Podcasts about Medical Scientist Training Program

Naltrexone has been used to treat alcohol use disorder for 30 years, ever since researcher Dr. Joseph Volpicelli identified its effectiveness. In this podcast we are joined by both Dr. Volpicelli and Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, the founder of Oar Health, an organization that supports the combination of medication and psychosocial supports to assist people seeking to change their relationship to alcohol.   Dr. Joseph Volpicelli runs the Volpicelli Center and is a University of Pennsylvania's Medical Scientist Training Program graduate, receiving both his doctorate of medicine and psychology.  In this podcast Jonathan shares his and others personal stories of successfully making changes by using Naltrexone and other supports. For Dr. Volpicelli, it comes down to the medication helping individuals make the best choices for themselves when it comes to alcohol use, and the positive steps that he sees patients make in their recovery journeys.   

Richard Gaster, M.D., Ph.D., is a Managing Partner at venBio with experience as a physician, entrepreneur, and life science investor. Now, a cancer dad. He has helped to launch, invest, and serve on the board of or as board observer of a number of venBio companies. Prior to joining venBio, Dr. Gaster served as the head of translational medicine at Pliant Therapeutics. As a key member of the founding management team, Dr. Gaster was instrumental in the formation and launch of Pliant Therapeutics from Third Rock Ventures where he previously served as a Senior Associate.Dr. Gaster has published numerous articles in top-tier peer-reviewed journals including Nature Medicine and Nature Nanotechnology, holds more than a dozen patents, was awarded first prize in the IEEE Change the World Competition, and was named one of Forbes “30 Under 30” in Science and Healthcare.Dr. Gaster holds a B.S.E in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated summa cum laude and was a University Scholar. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Stanford University in the Medical Scientist Training Program.On March 1, 2024, my daughter, Claire experienced a seizure. She was diagnosed with a type of brain cancer called AT/RT (atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor), a highly aggressive grade IV glioma..... tune in for the rest of the story!You can also get involved with the Gold Ribbon Kids Cancer Foundation or the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation through fundraising, volunteering, promoting awareness, or contributing to pediatric cancer research. Visit goldribbon-kids.org or nationalpcf.org for more informationTo contact Tiffany, please email info@goldribbon-kids.orgTo contact Kelly, please email kgoddard@nationalpcf.orgSupport the show

To celebrate our 50th episode we are honored to welcome Dr. Robert Bucelli on the show. He is a leading expert in neuromuscular neurology and a dedicated advocate for advancing treatments for neuromuscular disorders.  In this episode, Dr. Bucelli shares his wealth of knowledge on neuromuscular neurology, exploring topics such as: What neuromuscular neurology entails and who is affected. The role of genetics in diagnosing and treating neuromuscular disorders. Common symptoms, risk factors, and diagnostic approaches. How therapies like physical and occupational therapy play a role in management. Lifestyle modifications, including diet and exercise, to minimize risk. The latest advancements in research and treatment, including ASO therapy. Strategies for coping with the challenges of living with neuromuscular conditions. Dr. Bucelli has been a practicing neurologist at the ALS Clinic since 2011. He is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis where he serves as the Site Principal Investigator on several clinical studies relating to ALS.   After graduating summa cum laude from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York with a degree in biology, Dr. Bucelli went on to receive his medical degree and PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program. He then completed an internship in internal medicine and postgraduate residency in neurology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Washington University School of Medicine, followed by a postgraduate Clinical Fellowship Training Program in the Department of Neurology's Neuromuscular Section, also at Barnes-Jewish and Washington University. He is also a graduate of the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital Academic Medical Leadership Program for Physicians and Scientists.   Dr. Bucelli is expert in diagnosing and treating neuromuscular disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He also reads and interprets muscle and nerve biopsies to aid in the diagnostic evaluations of patients seen at Washington University and many additional outside institutions. Dr. Bucelli's clinical expertise guides exemplary multidisciplinary ALS care in the neuromuscular clinic. His skill in delivering drugs to the fluid surrounding the spinal cord has enabled Dr. Bucelli's and Washington University's leadership in trials using to turn off the production of harmful genes that cause ALS.   Dr. Bucelli has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching and clinical work at Washington University. He is a five-time recipient of the Eliasson Award for Teaching Excellence and has authored over 40 peer-reviewed manuscripts. He is a frequently invited guest lecturer and presenter at regional and national conferences.   Stay tuned for the next new episode of “It Happened To Me” in the New Year on January 6th, 2025! In the meantime, you can listen to our previous episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “It Happened To Me”.    “It Happened To Me” is created and hosted by Cathy Gildenhorn and Beth Glassman. DNA Today's Kira Dineen is our executive producer and marketing lead. Amanda Andreoli is our associate producer. Ashlyn Enokian is our graphic designer.   See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, ItHappenedToMePod.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to ItHappenedToMePod@gmail.com.   

Ever wondered if your therapist secretly moonlights as a comedian? This week on "So What Do You Really Do?", Deadair Dennis Maler dives into the fascinating life of Dr. Ellen Orchid, a psychiatrist who's been cracking skulls (both metaphorical and comedic) since the 80s NYC boom.Ellen shares incredible stories of performing alongside female comedic icons and the challenges they faced. They'll also talk about her time on 'The View' and her role portraying a psychiatrist on 'The Sopranos.' They also dive deep into her experiences in medical school and the advancements in psychology and psychiatry over the years, including the use of ketamine therapy. Ellen discusses the challenges of balancing a career in medicine and comedy and her plans for the future. The conversation also touches on the portrayal of mental health in media and the impact of documentaries like 'By Day By Night.'This episode is a hilarious exploration of the human mind, the medical field, and the power of a good punchline. So grab your stethoscope and a chuckle, because you're about to witness a therapy session unlike any other! If you've ever had to balance two wildly different worlds or just love a good laugh about life's unexpected turns, this episode is for you. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more gut-busting tales from BIG Comedy Network. KEEP UP WITH ELLENEllen Orchid is a graduate of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine with an MD and Ph.D. in Neuroscience, as part of their Medical Scientist Training Program. She did a psychiatry residency at New York University - Bellevue Hospital.She is board-certified and has practiced psychiatry for 40 years. She began stand-up in 1982 and has performed on "The View", "Live with Regis","America's Funniest Viewers", and "Oprah's Funniest Viewers".Check out all her socials!https://www.instagram.com/ellenorchidhttps://www.facebook.com/ellen.orchid.50https://twitter.com/ellenorchidhttps://www.tiktok.com/@ellen.orchidDocumentary: http://www.bydaybynightdoc.com/

Host: Ashley Baker, MSN, PMHNP Guest: Samuel Dienel, PhD Using postmortem brain tissue, a recent study investigated how alterations in somatostatin messenger RNA levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex affect cognition among individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Dive into the findings with psychiatric nurse practitioner Ashley Baker and Dr. Samuel Dienel, a student in the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

Take a virtual coffee break today with the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Dr. Nita Salzman, MD, PhD, professor, Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology; Director, Medical Scientist Training Program; Founding Director, Center for Microbiome Research at the Medical College of Wisconsin, to learn about the role bacteria play in our bodies, forming microbiome communities that are crucial for our good health.

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In this episode, we discuss with Isaiah Swann, an MSTP trainee and Student Representative on the NCAA Board of Governors, his career path and progress so far, and we gain insights from his good experiences, hear how he maintains work-life integration, and we produce an episode that is one of the best so far! -- Isaiah Swann -- Link to Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaiah-swann-640187134/ -- Isaiah Swann Biography: Isaiah Swann is a student in the Medical-Scientist Training Program and Cell & Developmental Biology Graduate Program at the University of Virginia. Originally from Marietta, Georgia, Isaiah completed a degree in neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas and a postgrad year at the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at Vanderbilt University before arriving at UVA in 2021. Broadly, he is interested in neurology and expanding our understanding of basic cellular processes in neurons, such as how elements of the neuronal cytoskeleton contribute to axon pathfinding and proper synapse formation. While passionate about research and medicine, he believes it's important to lead a fulfilled life outside of work; Swann enjoys spending his free time sampling local restaurants with friends, making music, watching reality tv shows, and exercising. --

This episode covers the following topics and more: The role of a pediatric craniofacial surgeon and what types of conditions and surgeries they treatDiagnosis, patterns and recommendations Common challenges/complexities when treating cleft lip and palateSurgery, cranial  helmets and other treatments for these conditionsRecent advancements / innovative techniques in pediatric craniofacial surgery that have significantly improved patient outcomes and surgical proceduresWhen a multidisciplinary approach applies to the patients and other specialties involved in  patient care About Dr. Jordan P. Steinberg  Dr. Jordan P. Steinberg is a pediatric plastic, craniomaxillofacial and orthognathic surgeon within the Division of Pediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and serves as surgical director of the Craniofacial Program at Nicklaus Children's Hospital. He earned his medical degree and a doctorate in neuroscience through the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Steinberg then completed an integrated residency program in plastic surgery at Northwestern University McGaw Medical Center in Chicago. Following this, he pursued a fellowship in pediatric craniofacial surgery at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. His clinical interests include cleft lip and palate, congenital facial skeletal growth disorders and syndromes, craniosynostosis, ear anomalies, jaw deformities requiring corrective (orthognathic) surgery, ear anomalies and pediatric skin/soft tissue lesions.Dr. Steinberg is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Pediatrics and an active member of the following societies: AO Craniomaxillofacial, American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association, American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Association of Pediatric Plastic Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics-Plastic Surgery Section, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Craniofacial Surgeons, International Society of Craniofacial Surgery, American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons and the Plastic Surgery Research Council. Dr. Steinberg's work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals. He has also written chapters for medical textbooks, presented at both national and international medical conferences and has served as a reviewer for various plastic surgery-related journals. He is frequently called upon by the media to provide expert commentary on topics related to pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgery. Academically, Dr. Steinberg has served as a mentor to students and residents and has also held the role of craniofacial surgery fellowship co-director.Dr. Steinberg is employed by Nicklaus Children's Pediatric Specialists (NCPS), the physician-led multispecialty group practice of Nicklaus Children's Health System. Prior to joining Nicklaus Children's, he served as director of Pediatric Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, Maryland.The Division of Pediatric Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Nicklaus Children's Hospital offers comprehensive care for children with a full range of congenital, as well as trauma-related conditions. From the management of hand and upper extremity trauma and congenital anomalies, to the reconstruction of burn and other soft tissue injuries, and treatment of various breast pathologies, the team offers consultation and treatment services tailored to each child's individual needs. The plastic and reconstructive surgery team is also proud to be part of the Nicklaus Children's Craniofacial Center team, participating in multidisciplinary care clinics to maximize convenience for families of children with facial differences, including cleft lip and palate, ear anomalies and craniosynostosis.

