Petrie Dish

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A weekly explainer on the coronavirus and its ripple effects with science journalist Bonnie Petrie from Texas Public Radio.

Bonnie Petrie


    • Jun 1, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 17m AVG DURATION
    • 181 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Petrie Dish

    Science & Medicine: Tinnitus and PTSD

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2025 2:10


    Tinnitus is the number one service-connected disability within the Veterans Administration, and for those with PTSD, it can cause significant distress. A UT Health San Antonio researcher who suffers from chronic tinnitus is studying the connection between the two and how to improve treatment.

    Science & Medicine: Go to the dentist

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2025 2:10


    When people think about things they can do to stay healthy, they don't think about their teeth nearly enough.

    CDC alerts U.S. doctors and travelers to Mexico: Watch for dengue

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 10:50


    Mosquito season has begun in earnest, and until November, there is an increased risk for mosquito-borne illnesses, including dengue fever. CDC has urged U.S. doctors to watch for dengue, particularly in people who've traveled to countries where the virus is endemic. But several states, including Texas, have reported locally acquired cases of dengue over the last fifteen years.

    Science & Medicine: The Center for Brain Health could change what we know about dementia

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2025 2:10


    A newly constructed center for studying and treating diseases of the brain will open in San Antonio at the end of the year. The Center for Brain Health could revolutionize how we understand disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS.

    Psychedelics and the Texas Trip Part 3: The Road Ahead

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 46:15


    In the final installment of this three-part series, Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus go from an isolated stretch of desert along the Rio Grande, where wild peyote grows, to the exuberant rooms at SXSW, where they consider the future of psychedelics-as-medicine, and back to the hallowed halls of the Texas Legislature, where the future of the so-called Ibogaine Bill is uncertain.

    Science & Medicine: An app for detecting dementia decades early

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2025 2:10


    A digital tool that uses artificial intelligence to analyze speech patterns could help doctors detect dementia in patients when other signs and symptoms are not perceptible.

    Science & Medicine: Fighting antibiotic-resistant infections with viruses

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 2:10


    A San Antonio collaborative is developing treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections using viruses known as phages. The effort is urgent as infections that don't respond to antibiotics are projected to kill 39 million people by 2050.

    Disease registries, 'individual tragedies,' and more with the Autism Society of Texas

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 7:54


    Petrie Dish host Bonnie Petrie has a wide-ranging conversation with the executive director of the Autism Society of Texas as Robert Kennedy's HHS focuses on the rise in autism diagnoses.

    Science & Medicine: Improving knee replacement outcomes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 2:10


    Blood flow restriction ahead of surgery could be key.

    Science & Medicine: Studying eating disorders in older Hispanic women with food insecurity

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2025 2:10


    A San Antonio researcher hopes to dispel myths about who is at risk for eating disorders while studying the interaction between binge eating disorder and food insecurity in older Hispanic women.

    Why did the CDC shelve a warning about measles and the need for vaccination?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 8:17


    The Centers for Disease Control recently buried a warning about the potential for more measles outbreaks and the need for people to get vaccinated, according to a new report from ProPublica.

    Science & Medicine: Studying stressed out rats to understand PTSD in humans

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2025 2:10


    David Morilak, PhD, a professor of pharmacology and director of the Center for Biomedical Neuroscience at UT Health San Antonio, studies rats in an effort to understand the characteristics of stressful events that can lead to PTSD in humans.

    Science & Medicine: Pursuing precision medicine for Alzheimer's disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2025 2:10


    A cutting-edge technology and an exciting recent hire hint at exciting developments in the future of precision medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

    Science & Medicine: Anti-aging drug shows promise in marmosets

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2025 2:10


    Adam Salmon, PhD, studies aging in marmosets. He and his team recently concluded that an immunosuppressant called rapamycin extends the lifespan of marmosets. This has significant implications for the study of aging in humans.

    Science & Medicine: Star cells may be the key to preserving brain function after stroke

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2025 2:10


    A medication that appears to preserve brain function after a stroke will soon go into human trials. The San Antonio researcher who discovered the medication's potential more than two decades ago is still leading the team.

    Psychedelics and the Texas Trip Part 2: The Science and History of the Medicine

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2025 33:10


    Patients have been leaving the United States to try psychedelic therapies to treat their depression, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and substance use disorders. With so many patients finding relief, why do psychedelic therapies mostly remain illegal in the U.S., and how do psychedelics actually work?

