Rush performed the first U.S. thumb joint replacement using the TOUCH CMC 1 prosthesis, a ball‑and‑socket implant designed to restore pinch and speed recovery. The device is beginning to roll out to other U.S. centers.

UChicago professors propose scaling a hands‑on "Tools of Thought" apprenticeship that pairs City Colleges students with Chicago firms to teach the nonroutine skills AI can’t replace.

Interim REMAIN‑1 results suggest a one‑time endoscopic "gut reset" can help maintain weight after stopping GLP‑1 drugs. Topline pivotal data are expected in Q4 2026.

Veil Global sued Norton Rose Fulbright in Cook County, alleging the firm failed to pay a USPTO fee and cost the company licensing value; it seeks at least $100 million.

U of I and IBM renewed the Discovery Accelerator Institute to expand AI, quantum and supercomputing research across Illinois with new projects and student externships.

The Cancer Center at Illinois earned a rare National Cancer Institute designation in April 2026, joining a small group of lab-focused centers. The status could unlock federal infrastructure support and translational partnerships for Illinois.

A Northwestern‑developed drug, elraglusib, doubled one‑year survival in a randomized phase 2 trial for metastatic pancreatic cancer, researchers report. The result sets up a planned phase 3.

Synchrotron scans show Pohlsepia mazonensis, long billed as the world’s oldest octopus, is actually a nautiloid — reshaping cephalopod history.

AbbVie filed suit in D.C. asking judges to narrow who qualifies for 340B discounts, challenging HRSA guidance and raising stakes for hospitals.

Joe and Rika Mansueto pledged $50 million to UChicago to launch a challenge recruiting 20 AI‑focused scholars across disciplines.

Lake Forest-based Assertio agreed to be bought for $18 a share (~$125.1M) and sold seven branded drugs to Cosette for $35M.

A thaw in the IPO market has Chicago founders and bankers rethinking long‑delayed exits and liquidity plans for employees and investors. Local deal activity could follow.

A Northwestern study finds chlorhexidine residues persist in MICU rooms and may select for tolerant bacteria, with sink drains and airborne dust flagged as hotspots.