise of a skilled human surgeon, even during unexpected scenarios typical in real-life medical emergencies.
The work, led by Johns Hopkins University researchers, is a transformative advancement in surgical robotics, where robots can perform with both mechanical precision and human-like adaptability and understanding.
Going forward, AI has the potential to help balance needs across regions, ensuring care delivery doesn’t compromise chronic or long-term care in the face of emergencies.
Ethical Considerations And Systemic Impact
While AI holds significant promise in healthcare, its implementation must be approached thoughtfully. Challenges such as bias in training data, lack of interoperability and concerns around patient consent and data privacy (particularly under HIPAA) need to be proactively addressed. Effective deployment of AI requires close collaboration between policymakers, clinicians and technologists to establish standards that ensure equitable and inclusive outcomes.
Last month, Japanese startup foundry Rapidus began prototyping 2-nanometer gate-all-around (GAA) transistors at its new facility, a key step toward ramping up its first production in 2027.
The foundry, which aims to compete with TSMC and Samsung in leading-edge chips for AI, said in a press statement that in about three years, it has reached target milestones, including the fab groundbreaking in September 2023, clean room completion in 2024, and, in June this year, the installation of production equipment.
Rapidus and TSMC are two chipmakers that the Japanese government is relying on to revive the nation’s declining semiconductor industry. Rapidus, if successful, will make leading-edge 2-nm chips for companies like IBM. TSMC is producing 12-to 28-nanometer chips for image sensors and automotive applications at its base in Kumamoto, Japan.
Tesla, led by its innovative and dynamic leadership, is poised for massive growth and has surpassed Apple, which has lost its edge due to poor management and a lack of innovation, in areas such as autonomous vehicles and tech innovation.
Questions to inspire discussion.
Tesla’s Innovation Strategy. 🚀 Q: How does Tesla’s vertical integration contribute to its innovation? A: Tesla’s vertical integration enables it to control the entire product stack, from raw materials to software and service, allowing for tight feedback loops, cost reduction, and rapid iteration in product development.
In the study, the researchers also explored how the accelerated maturation of later-born inhibitory neurons is regulated. They identified specific genes involved in this process and uncovered how they control when and to what extent a cell reads and uses different parts of its genetic code. They found that the faster development of later-born inhibitory neurons turns out to be linked to changes in the developmental potential of the precursor cells that generate them—changes which are, in turn, triggered by a reorganization of the so-called ‘chromatin landscape.’
In simple terms, this means that cells adjust the accessibility of certain regions of DNA in the cell nucleus, making key instructions on how and when to develop more readable.
The human brain is made up of billions of nerve cells, or neurons, that communicate with each other in vast, interconnected networks. For the brain to function reliably, there needs to be a fine balance between two types of signals: Excitatory neurons that pass on information and increase activity, and inhibitory neurons that limit activity and prevent other neurons from becoming too active or firing out of control. This balance between excitation and inhibition is essential for a healthy, stable brain.
Inhibitory neurons are generated during brain development through the division of progenitor cells – immature cells not yet specialized but already on the path to becoming neurons. The new study uncovered a surprising feature of brain development based on findings in mice: During this essential process, cells born later in development mature much more quickly than those produced earlier.
“This faster growth helps later-born neurons catch up to those produced earlier, so that by the time all these neurons are incorporated into neural networks, they are at a similar stage of development,” said a research group leader. “This is important, as otherwise, earlier-born neurons—having had more time to form connections—could end up with far more synaptic links than those created later. Without this adjustment, the network could be thrown off balance, and individual cells would have too many or too few connections.”
Brian Kennedy is a renowned biologist, leader in aging research, & director of the Center for Healthy Longevity at the National University of Singapore. In this episode, Brian shares insights from ongoing human aging studies, including clinical trials of rapamycin & how dosing strategies, timing, & exercise may influence outcomes. He presents two key models of aging—one as a linear accumulation of biological decline & the other as an exponential rise in mortality risk—& explains why traditional models of aging fall short. He also explains why most current aging biomarkers lack clinical utility & describes how his team is working to develop a more actionable biological clock. Additional topics include the potential of compounds like alpha-ketoglutarate, urolithin A, & NAD boosters, along with how lifestyle interventions—such as VO2 max training, strength building, & the use of GLP-1 & SGLT2 drugs—may contribute to longer, healthier lives.
0:00:00-Intro. 0:01:15-Brian’s journey from the Buck Institute to Singapore, & the global evolution of aging research. 0:09:12-Rethinking the biology of aging. 0:14:13-How inflammation & mTOR signaling may play a central, causal role in aging. 0:18:00-Biological role of mTOR in aging, & the potential of rapamycin to slow aging & enhance immune resilience. 0:23:32-Aging as a linear decline in resilience overlaid with non-linear health fluctuations. 0:36:03-Speculating on the future of longevity: slowing biological aging through noise reduction & reprogramming. 0:42:18-The role of the epigenome in aging, & the limits of methylation clocks. 0:47:14-Balancing the quest for immortality with the urgent need to improve late-life healthspan. 0:52:16-Comparing the big 4 chronic diseases: which are the most inevitable & modifiable? 0:57:27-Exploring potential benefits of rapamycin: how Brian is testing this & other interventions in humans. 1:09:14-Testing alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) for healthspan benefits in aging [1:01:45]; 1:13:41-Exploring urolithin A’s potential to enhance mitochondrial health, reduce frailty, & slow aging. 1:17:35-Potential of sublingual NAD for longevity. 1:26:50-Other interventions that may promote longevity: spermidine, 17 HRT, & more. 1:34:33-Biological aging clocks, clinical biomarkers, & a new path to proactive longevity care. 1:45:01-Evaluating rapamycin, metformin, & GLP-1s for longevity in healthy individuals. 1:51:19-Why muscle, strength, & fitness are the strongest predictors of healthspan. 1:53:37-Why combining too many longevity interventions may backfire. 1:56:06-How AI integration could accelerate breakthroughs in aging research. 2:02:07-Need to balance innovation with safety in longevity clinics. 2:10:50-Peter’s reflections on emerging interventions & the promise of combining proven aging compounds.
——- About:
The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, & all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, & much more.
Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan & simultaneously improving their healthspan.
