Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 3h

Read more about how DBMI built the Wall of Software and why it’s important for the research community: news.cuanschutz.edu/dbmi/wall-of...

CU Anschutz Makes Research Tools Available Worldwide

The Department of Biomedical Informatics at CU Anschutz presents the Wall of Software: a growing gallery of open-source tools that support medical research

news.cuanschutz.edu

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 3h

Here’s why it matters: these tools prevent researchers from reinventing the wheel, build collaboration and amplify research impact.

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 3h

As of now, there are 24 tools that live on the wall, ranging from sustainable software guides to advanced correlation tools.

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 3h

One example is the Phoenix package (R + Python), which helps researchers detect pediatric sepsis via organ dysfunction criteria.

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 3h

To address this problem, researchers at DBMI launched the Wall of Software: a central gallery of open-source tools so others can find, use and contribute.

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 3h

Biomedical discoveries are driven by software. But too often innovative tools remain hidden —buried in papers and local repositories, only known about by a handful of researchers.

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 3h

DYK that many research software tools never make it beyond their original lab—even ones that can support other researchers and transform patient care? 🧵⬇️

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 1d

What if AI could help personalize autoimmune disease treatments?

At CU Anschutz, Fan Zhang, PhD, is using single-cell tech and AI to uncover immune cell interactions that could lead to better therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions ➡️ https://bit.ly/4nMHidW

A person smiling in front of a background featuring hexagonal molecular structures, with a caption that reads "Research Series."

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 4d

🎉 Big congrats to David Albers, PhD, on being elected to the 2025 class of ACMI fellows! His work in computational modeling is shaping the future of health informatics.

David Albers Elected to American College of Medical Informatics Class of 2025

David Albers has been elected to the American College of Medical Informatics, recognizing his contributions to computational health research.

news.cuanschutz.edu

2

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 6d

🌱 DBMI’s Dave Bunten is presenting the Software Gardening Almanack at #USRSE25 today at 1:30 p.m. in Ballroom C.

The Almanack is a tool and handbook that helps scientific software developers cultivate sustainable software.

Explore the tool here: https://github.com/software-gardening/almanack

GitHub - software-gardening/almanack: An open-source handbook of applied guidance and tools for sustainable software development and maintenance.

An open-source handbook of applied guidance and tools for sustainable software development and maintenance. - software-gardening/almanack

github.com

1 2

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 6d

Asthma affects millions, but its genetic causes remain unclear, especially in African-ancestry populations. CU Anschutz researchers identified 17 genes linked to asthma risk, offering new insights and tools for future studies ➡️ https://bit.ly/3KHICQA

Paper cut-out of lungs with green leaves against a blue background, symbolizing healthy lungs and clean air.

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 12d

🌱 We're excited for Dave Bunten, a DBMI software engineer, to present the Software Gardening Almanack at next week's #USRSE2025 conference! This open-source handbook + Python package helps teams grow healthier, more maintainable codebases ➡️ https://bit.ly/3KxLteU

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 18d

Did you know ICU pharmacists can reduce adverse drug events by 70%?

Andrea Sikora, PharmD, just led the development of new national guidelines confirming their essential role in critical care. @drugtopics.bsky.social sat down with her to learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/3VEDtej

Q&A: New ICU Guidelines Highlight, Confirm Role of Critical Care Pharmacists

Andrea Sikora, PharmD, MSCR, FCCM, FCCP, BCCCP, chair of the committee presenting new guidelines, discussed her role in bolstering pharmacists’ support in the ICU.

bit.ly

1 1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 19d

🧬 Ever wonder how fast your DNA changes from one generation to the next? @hdashnow.bsky.social and her team explored how quickly the human genome mutates by analyzing DNA from four generations of a single family. Dive into this video from @nature.com ⤵️

How quickly do humans mutate? Four generations help answer the question

YouTube video by nature video

youtu.be

1 1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 25d

A collaboration between CU Anschutz, iNFixion, Mass General, and Harvard reveals how losing one gene reshapes cells in NF1. Using Cell Painting and machine learning, researchers built a model to detect subtle changes in Schwann cells, paving the way for targeted treatments.

Inside the Cell: CU Researchers Use Machine Learning to Map NF1 Cell Changes

CU Anschutz researchers use AI to study how loss of the NF1 gene alters cells and drives tumor formation, paving the way for new diagnostics and treatments

news.cuanschutz.edu

1 1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 27d

A chatbot that looks and sounds like your doctor?

Matthew DeCamp, MD, says we need to ask:
✅ Do patients know it’s AI?
✅Do they understand its limits?
✅Do they have a choice?