Rivka Stone MD PhD is a board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Stone completed a combined MD/PhD program at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, where she was supported by an NIH F30 fellowship for her graduate research. Following an intern year in Pediatrics, she completed a physician scientist research residency in Dermatology at the University of Miami, where her postdoctoral work focused on chronic wound healing. As a physician scientist, Dr. Stone practices general clinical and procedural dermatology and directs a laboratory studying translational genomics of inflammatory and fibrosing skin disorders. Her research is funded by the NIH-NIDDK, the Dermatology Foundation, and the Wound Healing Foundation. She has over 30 peer-reviewed publications and has received several young investigator awards for her work. In addition to her clinical and research work, Dr. Stone enjoys mentoring high school and college students, in particular those interested in the physician scientist pathway as well as students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine. She is a member of the University of Miami's Medical Scientist Training Program committee and co-directs the Dermatology research residency program. Dr. Stone also serves as Chief Medical Officer for Elite Medical Prep, a tutoring company committed to maximizing student and institutional performance on high-stakes exams through customized coaching. She lives with her husband and 5 children in Miami Beach. _______________________________________________________ Become a JOWMA Member! www.jowma.org  Follow us on Instagram! www.instagram.com/JOWMA_org  Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/JOWMA_med  Follow us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/JOWMAorg/ Stay up-to-date with JOWMA news! Sign up for the JOWMA newsletter! https://jowma.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9b4e9beb287874f9dc7f80289&id=ea3ef44644&mc_cid=dfb442d2a7&mc_eid=e9eee6e41e

NEI Podcast is taking a temporary hiatus over the summer. From July through September, we will revisit some of our most compelling episodes, on topics that remain as relevant today as when they first aired. New episodes will resume in the fall; make sure you are subscribed so that you don't miss out!  ***************************** What is unique about collaborative care when it comes to mental health? Can you share some of the step-by-step guide to implementing the core model in clinical practice for collaborative care? In this episode, Dr. Anna Ratzliff answers these questions and much more!   Dr. Anna Ratzliff is a national expert on collaborative care, and specifically on training teams to implement and deliver mental health treatment in primary care settings. Her passion for translating complex research ideas into practical real-world applications began when she received her MD and PhD in Anatomy and Neurobiology as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of California at Irvine. She currently is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington, where she has developed additional expertise in suicide prevention training, mental health workforce development, adult learning best practices, and mentorship. Dr. Ratzliff is the Director of the UW Psychiatry Resident Training Program, Co-Director of the AIMS Center (Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions), and Director of the UW Integrated Care Training Program for residents and fellows.  Resources:   AIMS Center Website: http://aims.uw.edu/  Implementation Guide: https://aims.uw.edu/collaborative-care/implementation-guide  APA Training: https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/professional-interests/integrated-care 

In the wake of such comprehensive exploration and analysis around the foundational medical research cited time and time again regarding child and adolescent gender transition, the Dutch Protocol, we extended an invitation to Dr. Stephen Levine and Dr. Julia Mason to join us in a discussion about their most recent paper, co-authored together with Zhenya Abbruzzese in a thorough critique of the Dutch Protocol.Dr. Stephen B. Levine is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is the solo author of five books, all of which are concerned with love and sexuality. He has been teaching, providing clinical care, and writing since 1973 and has generated over 180 publications, 35 of which have been related to gender dysphoria. He and two colleagues received a lifetime achievement Masters and Johnson's Award from the Society for Sex Therapy and Research in March 2005. His recent publications on gender dysphoria have been read by thousands of people.Dr. Julia Mason is a pediatrician who started medical school in the Medical Scientist Training Program but emerged with a Master's degree in Nutritional Science rather than the planned PhD. This extended her medical education and kept her grounded in the scientific basis of medical care, which may have made her more likely to be skeptical of pediatric “affirmative gender care” when she saw it taking root in her hometown of Portland, Oregon. Julia is a founder and board member of SEGM, the Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine. She is a full-time practicing pediatrician in Gresham Oregon, her gender work is extracurricular and entirely voluntary.Our conversation with Drs. Levine and Mason evolved into a pretty intense exploration of sexuality and the consequences that blocking an adolescent's puberty has on their developing sexuality. We explore why so many adolescents are consciously or subconsciously seeking to block their sexuality and seek, sometimes desperately, to avoid opportunities for experiencing natural sexual development. And what about the impact and consequences of easy access to extreme varieties of pornography? But most importantly, why are we robbing young people of the opportunity to develop their sexuality? This is the key question. The discovery and exploration of sexual desire are critically important for the adolescent experience. Puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones not only disrupt but eradicate the normative and positive experience of coming to grips with one's desires and sexual self.Please note that this conversation includes many topics explicit in nature, listener discretion is advised.Links:Co-Authored article with E. AbbruzzeseThe Myth of "Reliable Research" in Pediatric Gender Medicine: A critical evaluation of the Dutch Studies-and research that has followedhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2022.2150346Stephen Levin, MD's most recent published article with E. Abbruzzese:Current Concerns about Gender-Affirming Therapy in Adolescents https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11930-023-00358-xSelections of Julia Mason, MD's Published Workhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0092623X.2022.2046221

In this episode, Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology at the Yale School Medicine, and a Dermatology Times Editorial Advisory Board member, discusses a paper he recently co-authored, titled “JAK Inhibitor Safety Compared to Traditional Systemic Immunosuppressive Therapies,” with Stefano Daniele, PhD candidate of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Yale School of Medicine.  

Dr. Joseph Volpicelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Medical Scientist Training Program. Through this program, he received both his doctorate of medicine and psychology. He also completed his medical residency at the University of Pennsylvania and a fellowship in Neuropsychopharmacology.   A world-renowned scientist-clinician, Dr. Volpicelli's research has led to many important discoveries in addiction treatment. His research led to the discovery of naltrexone to treat alcohol addiction, an FDA-approved medicine used worldwide to reduce alcohol craving and relapse. His research also led to the discovery of a psychosocial approach designed to improve treatment engagement and retention. www.volpicellicenter.com/   How to reach Dr. Joseph Volpicelli:  https://volpicellicenter.com/about-us/   Follow us on social @shit2talkabout To subscribe, rate, and donate: https://linktr.ee/shit2talkabout

It's our last episode of our dementia research mini-series! And as a follow up to our recap of Day 4, we interviewed Dr. Adam Boxer to learn more about fluid biomarkers - AKA - we ask him all about what the bloodwork and lumbar puncture is used for. Stay tuned for a very special ending of our 8-part series. Thank you for coming on the journey with us and please let us know what you think of this series by reaching out to us on our website! www.remembermeftd.com Adam L. Boxer, MD, PhD, is Endowed Professor in Memory and Aging in the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He directs UCSF's Neurosciences Clinical Research Unit and the Alzheimer's Disease and Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) Clinical Trials Program at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. Dr. Boxer's research is focused on developing new treatments and biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly those involving tau and TDP-43. Dr. Boxer received his medical and doctorate degrees as part of the NIH-funded Medical Scientist Training Program at New York University Medical Center. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine at California Pacific Medical Center, a residency in Neurology at Stanford University Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in behavioral neurology at UCSF. We loved Dr. Boxer! Enjoy the science side of our experience, you guys! -- Special thank you to the ALLFTD Study for their support in the creation of this series. You can support Remember Me by visiting our website www.remembermeftd.com where you can shop our merch, join re-members only or donate. You can follow us on instagram @remembermepodcast. ---- Today's sponsor is The Bluefield Project: The Bluefield Project to Cure FTD, is on a mission to support research to improve our understanding of a genetic form of Frontotemporal dementia, and to help find a cure for this devastating disease. So how can you help? If FTD runs in your family, participating in a Natural History Study, or in a therapeutic clinical trial, makes an enormous contribution. To learn more, please go to ftdregistry.org ---- Remember Me is a podcast created by two moms who became fast friends on Instagram while caregiving for their parents. It features stories of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) with a focus on remembering individuals for who they were before the disease. The stories shared are raw, real, and so full of love. We hope it inspires you to "accept the good." --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/rememberme/support

On today's episode of The Confluence: A legal scholar explains which rights to privacy could be at risk following the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade; a new study shows institutional racism is a risk factor in the severity of asthma in Black people; and Anthrocon brings the “furry” community back to the Convention Center.Today's guests include: Greer Donley, assistant professor of law at the University Pittsburgh Law School; Alexander Schuyler, a M.D. and Ph.D. student in Pitt's Medical Scientist Training Program; and John "K.P." Cole, the public outreach director for Anthrocon.

