2026 NLM/MLA Joseph Leiter Lecture: How AI is Reshaping Biomedical Discovery

 

2026 NLM/MLA Joseph Leiter Lecture | How AI Is Reshaping Biomedical Discovery 

This session happened at 3 pm on Friday, the last day of MLA'26.  If you left to get ahead of traffic or to catch a plane on a holiday weekend before it happened, you are forgiven.  If you missed this session, or did not attend the conference, you can still watch the recording.  Since The National Library of Medicine is our tax dollars at work, NLM makes this lecture freely available for viewing.

 

Summary from YouTube: 

Today, major breakthroughs in understanding disease biology and developing treatments require significant wet lab exploration. Emerging AI algorithms for Electronic Health Records (EHR), image processing, and molecular modeling can potentially provide an alternative means for exploring a large space of possible solutions, enabling scientists to prioritize the most promising hypotheses for testing. These developments have significant implications for data management, curation, and stewardship. In this talk, the speaker will describe several examples illustrating the power and weaknesses of current AI technology in today’s data landscape. In the second half of the talk, she will focus on the impact of training data on the performance of AI models in this discovery context and on the ethics and reproducibility considerations. 

The Joseph Leiter NLM/MLA Lecture was established in 1983 to stimulate intellectual liaison between MLA and NLM. Leiter was a major contributor in cancer research at the National Cancer Institute and a leader at NLM as a champion of medical librarians and an informatics pioneer. He served as NLM Associate Director for Library Operations from 1965 to 1983. 

Regina Barzilay, PhD, a leading expert in artificial intelligence and health, will present the 2026 Joseph Leiter National Library of Medicine (NLM)/Medical Library Association (MLA) Lecture, highlighting the growing role of AI in biomedical discovery and its implications for libraries. 

Dr. Barzilay is a School of Engineering Distinguished Professor of AI and Health in the Department of Computer Science at MIT and the AI Faculty Lead at the MIT Jameel Clinic. Named to Time’s 2025 TIME100 Most Influential People in AI, her research focuses on machine learning applications in drug discovery, clinical AI, and—earlier in her career—natural language processing. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including a MacArthur Fellowship, an NSF CAREER Award, the AAAI Squirrel AI Award for Artificial Intelligence for the Benefit of Humanity, and the IEEE Frances E. Allen Medal. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

Check Out MLA's User Experience Caucus' Newest Tip on Wildcards!

Image from the blog post, "Searches Gone Wild! Popular Database Platforms and Their Wildcards"

Check out the latest User Experience (UX) Caucus Database Tips blog post by Hilary Kraus and Zahra Premji: "Searches Gone Wild! Popular Database Platforms and Their Wildcards." 

In addition to providing an introduction to how wildcards work, the post also discusses potential pitfalls of using them, and a detailed look into how to use them within popular databases (which they also present as a handy table). 

Happy wildcarding! ☕

Submit Your Research Proposal to the Midwest MLA 2026 Conference!

Image adapted from Markus Winkler's from Pixabay

*Note: The text below was pasted from an announcement made by the Members of the Research Subcommittee of the 2026 Midwest MLA Annual Conference.

The Annual Conference of the Midwest Chapter/MLA Research Committee invites proposals for contributed papers, posters, and lightning sessions for the 2026 Midwest Annual Meeting, themed “Care and Comfort.” Contributed content will be presented virtually on October 22nd and 23rd.
Papers presenters will have 15 minutes, and lightning talks presenters will have 5 minutes. Poster presenters will be asked to provide a 5-minute video or audio recording ahead of time about your poster. The posters and recordings will be made available to conference attendees in advance. More details to follow in August after presenters have been notified of acceptance.

Presentations from the 2026 MLA meeting in Milwaukee are welcome. Please consider presenting it again at the Midwest MLA 2026 conference!

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, July 30th. Notifications of acceptance or rejection will be made by Thursday, August 20th.

Please use this Qualtrics Form to submit your proposal. 

Happy submitting! ☕

Reflections from MLA ’26: Cultured Collaborations (a post by Karen L. Hanus!)

As a medical librarian in Wisconsin, I was thrilled to be an active planner and participant in the Medical Library Association Conference held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! It was especially meaningful to connect with so many Wisconsin colleagues at a national conference. It was so fun to collaborate, learn, and eat together! I’m deeply grateful to the Wisconsin Health Science Library Association for its financial support for my and so many other WHSLA members’ conference experiences. Thank you!

One of the memorable aspects of the MLA ‘26 conference was how much conference coordinators and participants leaned into cheese puns to celebrate being in the Dairy State! Visitors to the Hospitality booth were welcomed to adopt their cheese name (based on the first initial of your real first and last name) and decorate their badge with cheesy stickers. But, all the “cultured” collaborations weren’t just about cheese. I especially liked the NLM Update where Ken Koyle, NNLM Program Director, said that he didn’t have any cheese puns, but the conference lacked beer puns and he didn’t want to “let that opportunity Pabst us by!”

