Given all the recent news on how gene expression influences our brain, from Alzheimer's to addiction and even our personalities, readers might come away thinking …
Month: August 2015
Examining the long-term health benefits for women of exercise in adolescence
Sometime around the age of five, I distinctly remember my mother telling me, "You have to play a sport. You can pick any sport you …
Liver stem cell identified in mice
An elusive quarry has finally been chased to ground. Or, more accurately, to the central vein of one of our most important organs: the liver. …
When Mr. Bailey passed away: A student’s story
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 …
Exploring Alzheimer’s toll on women
In last year's "Still Alice," Julianne Moore's portrays a woman beset by early-onset Alzheimer's Disease. It's fitting that the academy-award winning film (Moore garnered a …
“Benign masochism” motivates common strange behaviors
I can recall many times I've offered something to a friend saying, "Smell this, it's disgusting!" And more than once, the friend obliged. According to …
Rethinking middle and high-school success: strategies for creating healthier students
My daughters are still years away from college or even high school, but I’m not looking forward to the high-pressure arena that they look to be …
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program for underrepresented students expands and deepens
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP) is a 5-week summer residential program for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in science and medicine. The students, …
A look back at Medicare’s 50 years
On Friday, KQED’s Forum offered a look at Medicare and Medicaid to mark the programs' 50-year anniversary. Stanford health policy researcher Laurence Baker, PhD, participated in the discussion, which covered …
New Stanford-developed technology bypasses “virtual reality sickness”
Researchers in the Stanford Computational Imaging Group have developed a new virtual reality headset that takes into account how the human eye focuses and processes depth. Current display …
Study examines high costs of maintaining medical certification
After you've got an MD and passed your board exams, you're all set, right? Well, not quite. Physicians must meet new requirements for maintaining medical board …
Bringing surgical training to female medical students in Zimbabwe
Earlier this summer, I shared the story of how two pioneering women are challenging the status quo in Zimbabwe by saying it's okay for women …