On todays episode we'll be learning how to save the life of someone overdosing on Fentanyl,  how and why addiction  happens and steps and strategies to overcome addiction.   We'll be discussing the current opioid crisis that is happening in the US and we will specifically be talking about the synthetic opioid called fentanyl. We'll be learning why it's so readily available and addictive. The signs of an opioid overdoes and what to do. New effective treatments that help with addiction. And how to get back our health and wellness back and recover from addiction.  My guest today is Dr. Joseph R. Volpicelli, M.D., Ph.D., he'ss an Addiction expert and executive director of The Institute of Addiction Medicine which addresses the need to get evidence-based addiction treatments into clinical practice. He is also founder of The Volpicelli Center..an intimate addiction recovery center that provides research-based recovery to fully support you in your recovery so you can get back to living fully.  Dr. Volpicelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's prestigious Medical Scientist Training Program and his research has led to many important discoveries in addiction treatment.   Drug overdoses are now one of the leading causes of death for Americans under the age of 50. More recently, there has been a re-emergence of trafficking, distribution, and abuse of illicitly produced fentanyl which is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine. China and Mexico are the primary source countries for fentanyl trafficked directly into the US.  Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are now the fastest growing  and most common drug category involved in drug overdose deaths in the US. In 2021, about 75% of drug overdose deaths in the US involved opioids. Opioids kill more than 136 Americans every day.  And the national Overdose death rate increased 255.74% between 2000 and 2019.   PLEASE SUPPORT our work. It takes time and effort to make these videos. Every little bit helps!  **To donate/tip me, here are my Paypal.   Paypal Donation Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6YECDNX33L4KQ   Contact Dr. Joseph R. Volpicelli, MD :  www.volpicellicenter.com volpicelli.j@gmail.com   Dr. Volpicelli's Books: https://www.amazon.com/Recovery-Options-Joseph-Volpicelli-Ph-D/dp/047134575X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3KOR4XLA5LQ4N&keywords=joseph+volpicelli&qid=1655360815&sprefix=joseph+volpicelli%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Combining-Medication-Psychosocial-Treatments-Addictions/dp/1572306181/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3KOR4XLA5LQ4N&keywords=joseph+volpicelli&qid=1655360887&sprefix=joseph+volpicelli%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-2   Stay In Touch with Us! Instagram:   @DiscoveringTrueHealth Twitter:        @DTrueHealth  Facebook:   @discoveringtruhealth Rumble:      Discoveringtruehealth Listen On:  Apple Podcast Spotify   Watch On: YouTube   www.discoveringtruehealth.com   SAMHSA National Helpline Confidential free help, from public health agencies, to find substance use treatment and information. 1-800-662-4357   Links: https://drugabusestatistics.org/drug-overdose-deaths/ https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/fentanyl https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-008-20%20Fentanyl%20Flow%20in%20the%20United%20States_0.pdf https://katu.com/afternoon-live/lifestyle-health/erik-kilgore-a-personal-look-inside-the-fentanyl-crisis https://drugabusestatistics.org/drug-overdose-deaths/ https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2022/overdose-deaths-surged-first-half-2021-underscoring-urgent-need-action https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/data-visualizations/2021/the-high-price-of-the-opioid-crisis-2021 https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Fentanyl-2020_0.pdf https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/fentanyl  

Dr. Drummond is a native of Jacksonville, FL. After graduating from Stanton College Preparatory School, he attended Morehouse College in Atlanta GA, where he received his B.S. in Biology. While at Morehouse, Dr. Drummond developed a passion for mentoring and research, and graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Upon completion of his undergraduate studies, he attended the Medical Scientist Training Program at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he received both his MD and PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine. His passion for mentoring and recruitment led to numerous institutional diversity awards, including the David E. Rogers award for Medical Professionalism and Community service. After completing an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at LAC+USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, Dr. Drummond finalized his training with a postdoctoral Research Fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Drummond's multiple interests have led to a wide range of positions. He is currently the Lead Clinician and Director of Laboratories at the Montebello Urgent Care center with OPTUM and he served as a Physician in the California Army National Guard. Dr. Drummond also works as a concierge physician in the Greater Los Angeles area and is a medical consultant for various corporations throughout the country.

In this episode of the EMEUNET podcast, we are looking back to ACR 2020. In this episode, Dr Alvise Berti interviews Prof. Betty Diamond following the Mentor-Mentee meeting, also available as a previous podcast. Prof. Diamond graduated with a BA from Harvard University and an MD from Harvard Medical School. She performed a residency in internal medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and received postdoctoral training in immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Prof. Diamond has headed the rheumatology divisions at Albert Einstein School of Medicine and at Columbia University Medical Center. She also directed the Medical Scientist Training Program at Albert Einstein School of Medicine for many years. She is currently head of the Center for Autoimmune, Musculoskeletal and Hematopoietic Diseases at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and director of the PhD and MD/PhD programs of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. A former president of the American Association of Immunology, Prof. Diamond has also served on the Board of Directors of the American College of Rheumatology and the Scientific Council of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Here, she shares some of her experiences in the field of medical research, especially in lupus, and her thoughts on future research in this area.

For more details, visit #DrGPCR Podcast Episode #65 page https://www.drgpcr.com/episode-65-with-sudarshan-rajagopal/ ------------------------------------------- About Dr. Sudarshan Rajagopal Dr. Sudarshan Rajagopal obtained his B.S. in Chemistry from The University of Chicago in 1998. He subsequently enrolled in the Medical Scientist Training Program at The University of Chicago. During his doctoral work in the lab of Prof. Keith Moffat, he studied the structural mechanisms of bacterial photoreceptors using time-resolved Laue crystallography. He was awarded his Ph.D. in 2004 and his MD in 2006. He then joined the Internal Medicine Residency training program at Duke University Medical Center. During his Cardiology fellowship, he trained in the lab of Dr. Robert J. Lefkowitz, where his research focused on biased agonism, with the development of approaches to quantify ligand bias and the identification of beta-arrestin-biased receptors. After completing his training in clinical cardiology, he started as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. The main focus of his lab's research is on the mechanisms underlying biased agonism at chemokine receptors and how that contributes to inflammation. The chemokine system is relatively unique in having multiple receptors and multiple ligands that display considerable promiscuity for one another. His group and others have shown that many of these ligands act as biased agonists for the same receptor. His lab is also interested in identifying novel signal transduction mechanisms of GPCRs, such as the formation of complexes between G proteins and beta-arrestins. His clinical focus is on pulmonary arterial hypertension, a disease of the pulmonary arterioles that causes right heart failure, and he serves as co-director of the Duke Pulmonary Vascular Disease Center. Dr. Sudarshan Rajagopal on the web LinkedIn Website Google Scholar LinkedIn ------------------------------------------- We aspire to provide opportunities to connect, share, form trusting partnerships, grow, and thrive together. Fill out the Ecosystem waitlist form today to be the first to explore our brand new and improved space! For more details, visit our website http://www.DrGPCR.com/Ecosystem/. ------------------------------------------- Are you a #GPCR professional? - Register to become a Virtual Cafe speaker http://www.drgpcr.com/virtual-cafe/ - Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter http://www.drgpcr.com/newsletter/ - Listen and subscribe to #DrGPCR Podcasts http://www.drgpcr.com/podcast/ - Support #DrGPCR Ecosystem with your Donation. http://www.drgpcr.com/sponsors/ - Reserve your spots for the next #DrGPCR Virtual Cafe http://www.drgpcr.com/virtual-cafe/ - Watch recorded #DRGPCR Virtual Cafe presentations: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJvKL3smMEEXBulKdgT_yCw - Share your feedback with us: http://w

The Wendy Love Edge Show does not dispense medical advice and all of your health choices are your own. Co-host: Branden Lee Guests: Sunil K. Aggarwal, MD, PhD, FAAPMR, FAAHPM is a physician and medical geographer and Co-founder and Co-director of the AIMS (Advanced Integrative Medical Science) Institute in Seattle, a multispecialty teaching clinic and research institute offering cutting edge care in oncology, psychiatry, neurology, rehabilitation, pain, and palliative care. He is a Board-Certified Fellow of both the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, where he was named a Top 20 Emerging Leader. He is Past Chair of the Integrative Medicine Special Interest Group and an inaugural member of the Safe Use in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies Forum at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He is a Voluntary Clinical Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at the UW School of Medicine, an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Geography in the UW College of Arts and Sciences, an Affiliate Clinical Faculty Member at Bastyr University School of Naturopathic Medicine, and a Faculty Member of the National Family Medicine Residency. He serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the National Cancer Institute's PDQ Cancer CAM information summary on cannabis and as an Associate Member of the New York Academy of Medicine and the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research. He maintains a clinical practice at AIMS and serves as an Associate Hospice Medicine Director and On-Call Palliative Physician for MultiCare Health System. He has been qualified as an expert in cannabis and psilocybin medical and religious use in county, state, and federal courts. Dr. Aggarwal received a B.S. in chemistry, B.A. in philosophy, and a minor in religious studies from UC Berkeley. He completed his MD and PhD degrees at the University of Washington as part of the NIH-supported Medical Scientist Training Program and completed his Residency and Fellowship at Virginia Mason Medical Center, NYU Langone Health, and the NIH Clinical Center Pain and Palliative Care Service. A former National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, Dr. Aggarwal completed his PhD dissertation on “The Medical Geography of Cannabinoid Botanicals in Washington State: Access, Delivery, and Distress.” He is presently a co-investigator on the AIMS Cancer Outcomes Study, the AIMS Medical Outcomes Study, and previously the Canadian Psilocybin Safety Initiative Registry. He has published over three dozen peer-reviewed articles and book chapters that have been cited over 800 times and growing per Google Scholar, and he is honored to serve as a member of the Board of Directors of End of Life Washington and the Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy. Musical Guest: Angela Edge http://angelaedge.com The Wendy Love Edge Show is written and created by Wendy Love Edge Producer: A. Edge Productions Editor: Flint Woods Cannabis Expert MD Dr. Brian Nichol, Music and Cannabis Pairing https://cannabisexpertmd.com/ #FIMM with @learnfromteddi #Milehighnews with Candis Dyer https://www.facebook.com/CannaCornerWithCandisDyer #trainingwithmaryjane Offleash K9 Training LLC, Northwest Arkansas https://www.facebook.com/OLK9Arkansas/ Sponsors: The Relevnt App Karas Healthcare Offleash K9 Training, LLC NW Arkansas Irie Bliss Wellness Green Harvest Health Lynsey Camp Lit Premium Smoking Supplies The Balmb Body Care 131 Inclusion Gallery

