Many of us have likely experienced recent high blood pressure. Whether it’s from well-meaning but very inquisitive relatives, or the winding lines at the airport, most of us are acquainted with a temporary rise in blood pressure under stress. And unfortunately, high blood pressure (BP) is a common chronic issue for millions of people worldwide.(...)
Perspectives in Research
The Future of Biomedical Education: A Conversation with Dr. Ziegelstein
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchFor the second part in my series on the future of biomedical education, I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Ziegelstein and discuss what elements he sees as vital to education at all levels of training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Read part one. Roy Ziegelstein, vice dean for education(...)
Do You Want to Write for Us?
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchOur medical students, residents, postdocs and fellows have a lot to share — from daily life in the classroom, tips on thriving during residency, new research that is pushing the boundaries of science and patient care, to the best places to grab a bite in Baltimore, they share it here on the blog. If you(...)
Discussing the NIH Mandate to Study Sex as a Biological Variable in Basic Biomedical Research
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchIn one of my courses in the neuroscience Ph.D. program at Johns Hopkins, we recently discussed the 2016 National Institutes of Health (NIH) mandate requiring consideration of sex as a biological variable in grant applications to NIH agencies. Citing the success of the initiative to include both men and women in human clinical trials, the(...)
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine: Diverse Perspectives
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchEqual treatment for all is one of the values on which this institution was founded. In an 1873 letter from Mr. Johns Hopkins to Johns Hopkins Hospital trustees, he wrote that the hospital must care for “the indigent sick of this city and its environs, without regard to sex, age, or color, who may require(...)
Cara Plott: ‘Are you OK?’ A med student’s plea for action to stop gun violence
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchBy Cara Plott, a second-year medical student at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. I am sick of needing to text my friends and family to ask whether they have been shot. On Nov. 7, my friend traveled to Thousand Oaks, California, to visit her family. Late that night, a gunman shot and(...)
Never a Dull Moment in Cardiology
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchIf it sounds like it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. This proverb may come across as pessimistic; however, it seems to be ringing true for Piero Anversa. Anversa made waves in the field of cardiology with his studies on cardiac muscle regeneration and the proposed use of cardiac stem cells to(...)
Are llamas the Key to Curing the Flu?
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchInfluenza kills up to 646,000 people worldwide each year. While we have all heard about the importance of receiving the annual flu vaccine, it reduces the risk of illness by approximately 60 percent at best. Last year, during one of the deadliest flu seasons in recent memory, the vaccine was only about 40 percent effective.(...)
Science Has New Advocates on Capitol Hill in Wake of Midterm Elections
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchIn the wake of midterm elections, nine new STEM professionals will take seats in the U.S. Congress, eight in the House and one in the Senate. Since the 2016 elections, I have been party to countless discussions with other scientists expressing concern about the deliberate shift away from an evidence-based approach in policymaking. The shift(...)
Thinking Outside the Brain
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchGenetics began in the garden — Mendel’s pea experiments revolutionized and developed the field and principles we know and study today. Similarly, my scientific journey began with plants. In college, I studied the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which is unique in its ability to thrive in total darkness, whereas most plants rely on photosynthesis. My(...)