    Science & Medicine: A potential game-changer in the fight against deadly oral cancer

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2025 2:10


    Oral squamous cell carcinoma kills about half of the people who get it, and there have been no new treatments developed for half a century. A UT Health San Antonio dentist has developed a novel drug that may offer these patients a better chance at survival.

    Petrie Dish: Q&A on mumps & rubella

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 6:46


    Host Bonnie Petrie talks with Dr. Jason Bowling about the other two diseases in the MMR vaccine, mumps and rubella.

    Science & Medicine: Help for women's pelvic health disorders

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2025 2:10


    Pelvic health disorders can disrupt women's quality of life. The conditions might be considered common and inevitable, but they should not be ignored.

    Psychedelics and the Texas Trip Part 1: Unlikely Allies

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2025 32:50


    Host Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus explore the potential of psychedelic medication as a treatment for mental health diagnoses like depression and PTSD, particularly for use in the veteran population.

    Science & Medicine: Sabotaging the molecular engines of some pediatric cancers

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 2:10


    A San Antonio researcher is working on a drug that could treat Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma without lifelong side effects. It would be the first new treatment option for these childhood cancers in 30 years.

    Petrie Dish: A West Texas measles update and why experts warn this is just the beginning

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2025 5:47


    An outbreak of measles in West Texas has infected nearly 100 people, most of them unvaccinated children. Dr. Peter Hotez says the ecosystem that led to the elimination of measles in the United States in 2000 has changed as vaccination rates fall, and there will likely be more breakthrough outbreaks of all vaccine-preventable infections.

    Science & Medicine: Taking on America's number one killer

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 2:10


    More than six-million American adults are experiencing heart failure right now.

    Petrie Dish: CDC purge of forbidden words online creates real-world fear

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 8:22


    Host Bonnie Petrie speaks with Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, CEO of the San Antonio AIDS Foundation.

    Science & Medicine: A breakthrough for glioblastoma patients that may lengthen lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2025 2:10


    A new technique for delivering radiation to glioblastoma brain tumors may allow doctors to use much higher doses while preserving healthy brain tissue. UT Health San Antonio's Andrew Brenner, MD, PhD, says this may give patients more time.

    Petrie Dish: Should the US leave the WHO? 'Your Local Epidemiologist' weighs in

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 22:59


    President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that would withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization. Epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina and TPR's Bonnie Petrie talk about whether Trump's concerns are valid and what the U.S. could lose if it leaves.

    Science & Medicine: Help for women's pelvic health disorders

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 2:10


    Pelvic health disorders can disrupt women's quality of life. The conditions might be considered common and inevitable, but they should not be ignored.

    Science & Medicine: Veterans write new endings for their nightmares

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 2:10


    A San Antonio sleep disorder and PTSD researcher uses cognitive behavioral therapy to reduce the frequency and intensity of nightmares.

    Science & Medicine: Plants-2-Plate

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 2:10


    Plants-2-Plate is a six-month program that helps people adopt a whole food, plant-based diet.

    Science & Medicine: San Antonio scientist discovers how stress triggers migraines

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2025 2:10


    UT Health San Antonio neuroscientist Yu Shin Kim, PhD, has discovered how stress causes migraines, which could lead to treatments that prevent them.

    Petrie Dish: Dr. Peter Hotez talks about anti-science activism, antisemitism, and RFK Jr.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 35:05


    Texas vaccine scientist Dr. Peter Hotez spoke with Bonnie Petrie about what it's like to be the target of anti-science activists, his continued commitment to fighting medical misinformation, and his thoughts on the nomination of anti-vaccine crusader Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

    Science & Medicine: Exercise affects men and women differently

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2025 2:10


    Physical exercise impacts every type of tissue in the body and affects males and females differently. Data gathered at UT Health San Antonio. It's part of a nationwide, multi-site study on exercise and the human body.

    Science & Medicine: Why are neurodevelopmental disorders common in Duchenne muscular dystrophy?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024 2:10


    Around 30% of boys diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy also experience cognitive dysfunction and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD. A UT Health San Antonio neuroscientist is doing research he hopes will uncover what is causing these deficits and how they might be treated.

    Science & Medicine: Whole blood ambulances

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2024 2:10


    For the last five years, first responders all over the world have been watching San Antonio.

    Science & Medicine: Scanning the brain to improve treatment for traumatized teens

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2024 2:10


    Around 20% of teens who have experienced emotional trauma don't respond to talk therapy. UT Health San Antonio is using neuroimaging to track brain changes in traumatized teens during a course of therapy to see if they can figure out why, which could lead to the development of more personalized treatments that will help more teens heal.