In our first programme of the year, we gathered a group of scientific experts directly involved in analysing the structure and impact of the SARS- Cov-2 coronavirus. There were concerns over the emergence of two new variants, Alpha and Beta, especially whether these variants might spread more quickly, or outmanoeuvre the suite of new vaccines that were about to be rolled out. Now the same questions are being asked about the Omicron variant's ability to spread and overcome our defences. We've invited the same scientists back to give us their assessment of our journey with Covid-19 over the past year, and discuss their findings on Omicron. The programme features: Ravi Gupta, Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the University of Cambridge Tulio de Oliveira, Professor of Bioinformatics, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Dr Allie Greaney from the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Washington School of Medicine Professor Jeremy Luban from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (Image:Getty Images) Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Julian Siddle

To celebrate the approach of ACR 2021, we are releasing the ACR 2020 Mentor Mentee Meeting Podcasts. In this episode, Dr Alvise Berti interviews Prof. Betty Diamond, joined by fellows from basic science and medical/rheumatology worlds, discussing the development of her career as a physician-scientist. Prof. Diamond graduated with a BA from Harvard University and an MD from Harvard Medical School. She performed a residency in internal medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and received postdoctoral training in immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Prof. Diamond has headed the rheumatology divisions at Albert Einstein School of Medicine and at Columbia University Medical Center. She also directed the Medical Scientist Training Program at Albert Einstein School of Medicine for many years. She is currently head of the Center for Autoimmune, Musculoskeletal and Hematopoietic Diseases at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and director of the PhD and MD/PhD programs of the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. A former president of the American Association of Immunology, Prof. Diamond has also served on the Board of Directors of the American College of Rheumatology and the Scientific Council of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Here, she shares some of her experiences in the field of medical research, especially in lupus, challenges she has faced, and valuable insights into life as an academic clinician.

What is unique about collaborative care, when it comes to mental health? Can you share some of the step-by -step guide to implementing the core model in clinical practice for collaborative care? In this episode, Dr. Anna Ratzliff answers these questions and much more! Dr. Anna Ratzliff is a national expert on collaborative care and specifically, on training teams to implement and deliver mental health treatment in primary care settings. Her passion for translating complex research ideas into practical real-world applications began when she received her MD and PhD in Anatomy and Neurobiology as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of California at Irvine.  She currently is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington where she has developed additional expertise in suicide prevention training, mental health workforce development, adult learning best practices, and mentorship. Dr. Ratzliff is the Director of the UW Psychiatry Resident Training Program, Co-Director of the AIMS Center (Advancing Integrated Mental Health Solutions) and Director of the UW Integrated Care Training Program for residents and fellows. Resources: AIMS Center Website: http://aims.uw.edu/ Implementation Guide: https://aims.uw.edu/collaborative-care/implementation-guide APA Training: https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/professional-interests/integrated-care

Dr. Lawrence (Skip) Brass, MD, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director of the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Brass pursued his MD/PhD training at Case Western Reserve University, followed by residency and hematology/oncology fellowship training at UPenn before joining faculty. In today's episode, we discuss the evolution of MD/PhD training, including the priorities for current trainees and the importance of institutional support towards ensuring their success as rising physician-scientists. For temporal reference, this episode was recorded in the Summer of 2020. Credits: Our deepest thanks to Dr. Brass for joining us today. Check out his faculty page here: https://www.med.upenn.edu/brasslab/skipbrass.html Check out the Brass Lab here: https://www.med.upenn.edu/brasslab/ Host: Bejan Saeedi Co-Host and Audio Engineer – Joe Behnke Executive Producer and Social Media Coordinator – Carey Jansen Executive Producer – Michael Sayegh Associate Producer - Joshua Owens Faculty Advisor – Dr. Brian Robinson Twitter: @behindthescope_ Instagram: @behindthemicroscopepod Facebook: @behindthemicroscope1 Website: behindthemicroscope.com

