Adventures from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition caused by the death of dopamine-producing cells in a region of the brain called the substantia nigra, which leads to disruptions in neural circuits controlling motor function. Although the cause of this inappropriate cell death is largely unclear, one hypothesis is that it is due to the abnormal aggregation(...)
We confront challenges to our self-control every day. For those of us in the fields of science and medicine, the intense and fast-paced nature of our work only heightens the magnitude of these challenges. Do you leave early for happy hour or push through to finish setting up that last qPCR run? Do you break(...)
I was first offered the HPV vaccine during my college years. Although I had been counseled about the importance of the vaccine at that time, the steep price for the three-vaccine series kept me from getting it. With each injection costing $190, it was simply something I could not afford. By the time I started(...)
Last weekend, my husband and I visited our local pharmacy to pick up a prescription refill. The pharmacist chatted with us cheerfully as she rang us up at the cash register. Suddenly, her typing stopped. “Wow,” she finally said. “This is expensive.” The small pill bottle sat in her palm as she read off the(...)
Australia is home to some of the deadliest creatures on the planet, including venomous snakes, poisonous spiders and hungry sharks. The Tasmanian devil may not be toxic, but the species is known for its vicious behavior. The carnivorous marsupial may look cute and cuddly, but its sharp teeth can take down a kangaroo. Unfortunately, feasting(...)
In the early 1950s, Stanley Miller and Harold Urey created one of the most well known soup recipes. This soup didn't have chicken and noodles, but instead was an amalgamation of ammonia, methane, and hydrogen gas cooked with bursts of electric shocks and high temperatures. After a week of brewing, what remained was a thick(...)
In medical school, physicians-in-training spend countless hours learning about the human body. First, we are taught to understand the complexities of normal physiology and how such intricate systems can become unbalanced and deteriorate, leading to an endless and fascinating multitude of human diseases and illnesses. With this foundational knowledge, we set off to begin the(...)
Athletes engaging in sports often experience injuries to the muscles, tendons and ligaments. Due to frequent use, the shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle-joints are more susceptible to musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries than other joints. Musculoskeletal injuries account for about 30 percent of annual visits to primary physicians in the United States. Traditional treatments have included(...)
In 2013, the Serial podcast shook the airwaves as it chronicled a crime in Baltimore. Since then, many have been inspired to use podcasts as an easily accessible learning tool, which has created an excellent means for people to better understand otherwise intimidating subjects. There are many podcasts in science and medicine for those who(...)
The Johns Hopkins Hospital can be a labyrinth to anyone unaccustomed to its many hallways, towers and tunnels. To navigate through such a complex space, special neural networks are activated to help us find our way. Specifically, a cortical map of neurons, made up of so-called grid cells, fire in specific regions of the brain(...)