    Petrie Dish: Climate change disasters are hazardous to children's mental health

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 33:34


    As climate change-driven weather disasters become more frequent and intense, it's becoming clear that they are leaving a mark on children's mental health. Clinical psychologist Julie Kaplow explores the risks of this type of trauma to a child's long-term mental health and ways to mitigate the damage.

    Science & Medicine: A hopeful time for people with epilepsy

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2024 2:10


    Up to two percent of Texans have epilepsy. Dr. Charles Szabo at UT Health San Antonio has developed an epilepsy surgery program and is leading groundbreaking research and clinical trials that offer hope to those with the seizure disorder who don't respond to existing medications.

    Science & Medicine: Diagnosing CTE before death

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 2:10


    CTE can rob a person of their memories and ability to make decisions and plans. It can also cause a person to become a threat to themselves and, sometimes, others. But the disease, caused by repeated head trauma, can't be definitively diagnosed before death. A San Antonio researcher hopes to help change that.

    Science & Medicine: Targeting lung cancer

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2024 2:10


    UT Health San Antonio oncologist Josephine Taverna envisions a revolution in lung cancer treatment.

    Science & Medicine: Exercise is medicine for people with Parkinson's disease

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 2:10


    Exercise can improve function and slow disease progression in people with Parkinson's disease, but why? A UT Health San Antonio researcher is studying patients who exercise and play virtual reality games to see if she can figure out the answer.

    Science & Medicine: Caring for veteran caregivers

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2024 2:10


    Caregivers for members of the military and veterans experience depression at a higher rate than any other group in the nation and that can be lethal.

    Science & Medicine: Using technology to improve health equity

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 2:10


    Remote technology can bring health interventions to patients who may struggle to get themselves to care because of where they live or how much money they have. Tae Joon Moon, Ph.D., has found that transdermal alcohol monitors are a remote tech that might help treat people with alcohol use disorder.

    Petrie Dish: Climate change — a crime against children

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 36:45


    Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson says climate change is the greatest crime ever committed against children. She's written a book detailing the impact of climate change on children's health and offers a call-to-action for parents and other adults to do something before it really is too late.

    Science & Medicine: Cancer's silver tsunami

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2024 2:10


    Cancer care is about to experience a silver tsunami.

    Science & Medicine: UT Health researcher creates mice with fully functioning human immune systems

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 2:10


    THX mice can be used to study anything that requires a vigorous human immune response, from cancer medications to vaccines and organ transplantation. The mice were created at UT Health San Antonio using human stem cells, but what makes them unique is they also received a dose of estrogen. This is the critical point, according to Dr. Paolo Casali, that leads to the development of a robust human immune system in THX mice.

    Science & Medicine: Developing new medications to manage cancer pain

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2024 2:10


    Shivani Ruparel, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Endodontics at UT Health San Antonio, and her team are working on potential analgesics to help mitigate cancer pain.

    Science & Medicine: Studying the chemical miscommunication that may lead to obesity

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 2:10


    The chemical cross-communication between the guts and other organs that occurs when a person metabolizes nutrients begins before we open our mouths, when we see or smell food. The answer to why some people develop obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders, and why some people respond so well to medicines like Ozempic, might lie in those signals. UT Health San Antonio endocrinologist Dr. Marzieh Salehi is studying that communication in patients with spinal cord injury.

    Petrie Dish: When COVID targets the heart, danger can linger

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 28:49


    For at least a year after being infected with the COVID virus, people may be at increased risk of developing a new heart-related problem. Those problems can range from blood clots to arrythmias to a sudden, catastrophic heart attack. In this episode of Petrie Dish, Bonnie Petrie talks with a Harvard cardiologist about why this can happen, and how to protect your heart.

    Science & Medicine: The link between sleep apnea and persistent pain

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 2:10


    New research from UT Health San Antonio finds a link between obstructive sleep apnea and persistent pain, suggesting that the intermittant lack of oxygen caused by apnea decreases a person's ability to recover from painful stimuli.

    Petrie Dish: Using artificial intelligence to solve medical mysteries

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 29:22


    Millions of Americans are suffering from undiagnosed illnesses. Many are told their symptoms are imagined. Could artificial intelligence change the game, figuring out how to diagnose rare and difficult to diagnose diseases, leading to better understanding of their causes and better treatments? One San Antonio researcher thinks so.

    Science & Medicine: Relaxing excited neurons may lead to more effective treatments for schizophrenia

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 2:10


    A new medication to treat schizophrenia has been developed by scientists who discovered that a neuron that inhibits the activity of other cells may be in short supply in those with the disorder.

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