Category: Health and Medicine

  • Inspiration and Expertise – Conversations with UCSF Authors

    What makes a world-class physician or scientist decide to write a book for the wide world of readers? Where do they find the inspiration and the time? What do they hope to accomplish? How do the satisfactions of writing compare to practicing medicine or writing scholarly articles? Six recently published UCSF authors tackle these questions…

  • The Appeal of Osteopathic Medicine

    Did you know that osteopathic physicians (DO’s) learn the same curriculum and train the same way as traditional medical students? Where they differ is in philosophy. Osteopathic physicians take a more holistic, hands-on approach to their patients by focusing on the structure and function of the whole body, not just their symptoms of disease or…

  • Twins in Space: The Effects of Space Travel on Humans

    Researchers love identical twins. Because they have the same genetic code, they provide a unique opportunity to determine how environment may lead to developmental differences – i.e. nature vs. nurture. In this new program from the Stein Institute for Research on Aging, Brinda K. Rana, PhD, shares the results of NASA’s remarkable Twins Study. In…

  • Studying the Brain in Real Time

    “Basic mechanisms in the brain have universal applications and are the road to medical discovery,” says Ralph Greenspan, PhD. He has spent his career studying how genes affect the brain and behavior of the fruit fly. This research has lead to a deeper understanding of mechanisms in the human brain. Hear about his current efforts…

  • Osteoporosis Update 2017

    How do you know if you may have Osteoporosis? Should you take calcium or vitamin D supplements? What are the best exercises to keep your bones strong? Find out in this new Stein Institute for Research on Aging program that presents the latest information on osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder that decreases bone density…

  • Move Better, Feel Better

    If you’re in pain, surgery may not be your only option. Many conditions, such as low back pain, dizziness, and osteoarthritis have been shown to respond as well or better to physical therapy than medications or surgery. Physical therapy often complements these interventions and offers far fewer side effects. Learn how physical therapists develop treatment…

  • Aicardi-Goutieres: A Rare Disorder, A Unique Look into the Brain

    Using brains-in-a-dish (cortical organoids), the Muotri Lab at UC San Diego has developed a new treatment for Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome. This study not only identified the underlying mechanisms that drive AGS but has also led to surprising revelations about neuroinflammation. Learn how they repurposed HIV antiretroviral drugs to rescue mutated cells and what this research means…

  • Neurotransmitter Switching

    If a neuron has sustained activity over a long period of time (visual stimulus, stress, etc.) it can change the type of neurotransmitter that it makes. This gives our neurons many languages to communicate with and makes our brain more adaptable. Nick Spitzer explains this neurotransmitter switching and how that process impacts our physical abilities,…

  • Healthy Bones & Joints

    Bone and joint problems are among the most common medical maladies, affecting more than 1.7 billion people worldwide. Whether it’s due to an accident or fall, a workplace, sports, and war-related injury, or caused by disease, one out of every two Americans head to the physician’s office seeking help for musculoskeletal problems. In this new…

  • Winning The War On Women’s Cancer

    Gynecologic cancer can be a devastating disease that either directly or indirectly affects nearly every person in our society. Learn about recent discoveries and advances that are not just changing our understanding of these cancers but also creating more effective treatments. Winning the War on Women’s Cancer – Introduction to Women’s Cancers Learn about the…