What are cell and gene therapies and how are they different from drugs? Cell and gene therapies are biologic drugs that come from living systems such as a microorganism or human cells (donors), whereas small-molecule pharmaceuticals largely come from combining specific chemical ingredients in an ordered process. The field of cell and gene therapy has(...)
Stockholm Syndrome City
Posted by | A Day in the LifeAt the time, chaos and disappointment were all I saw in Baltimore. Imagine sitting at the sixth story window, looking out across the Baltimore skyline, and seeing fire. Heading to work around 8 a.m., news circulates that armored vehicles are set to post around the medical campus, should riots become unruly. Morning turns to lunch,(...)
50 Years Since Humankind’s Giant Leap
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchOn July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle touched down on the surface of the moon. Approximately 650 million people around the world watched in awe as Neil Armstrong took his historic first steps on the moon on national television. Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had set out on an eight-day-long(...)
Knocking on the Door: How to Leave Your Postdoc Position
Posted by | A Day in the Life, Events and HappeningsGuest post by Parnaz Daneshpajouhnejad, M.D., a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The following is not Daneshpajouhnejad's own personal experience but rather inspired by a talk by Megan Bohn, assistant director of postdoctoral affairs, during the event, “Exit Interview: How to Tell the Boss(...)
“Digame”: Communication Beyond Language Barriers
Posted by | A Day in the LifeDuring my last outpatient pediatrics clinic in residency, a patient and his mother reminded me that the therapeutic relationship can transcend language. I had been taking care of a young boy, whom I’ll refer to as “A,” since the beginning of his life. He had developmental delays and several other medical problems. His mother was(...)
Culture Shock: My Experience with Classism in Higher Education
Posted by | A Day in the LifeThis summer, I took a road trip that ran through South Carolina and decided to stop by Sumter, a little town where I had lived for a few years as a preteen. Of Sumter’s 40,000 residents, 20.6% live below the poverty line, with a median household income of $38,562. Although the poverty rate in Baltimore(...)
Water Conservation, Research and Life in Cape Town, South Africa
Posted by | A Day in the LifeI went to Cape Town, South Africa, to perform predissertation research on water management. I returned home with a transformed attitude toward personal water conservation. Soon after I landed in Cape Town in mid-June, I heard the catchy phrase: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” In case you are(...)
Their DNA Will Remember: The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Detention
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchOne of the hottest topics debated in the 2020 presidential race so far has been immigration reform. There has been widespread outrage centered on the separation of families and the horrible conditions and long stays in detention centers along our southern borders. Detainees hope they’ll be released as soon as possible, but for the children(...)
Insights from the Rock Health Enterprise Insights Series
Posted by | Events and HappeningsThe explosion of digital health interventions has prompted significant investment. As the industry has begun to mature, substantial effort has been made to create an efficient, two-sided market — with startups on one side as sources of innovation, and enterprises on the other as drivers of large-scale impact. To get a sense of current trends(...)
The Dengue Vaccine Controversy Explained
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchDengue, 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,(...)