Avocado discovery may point to leukemia treatment University of Guelph (Canada), May 1, 2021 A compound in avocados may ultimately offer a route to better leukemia treatment, says a new University of Guelph study. The compound targets an enzyme that scientists have identified for the first time as being critical to cancer cell growth, said Dr. Paul Spagnuolo, Department of Food Science. Published recently in the journal Blood, the study focused on acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is the most devastating form of leukemia. Most cases occur in people over age 65, and fewer than 10 per cent of patients survive five years after diagnosis. Leukemia cells have higher amounts of an enzyme called VLCAD involved in their metabolism, said Spagnuolo. “The cell relies on that pathway to survive,” he said, explaining that the compound is a likely candidate for drug therapy. “This is the first time VLCAD has been identified as a target in any cancer.” His team screened nutraceutical compounds among numerous compounds, looking for any substance that might inhibit the enzyme. “Lo and behold, the best one was derived from avocado,” said Spagnuolo. Earlier, his lab looked at avocatin B, a fat molecule found only in avocados, for potential use in preventing diabetes and managing obesity. Now he’s eager to see it used in leukemia patients. “VLCAD can be a good marker to identify patients suitable for this type of therapy. It can also be a marker to measure the activity of the drug,” said Spagnuolo. “That sets the stage for eventual use of this molecule in human clinical trials.” Currently, about half of patients over 65 diagnosed with AML enter palliative care. Others undergo chemotherapy, but drug treatments are toxic and can end up killing patients. “There’s been a drive to find less toxic drugs that can be used.” Referring to earlier work using avocatin B for diabetes, Spagnuolo said, “We completed a human study with this as an oral supplement and have been able to show that appreciable amounts are fairly well tolerated.” Supplement betaine treats schizophrenia in mice, restores healthy “dance” and structure of neurons University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, April 19, 2021 A simple dietary supplement reduces behavioral symptoms in mice with a genetic mutation that causes schizophrenia. After additional experiments, including visualizing the fluorescently stained dancing edge of immature brain cells, researchers concluded that the supplement likely protects proteins that build neurons’ cellular skeletons. The supplement betaine was first isolated from sugar beets and is often associated with sweetness or umami flavor. Healthy levels of betaine come from both external food sources and internal synthesis in the body. Betaine supplements are already used clinically to treat the metabolic disease homocystinuria.  “I don’t encourage anyone to take betaine for no reason, if a doctor has not recommended it. But, we know this drug is already used clinically, so repurposing it to treat schizophrenia should be safe,” said Project Professor Nobutaka Hirokawa, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine who led the recent research project. Hirokawa has been a member of the Japan Academy, a national honorary organization recognizing scientific achievement, since 2004 and received a Person of Cultural Merit award from the Japanese government in 2013. Schizophrenia is estimated to affect about 1 in 100 people globally and is one of the top 15 leading causes of disability worldwide.  “There are treatments for schizophrenia, but they have side effects and unfortunately there is still no effective drug for patients to take that we can explain biochemically why it works,” explained Hirokawa. Genetic studies of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have found possible links between the disease and variations in the kinesin family 3b (kif3b) gene as well as another gene involved in the body’s internal synthesis of betaine. Hirokawa and his lab members have categorized all 45 members of the kinesin superfamily of genes in mammals, most of which encode motor proteins that move materials throughout the cell. Normally, the KIF3B protein links together with another kinesin superfamily protein and transports cargo throughout a neuron by traveling up and down the cell’s skeleton.  Mice used in the recent research had only one functional copy of the kif3b gene and are often used as an animal model of schizophrenia. These mice avoid social interactions and show the same weak response as human patients with schizophrenia in a test called prepulse inhibition, which measures how startled they are by a sudden, loud sound preceded by a quieter sound. Kif3b mutant mice raised on a diet supplemented with three times the normal amount of betaine had normal behavior, indicating that betaine supplements could treat schizophrenia symptoms.  To figure out why betaine had this effect on mice, researchers grew nerve cells with the kif3b mutation in the laboratory and added fluorescent labels so they could watch the cellular skeleton take shape. The shape of a healthy neuron is reminiscent of a tree: a cell body surrounded by branches, the dendrites, attached to a long trunk, the axon. Kif3b mutant neurons grown in the lab have an unusual, hyperbranched structure with too many dendrites. Similar hyperbranched neurons are also seen in brain samples donated by people with schizophrenia, regardless of what treatments or medications they took while they were alive.  During healthy neuron development, the main body of the cell fills with a skeleton component called tubulin. Meanwhile, the front growth cone of the cell builds outwards in a spiky, erratic dance due to the movements of another skeleton component called filamentous actin. In kif3b mutants, this dancing movement, which experts refer to as lamellipodial dynamics, is noticeably reduced and the division between tubulin and actin is blurred.  The actin in a neuron’s cellular skeleton is assembled in part by another protein called CRMP2. Chemical analyses of the brains of kif3b mutant mice and human schizophrenia patients reveal significant chemical damage to CRMP2, which causes the proteins to clump together. Betaine is known to prevent the type of chemical damage, carbonyl stress, that causes this CRMP2 dysfunction.  “In postmortem brains of schizophrenia patients, CRMP2 is the protein in the brain with the most carbonyl stress. Betaine likely eliminates the carbonyl stress portion of the schizophrenia equation,” said Hirokawa.  By protecting CRMP2 from damage, betaine treatment allows kif3b mutant neurons to build proper structures. With a structurally sound skeleton to navigate, the remaining functional KIF3B protein can shuttle cargo around the cell. Other test tube experiments revealed that KIF3B and CRMP2 can bind together, but their exact relationship remains unclear.  “We know that the amount of betaine decreases in schizophrenia patients’ brains, so this study strongly suggests betaine could be therapeutic for at least some kinds of schizophrenia,” said Hirokawa.  The UTokyo research team is planning future collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and clinical studies of betaine supplements as a treatment for schizophrenia. Study reveals your neighbourhood may affect your brain health University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, April 20, 2021 Middle-aged and older people living in more disadvantaged neighbourhoods — areas with higher poverty levels and fewer educational and employment opportunities–had more brain shrinkage on brain scans and showed a faster decline on cognitive tests than people living in neighbourhoods with fewer disadvantages, according to a new study. The study published in the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Researchers say such brain ageing may be a sign of the earliest stages of dementia. “Worldwide, dementia is a major cause of illness and a devastating diagnosis,” said study author Amy J. H. Kind M.D., PhD, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison. “There are currently no treatments to cure the disease, so identifying possible modifiable risk factors is important. Compelling evidence exists that the social, economic, cultural and physical conditions in which humans live may affect health. We wanted to determine if these neighbourhood conditions increase the risk for the neurodegeneration and cognitive decline associated with the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.” For the study, researchers identified 601 people from two larger studies of Wisconsin residents. Participants had an average age of 59 and no thinking or memory problems at the start of the study, although 69% had a family history of dementia. They were followed for 10 years. Participants had an initial MRI brain scan and then additional scans every three to five years. With each scan, researchers measured brain volume in areas of the brain linked to the development of Alzheimer’s dementia. Participants also took thinking and memory tests every two years, including tests that measured processing speed, mental flexibility and executive function. Researchers used the residential address of each participant and a measure called the Area Deprivation Index to determine if each participant lived in an advantaged or disadvantaged neighbourhood. Neighbourhoods in the index are determined by census areas of 1,500 residents. The index incorporates information on the socio-economic conditions of each neighbourhood and its residents, ranking neighbourhoods based on 17 indicators including income, employment, education and housing quality. Of all participants, 19 people lived in the 20% of most disadvantaged neighbourhoods in their state and 582 people lived in 80% of all other neighbourhoods in their state. People in the first group were then matched one to four to people in the second group for race, sex, age and education and compared. At the start of the study, there was no difference in brain volume between people living in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and those in other neighbourhoods. But in the end, researchers found brain shrinkage in areas of the brain associated with dementia in people in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, while there was no shrinkage in the other group. Researchers also found a higher rate of decline on tests that measure the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. “Our findings suggest that increased vigilance by healthcare providers for early signs of dementia may be particularly important in this vulnerable population,” said Kind. “Some possible causes of these brain changes may include air pollution, lack of access to healthy food and healthcare and stressful life events. Further research into possible social and biological pathways may help physicians, researchers and policymakers identify effective avenues for prevention and intervention in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.” Limitations of the study included a small number of participants from highly disadvantaged neighbourhoods and a limited geographic setting. Future studies should involve larger and more diverse groups of people over longer periods of time. Alpha-lipoic acid increases collagen synthesis and deposition in nondiabetic and diabetic kidneys University of Belgrade (Serbia), April 21, 2021 According to news originating from Belgrade, Serbia, research stated, “Alpha-Lipoic acid (ALA) is widely used as a nutritional supplement and therapeutic agent in diabetes management. Well-established antioxidant and hypoglycemic effects of ALA were considered to be particularly important in combating diabetic complications including renal injury.” Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the University of Belgrade, “The present study evaluated the potential of ALA to affect profibrotic events in kidney that could alter its structure and functioning. ALA was administered intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg) to nondiabetic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic male Wistar rats for 4 and 8 weeks. The effects of ALA were assessed starting from structural/morphological alterations through changes that characterize profibrotic processes, to regulation of collagen gene expression in kidney. Here, we demonstrated that ALA improved systemic glucose and urea level, reduced formation of renal advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and maintained renal structural integrity in diabetic rats. However, profibrotic events provoked in diabetes were not alleviated by ALA since collagen synthesis/deposition and expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) remained elevated in ALA-treated diabetic rats, especially after 8 weeks of diabetes onset. Moreover, 8 weeks treatment of nondiabetic rats with ALA led to the development of profibrotic features reflected in increased collagen synthesis/deposition. Besides the TGF-beta 1 downstream signaling, the additional mechanism underlying the upregulation of collagen IV in nondiabetic rats treated with ALA involves decreased DNA methylation of its promoter that could arise from increased Tet1 expression.” According to the news editors, the research concluded: “These findings emphasize the therapeutic caution in the use of ALA, especially in patients with renal diabetic complication.” Obesity, high-salt diet pose different cardiovascular risks in females, males Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, April 30, 2021 Obesity and a high-salt diet are both bad for our hearts but they are bigger, seemingly synergistic risks for females, scientists report. “We see younger and younger women having cardiovascular disease and the question is: What is the cause?” says Dr. Eric Belin de Chantemele, physiologist in the Vascular Biology Center and Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. “We think the fact that females are more salt sensitive and more sensitive to obesity are among the reasons they have lost the natural protection youth and estrogen are thought to provide.”  His message to women based on the sex differences they are finding: “First reduce your consumption of salt, a message the American Heart Association has been pushing for years, which should also result in a reduction in your intake of highly processed, high-calorie food and drink.” Belin de Chantemele, whose research team has been exploring why so many young women are now getting cardiovascular disease, is presenting their findings during the Henry Pickering Bowditch Award Lectureship at the American Physiological Society Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology 2021 this week. The award, which honors the scientist who created the first physiology lab in the country and was the American Physiological Society’s first president, recognizes original and outstanding accomplishments in the field of physiology by a young investigator.  The sex hormone estrogen, which has some protective powers like keeping blood vessels more flexible, is considered a natural protection for premenopausal women yet, along with soaring rates of severe obesity in young women, heart disease is now the third leading cause of death in females between the ages 20-44 — fourth for males in that age group — then moves up to second place for the next 20 years in both sexes, and is the number one killer for both men and women looking at all ages, according to the National Vital Statistics Reports.  While he refers to bad nutrition as the “world’s biggest killer” and obesity as a major risk factor for hypertension in both sexes, his lab has mounting evidence that obesity and high salt intake are even bigger risks for females, who have naturally higher levels of two additional hormones, leptin and aldosterone, setting the stage for the potentially deadly cardiovascular disparities.  Many of us likely think of leptin as the “satiety hormone” that sends our brain cues to stop eating when our stomach is full, but in obesity, the brain typically stops listening to the full message but the cardiovascular system of women starts getting unhealthy cues.  Belin de Chantemele has shown that in females leptin prompts the adrenal glands, which make aldosterone, to make even more of this powerful blood vessel constrictor. Like leptin, females, regardless of their weight, already have naturally higher levels of aldosterone and actually bigger adrenal glands as well.  A result: Obesity actually produces larger blood pressure increases in females, and studies indicate that females also are more prone to obesity associated vascular dysfunction — things like more rigid blood vessels that are not as adept as dilating. On the other hand, leptin actually increases production of the vasodilator nitric oxide — which reduces blood pressure — in the male mice, one of many cardiovascular differences they are finding between males and females.  Here’s another. “The major role of aldosterone is to regulate your blood volume,” Belin de Chantemele says. Increased salt intake should suppress aldosterone, and it does work that way in males, Belin de Chantemele says. But in females it appears to set them up for more trouble.  Aldosterone is the main mineralocorticoid, a class of hormones that helps maintain salt balance, and Belin de Chantemele and his team reported in 2019 in the journal Hypertension that the hormone progesterone, which enables pregnancy, also enables high levels of these mineralocorticoid receptors for aldosterone in the endothelial cells that line blood vessels in both female lab animals and human blood vessels.  When they removed the ovaries, which make estrogen and progesterone, from the female lab animals it equalized the mineralocorticoid receptor number, helping confirm that progesterone regulates the expression of the receptor in the females’ blood vessels. When they deleted either the mineralocorticoid or progesterone receptor in the females, it prevented the blood vessel dysfunction that typically follows, and just knocking out the progesterone receptor also suppressed the aldosterone receptor. The bottom line is that progesterone is key to the sex difference in aldosterone receptor expression on endothelial cells, which predisposes females to obesity associated, high-leptin driven endothelial dysfunction and likely high blood pressure, Belin de Chantemele says.  They reported a few years before in the same journal that higher leptin levels produced by more fat prompts the adrenal glands to make more aldosterone in females. “If you have higher aldosterone levels you will retain sodium and your blood volume will be higher,” he says.  They’ve also reported, as have others, that females are more salt sensitive than males. High sodium intake is known to raise blood pressure, by increasing fluid retention, and both pre- and postmenopausal females are more salt sensitive than males, Black females even more so, he says.  They’ve shown, for example, that in just seven days on a high-salt diet, the ability of female mice to relax blood vessels decreased as blood pressure increased. Treatment with the aldosterone agonist eplerenone helped correct both.  Because females already make more aldosterone, and the normal response of the body when you eat a lot of salt is to make even more aldosterone to help eliminate some of it, his team now proposes that females appear to have an impaired ability to reduce both the levels of the enzyme that makes aldosterone and the hormone itself, which makes them more salt sensitive.  One thing that means is that salt raises females’ blood pressure without them actually retaining more salt than the males. It also means that they think that blood vessels are more important in blood pressure regulation in females than males, which means they may need different treatment than males. To further compound the scenario, high salt increases the adrenal leptin receptor in the females, providing more points of action for leptin, which probably helps explain why aldosterone levels don’t decrease in females like they do in males.  A new $2.6 million grant (1R01HL155265-01) from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute is enabling them to further investigate, in both lab animals and human tissue, the female’s unique responses to a high-salt diet, include the specific contributions of the failure of aldosterone levels to drop, along with the increased expression of aldosterone and leptin receptors.  While trends in being overweight in about the last 50 years have held pretty steady for men and women, with decreases for men in the last handful of years, rates of severe obesity have been climbing, with women far outpacing men.  “We want to continue to put the puzzle together with the goal of helping restore protection from cardiovascular disease to young women, when a healthy diet and increased physical activity do not,” Belin de Chantemele says.  His research team includes Galina Antonova, research assistant; Dr. Reem Atawia, postdoctoral fellow; Simone Kennard, research associate; Taylor Kress and Candee Barris, graduate students; Vinay Mehta, undergraduate student at AU, Laszlo Kovacs, assistant research scientist; and Dr. Jessica Faulkner, postdoctoral fellow. Just 10 minutes of meditation helps anxious people have better focus University of Waterloo (Canada) May 1, 2021  Just 10 minutes of daily mindful meditation can help prevent your mind from wandering and is particularly effective if you tend to have repetitive, anxious thoughts, according to a study from the University of Waterloo. The study, which assessed the impact of meditation with 82 participants who experience anxiety, found that developing an awareness of the present moment reduced incidents of repetitive, off-task thinking, a hallmark of anxiety. “Our results indicate that mindfulness training may have protective effects on mind wandering for anxious individuals,” said Mengran Xu, a researcher and PhD candidate at Waterloo. “We also found that meditation practice appears to help anxious people to shift their attention from their own internal worries to the present-moment external world, which enables better focus on a task at hand.” The term mindfulness is commonly defined as paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgement. As part of the study, participants were asked to perform a task on a computer while experiencing interruptions to gauge their ability to stay focused on the task. Researchers then put the participants into two groups at random, with the control group given an audio story to listen to and the other group asked to engage in a short meditation exercise prior to being reassessed. “Mind wandering accounts for nearly half of any person’s daily stream of consciousness,” said Xu. “For people with anxiety, repetitive off-task thoughts can negatively affect their ability to learn, to complete tasks, or even function safely. “It would be interesting to see what the impacts would be if mindful meditation was practiced by anxious populations more widely.” The study, co-authored by Waterloo psychology professors Christine Purdon and Daniel Smilek and Harvard University’s Paul Seli, was published in Consciousness and Cognition. Researchers find breastfeeding linked to higher neurocognitive testing scores University of Rochester Medical Center, April 27, 2021 New research finds that children who were breastfed scored higher on neurocognitive tests. Researchers in the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) analyzed thousands of cognitive tests taken by nine and ten-year-olds whose mothers reported they were breastfed, and compared those results to scores of children who were not. “Our findings suggest that any amount of breastfeeding has a positive cognitive impact, even after just a few months.” Daniel Adan Lopez, Ph.D. candidate in the Epidemiology program who is first author on the study recently published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health. “That’s what’s exciting about these results. Hopefully from a policy standpoint, this can help improve the motivation to breastfeed.” Hayley Martin, Ph.D., a fourth year medical student in the Medical Scientist Training Program and co-author of the study, focuses her research on breastfeeding. “There’s already established research showing the numerous benefits breastfeeding has for both mother and child. This study’s findings are important for families particularly before and soon after birth when breastfeeding decisions are made. It may encourage breastfeeding goals of one year or more. It also highlights the critical importance of continued work to provide equity focused access to breastfeeding support, prenatal education, and practices to eliminate structural barriers to breastfeeding.” Researchers reviewed the test results of more than 9,000 nine and ten-year-old participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Variations were found in the cumulative cognitive test scores of breastfed and non-breastfed children. There was also evidence that the longer a child was breastfed, the higher they scored.  “The strongest association was in children who were breastfed more than 12 months,” said Lopez. “The scores of children breastfed until they were seven to 12 months were slightly less, and then the one to six month-old scores dips a little more. But all scores were higher when compared to children who didn’t breastfeed at all.” Previous studies found breastfeeding does not impact executive function or memory, findings in this study made similar findings. “This supports the foundation of work already being done around lactation and breastfeeding and its impact on a child’s health,” said Ed Freedman, Ph.D., the principal investigator of the ABCD study in Rochester and lead author of the study. “These are findings that would have not been possible without the ABCD Study and the expansive data set it provides.”

