Touching Base (GEN Podcasts)
AI in Oncology Takes Off, Tackling HIV and Liver Disease, Pharma’s Recent Gains
Why It Matters
Understanding AI’s clinical rollout and the hurdles to digital pathology is crucial for accelerating faster, more accurate cancer diagnostics, directly affecting patient outcomes. The HIV and liver‑disease studies showcase how cutting‑edge gene‑editing and tissue‑engineering could lead to new therapies for diseases that still lack curative options, making the episode highly relevant for researchers, clinicians, and anyone following medical innovation.
Key Takeaways
- •Less than 10% U.S. labs use digital pathology.
- •Trust and cost hinder AI adoption in clinical oncology.
- •CRISPR screens reveal PI16 and PPID block HIV entry.
- •Engineered liver patches grow via YAP, offering transplant bridge.
- •Eli Lilly buying Colonia for $7B, boosting CAR‑T pipeline.
Pulse Analysis
At the recent AACR meeting, AI’s promise for oncology was clear, yet adoption remains nascent. Less than one‑in‑ten U.S. pathology labs have digitized slides, a bottleneck that stalls foundation‑model analytics. Clinicians cite trust deficits, regulatory uncertainty, and the hefty expense of GPU clusters as primary obstacles. Industry leaders argue that these upfront investments will ultimately cut drug development timelines and lower costs, but the cultural shift required to integrate AI into routine diagnostics is still unfolding.
Beyond cancer, the episode highlighted two breakthrough studies. A CRISPR‑based genome‑wide screen in primary CD4+ T cells identified PI16 and PPID as potent antiviral factors that impede HIV fusion and capsid nuclear import, suggesting new therapeutic targets. Meanwhile, synthetic‑biology engineers created a miniature liver construct that expands in vivo when YAP signaling and specific growth factors are induced, offering a potential bridge for patients awaiting full transplants. Both projects underscore the need for robust data pipelines and cross‑modal integration to translate bench discoveries into clinical impact.
The business roundup closed with Eli Lilly’s $7 billion acquisition of Colonia Therapeutics, a move that solidifies its CAR‑T portfolio. Colonia’s KLN‑1010, an in‑vivo lentiviral CAR‑T targeting BCMA, achieved 100% MRD‑negative responses in a Phase I trial of four multiple‑myeloma patients, with durability up to five months. This deal not only expands Lilly’s pipeline but also signals accelerating investor confidence in gene‑edited cellular therapies, setting the stage for further M&A activity and competitive pressure in the oncology market.
Episode Description
Some GEN editors were in sunny San Diego covering the hottest research, trends, and products from the American Association for Cancer Research meeting. We kick things off with news from America’s Finest City, particularly around the growing role of AI in oncology. Then we dive into two new research studies. In the first, scientists used CRISPR to identify genes in primary CD4+ T cells that promote or restrict HIV infection. The second study described engineered implantable liver constructs that could eventually serve as a stopgap for patients waiting for donor transplants. Finally, the acquisitions keep coming as Eli Lilly scoops up CAR T cell therapy developer Kelonia for $7B. Also, Revolution Medicines has shared some impressive data from a Phase III trial of its pancreatic cancer drug.
Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Fay Lin, PhD, Alex Philippidis, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.
Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:
AACR 2026: A Video Update from San Diego
By Julianna LeMieux, PhD, and Damian Doherty, GEN, April 21, 2026
AACR 2026 Video Update: Cancer Research Edges Toward an AI-Driven Era
By Fay Lin, PhD, and Jonathan Grinstein, PhD, GEN, April 22, 2026
Using AI in Healthcare Ethically by Considering Humanity
By Corinna Singleman, PhD, IPM, November 18, 2025
10x Genomics Unveils Atera Spatial Platform at AACR Meeting
By Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, April 19, 2026
CRISPR Screens Map Human T‑Cell Genes That Promote or Block HIV Infection
GEN, April 20, 2026
Synthetic Biology and Tissue Engineering Grow Liver Tissue In‑Body
GEN, April 20, 2026
StockWatch: Revolution’s Phase III Pancreatic Cancer Data Dazzles Investors, Analysts
By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 19, 2026
Lilly to Acquire Kelonia for Up to $7B, Expanding Cancer Cell Therapy Pipeline
By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, April 20, 2026
Touching Base Podcast
Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD
Behind the Breakthroughs
Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD
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