Video games, which critics say promote sedentary behavior and can glamorize violence, are often associated with their negative health effects. But a piece on Discover magazine's Crux blog …
Month: February 2013
How, exactly, can Twitter benefit physicians?
For those doctors who assume Twitter isn't for them, this blog entry from a physician-in-training may be of interest. In it, Texas medical student Brittany …
Encouraging alternative routes to medical school
There's an interesting story today on NPR's Shots about a medical school revamping its admissions requirements to accept a greater number of students from a …
Sugar intake, diabetes and kids: Q&A with a pediatric obesity expert
As I wrote about yesterday, new research in PLOS ONE suggests that sugar may play a stronger role in the origins of diabetes than anyone …
Helping the public make sense of scientific research
If someone stopped you on the street and asked for a definition of the scientific peer review process, would you be able to answer without …
New evidence for a direct sugar-to-diabetes link
Sugar consumption and diabetes risk may be more closely linked than anyone realized. For years, research has supported a roundabout path from excess sugar intake …
New skin cancer target identified by Stanford researchers
Targeted cancer therapies block specific molecules involved in cancer-causing pathways. Some, such as the recently approved skin cancer drug vismodegib (marketed as Erivedge), have had …
What type of smartphone apps are effective for promoting healthy habits among older adults?
As previously reported here, Stanford researcher Abby King, PhD, and colleagues have been testing different smartphone apps to determine what type of framework best promotes exercise and …
A special get-away for children of cancer patients
How did you spend your free time as a college undergrad? I remember a lot of basketball, joking around with my buddies and homework procrastination. …
Retro arcade-style video promotes blood donation
Here's an innovative way to raise awareness about giving blood. Drawing inspiration from the popular animated film "Wreck It Ralph," designer Nicki McDermott-Roe created this …
"What's that?" Stanford researchers identify cells important to hearing loss
If you're like me, you sometimes worry about your hearing. Certain tones of voices and noisy places can make it difficult to pick up every …
Honoring an exploration of the "cost of dying"
Congratulations are in order for two Bay Area journalists: Writer Lisa Krieger and photographer Dai Sugano have won a health journalism award for the "Cost of Dying" series …
Ask Stanford Med: Answers to your questions about heart health and cardiovascular research
As the leading cause of death among both men and women worldwide, cardiovascular disease is a health concern that's near and dear to all our …
Exploring sex differences in the brain
Local readers, mark your calendar for a free, public event on the medical school campus on March 6. "seXX & seXY: A Dialogue on the Female …
Portable microscope equipped with smartphone allows students to perform and share experiments
In this recently posted video, TED Senior Fellow and neuroscientist Greg Gage, PhD, demonstrates a new smartphone microscope from Backyard Brains, which creates affordable science …
Teaching surgeons new skills for medical missions
Sherry Wren, MD, a general surgeon at Stanford, has volunteered multiple times for humanitarian missions in Africa with Doctors Without Borders. There, she has treated …