I was excited yesterday to see the Los Angeles Times cover a really neat story out of the laboratory of geneticist Carlos Bustamante, PhD. He …
Tag: science
Miniature chemistry kit brings science out of the lab and into the classroom or field
A few months ago, Stanford bioengineer Manu Prakash, PhD, and graduate student George Korir were recognized for an ingenious (to me) contraption built from a …
Tiny balloon-like vesicles carry cellular chatter with remarkable specificity, say Stanford researchers
"BRUSH YOUR TEETH," I bellowed up the stairs last night at my (seemingly deaf and clueless) children for what seemed like the one-millionth time since …
Stumbling upon circadian rhythms
In my job as a science writer, I get to hear lots of amazing stories of discovery. In some cases, researchers have worked diligently to …
Stanford researchers show how hijacking an enzyme could help reduce cancer risk
For the first time, Stanford researchers figured out a sneaky way to make an enzyme do something it wouldn’t normally do — imitate another enzyme …
The medical benefits of a little chemistry know-how
I've been writing about medical science for close to 20 years now, and in that time I shudder to think how often I’ve written …
Study clarifies link between dieting, exercise and reduced inflammation
If you've ever wondered how dieting and exercise reduce inflammation, read on. According to new research, a compound that our bodies crank out when energy supplies …
A conversation with John Ioannidis, “the superhero poised to save” medical research
I always relish a good Q&A. As a writer, I know how hard it is to craft questions that elicit insights into a person — …
Stanford professor encourages researchers to take gender into account
As a scientist, I'm trained to look for biases that can cause unreliable results. This is why I feel so disheartened every time I read about …
A look at our disappearing microbes
Could obesity, asthma, allergies, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer all share a common epidemiological origin? NYU microbiologist Martin Blaser, MD, thinks so – he …
A medical invention that brings tears to your eyes
More than 20 million Americans suffer from dry eye, a painful condition where a person's lacrimal glands don't create enough tears to lubricate the surface …
Nobel laureate Randy Schekman on the importance of scientists clearly communicating about their work
I consider myself a professional nerd (my background is in chemistry and neuroscience) and have attended many academic talks during my life. I’ll be honest: …
In human defenses against disease, environment beats heredity, study of twins shows
I'm one of those people who've paid to have their genomes analyzed for the purpose of getting a handle on susceptibility to this or that …
Stanford researcher tackles tricky problem: How does a cell become a fat cell?
Here's this week's Biomed Bites. Check each Thursday to meet more of Stanford’s most innovative biomedical researchers. Mary Teruel had no intention of becoming a biology …
Living loooooooonger: A conversation on longevity
As I age, I'm becoming more and more interested in how I can prolong a healthy life. I hope I have a long life but …
Narcoleptic Chihuahua joins Stanford sleep researcher’s family
Meet Watson, the narcoleptic chihuahua. He's just like any other pampered pup, except he collapses when he's excited, thanks to his narcolepsy. I enjoyed a …