Beyond the playful local puns, the conference also offered the kind of substantive professional learning that makes MLA a valuable learning experience. There was an opportunity to attend a wide variety of paper sessions; I’ll report on one. In “From Brie-f Comments to Lasting Revisions: Librarian Peer Review in Action” Melissa Rethlefsen from University of New Mexico and her colleagues reported on their project to assess the differences between librarians and non-librarians in their peer review comments and analyze the comparative impact of the comments on how authors decided to revise their manuscripts. They analyzed manuscripts with at least one librarian peer reviewer and that were ultimately published. They found that librarians tended to focus on the methodology piece and barely talked about the results and discussion in contrast to non-librarian reviewers. They found there was no significant difference between whether the comments were made by librarians or non-librarians on whether authors made changes to their manuscript. The project team hopes to continue their research by looking at articles that were rejected to see if there were significant differences in how the authors reacted to comments made by librarians vs. non-librarians.

MLA’s first-ever AI Prompt-a-Thon offered me a contrast from scholarly communication to emerging tools and skills for medical librarians. In the session, attendees worked in teams of 2-5. We worked through two scenarios and developed prompts using the CLEAR prompting framework to interact with a variety of AI products. Once developed, our prompts were submitted through a form and were scored in real-time based on the adherence to the CLEAR (Concise, Logical, Explicit, Adaptive, and Reflective) framework. For an added bit of fun, teams whose prompts scored highest won a prize. My team tied for first in the PubMed Search Strategy scenario and I was awarded an Ebola virus plush toy. That was a unique conference experience and I suspect the AI Prompt-a-Thon will be repeated! Just a little tip if you ever have the opportunity to attend: be sure to bring a laptop as working on a phone is challenging.

While I appreciated the opportunity to learn as an attendee, I was also grateful to contribute to the program as a panelist at Adaptation and Navigation: Collections in a Time of Change, one of the Collection Development symposia. My co-panelists and I first outlined the content of two executive orders which revoked previous executive orders and align with a shift away from diversity-focused programs to merit-based opportunities. Then we demonstrated how ACGME and LCME accreditation requirements have evolved in response to state laws and federal actions. Nicole Thies-Mahon, Meredith Solomon and I then spoke about our different organizations’ experiences on how federal and state policy changes related to DEI have impacted our collections and practices. Each librarian had a different perspective and reflected on the different cultures in their organizations in how they are adapting.

My individual participation was just one part of a larger Wisconsin librarian presence throughout MLA ’26. I want to take this opportunity to recognize and thank all the Wisconsin librarians who helped with the planning and execution of MLA ‘26! The Local Assistance Committee (LAC) participated in various conference planning aspects including developing the Dining Guide, writing blog posts, coordinating volunteers and hospitality, planning the local service project, and highlighting museums and libraries in the area.

One of the LAC’s accomplishments was planning an awesome presentation at the J.R.R. Tolkien archives at Marquette University! The Tolkien archives tour was “sold out” quickly, but a few registrants had to cancel last minute due to flight delays. Fortunately, we were able to fill their spots to maximize participation for a fantastic event! Prior to the tour, I didn’t ever consider why the Tolkien manuscripts are at Marquette University. William Ready, library director from 1956 to 1963 had a vision to collect Catholic authors’ manuscripts for the new library. Soon after it was published, he recognized that The Lord of the Rings was a work of genius and he contacted Tolkien, a life-long Catholic, with what we now know to be a relatively modest offer to purchase the manuscripts (less than $5,000). Ready was the first to reach out with an offer and Tolkien thought it was best he’d ever get. How astounding, but how fortunate for Marquette University!

I was also pleased to have a role in the planning and execution of the My Very Own Blanket Local Service Project. MLA conference attendees came together at a blanket-making party and created 75 no-sew fleece blankets. An additional five blankets crafted by members prior to the conference raised the total to 80 hand-made blankets that were donated to Robyn’s Nest, a core support program of Children’s Wisconsin that provides essential resources to families involved in foster care. MLA’s presence positively impacted on the community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and left tangible reminders for children in foster care. I thank WHSLA also for the generous donation to the cause, having supported 10 blanket kits for the event!

Next year’s MLA conference is going to be in Denver, CO and their convention center has a 40-foot blue bear peering in through the windows. MLA ’26 conference attendees found a “growing bear” promotional item in their conference bags. That little blue bear was a fun reminder that MLA conferences often leave us with both professional inspiration and memorable moments of joviality. So, for one last bit of fun from MLA ’26, I put my Denver blue bear in a two-gallon container of water for a couple of weeks. The package promised that the approximately two-inch bear could grow up to 600% depending on how big a container of water you’d put it in, but mine only grew to about four inches. I wonder if I put it in a swimming pool how big it would get!

