Thursday, July 2, 2026 |  2 minutes and 32 seconds or ~152 heartbeats

In this week’s Vitals, we have a variety of event opportunities to choose from—whether you’re interested in science that improves sleep, community-informed solutions to lymphatic diseases, or tackling regulatory challenges in medical AI. But first...

A visionary breakthrough in eye transplantation 👁️ 

Have you ever wondered why doctors can transplant livers, hearts, and skin—but not eyes? The trick has been reconnecting a donor’s optic nerve to the recipient's optic nerve. So far, that hasn’t been possible because those specialized nerve cells do not regrow in the way a transplantation requires.

Luckily, “impossible” problems are where ARPA-H thrives. A team supported by the Transplantation of Human Eye Allografts (THEA) program has discovered a new kind of implant that can stimulate that critical nerve growth. Watch our latest video to learn more!

Ready to get involved in THEA? It’s not too late. ARPA-H is seeking sources with information, interest, and capabilities on novel and enhanced modalities for non-invasive optic nerve imaging. Check out the Sources Sought notice and submit a response by 5 p.m. on July 10.

Rewriting aging in Aspen ⌛  

ARPA-H Director Dr. Alicia Jackson took the stage at the Aspen Ideas Festival with colleagues from Radiolab and the XPRIZE Foundation to discuss ARPA-H's high-risk, high-reward investments in longevity research designed to extend the “healthspan” of all Americans. Tune in to hear Dr. Jackson explain how “high-stakes bets” like our PROSPR and REST programs leverage emerging technologies to change the way we measure and respond to the biology of aging itself and contributing factors like sleep quality.

Elsewhere in the ARPAsphere:

• Sign up for REST Proposers’ Day 😴 Our new REST program is focused on helping people improve their health by optimizing their sleep with novel, non-invasive, real-time interventions throughout the night. Ready to help us take on the challenge? Join us for REST Proposers’ Day on July 13. Registration closes at noon ET on July 10. But don't lose any sleep over that deadline—learn more and RSVP today!
  
  

• Healthy buildings, big impact 🏣 It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a month since ARPA-H's Healthy Buildings Demonstration Session, where BREATHE and PRO-MICROBE teams shared their rapid progress toward a healthier indoor environment for all of us. Dive into our latest impact story to learn how their innovative solutions may make indoor air quality better than ever before.
  
  

• You’re invited: Let’s talk lymphatics 💌 Are you a patient, caregiver, clinician, advocate, or researcher interested in learning more about ARPA-H's lymphatic efforts? Want to know how you can get involved? Join us on July 15 for our webinar, “From Invisible to Inevitable: A Community Conversation on Lymphatic Health.”
  
  
• Tackling the regulatory challenge of medical AI 🧑🏻‍💻 The promise of AI in medicine is real, but so are the risks of disregarding safety. As Program Manager Haider Warraich, M.D., told The Atlantic, ARPA-H is focused on leveraging AI the right way: developing safe and effective tools for chronic disease management that go through thoughtful FDA authorization before they reach patients. Join Dr. Warraich for our July 16 webinar, “Simulation and Causal Models for AI Evaluation and Regulation” to learn more.

Before you go...

Reminder: Seeking bold ideas for brain recovery 🧠 Many diseases and injuries can damage the brain and cause lifelong disability, but there are no treatments that can restore normal function. ARPA-H's Brain Repair of Any Injured Neural Structure (BRAINS) Exploratory Topic is the first effort to generate graftable precursor tissues and show it is possible to reverse brain damage and disease. Learn more and submit a solution summary by 5 p.m. ET on July 9.

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Interested in leading biomedical research that could change the world? Learn more at arpa-h.gov.

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