Go to any laboratory, talk to any scientist, ask any graduate student about a technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and just about everyone will have heard it and used it before. In a few years’ time — if not already — the CRISPR-Cas9 system will likely achieve the same level of pervasiveness. CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered […]
Locally Combating the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Posted by Sylvia Owusu-Ansah | A Day in the LifeAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents over the last 30 years. In 2012, alone more than one-third of all children and adolescents were considered overweight or obese. As health professionals, we are aware that patterns of daily behavior begin in […]
May 6, 2015
Speaker Ta-Nehisi Coates Sheds Light on the Issue of Racism at the Inaugural JHU Forum on Race in America
Posted by Bree Yanagisawa | Events and HappeningsThis past week, the first ever “JHU Forum on Race in America” took place with speaker Ta-Nehisi Coates at the forefront. Ta-Nehisi, a prominent writer for The Atlantic, is an active advocate for contemporary issues. Though scheduled months in advance, the talk could not have come at a more appropriate time in Baltimore, with recent […]
May 5, 2015
A Project Bridge Event on Multiple Sclerosis and the Role of Patient Empowerment
Posted by Alisa Mo | Events and HappeningsHere on campus, Project Bridge is a student organization that aims to bridge the gap between biomedical science and the general public. On April 16th, Project Bridge sponsored a Science Café event about multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a disease that involves the central nervous system and results in damage to the myelin sheaths that […]
May 1, 2015
Snapshot of a DNA Photocopier in ‘Hibernate’ Mode Reveals Potential Origin for Dwarfism
Posted by Shannen Cravens | Perspectives in ResearchWhen attempting to elucidate the function of biological macromolecules, visual representations can be extremely useful tools. Often, these tools can help pinpoint the structural origin of a particular function and are invaluable for understanding how complex systems work. Sometimes it’s just easier to grasp something when you can see it. That said, obtaining these structures […]
Apr 29, 2015
Project Bridge: Simplifying Science for the Community
Posted by Kevin Monk | A Day in the LifeHow many times have you tried to explain your research to a friend, only to get a blank stare back? Such was the case with Daniel Pham, a graduate student in the Department of Neuroscience working in the Meffert lab. Daniel first realized his problem while trying to explain his research to his boyfriend and […]
Apr 27, 2015
Dancing with the Hopkins Stars: A Dancer’s Perspective
Posted by Arielle Medford | Events and HappeningsOn April 28, Johns Hopkins Medicine will put on its inaugural Dancing with the Hopkins Stars, the most recent — and perhaps the most glamorous — iteration of the annual United Way campaign. Ten couples will raise funds for their respective causes within United Way, a charity organization that works to empower communities through multiple […]
Apr 24, 2015
The Elephant in the Clinic Room: Health Literacy
Posted by Ryan Lang | A Day in the LifeAs our appointment came to an end, I took a few minutes to give final instructions to my patient. Though she had many medical issues, she had unfortunately been absent from my clinic for almost six months, making this appointment particularly important and valuable. I observed as she leaned in and struggled to understand the […]
Apr 20, 2015
Creating Scientific Interest Through Video Games
Posted by Bree Yanagisawa | A Day in the LifeGraduate school is a lot of work. While the type of work varied throughout my first three years here, expectations remained high. These expectations are what drives us to do great research and hopefully make significant changes in the lives of patients who need new treatments. But the stressful atmosphere can be overwhelming. Like many […]
Apr 17, 2015
The Illness Narratives of Kendrick Lamar
Posted by Benjamin Oldfield | A Day in the LifeFor me, it was Bob Dylan. I was a high school junior, and my sights were set, quite limitedly, on romance, sports and the fretboard of my brother’s hand-me-down guitar. But when I heard “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” among other early Dylan songs, I gained a binocular vision. My adolescent struggle to manifest […]
Apr 15, 2015