The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, the research arm of Northwell Health, has scored two spots in Time’s Best Inventions of 2024.
This year’s list includes iNav, a cancer-detection tool deploying artificial intelligence (AI), and the Double Neutral Bypass, a brain computer interface technology that is restoring movement and the sense of touch in a clinical trial for people living with paralysis.
The list is solicited from nominations from the publication’s editors and correspondents from around the world, with a focus on such growing fields as healthcare, AI and green energy. Then other factors come into play including originality, efficacy, ambition and impact, according to Time. The result is a list of 200 “groundbreaking inventions” that are “changing how we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible.”
The iNav was invented by Dr. Daniel King, Dr. Sandeep Nadella and Tiffany Zavadsky. The AI detection system analyzes reports derived from MRI and CT scans to identify patients at risk of pancreatic cancer, enabling faster diagnosis and treatment. By flagging potentially high-risk scans, iNav allows doctors, nurses and care coordinators to assess patients, make decisions faster and connect patients with crucial care sooner. Since its launch, iNav has reviewed over 10,000 scans weekly across Northwell’s 21 hospitals and nearly 80 outpatient facilities, identifying over 100 at-risk patients and navigating more than 30 to critical care. According to Feinstein, the technology “significantly improved” outcomes for patients, including a 50% reduction in time-to-treatment and a threefold increase in clinical research study enrollment.
“Too many cancers, especially pancreatic cancer, go undetected until it’s too late. The power of AI is opening doors to improve care dramatically, and iNav represents a crucial step forward in early detection and ultimately, saving lives,” King, assistant professor at the Feinstein Institutes Institute of Cancer Research and a pancreatic cancer and gastrointestinal oncologist, said in a news release about the recognition. “We are seeing tangible results, and this recognition from Time fuels our commitment to advancing this technology.”
The Double Neural Bypass tool combines a brain computer interface with neurostimulation that made headlines last year. The technology deploys implanted microchips in the motor and sensory portions of the brain and AI algorithms to reconnect the brain, body and spinal cord, restoring both movement and touch in a paralyzed man. Keith Thomas, paralyzed from the chest down since a 2020 spinal cord injury, is the first participant in this clinical trial and revealed his ability to move and feel again in 2023 and again this year.
“Our team is incredibly grateful to Time for recognizing the Double Neural Bypass. For over two decades, my team and I have dedicated our careers to restoring function and hope to those affected by paralysis. We stand on the cusp of a breakthrough, and this recognition reinforces our belief that we can make a real difference for millions,” Chad Bouton, professor at the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine at Feinstein and vice president of advanced engineering at Northwell Health, said in the news release. “We are committed to advancing this research and bringing this life-changing technology to those who need it most, like Keith, who has been a constant source of inspiration, driving us to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
These inventions had already gained recognition. For example, iNav scored $500,000 in seed investment through Northwell’s 2023 Shark Tank-style Innovation Challenge. Earlier this year, King was awarded the ASCO Foundation Conquer Cancer Career Development Award. Bouton was recognized with the Tesla Innovator of the Year 2023 for his work on the Double Neural Bypass.
“Congratulations to Professor Bouton, Dr. King and all those involved with inventions now poised to benefit patients,” Dr. Kevin Tracey, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes, said in the news release. “This best-in-class innovative work inspires all who are working to advance science and medicine in the hopes of helping patients who need it most.”
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