Today we talk again with Dr. David Russler-Germain, a Hematology/Oncology Fellow at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, this time on the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Back us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/plenarysession Check out our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCUibd0E2kdF9N9e-EmIbUew

On this episode of How to Student, Sarah interviews her older brother, Aaron Renberg.Aaron is currently an MD-PHD candidate in the University of Michigan's Medical Scientist Training Program. He also has a Master's in Biomedical Engineering and a Bachelor's in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Michigan. Sarah wanted to bring Aaron on to the podcast since he has been in successful in school for 19 straight years and  is one of her biggest mentors. Though the competitive middle child in her hates to admit it, she feels like she learns something valuable nearly every time they interact, and she wanted to share that chance to learn from Aaron with others. On this episode they will discuss Aaron's path to medical school, the strategies from NASA he uses to better manage his time, the things Aaron has taken from sports psychology to improve his test taking, Imposter Syndrome, and more!This is a presentation of Packard Street ProductionsSUPPORT How to Student by taking this survey: https://tinyurl.com/HTSPodcastSurvey

Recorded on 02-10-21 In this episode, Cowen's Health Care Technology analyst Charles Rhyee speaks with Corey McCann, MD, PhD, who is President and CEO of Pear Therapeutics, a pioneer in prescription digital therapeutics, and the first company to receive FDA market authorization for software to treat disease. We discuss the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, the challenges in helping individuals get treatment during the pandemic, and how for the first time software can serve as front-line treatment for a wide range of conditions, including substance use disorder, opiate use disorder and chronic insomnia. We delve into the advantages that a digital therapeutics platform has over traditional drug development and discuss the unique challenges and opportunities of launching a whole new class of drugs in this challenging period. Corey M. McCann, MD, PhD, is the President and CEO of Pear Therapeutics. Previously, Corey was an investor with MPM Capital, where he evaluated new healthcare investment opportunities, managed relationships with strategic partners, and oversaw strategy and execution at portfolio companies. Prior to MPM, he was an Engagement Manager with McKinsey & Company, where he advised pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies on the acquisition, development, and commercialization of life science technologies. He led McKinsey's central nervous system expertise group, advising clients across the healthcare value chain. Corey has previous investment experience with RiverVest Venture Partners and at NeuroInsights. Corey is also a co-founder, advisor, or Board Director at AgNovos Healthcare, Alcyone Lifesciences, Dragonfly Sciences, Edumedics, Resolute Bio, Selexys Pharmaceuticals, and Zillion Health. Corey trained as a physician-scientist via the Medical Scientist Training Program. For his PhD, he studied the molecular biology of synapses at Harvard University and at Washington University in St Louis. He received his MD from Washington University in St. Louis. For Disclosures, click here bit.ly/3cPHkNW

In our first programme of the year, we gathered a group of scientific experts directly involved in analysing the structure and impact of the SARS- Cov-2 coronavirus. There were concerns over the emergence of two new variants, Alfa and Beta, especially whether these variants might spread more quickly or outmanoeuvre the suite of new vaccines that were about to be rolled out. And now with Omicron, the same questions are being asked about this variant's ability to spread and overcome our defences. We've invited the same scientists back to give us their assessment of our journey with Covid 19 over the past year and discuss their findings on Omicron. Featuring: Ravi Gupta Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the University of Cambridge Tulio De Oliveria Professor on Bioinformatics, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Dr. Allie Greaney From the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Washington School of Medicine And Professor Jeremy Luban from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Should you wash your eggs? Well, believe it or not, there is quite an international debate about this question from CrowdScience listener Susan. In Canada, where Susan grew up, commercially sold eggs are washed before they reach stores, whereas in the UK where she is now living they are not. So what is best to avoid contamination? It's one of a number of egg-themed questions that CrowdScience tries to crack in this episode. One of our presenters, Marnie Chesterton, heads over to Susan's home in London to cook some eggs and explore other egg cooking questions from our listeners, such as what is the science behind frying an egg without it sticking to the pan and why are some boiled eggs harder to shell than others? Meanwhile, this episode's other presenter, Anand Jagatia, explores questions about eggs after they have hatched. He investigates a case of curious chicken behaviour sent in by listener Laurie, as well as working out how a cuckoo knows it's a cuckoo when it's been raised in another bird's nest. Featuring: Dr. Vincent Guyonnet, Dr. Valérie Lechevalier, Dr. Siobhan Abeyesinghe and Dr. Ros Gloag (Image:Getty Images)

Recorded on 10/16/2020 at the East Brunswick Public Library In this multidisciplinary talk conducted virtually, Drs. Jae Lee and Phillip Reid will conduct a comprehensive overview for managing common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Topics include: Nausea Mucositis Immune suppression Fatigue Neuropathy Dr. Jae Lee obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with highest distinction from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, before attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, where he completed his doctoral thesis in cancer stem cell biology and was awarded combined MD and PhD degrees through the Medical Scientist Training Program. He has received several international travel awards to present his work at meetings of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. He then completed a residency in radiation oncology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, where he was named Chief Resident. He served as co-investigator on several clinical trials and studies utilizing advanced imaging to improve tumor control and treatment related side effects. Dr. Lee's professional memberships include the American Brachytherapy Society, American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Radiation Oncology. Phillip D. Reid, MD obtained his medical degree from Stanford University, Stanford, CA and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. He completed his fellowship in oncology/hematology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. He a clinical instructor at UMDNJ Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ. Dr. Reid is board certified in Medical Oncology and Hematology.

