Consider Eliza’s sleep schedule. Eliza is a college student, who sleeps six hours every day due to the constraints of her job, sports practice, and schoolwork. Trudging through the week, she looks forward to the weekend when she can sleep in late and trade her weekday 8 a.m. for a weekend 12 p.m. She’s excited […]
Can we truly ‘catch up’ on sleep? Read More »
Viruses can be catastrophic. Their natural purpose is to infect and replicate, hijacking hosts regardless of the consequences. They can be deadly and are a large source of suffering, even in our modern society. Smallpox, influenza, and COVID-19 are clear examples of viruses that have had widespread, devastating public health effects. Therefore, it seems counterintuitive
Viruses vs. cancer: A bacteriophage approach to gene therapy Read More »
When I was younger, I would have a terrible cold for nearly seven out of 12 months each year. I would always be sucking on a cough drop or taking Mucinex, trying everything to relieve the awful, ceaseless coughing that accompanied the cold. Each year, my mother would give me the same advice: to pop
Opinion: Can modern medicine and alternative treatments coexist? Read More »
For such a tiny microscopic organism, the algae behind the Gulf of Mexico’s toxic red tides inflicts a mighty force. Characterized by discolored water, dying marine life, and the release of respiratory irritants, red tides have plagued the Gulf since the 1800s and have since increased in intensity and frequency. Karenia brevis, the dominant algae
Harmful or helpful?: Using toxic algae blooms for cystic fibrosis treatment Read More »
When functioning optimally the human brain poses one of the largest challenges encountered in medicine. For the past 50 years, scientists have struggled to find methods to bypass the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a vital immunological barrier responsible for the transport of select molecules into the brain. Solving this problem would allow for the development of
Going where no drug has gone before: A difficult journey through the blood-brain barrier Read More »
Advancements in medicine have undeniably revolutionized the quality of life in society today. Unfortunately, even medicine can be faulty — side effects, drug resistance, or simple ineffectiveness are just a handful of the risks patients face when seeking medicinal aid. Anti-obesity medication (AOM) is one of many drug categories that carry a host of side
Opinion: Alternatively, medicine can do harm too Read More »
Conventional medicine, or Western medicine, describes a system where healthcare professionals trained in the sciences treat symptoms and diseases with medication or surgery. While conventional medicine is widely accepted, it is not the only healthcare system available. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is defined by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) as
The possible inheritance of unfavorable genetics sits in the front of many new and soon-to-be parents’ minds. Though it may seem comforting to know if one’s child carries the risk of developing certain conditions in adulthood, is it in the best interest of the child to grow up with this knowledge? This burden poses an
Anxiety and exploitation: Ethical dilemmas in pediatric genetic screening Read More »
As far as diseases go, few are met with more interest and concern than cancer. Cancers are the second leading cause of death in the U.S. and the subject of an immense body of research. Treatments for cancer are notoriously hard on the body and in many cases can only delay the progression of the
How metastatic melanoma invades the body Read More »