Ethics must guide AI in healthcare ➡️ https://bit.ly/4pBvOeK

A collage featuring two central figures facing each other, both wearing white coats and stethoscopes, set against a background with various medical and scientific imagery, including doctors in different scenarios and molecular structures.

2

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · 28d

Andrea Sikora, PharmD, joins @drugtopics.bsky.social to discuss new ICU guidelines that formally recognize pharmacists as essential care team members. In this podcast, she shares how the guidelines could reshape pharmacy practice across health care.

🎧 Listen here: https://bit.ly/41ORE4e

What New ICU Guidelines Mean for the Pharmacist Profession

While the new guidelines are reserved for critical care pharmacists in the ICU, they can be applied to other practice areas, highlighting the crucial role pharmacists play in health care.

bit.ly

2 2

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Sep 13

On #WorldSepsisDay, we’re spotlighting Tell Bennett, MD, MS, who led the first update to pediatric sepsis criteria in nearly 20 years. His team is already working on tools to bring these criteria into hospitals, including EHR-integrated decision support systems ➡️ https://bit.ly/4pmuZ9f

A person wearing a mask sits at a table with a young child on their lap, also in a mask, during a consultation with a healthcare professional in a medical office.

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Sep 9

New review alert: Genetic Studies Through the Lens of Gene Networks

Traditional GWAS and TWAS miss gene–gene interactions. This piece reviews leveraging machine learning methods to identify gene modules based on coexpression and functional relationships.

Genetic Studies Through the Lens of Gene Networks | Annual Reviews

Understanding the genetic basis of complex traits is a longstanding challenge in the field of genomics. Genome-wide association studies have identified thousands of variant–trait associations, but mos...

bit.ly

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Sep 7

Our very own, @bstranger.bsky.social, lit up the stage at the Headstrong Comedy Show, where science met satire to tackle misconceptions in women’s health. Hosted by Brainfest at the Bug Theater, the night was a bold blend of laughs and learning.

A group of people joyfully posing together on a stage, with some raising their arms and smiling towards the audience.

A person performs stand-up comedy on stage, with a microphone in hand, next to a stool and a colorful, mosaic-covered sculpture. There's a red curtain backdrop and stage lights overhead.

A group of eight individuals on stage, celebrating, with one person raising their hand enthusiastically. They are in front of a red curtain, suggesting a theater setting.

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Sep 4

Should you pay extra for AI to read your mammogram?

CU Anschutz’s Carie Behounek sat down with David Kao, MD, DBMI secondary faculty member, to unpack the promise, pitfalls, and price of AI in breast cancer screening.

Read the Q&A ➡️ https://bit.ly/4nfsPGU

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Sep 3

New national guidelines, led by ‪@cuanschutz.bsky.social‬ experts in DBMI and ‪@cupharmacy.bsky.social‬, recognize the vital role pharmacists play in improving outcomes through comprehensive medication management. This shift sets new standards for safer, more personalized care.

Pharmacists in the ICU: New National Guidelines Highlight a Life-Saving Role

New national guidelines elevate pharmacists as essential members of ICU teams, recognizing their critical role in improving patient outcomes.

news.cuanschutz.edu

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Sep 2

A new study from researchers at ‪@colorado.edu‬ and @cuanschutz.bsky.social‬ reveals how genetics shape body size, fat distribution, and health risks. This research helps us understand obesity beyond diet and lifestyle, showing how biology plays a powerful role.

Modeling the genomic architecture of adiposity and anthropometrics across the lifespan - Nature Communications

Body size and composition are complex traits that are challenging to characterize due to environmental and genetic influences. Here, Arehart et al. disentangle shared and distinct genetic signals unde...

www.nature.com

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Aug 27

From speed collaborating to visionary pitches, our annual DBMI retreat sparked fresh ideas and new connections. Faculty, staff, and students came together to reimagine the future of biomedical informatics.

Person presenting a lecture titled "AI-Readiness for Biomedical Data" at a podium in a conference room, with a large projection screen displaying the presentation title and various biomedical and AI-themed graphics.

Three individuals, one wearing a striped shirt and two wearing plaid, are smiling and posing for a selfie at an event, with lanyards visible around their necks. One person is playfully waving at the camera.

Group photo of multiple individuals gathered inside a modern building with a grand staircase in the background.

1

CU Department of Biomedical Informatics @cubiomedinfo.bsky.social · Aug 15

CU Anschutz 🤝UCLA

We were thrilled to host @alice.soragnilab.com from UCLA at @cuanschutz.bsky.social. She’s teaming up with @casey.greenelab.com to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes. This collaboration is a powerful example of how partnerships accelerate scientific discovery.

Two people on the Anschutz Health Sciences Building patio on a cloudy day at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. They are overlooking Denver and the mountains

1 4