The MLA ‘26 conference was a joyous and engaging experience! I am grateful for the opportunity to represent Wisconsin, learn from colleagues across the profession, and bring the inspiration of MLA ’26 back to WHSLA. Thank you again, WHSLA, for your support!

 Note: Posted on behalf of Karen L. Hanus 🌟

Article of Interest: Limitations of Open Evidence (by PAIJE!)

Congratulations to Paije Wilson and her four colleagues from UW–Madison on their recent publication in the Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy!

Their article tackles the critical topic of AI accuracy in healthcare, providing a thorough review of current literature on OpenEvidence. By running specific pharmacotherapeutic queries, the team effectively demonstrated inaccuracies in how the tool generates responses and summarizes its sources. Crucially, the authors delve into source summarization inaccuracies—a nuance in AI performance that has largely been overlooked in current research.

Link to study: https://accpjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jac5.70237

Jellies, Anyone?

Just in case you needed a mellowing agent to help you relax this summer (or any time of year), please enjoy this Live Jelly Cam from The Monterey Bay Acquarium. 

BREATHE 

Should older fiction be modernized for young audiences?

 

Not health related, per se, but nevertheless an interesting read from the New York Times (apologies for those that don't have a subscription!). 

In a nutshell, the article discusses the ways in which some publishers have attempted to modernize references in older fiction to make them more appealing to young audiences, being a practice far more common than most people may think. A few examples, all from various books, include: 

• Replacing a reference to a TV show with TikTok
• Adding references to SnapChat and Instagram
• Removing references to phone books
• Swapping out a mention of a snooker table with a PlayStation
• Replacing references to a sanitary belt with sticky pads

The article lists a few books that have been subject to these revisions, all with authors' permission, including the Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard, the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (among others).

Publishers that engage in this practice justify their revisions with the claim that younger audiences may become confused when encountering outdated references, which could result in them abandoning the book. 

Some concerns have been raised relating to this practice, mentioned both in the article, itself, and the article's comments, including potential impacts to critical thinking, the erasure of historical context, and discouraging intellectual curiosity in young readers.

What do you think? Should older books be modernized to appeal to new audiences? Do you think young readers would be discouraged when encountering outdated references? 

For my part, I'm becoming increasingly grateful for my dusty, old, physical copies! 🕮 

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day ☕

New YouTube Medical Librarian Vlog

 When I first started as a medical librarian, I immediately went into research mode and Googled Medical Librarian Blogs. Michelle Kraft was at the top of every list I found as the Director of the Cleveland Clinic Library Services and former MLA president, obviously a great follow.

She's expanding her blogging to video blogging on YouTube. Give her a follow to stay up to date. 

Full launch post: https://kraftylibrarian.com/the-krafty-librarian-on-youtube/ 

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWk5Cfo1qRvWwbaPqxjoifQ 

Advocate Health Appoints Karen Hanus to Lead Newly Created Enterprise Library System

Submitted by Barb Ruggeri, MLIS, AHIP

We are pleased to announce that Karen Hanus, MLIS, AHIP has accepted the position of Associate Vice President, Enterprise Librarian for the Advocate Health Library System. She will lead our integrated enterprise library which includes the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Carpenter Library as well as Advocate Health’s academic and hospital libraries, while continuing to reside in Wisconsin. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Advocate Health enterprise has a combined footprint across seven states – Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Karen brings a wealth of experience as a seasoned library leader, with expertise in both hospital and academic medical library settings. Karen has over two decades of experience working at Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries, where she previously held the position as Assistant Director. Her accomplishments include numerous publications that contributed to the field of library science and scholarly communications, presentations at local and national conferences, and being recognized as distinguished Librarian of the Year for the Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association in 2023 and Librarian of the Year for the Wisconsin Health Science Library Association in 2025.

She joined Advocate Aurora Health (later combined with Atrium Health to form Advocate Health) in 2020 and completed the combination of two separate hospital library systems into one. With the new Advocate Health Library System, Karen’s vision and leadership will be instrumental in advancing the integration of our library services to support our learning and clinical communities across Advocate Health.

WHSLA Lunch at MLA 26!

 Join us for a social lunch with WHSLA members during MLA in Milwaukee!

• When: Thursday, May 21st at 12:00 pm (CT)
• Where: 3rd Street Market Hall, 275 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI

Pick up your lunch and WHSLA will reimburse your receipt! See details on reimbursement below:

• Please email your receipt to Karen Hanus (Karen.Hanus@aah.org) by June 12, 2026 if you want to be reimbursed for your meal. Reimbursements can be made by check or Paypal.
• Reimbursement threshold is $35. Tips should not exceed 20% of the bill(s). Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable expenses.
• Reimbursement applies for WHSLA members in good standing with a paid membership for 2026.

**Posted on behalf of Hayley Severson**