Dengue, a virus endemic to Latin America and Southeast Asia, infects about 400 million people and causes about 25,000 deaths each year by dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). To date there is no cure for dengue, and its toll hits hardest in areas with poorly developed medical systems. Due to the deadly consequences of this virus,(...)
The ‘GRExit’: Cause and Effect
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchWithin the past few years, a growing number of biomedical Ph.D. programs across the country have been ditching the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as an admissions requirement and moving toward a more holistic approach. With arguably little information about each applicant to use for admissions decisions, admissions committees rely on GRE scores as part of(...)
Do’s and Don’ts for Preparing for Your Thesis Committee Meeting: Part 2
Posted by | A Day in the LifeFrom planning the date to structuring your presentation, these tips from current and former Ph.D. students can guide you through the process and help you prepare for a productive meeting that will set you up for a successful year. This post is part two of two, focusing on how to execute a successful meeting presentation.(...)
The Great Baltimore Ice Cream Crawl: Living in the Golden Age of Frozen Dairy
Posted by | A Day in the LifeNothing spells summer in Baltimore like the smell of hot asphalt, the sulfurous haze of backyard fireworks and the sweet siren’s call of a faraway ice cream truck. But if the weather’s heating up and you’re feeling down, take a day to get outside, explore the city and experience its thriving frozen dairy dessert scene(...)
Reflections on Pride Month As a Gay Scientist
Posted by | A Day in the LifeMost days, I just think of myself as a scientist. But in honor of Pride Month, I am embracing my identity as not just any scientist but specifically a gay scientist by reflecting on the struggles I’ve faced as a gay student and the challenges LGBTQ+ scientists face today. It’s easy to minimize the difficulties(...)
Do’s and Don’ts for Preparing for Your Thesis Committee Meeting
Posted by | A Day in the LifeEvery year, after passing the dreaded preliminary oral exam, Ph.D. students are required to meet with their thesis advisory committee (TAC) to assess their progress and plan future work. These meetings can be incredibly valuable, and they provide important check-ins during the sometimes chaotic day-to-day lab work. While preparing for my last TAC meeting, I(...)
Art As Applied to Medicine: the 2019 Graduate Showcase
Posted by | Events and HappeningsJohns Hopkins is renowned for its highly regarded medical school and graduate programs, and every May our halls are inundated with freshly minted M.D. and Ph.D. graduates ready to be leaders in their fields. However, several programs at Johns Hopkins deserve more recognition and none more so than the Master of Arts program in medical(...)
Responsibility Without Blame: An Interview with Philosopher Hanna Pickard
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchHanna Pickard, D.Phil., is a professor and chair of philosophy of psychology at the University of Birmingham, and is a recently announced Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Distinguished Professor. Her work focuses on philosophy of mind, moral psychology and clinical ethics. Her philosophy is grounded in real-world issues, informed by her clinical experience and biomedical research, and(...)
Inhibiting Oxidation to Treat Heart Disease
Posted by | Events and HappeningsYou have probably heard of antioxidants and the many “superfoods” that inhibit oxidation, such as dark chocolate, pecans, blueberries, kale, goji berries and others. But if antioxidants are good, does that mean oxidants are bad? What are oxidants anyway? They are reactive agents, produced both inside your body and in the environment around you that(...)
Summer Reading from the Hopkins History of Medicine Department
Posted by | A Day in the LifeAsk anyone in the Johns Hopkins history of medicine department and they will tell you that summer is the time to catch up on all the reading they can’t do during the semester. Some of us have found our favorite books in the summer. Need a jump-start on your own reading? Check out these titles(...)