This episode, we focus on Maribel Patiño's story. Maribel is currently a UC San Diego graduate student studying Neuroscience in the Medical Scientist Training Program. Her research involves developing new circuit mapping technology and investigating the efficiency of monosynaptic rabies tracing. She highlights the disparities underrepresented minorities face in pursuing STEM fields, and gives her invaluable advice and wisdom in not letting naysayers deter your pursuit for a fulfilling career.

Academic medicine--in which a physician works at a university and may have research and/or teaching duties in addition to patient care--is but one of the fulfilling options available to medical students. What's that lifestyle like? That's the question an anonymous listener (who we'll call Dr. Piledhigh Erandeeper) wanted our help answering. Fortunately we have Miranda Schene and Sahaana Arumugam (both in our Medical Scientist Training Program) on hand to tell us--including co-hosts M1 Brandon Bacalzo and M2 Mason LaMarche--what they know about this career option. Plus Dave puts his co-hosts through a game of Doctor Forehead, featuring some of the more interesting oddball medical stories he ran across prepping for this week's show (see the next section for those links). This Week in Medical News: The President's new budget could be another nail in the coffin for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Mayo applicants get acceptance letters that the institution later had to rescind, causing one of the disgruntled victims to create a crowdfunding campaign. And if you're in the market for "global elite" DNA, then...well, you've already missed your chance. Is there a MD career niche you want to know more about? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.

Guest Name and Bio: Dr. David Karow David S. Karow, M.D., Ph.D.,President and Chief Innovation Officer at Human Longevity Inc, is an innovative leader who brings more than 10 years of experience in advance MR Imaging and genomics analytics. Dr. Karow’s primary interest is to develop machine-learning based integrated diagnostics that leverage imaging, genetics, and clinical biomarkers to generate more insightful health assessments and identify disease in early stages when it is most treatable. Before joining HLI, Dr. Karow was the Director of Body MRI and Director of Acute Care Imaging in the Department of Radiology at the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), where he still maintains an appointment as an Associate Professor. During his times at UC San Diego he implemented advanced diffusion-based methods that proved beneficial for the detection and in vivo characterization of prostate tumors. The work has yielded multiple published papers and led to multiple federal and private research grants on which Dr. Karow was the Principle Investigator. Dr. Karow is compiling data showing that these techniques may be useful for the screening and staging of cancer across the whole body including breast cancer. Dr. Karow completed his fellowship in advanced body imaging at University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to fellowship, he completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at UC San Diego. His research during residency was recognized with multiple awards, including the 2011 Elliott C. Lasser Award for Excellence in Research; 2009 American Roentgen Ray Society Executive Council Award; the 2008 RSNA Trainee Research Prize; and his work was also featured on the cover of the September 2010 issue of the journal RADIOLOGY. Prior to residency, Dr. Karow completed his medical training at the University of Michigan medical school in the combined M.D./Ph.D. Medical Scientist Training Program, graduating with a distinction in research. What you will learn from this episode: 1) What the true meaning of precision medicine really is 2) Why it is important to look at the whole genome rather than individual genes 3) How you can understand your individualized risk for cancer 4) How you can understand your individualized risk for Alzheimer’s Disease 5) Why learning personalized information about your health can be life changing, help you live longer, and provide you with a higher quality of life How to learn more about our guest: Ready to take control of your health? Learn more about the Health Nucleus and Human Longevity, Inc. https://www.humanlongevity.com/ EMAIL CLIENT SERVICES TO SUBSCRIBE TO HLINSIGHT NEWSLETTER: clientservices@healthnucleus.com Follow: Twitter- https://twitter.com/humanlongevity https://twitter.com/HealthNucleus Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/company/human-longevity-inc- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/humanlongevity/ https://www.instagram.com/health.nucleus/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/humanlongevity/ #HLI #health #biotech #healthcare #wellness #dementia #alzheimers #genomics #SanDiego #LaJolla #genetics #science #precisionmedicine #datadriven #preventative #DNA Please enjoy, share, rate and review our podcast and help us bring the message about precision health care to the world!

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Dr. David Howard comes on the show to discuss his experiences in America, and more broadly racism in America. Dr. David Howard was originally born in Jamaica and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of eighteen. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the Johns Hopkins University and then pursued his Md and PhD in Epidemiology through the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He completed an internship at the New York Presbyterian Hospital followed by a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He is currently a Board Certified Obstetrics/Gynecology Specialist practicing in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is affiliated with several different hospitals in the area.

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Dr. David Howard comes on the show to discuss his experiences in America, and more broadly racism in America. Dr. David Howard was originally born in Jamaica and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of eighteen. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the Johns Hopkins University and then pursued his Md and PhD in Epidemiology through the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He completed an internship at the New York Presbyterian Hospital followed by a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He is currently a Board Certified Obstetrics/Gynecology Specialist practicing in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is affiliated with several different hospitals in the area. GUEST: David Howard MD, PhD: https://twitter.com/obstatsinc (twitter ) WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/vU6_F-5rsxk (Watch the episode) on our YouTube channel SUPPORT THE SHOW https://www.patreon.com/accadandkoka (Make a small donation) on our Patreon page on and join our discussion group or receive a free book. Support this podcast

Glen R. Elliott, Ph.D., M.D.Chief Psychiatrist and Medical DirectorChildren’s Health Council Dr. Elliott received his M.D and Ph.D. from Stanford School of Medicine in the Medical Scientist Training Program. He did his general psychiatry residency at Harvard’s McLean Hospital and child and adolescent psychiatry residency at Stanford. A board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, he has been involved in diagnosing, treating, and doing research on children and adolescents with ADHD since 1986. He was Director of The Children’s Center at Langley Porter at UCSF for over 17 years, retiring in 2006 as Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychiatry. Since then, he has been Chief Psychiatrist and Medical Director at the Children’s Health Council (CHC) and a Professor of Clinical Psychiatry (Affiliated) in the Stanford School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He was a co-principal investigator at one of 6 sites for the NIMH-funded Multimodal Treatment of ADHD (MTA) and more recently served as head of the writing group for the i-SPOT ADHD project. He also directs the CHC Elliott Assessment and Treatment Clinic.

As one of the three pillars of the VA, research plays a critical role in the treatment of Veterans. This episode starts with a description of research at the VA. Levi and Brandon discuss different achievements that have been accomplished through VA funded research. We also hear from Dr. Randy Kardon, director of the Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss. The Center is one of 14 centers nationwide that are funded by Rehabilitation, Research and Development. Additionally, the Center focuses on a multitude of visual disorders that affect Veterans ranging from glaucoma to light sensitivity after traumatic brain injury as well as migraine. Dr. Kardon grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and has over 30 years of experience as an ophthalmologist at the Iowa City VA Healthcare System, specializing in neuro ophthalmology. He came to the University of Iowa as a freshman in 1972 and was part of the first sponsored Medical Scientist Training Program at the university. Dr. Kardon shares with us his expertise, health issues he focuses on, and how he provides specialized care. Finally, we discuss the goals of the center and how the center hopes to aid Veterans through its research.

Academic medicine--in which a physician works at a university and may have research and/or teaching duties in addition to patient care--is but one of the fulfilling options available to medical students. What's that lifestyle like? That's the question an anonymous listener (who we'll call Dr. Piledhigh Erandeeper) wanted our help answering. Fortunately we have Miranda Schene and Sahaana Arumugam (both in our Medical Scientist Training Program) on hand to tell us--including co-hosts M1 Brandon Bacalzo and M2 Mason LaMarche--what they know about this career option. Plus Dave puts his co-hosts through a game of Doctor Forehead, featuring some of the more interesting oddball medical stories he ran across prepping for this week's show (see the next section for those links). This Week in Medical News: The President's new budget could be another nail in the coffin for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Mayo applicants get acceptance letters that the institution later had to rescind, causing one of the disgruntled victims to create a crowdfunding campaign. And if you're in the market for "global elite" DNA, then...well, you've already missed your chance. Is there a MD career niche you want to know more about? Call us at 347-SHORTCT anytime, or email theshortcoats@gmail.com.

Dr. Adam Kaplin is a neuropsychiatrist and serves as the principle psychiatric consultant to the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis and Transverse Myelitis Centers at Johns Hopkins. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees after completing the Medical Scientist Training Program at Hopkins, where he subsequently completed a residency in psychiatry. Dr. Kaplin's research focuses on the biological basis of affective disorders in autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system, such as depression as a symptom of multiple sclerosis. We are very excited to feature his perspectives on career paths in medicine and the mind-brain sciences! 

Samantha Schroth, a MD/PhD student at Feinberg, didn’t always plan on becoming a physician. After graduating from college in 2013, her sights were set on veterinary school. But when an accident that summer left Samantha with a serious spinal cord injury, she realized her true passion lay in human medicine — and she ultimately found her way to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program.   

