Science & Technology

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NYU Langone Tests AI to Detect Heart Transplant Rejection

NYU Langone Health researchers are studying whether artificial intelligence can help identify heart transplant rejection while reducing the need for invasive biopsies. Researchers trained AI models using thousands of EKG readings from adult heart transplant recipients and combined the heart rhythm data with results from two blood biomarkers used to assess rejection risk. In a separate test group of 38 transplant recipients, the combined model correctly identified 94% of patients who were not experiencing rejection, according to the study. Researchers said the approach could potentially spare some patients from unnecessary heart biopsies while helping physicians identify rejection earlier. The team plans to test the model in more patients across multiple transplant centers before determining its broader clinical usefulness.

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Baruch Gets $776K Federal Grant to Expand AI Education

Baruch College has received $776,033 in first-year federal funding to expand artificial intelligence education and applied learning across its three schools. The Title III Strengthening Institutions Program award will support Baruch's AI Leadership Initiative, including curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student services and preparation for an increasingly AI-enabled workforce. Funding will also expand the college's AI Learning Commons and advance its Applied Intelligence Lab, where students will be able to participate in supervised projects and experiential learning. Baruch plans to incorporate responsible AI use into its curriculum, including evaluating AI-generated content, identifying misinformation and bias, protecting privacy and understanding when human judgment should take precedence. The initiative was launched in spring 2026.

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Man Gets 18 Months in NY for $8M AI Music Streaming Fraud

A North Carolina man was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 18 months in prison for using AI-generated music and automated streaming accounts to fraudulently collect millions of dollars in royalties. Michael Smith previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after prosecutors said he created thousands of accounts on major music streaming platforms and used bots to continuously play songs he controlled. Smith used hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs to spread the fraudulent streams across a large catalog and avoid detection. His bot accounts ultimately generated billions of streams and more than $8 million in fraudulent royalty payments, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. Smith was also ordered to forfeit more than $8.09 million.

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NY Expands Free College to Adults With Prior Degrees

New York is expanding its free community college initiative to allow adults ages 25 to 55 who already have a college degree to return to SUNY or CUNY for a free associate degree in a high-demand field. Beginning with the Spring 2027 semester, eligible New Yorkers will be able to pursue programs in areas such as cybersecurity, engineering, advanced manufacturing and other growing industries without paying tuition, fees, books or required supplies. The expansion removes a previous restriction that generally limited the program to adults without a college degree. More than 15,000 adult learners have participated since the initiative launched in 2025, according to the Governor's announcement. Applications under the expanded eligibility rules are expected to open through individual SUNY and CUNY campuses over the coming months.

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CUNY Gets $1.5M for Paid STEM Research Program

CUNY has received $1.5 million from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to extend its Transfer to STEM Student Success program for another three years. The initiative supports students moving from CUNY community colleges into STEM bachelor's degree programs at City College, Hunter College, Lehman College and Queens College. The renewed funding is expected to provide research and professional development opportunities to 84 transfer students over the grant period. Participants who complete a full year receive $7,000 and take part in workshops, faculty-mentored summer research and a university-wide symposium. The program, launched in 2023, has already provided year-long experiences and laboratory research opportunities to more than 100 students.

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NYU Launches NYC Center to Study Microplastics and Health

NYU has launched a new research center bringing engineers and medical researchers together to study the health and environmental effects of plastics and develop safer materials. The NYC Center for Healthier Plastic Solutions is a joint initiative of NYU Tandon School of Engineering and NYU Grossman School of Medicine and is described by NYU as the first U.S. research center dedicated to addressing the full range of health and environmental threats posed by plastics. Researchers will develop and test hundreds of new plastic formulations, including non-petroleum materials, while using artificial intelligence to analyze results and identify promising alternatives. The initiative is supported by more than a dozen active NYU Grossman research projects and nearly $20 million in funding underway in 2026.

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NYU Langone Uses AI to Improve Radiology Training

NYU Langone Health researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-based approach designed to identify gaps in radiology residents' clinical training and provide personalized teaching cases. The system tracked the types of conditions residents encountered during their regular clinical work and identified important pathologies they had seen less frequently. Researchers then used ChatGPT-4o to help select three to five supplemental cases for each resident, which appeared alongside their regular clinical work and were reviewed with supervising physicians. The study found that the AI could identify exposure gaps and recommend needed case pathologies with more than 90% accuracy. Researchers say the approach could eventually be expanded to additional radiology specialties.

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NYC-Based AFSP Awards $9.47M for Suicide Research

The New York City-based American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is awarding $9.47 million through 29 new research grants examining ways to prevent suicide and improve treatment for people at risk. The projects address subjects including suicidal behavior among adolescents, rapid responses to suicide clusters, prevention strategies for Indigenous youth and treatment approaches combining ketamine with cognitive behavioral therapy. Other research will examine suicide risk among women who have experienced interpersonal violence and the relationship between cannabis use, cognitive processing and suicide risk in young adults. AFSP says the latest awards bring its total investment in research above $100 million and approximately 900 funded grants since the organization was founded in 1987.

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Brooklyn Nets Name Alibaba Official Technology Partner

The Brooklyn Nets are partnering with Alibaba Group in a multi-year agreement that will bring new technology to Barclays Center while placing the company's brand on the team's jerseys. Alibaba will serve as an official technology and cloud partner of the Nets and become the team's official jersey patch partner during its 60th anniversary season. Beginning with the 2026–27 NBA season, Alibaba technology will power a Real-Time 360° Replay system designed to give fans more immersive views of game action. The partnership will also introduce an in-arena Nets Figure Lab where fans can create personalized collectible cards. The Nets and Alibaba plan to test additional technology and marketing applications throughout the season.