Welcome to Biomed Bites, a weekly feature that introduces readers to some of Stanford's most innovative researchers. Initially, Stephen Baccus, PhD, wanted to understand how …
Month: June 2015
Cystic fibrosis is deadlier for Hispanic patients, Stanford study finds
How do physician-scientists select research projects? Sometimes, they're prompted by the niggling feeling that something is not right. That's what happened to cystic fibrosis doctor MyMy …
How two women from different worlds are changing the face of surgery
“I hope you’re not serious about doing something in medicine.” These words are all too familiar to Annete Bongiwe Moyo, a senior medical student at …
This summer’s Stanford Medicine magazine shows some skin
Skin is superficial, literally. But it's also really deep, as I realized while editing the just-published issue of Stanford Medicine magazine. The summer issue features …
Research in medical school: The need to align incentives with value (part 3)
SMS (“Stanford Medical School”) Unplugged is a forum for students to chronicle their experiences in medical school. The student-penned entries appear on Scope once a …
Electricity access shortens sleep, study shows
Growing up, my engineer father always told me to move my flowery glow-in-the-dark clock farther from my bedside. "You're nuts, Dad," I would respond, equating …
Stanford researchers provide insights into how human neurons control muscle movement
A few years ago, a team led by Stanford researcher Krishna Shenoy, PhD, published a paper that proposed a new theory for how neurons in …
Teens confused about harms of marijuana and e-cigarettes, Stanford study finds
Today's teenagers are familiar with the dangers of smoking conventional cigarettes, but they're much less sure of the risks posed by marijuana and e-cigarettes, according to …
Neurologist explores accuracy of the brain in the movie Inside Out
Have you seen the movie "Inside Out" yet? I went over the weekend with my family, and despite reports that some parents weep throughout the …
Rosenkranz Prize winners devoted to innovative health care in developing countries
Marcella Alsan, MD, PhD, knows that the division of labor among men and women starts at a young age in the developing world. “Anecdotally, girls …
“They might be slightly healthier, but they’ll still be junk foods”: Expert comments on trans-fat ban
As you've probably heard, the FDA ruled last week to ban trans-fats and phase them out of all food products over the next three years. …
Earlier puberty linked with wide range of health conditions in study
Given that I have an eight-and-a-half-year-old who looks and often acts much older than her age, puberty has been on my mind a lot lately. …
Cancer Ninja fights patient misinformation, one cartoon at a time
There seems to be a trend towards using cartoons for health education: In just the past few months, we've posted on children's books, depression blogs, …
Brain connections last as long as the memories they store, Stanford study shows
If you find yourself forgetting information you have only your synapses to blame. These connections between neurons are what hold on to memories. When they break, …
Why become a doctor? A personal story from a Stanford plastic surgeon
Recent graduates: Never fear if you haven't picked a career yet; it's never too late to figure out what you want to do when you …
Scientists create a placenta-on-a-chip to safely study process and pitfalls of pregnancy
These days it seems that just about anything can be recreated on a microchip. But still, I did a double-take when I read about the new …