Jim Doty's life might have turned out very differently had it not been for a chance meeting in a magic shop when he was 12 years …
Month: November 2016
Adults over 80 who use technology report boost in mental, physical health
My 94-year-old grandmother has a smartphone. I know she enjoys seeing photos of my son (note to self: send a few today), but she's had …
Whither the stethoscope?
When we go for a routine visit to the doctor’s office, we take it for granted that he or she will use a stethoscope to …
From one student to another: The benefits of working with other medical trainees
The past three and a half years have flown by, and somehow, I’m completely done with clinical rotations!! I just finished up on the pediatric …
Researchers develop a new molecule that reduces cancer growth in mice
When I asked cancer researcher Amato Giaccia, PhD, to explain his new discovery, he told me to think of it in terms of a baseball glove. …
Scientists call for end to devastating worm diseases
Consider the lowly worm. For some, it's just a garden pest. But for more than a billion people in the developing world, parasitic worms can …
Physician entrepreneurs do best when paired with non-doctors, Stanford study finds
Doctors planning to lead a biomedical start-up, take heed: You may need to hire some non-MDs. Stanford's Riitta Katila, PhD, a professor of management science and …
Giving thanks: A heart transplant recipient’s happy reunion
In 1987, 2-year-old Corie Crowe's heart was failing, but her family's insurance didn't cover pediatric heart transplants. Determined to get the help her daughter needed, Corie's …
Coaxing muscles to heal with less scarring could improve aging, muscular dystrophy treatments
Muscles healing after injury, during normal aging or in response to diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy often develop excess connective tissue that inhibits the ability …
Drug Dealer, MD: A look at the opioid epidemic
Who's to blame for America's opioid crisis? Is it possible to point the finger at one culprit and say, "Guilty as charged?" Stanford psychiatrist and …
Stanford Biodesign focuses on innovation in aging
By 2050, nearly one-quarter (link to .pdf) of the world's population will be over 60 years of age, straining health-care resources. To address this challenge, the Stanford …
What the presidential election taught me about medicine
The morning after the recent presidential election, I entered our clinic building feeling as though I was in a daze. Like many people, I had …
Talk to your patients about “digital supplements,” physicians urge
Mental health apps — aimed at everyone from those feeling a bit blue to patients suffering from lifelong bipolar disorder — abound. But their quality varies …
Biomarker measurements may help track effectiveness of Huntington’s therapy
Patients with Huntington’s disease — and their doctors — need to know if a therapy is working. Currently, however, that's very difficult to do. But now, researchers …
The diagnosis behind the diagnosis
In July 2013, 14-year-old Milan Gambhir – who had been a healthy child – was diagnosed with one of the most aggressive and incurable brain …
Patient finds healing and a second home at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford
This year, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford celebrated its 25 anniversary. The event was special for many people, but for Misty Blue Foster the milestone …