The Pulse: Virginia Tech researchers ID protein linked to heart recovery

Welcome to The Pulse, a weekly roundup of health-focused news. Each Thursday, we bring you updates on health policy, community surveys, new clinical studies, programs and services in Southwest and Southside Virginia. Got a tip or story idea? Email me at emily@cardinalnews.org. Researchers identify protein linked to heart recovery A newly identified protein may help explain why some patients recover from advanced heart failure while others do not. Researchers at Virginia Tech and the University of Utah found that a protein called PERM1 is restored in patients whose hearts recover after treatment with left ventricular assist devices, or LVADs, according to a press release from Virginia Tech. These mechanical pumps reduce strain on the heart, allowing it to rest and potentially regain function. Scientists have long known that LVADs can stabilize patients with advanced heart failure, but only some patients experience significant recovery. The biological reasons behind those differences have remained unclear. Cardiovascular molecular researcher Junco Warren of Virginia Tech and cardiologist Stavros Drakos of the University of Utah analyzed heart tissue samples from 19 patients before and after LVAD implantation. They found that PERM1 levels fully recovered in patients whose heart function improved, while levels remained unchanged in patients who did not recover. “This is the first muscle-specific molecular signal linked to recovery in human heart failure,” Warren said in the press release. “We don’t yet know whether PERM1 drives recovery or reflects it, but it gives us a clear window into the biology of how recovery happens.” According to the press release, higher PERM1 levels strongly correlated with improved heart function. Because the protein helps regulate how heart cells produce and use energy, recovery also coincided with the normalization of stress-related metabolic pathways. The findings suggest PERM1 could serve as both a biomarker to predict recovery and a potential target for future heart failure treatments. Carilion Clinic partnership brings a new AI tool A new artificial intelligence tool is designed to help reduce referral waiting times at Carilion Clinic. A press release from TeleTracking Technologies, headquartered in Pittsburgh, announced the partnership. TeleTracking is an operations and logistics platform that serves more than 900 hospitals and health systems worldwide. Operations IQ Ambulatory uses AI to monitor referral volumes, wait times and backlogs across all specialties, according to the release. The AI-driven prioritization tool provides staff guidance regarding high-acuity patients to minimize wait times for those in need of urgent care. Carilion first partnered with TeleTracking in 2022 to streamline patient transitions from the hospital to post-acute care settings such as skilled nursing facilities. The system gave case managers and social workers real-time information on referral status, placement availability and insurance authorizations, according to the TeleTracking website. [Disclosure: Carilion is one of our donors, but donors have no say in news decisions; see our policy.] Carilion is the first health system to implement Operations IQ Ambulatory, Paul Davenport, senior vice president of Carilion, said by email. “The goal is to improve how referrals move through our system, identify potential delays earlier, and help patients access care more quickly,” Davenport said. “The platform works behind the scenes to give care teams greater visibility into referral workflows and improve coordination. Patients will not interact directly with the technology, but we hope they will benefit from a more seamless referral experience and more timely access to the care they need.” The tool can also detect bottlenecks in the health system and synchronize provider availability with patient demand, according to the release. These tools are meant to improve outpatient care, which is where delays often happen, and fewer people schedule outpatient appointments, resulting in revenue loss. “By consolidating referral oversight into a single, intelligent framework, it enables organizations to standardize prioritization, strengthen accountability, and act before delays ever escalate into missed care,” the press release read. AI has become increasingly common in healthcare, where about 81% of clinicians in the U.S. use it to improve efficiency. Tools include AI-powered medical scribes, systems that help triage patient messages and software that assists with medical imaging. Virginia in the top 20 for child well-being Virginia ranked among the top 20 states across all major measures of child well-being in the 2026 KIDS COUNT Data Book, but advocates said declines in education and economic well-being highlight the need for additional investment. The annual report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation evaluates states on 16 indicators across four areas: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors, according to a press release from Fenton, a public relations firm for nonprofits. This year marked the first time states received a composite score in addition to rankings. Virginia earned an overall score of 661 out of 1,000, well above the national score of 547. Virginia’s strongest performance came in family and community factors, where it scored 750. However, the state ranked 17th in economic well-being — its lowest ranking among the four categories. From 2019 to 2024, Virginia’s education score fell by 170 points and its economic well-being score declined by 18 points, both larger drops than national trends. During the same period, the state’s health score increased by 92 points. Voices for Virginia’s Children, the state’s KIDS COUNT partner organization, said the findings underscore the need for greater investments in education, early childhood programs and economic support for families. The group plans to advocate for related policy initiatives during the 2027 General Assembly session.