Biomedical Odyssey

Life at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Woman presents with a board.

Rethinking the Doctoral Qualifying Exam

March 10, 2022

The doctoral qualifying exam is probably the most stressful part of earning a Ph.D. In addition to the candidate being scrutinized by a panel of field experts with a vague scope of questions, a single poor performance on the exam could result in expulsion from your Ph.D. program, despite how hard you worked toward your […]

Grace Steward ⋅ Perspectives in Research Doctoral Qualifying Exam, Ph.D., Ph.D. Programs, testing ⋅ No Comments

Business man inflating a dollar sign balloon

Expensive Care: How Inflation Can Harm the Health Care System

December 3, 2021

Health care is expensive in the U.S., but why? Medical student Dianela Perdomo discusses how inflation and other factors influence rising costs.

Dianela Perdomo ⋅ Perspectives in Research economics, health care, Medicare, pandemic ⋅

3D rendering of flu virus

The Cost of Preventing Pediatric Influenza Deaths

August 16, 2021

How much is the life of one child really worth? That is part of the question bioethicists and policymakers must consider when discussing influenza’s recent disappearance. In the U.S., the past three flu seasons have resulted in 144 to 199 pediatric deaths from influenza infection. Strikingly, only one pediatric death from influenza was recorded during […]

Dianela Perdomo ⋅ Perspectives in Research influenza, masks, pediatrics, public health ⋅

Conceptual graphic of mRNA, vaccines and biotechnology

Reading and Writing the Immune System

August 5, 2021

What will be the next advance in immunology? Speculations on reading and writing the immune system from neuroscience Ph.D. candidate JJ Kim.

Jeong Jun Kim ⋅ Perspectives in Research Autoimmune Disease, biotechnology, immunology, immunotherapy ⋅

A trash bin filled with single use plastics used in biomedical research.

Biomedical Research Has a Plastic Problem

July 12, 2021

Ph.D. student Emma Spikol examines the role of biomedical research in the worrisome plastic waste problem and considers innovative solutions.

Emma Spikol ⋅ Perspectives in Research Biomedical Research, environment, plastics ⋅

closeup of a gay pride flag and a transgender pride flag waving on the blue sky, moved by the wind, with the sun in the background

Celebrating Pride Month 2021

June 24, 2021

For Pride month, we're highlighting past blog posts that discuss the LGBTQ experience in academia and medicine. Queer Visibility in Medical Education “Emerge”ing Insights into Health Care for Transgender Adolescents Reflections on Pride Month As a Gay Scientist LGBTQ+ Health Disparities: Compassionate Care Is Admitting Ignorance From the Center For Transgender Health Blog, Affirm: Pride […]

biomedicalodyssey ⋅ Perspectives in Research LGBTQ, pride ⋅

Image showing the tip of an iceberg above the water.

Tip of the Iceberg: Examining Who Gets Credit for Scientific Discoveries

June 2, 2021

Ph.D. candidate Emma Spikol sheds light on the broken narratives of scientific breakthroughs.

Emma Spikol ⋅ Perspectives in Research diversity, inclusion, Research, women in science ⋅

A gorilla eating foliage of a tree

From the Trees to the Ground: What Gorilla Feet Can Teach Us About Evolution

June 1, 2021

Johns Hopkins researchers found that the heel bone looks different in gorillas who walk on land compared with those who live in the trees, establishing a new avenue in evolutionary and behavioral research.

Gloria Marino ⋅ Perspectives in Research animal research, evolution, mammals, nature ⋅

Two dogs greet one another outside.

Fur-Get Me Not: Can Dogs Recognize Other Dogs?

April 30, 2021

After decades of breeding, domesticated dogs represent the most phenotypically diverse species of mammal on Earth. Given this, the question of whether dogs can recognize each other based on sight alone was a complete unknown.

Gloria Marino ⋅ Perspectives in Research animal research, animals, dogs, mammals ⋅

Portrait of girl with down syndrome having breakfast.

Too Good to Be True: Reflections on a Down Syndrome Clinical Trial

March 24, 2021

Ph.D. candidate Anna Moyer reflects on the bittersweet outcome of a clinical trial in children with Down syndrome.

Anna Moyer ⋅ Perspectives in Research clinical trial, down syndrome, pharmaceuticals, Research ⋅

1 2 3 4 ›»

Subscribe to the Blog

Introduction

  • About This Blog
  • Meet the Authors
  • Do You Want to Write for Us?

Blog Categories

  • A Day in the Life
  • Events and Happenings
  • Honor Roll
  • Perspectives in Research

More About the School of Medicine

  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Life at Hopkins
  • Training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Archives