Expert alert: Changing the outlook for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer often is hidden and doesn’t cause symptoms until it has spread. It is a leading cause of cancer deaths in the world.

November 19 is World Pancreatic Cancer Day, but the entire month of November is meant to bring awareness to this disease.

Advances in screening and early detection for high-risk people, minimally invasive surgical innovations and new genetic classifications are changing the outlook for pancreatic cancer, says Dr. Michael Wallace, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist.

What’s at stake in the Supreme Court’s ACA case? A quick explainer

Though the election and pandemic have eclipsed it in the news, there’s another event unfolding that could affect nearly all Americans: a Supreme Court case that will decide the future of the Affordable Care Act. A health policy researcher explains what would happen if it’s overturned.

How to Manage Mental Health in Cold Weather during the Pandemic

As the colder weather forces more people indoors — where public health officials warn there is increased risk of transmission of the coronavirus — concern is growing over the mental health implications of isolation. Frank Ghinassi, president and CEO of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care discusses ways people can stay socially connected and when they should seek professional help for mental health concerns.

Raising Awareness During Diabetes Awareness Month – Adult and Pediatric Diabetes Experts Available

More than 34 million people in the U.S, or 10.5% of the population, have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And as many as 7 million more Americans have the disease and don’t know it. Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the country..

UCLA Health infectious disease experts tout critical role mask wearing plays in limiting spread of COVID-19

With thousands of new cases logged daily and a vaccine to fight COVID-19 still in development, UCLA Health infectious disease experts are encouraging people to continue to wear masks as the best method of protecting against virus transmission.

Life and Livelihood as the Pandemic Drags On

When we started on our COVID-19 interview series, no one knew how long the pandemic would last or the long-term impact it would have on our community. As we approach the end of a year of living in the shadow of COVID-19, we thought it useful to follow up with some of our interviewees. We learned that research, collaboration, teaching, and learning are continuing to evolve—along with the challenges of distance learning, meeting, and life.

Forty studies later, a Keck Medicine of USC radiologist reveals what he has learned about COVID-19

Ali Gholamrezanezhad, MD, a clinical emergency radiologist with Keck Medicine of USC, was one of the first researchers to study COVID-19 in early 2020. Today, Gholamrezanezhad has co-authored more than 40 papers on the disease, gathering and analyzing a wide array of data and patient scans. He offers his unique insights into a virus that has infected more than 43 million people worldwide.

HSS Shares Successful Strategies to Support the Health of Older Adults with Online Programs

To address health concerns of inactivity and social isolation in older adults during the pandemic, the HSS Education Institute utilized various online approaches to deliver high quality musculoskeletal health education, exercise and support programs. Claudia Zurlini, senior coordinator, Public & Patient Education at HSS, presents best practices for a successful transition to online programming at the virtual American Public Health Association meeting.

The curve is fattening, not flattening. What can we do? An interview with Howard Markel, M.D., Ph.D., co-creator of the “flatten the curve” concept

Like a replay of the 1918 flu, history seems to be repeating itself with the coronavirus. After “flattening the curve” of cases in late spring and again in late summer, cases of COVID-19 have surged in October.

Howard Markel, M.D., Ph.D., for one, is deeply dismayed – but not surprised. He offers insights into what’s needed to avoid a horrific winter.

Expert Alert: Accelerated breast cancer treatments at Mayo Clinic provide more options for patients during pandemic

Radiation therapy for breast cancer can be grueling and disruptive, stretching out for as long as five to seven weeks, and often requiring extended time off from work or away from home. But research over the past decade, as well as new technology and innovations at Mayo Clinic, has led to treatment alternatives that are shorter, more targeted and just as effective.

Addressing Teen Mental Health During the Pandemic

It has been more than seven months since the pandemic initially shut schools, raising concerns about the mental health of adolescents, says Ann Murphy, an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers School of Health Professions.

As director of the Northeast and Caribbean Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, Murphy has been providing trainings and consultation services for school personnel across New Jersey, along with PJ Wenger, a senior training and consultation specialist at the Center who has been providing mental health first-aid trainings in schools. Murphy and Wenger discuss how the pandemic has impacted adolescents’ mental health and how adults can help.

McLean Hospital Sponsors National Stop a Suicide Today Town Hall

October 21 is National Stop a Suicide Today. In a collaboration between Stop a Suicide Today, the American Psychiatric Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and McLean Hospital, have scheduled a virtual Town Hall featuring talks by leading experts on the rising suicide rate, stigma, safety, the impact of COVID-19, and more.

Safety Considerations for Visiting Primary Care Doctors

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many people with chronic health conditions relying on telemedicine rather than seeing their doctor in person when necessary or putting off important visits entirely because they fear being infected.

Ann M. Nguyen, an assistant research professor at Rutgers Center for State Health Policy at the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, who recently published a paper on safety measures at physician offices, discusses what people should know about visiting their doctor and why putting off appointments that need to be done in person could lead to other health problems.

Automating 2-D Material Exfoliation with Suji Park

Park, a staff researcher at Brookhaven Lab’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials, is designing and building an automated system to generate high-quality ultrathin “flakes,” which can be stacked into layered structures that are essentially new materials.

Committing to Solving Humanity’s Grand Challenges

In our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Yue Kuo talks about the role of ECS members in solving humanity’s grand challenges, including the pandemic. Yue holds the Dow Professorship in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering with a joint appointment in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University (TAMU).

Managing Expectations

In our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Janine Mauzeroll reflects on balancing professorship and motherhood while home schooling and dealing with loss. Janine is Associate Professor of Chemistry at McGill University, Canada. She received her PhD at the University of Texas at Austin, US, and did her postdoc at the Université de Paris, France.

The Big Unknown

In our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Jeffrey “Jeff” Henderson opened up about what he and his colleagues are worrying about—and some tips to getting through this unprecedented period. Jeff is a PhD candidate in Physical/Analytical Chemistry under the supervision of Professors Jamie Noël and David Shoesmith at the University of Western Ontario (Western), Canada.

Coping with Chaos

For our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Alice Suroviec describes pandemic-related challenges—and benefits—of being a mother, professor, scientist, researcher, administrator, homeschooler, and crisis manager. Alice is Professor of Bioanalytical Chemistry and Dean of the College of Medical and Natural Sciences at Berry College, Georgia, U.

Hispanic organization honors nuclear waste management leader, cyber assurance architect

Two experts at Sandia National Laboratories have been honored for their achievements and leadership as top engineers and scientists from the Hispanic community.
Evaristo “Tito” Bonano, nuclear energy fuel cycle senior manager, and cyber assurance architect Angela “Ang” Rivas were recognized at the 32nd annual Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference by Great Minds in STEM.