Chief of Radiogenomics & Interim Chief Executive Officer David S. Karow, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of Radiogenomics and interim CEO at HLI, is an innovative leader who brings more than 10 years of experience in advanced MR Imaging and genomic analytics. Dr. Karow's primary interest is to develop machine-learning based integrated diagnostics that leverage imaging, genetic, and clinical biomarkers to generate more insightful health assessments and identify disease in early stages when it is most treatable. Before joining HLI, Dr. Karow was the Director of Body MRI and Director of Acute Care Imaging in the Department of Radiology at University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), where he still maintains an appointment as an Associate Professor. During his time at UC San Diego he implemented advanced diffusion-based methods that proved beneficial for the detection and in vivo characterization of prostate tumors. The work has yielded multiple published papers and led to multiple federal and private research grants on which Dr. Karow was Principal Investigator. Dr. Karow is compiling data showing that these techniques may be useful for the screening and staging of cancer across the whole body including breast cancer. Dr. Karow completed his fellowship in diagnostic and non-vascular interventional radiology, including tumor ablations, at University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to fellowship, he completed his residency in diagnostic radiology at UC San Diego. His research during residency was recognized with multiple awards, including the 2011 Elliott C. Lasser Award for Excellence in Research; 2009 American Roentgen Ray Society Executive Council Award; the 2008 RSNA Trainee Research Prize; and his work was also featured on the cover of the September 2010 issue of the journal Radiology. Prior to residency, Dr. Karow completed his medical training at the University of Michigan medical school in the combined M.D./Ph.D. Medical Scientist Training Program, graduating with a distinction in research. TO LEARN MORE VISIT, https://www.humanlongevity.com/ Cited Resources www.ConciergeMedicineToday.com www.ConciergeMedicineFORUM.com

We sit down for an extended conversation with Dr. Robinna Lorenz, M.D., Ph.D., as she steps down from her post as Director of UAB’s Medical Scientist Training Program and Physician Scientist Development Office. Credits: This episode was produced by Corey Duke with help from Jeff Singer and Morgan Zipperly who helped develop the interview questions.[...]

In this episode we explore emerging radiology technologies and the new field of Preventative Radiology The info in this show will help you understand your risk for Alzheimer's and cognitive impairment and possibly even concussion related brain changes - and what to ask your doctor to get it ordered correctly.   Our guest, Cyrus Raji MD PhD, is a clinical fellow at the University of California - San Francisco. He completed his combined MD and PhD at the NIH-funded Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2010.  He has worked with leaders in the field including Dr Bennet Omalu (the pathologist played by Will Smith from the movie, Concussion).  His current research involves Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging based Edge Density Connectome Mapping for Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease. He is an advisor to the NeuroReader.   Neuroradiology is the branch of radiology focusing on the brain and spinal cord.  Ironically, very few radiologists actually have deep expertise in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's.   An MRI of the Brain- looks at brain structures and is readily available to most anyone through a local doctor. Typically they are simply interpreted by an individual radiologist which may or may not be useful in assessing your risk of Alzheimer's.   A better assessment may be the individual radiologist joining forces with computer programs that perform volumetric analyses of specific brain regions (explained in min 26:38).  These volumetric analyses programs assist the radiologist by comparing domains of your brain to a database of normal brains and may give you a more detailed analysis and detect areas of early concern before it is obvious to the naked eye (even a trained one sometimes!).  It can also identify other patterns of brain shrinkage - like vascular disease (e.g. strokes, mini-strokes, and suboptimal blood pressure issues), alcoholism, and psychiatric disorders.   The Different Types of Imaging Used for Alzheimer's 1) MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Looks at the structure of the brain alone. Does not look at function. A brain MRI contains no radiation if it is done without IV contrast. 2) fMRI (functional MRI) measures oxygen reflecting blood flow in the brain. Can identify problematic areas before structural changes are evident.  It is overall a more sensitive tool than regular MRI, but for the most part is only available in research setting. 3) "Nuclear imaging" - looks at metabolism in the brain using radioactive tracers that have patterns consistent with Alzheimer's and other dementias.  2 examples of nuclear imaging  a) PET-fdg assesses glucose utilization, high cost if not covered by insurance and not as available as MRI  b) SPECT scans - not widely available and cost is somewhat prohibitive at this time.   What insights imaging can give you about Alzheimer's Brains Classic brain atrophy (shrinkage) in Alzheimer's happens in the hippocampal regions in the medial temporal lobes near the middle of the brain.  The hippocampi are important in the making (encoding) of new memories.  The hippocampi start to shrink up to 3 years before actual symptoms of Alzheimer's begins. And in that area one can get a loss of volume in the temporal lobe. Posterior cingulate gyrus and precuneus in the brain's parietal lobes can develop problematic changes as well. These areas are important in tracking information and cognitive integration. What do my MRI volumetric numbers mean? To be considered abnormal and potentially consistent with Alzheimer's diagnosis - the "magic number" for hippocampal volumes on MRI of the brain (using the Neuroreader or Neuroquant tool) is a number below the 25 percentile  (this information is included in the report provided by Neuroreader or Neuroquant).  Ventricular volumes, if higher than 75th percentile, may be too big and suggestive of Alzheimer's or another disorder as well. An Introduction to the field of "Preventative Neuroradiology" (discussed at minute 23:30). Knowing your risk for Alzheimer's with imaging.  It's not the whole story but its good data. If your MRI  is read as "normal" but is noted to have some "periventricular white matter" or white matter changes suggesting "chronic ischemia" and low blood flow - this may not be exactly normal. Remember T2 FLAIR (one way the radiologist views the MRI images where fluids lights up brighter) is the easiest place to see these changes on your MRI.  These changes may represent issues like hypertension, diabetes, or artery disease.  When there is white matter problems then gray matter disease (or problems with brain cells like neurons) is probably not far behind. Lifestyle changes seem to be able to impact the hippocampus in a positive direction. Brain changes classic for CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) that happen as a consequence of concussion/traumatic brain injury may be found within the brain stem. Ventral diencephalon and frontal lobe may be affected as well.     How to Get a Volumetric MRI of your Brain To get a Volumetric Brain MRI study done so that it can be computer-read by Neuroreader (by the Brainreader company) or NeuroQuant (by Cortechs labs).  Make sure to have it done in a "volumetric acquisition" (ie really "thin slices").  Ask the imaging center's MRI technologist: if the MRI Volumetric scan is done in the "sagittal" orientation with General Electric machine- "acquisition in SBGR" or if the machine is a Siemens machine-acquisition ask for it to be done in "MP-RAGE" or whatever settings the institution uses for volumetric acquisitions.

Go to audibletrial.com/TUMS for a free 30-day trial membership and free audiobook! Show notes! Dr. Richard Josephson Dr. Josephson is the Medical Director of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, as well as a Professor of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH. Dr. Josephson received his undergraduate degree from The University of Rochester in 1977; his medial degree from the New York University School of Medicine (where he was also a part of the Medical Scientist Training Program, receiving a master’s of science in Pharmacology); completed his residency in Internal Medicine in 1985 and a fellowship in Cardiology 1988 both at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, where he was also a research fellow in the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Institute on Aging. After his formal training, Dr. Josephson began his career in Akron, Ohio in private practice cardiology and grew what was initially a 4-physician group into a practice encompassing over 30 cardiologists. Over the next two decades, he worked at various Akron City Hospitals, where he assumed roles as varied as Director of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, Director of Non-Invasive Cardiology, and Director of Cardiology Research and Education. He joined the faculty at Case Western and University Hospitals in 2007 where he remains today. Dr. Josephson is heavily involved in cardiovascular research and has been supported by NIH funding for over 30 years. Lastly, Dr. Josephson has received numerous awards, most notable among them having been voted Best Doctors in America every year since 2004. Please enjoy with Dr. Richard Josephson!

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Christina Sloan, Marc Toral, Dylan Todd, and Eric Elliott are all in the Medical Scientist Training Program, which recently enjoyed a retreat in which they explored the intersections between medicine and science fiction to look at where medical science has been and where it's going.  Jenna calls in with a question about what the spouse of a future medical student can do to support them during their studies.  We inadequately explore the question, since only Christina is in an actual relationship with another human.   We need validation. Leave a review: iTunes | Stitcher Living Jumper Cables: Lab-Grown Nerves Promote Nerve Regeneration After Injury, Penn Study Finds Retinal Implants Get an Upgrade Growing new organs See-Through Brain a Boon to Brain Mapping Initiative Cognitoys John C. Lilly's The Scientist Malcolm Gladwell: Future Docs Need More Time, Not Technology Healthcare 2015: Why Millennials Avoid Seeing Doctors And What This Means For Rising Healthcare Costs [huge_it_gallery id=”47″] Listen to more great shows for medical students on The Vocalis Podcast Network. The opinions expressed in this feed and podcast are not those of the University of Iowa or the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine; nor do they reflect the views of anyone other than the people who expressed them.  If you have feedback on anything you hear on the show, positive or not, let us know.…

Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Ben Fensterheim, Megan Freeman, Bobak Parang, and Meredith Rogers Vincent returns to Vanderbilt University and meets up with Ben, Megan, Bobak, and Meredith to learn about life in the Medical Scientist Training Program. Links for this episode MTGR1 and intestinal secretory lineage allocation (Faseb J) Coronaviruses induce macropinocytosis (mBio) PD-1 and respiratory virus reinfection (J Immunol) Vanderbilt MSTP on Facebook Video of this episode: view at YouTube Send your virology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twiv@twiv.tv

Monday, April 30, 2012 at 3:30 pm PST/6:30 pm EST Dr. Michael Geschwind is Associate Professor of Neurology and the Michael J. Homer Chair in Neurology. He received his MD and PhD in neuroscience through the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Medical Scientist Training Program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He completed his internship in internal medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, his neurology residency at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore and his fellowship in behavioral neurology at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (MAC). He joined the Memory and Aging Center faculty in 2003 and is now an associate professor and holds the Michael J. Homer Chair in Neurology.  Dr. Geschwind's primary research interest is the assessment and treatment of rapidly progressive dementias, including prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), autoimmune antibody-mediated dementias and encephalopathies.   He also has an active interest in movement disorders and cognition, including Progressive supranucelar palsy (PSP), corticobasal syndrome (CBS), and Huntington's disease (HD). He is an active member of the Huntington's Study Group.  Tune in for some interesting information. Visit his website: www.memory.ucsf.edu