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Dec 11, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
Getting blood from a stone is impossible, but growing blood from 3D mini hearts is now a reality. A research team led by Robert Zweigerdt, a developmental biologist at the Hannover Medical School, previously used human pluripotent stem cells to produce heart-forming organoids (HFOs) in a dish.1 These mini primordial heart constructs display the multiple tissue layers that exist in the developing human heart. They also contain the latent capacity to produce blood cells.
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Oct 23, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
Embracing change is never easy. The hills and valleys of life are often defining moments, serving as a catapult for growth. In academia, like all other aspects of life, course correction takes courage.
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Oct 3, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
Anyone who has taken their beloved dog on a walk knows how an athletic excursion can quickly turn into a contemplative stroll between every tree trunk and fire hydrant in the neighborhood. A dog’s intense need to check their pee-mail is driven by their powerful sense of smell.
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Aug 16, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
The dance of development is electric. Bioelectrical gradients choreograph embryonic growth, signaling to stem cells what cell types they should become, where they should travel, who their neighbors should be, and what structures they should form.1 The intensity and location of these signals serve as an electrical scaffold to map out anatomical features and guide development.
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Aug 8, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
Some of history’s greatest artists brought slabs of stone to life, sculpting the inert materials to expose hidden human features. As Michelangelo once said, “every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” Plastic surgeons, sculptors of a different kind, depend on a combination of anatomical fluency and artistic talent to reconstruct parts of the human body.
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Jul 17, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
The gut’s sensory system is a touchy subject thanks to specialized epithelial cells that line the gut and behave like touch sensors in the skin.1 These cells are sensitive to mechanical stimuli and communicate information about “gut feelings” to neurons in the gut as well as those that send messages to the brain.2 To understand the neuro-epithelial connections that conduct the grand symphony of digestion, a team of scientists at the Mayo Clinic orchestrated a unique collaboration of their...
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Jul 16, 2024 | 
kevinmd.com | Arthur Lazarus |Iris Kulbatski |Oscar Chen |Sera Choi
The breakdown in security leading to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump can be compared to the multifactorial failure inherent in medical errors. Both scenarios involve complex systems where multiple layers of defense and prevention are designed to avoid catastrophic outcomes. When these layers fail, it often results from a combination of human error, systemic issues, and procedural flaws.
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Apr 26, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
The human body is enmeshed in an intricate internal web of living spaces known as the interstitium.1 These fractal-like structures create a vast honeycomb network of fluid-filled openings within and between tissues and organs that spans the body and acts as a thoroughfare. A sophisticated system of connective tissue, including collagen and various other extracellular matrix proteins, supports the continuity of this network.
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Apr 19, 2024 | 
the-scientist.com | Iris Kulbatski
Ancient humans had clogged arteries thousands of years before smoking, cinnamon buns, caramel macchiatos, and couch potatoes were in style.1,2 Take for instance Ötzi the Iceman, who died over 5000 years ago at around age 45 with an arrowhead lodged in his shoulder.3 CT scans of his mummified body showed that he had atherosclerotic plaques, which precede cardiovascular disease, in his arteries.4 Had he not been killed, perhaps Ötzi would have eventually died of a heart attack or stroke.
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Jan 21, 2024 | 
kevinmd.com | Jennifer Lynn |Iris Kulbatski |Oscar Chen |Sera Choi
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes!We sit down with Tracey O’Connell, a radiologist and physician coach, to explore the pervasive issue of medical gaslighting within the health care industry. Tracey shares her own experiences and insights, shedding light on how this phenomenon impacts both medical professionals and patients. Tracey O’Connell is a radiologist and physician coach.
