A web of cell types in one of the brain’s chief wake centers keeps animals up—but also puts them to sleep. Patrick Fuller (Beth Israel Deaconess) is quoted.
A new understanding of the role gut microbiota plays in HIV disease is beginning to emerge, suggesting potential new strategies to manage the infection. Jesus Luevano (HMS student) is quoted.
Laurie Glimcher, a leading immunologist, was the first female medical school dean in New York state and will become the first woman to lead Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Lee Nadler (HMS) is quoted. Paul Anderson (Brigham and Women’s), Edward Benz Jr. (Dana-Farber) and Jeffrey S. Flier (HMS dean) are mentioned.
A comprehensive genomic analysis of more than 200 mesothelioma tumor samples has identified previously unknown genetic mutations, including several that may prove to be actionable right now for diagnosis and treatment of the deadly lung cancer, researchers say. Raphael Bueno (Brigham and Women’s) is lead author of the study.
When you or a loved one is diagnosed with a rare disorder‹like tuberous sclerosis‹no one gives you a manual to figure out which experts to contact or what to do. Elizabeth Thiele (Mass General) is quoted.
Not getting enough sleep at night may make you want to eat too much the next afternoon. That¹s the conclusion of a study that finds skimping on rest can trigger a response similar to the effect of smoking marijuana, namely, the munchies. Frank Scheer (Brigham and Women’s) is quoted and wrote a commentary on the research.
The “black-white sleep gap” gained national attention last year, when a study on race and sleep disturbances found that black Americans got less sleep than white Americans and suffered a higher incidence of disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. Susan Redline (Brigham and Women¹s) is a co-author of the original study and is leading efforts in black communities to learn about obstacles to good sleep.
Fear of being sued by a patient is widely believed to affect how doctors do their jobs, causing them to order excessive tests and care. But a new working paper suggests that the threat of malpractice lawsuits may shape behavior well beyond the clinic. Paper co-author Anupam Jena (HMS) is quoted.
Parents often catch medical errors that their child¹s doctor missed, according to a U.S. study that suggests families may be an untapped resource for improving hospital safety and preventing mistakes. Alisa Khan (Boston Children’s) led the study.
This blog post about new genetic technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and synthetic biology leading to new definitions of disease quotes George Church (HMS).
Cancer patients skating near financial ruin will likely suffer more pain and worse symptoms than those who have some savings to fall back on, a new study reports. Christopher Lathan (Dana-Farber) led the study.
