Health And Medicine (audio)

As part of the 2025 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Dr. Mary Dubon of Harvard Medical School talk about adaptive and para sports for youth with physical and developmental disabilities. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40617]

Anthony Molina, Ph.D. highlights research and resources from the Stein Institute for Research on Aging that support healthy aging, with a focus on women’s health. He describes the institute’s work in training scientists, conducting clinical trials, and promoting community engagement. Key resources include a geroscience lab for biomarker discovery, new facilities for exposome and epigenetics research, and a clinical center for geriatric assessments. Molina also introduces the SAGE study—a 15-year prospective cohort project—and a “living lab” that enables real-world studies on technology and aging. The institute offers pilot funding for early-stage research and fosters intergenerational programs connecting older adults with medical students. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40767]

Lars Bode, Ph.D., presents the Human Milk Institute at UC San Diego, the world’s first research center dedicated entirely to human milk. Established in 2022, the institute connects molecular research with clinical practice, community outreach, and public health. It unites multiple programs under one umbrella, including a milk bank for preterm infants, a biorepository, lactation education, and a rapid response team that helped inform WHO breastfeeding guidelines during COVID-19. The institute promotes collaboration across disciplines such as biology, engineering, social science, and public health. Through initiatives like the Human Milk Analytics Core, it advances maternal and infant health while highlighting the broader public health importance of breastfeeding. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40770]

Prostate cancer and its treatments can significantly impact bone health, increasing the risk of fractures and weakening the immune system. Dr. Terence Friedlander explains how hormone therapy, radiation, and chemotherapy contribute to bone loss and highlights the importance of regular monitoring. He reviews the role of bone-building cells and the effects of osteopenia and osteoporosis, conditions that become more common with age and can be worsened by cancer therapies. Friedlander outlines tools like the Dexa scan and FRAX calculator to assess bone density and fracture risk, and discusses prevention strategies, including adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, weight-bearing exercise, and the use of medications like bisphosphonates and denosumab. He emphasizes proactive bone care for men with prostate cancer to help reduce complications and improve outcomes. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40812]

Dr. Steven Seyedin presents an overview of PSA recurrence and risk factors for assessment. A PSA test is a blood test used to detect prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the blood, which can be elevated in cases of prostate cancer and is a common screening tool. He explains how PET, CT, and MRI work, highlighting the precision of PSA PET in detecting cancer spread by targeting PSA proteins on tumor cells. This imaging method combines PET and CT to reveal metastatic disease with greater accuracy than traditional scans. Seyedin addresses the strengths of different imaging agents, emphasizing that access, not brand, is key. He also cautions against false positives, especially in bone lesions, which can mislead diagnosis. By improving staging accuracy, PSA PET supports better treatment planning and outcomes. Ongoing studies explore its use earlier in diagnosis, potentially replacing biopsy or MRI in select cases. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40805]

Jennifer Anger, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D. investigates interstitial cystitis (IC), also known as painful bladder syndrome, with a focus on improving care through research on sex, gender, and health disparities. Using Veterans Affairs (VA) data, Anger challenges the outdated belief that IC predominantly affects women. She explores how comorbidities such as PTSD and depression, common among veterans, influence bladder pain, and examines how factors like exercisJennifer Anger, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D. uses VA data to study interstitial cystitis.. She examines links between bladder pain, PTSD, depression, diet, and disparities to improve care across all gender identities.e, diet, and neighborhood deprivation impact symptoms. By including both cis and trans women as well as men, Anger seeks to advance more inclusive, data-driven understanding and treatment of IC across all populations. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40675]

Gladys (Sandy) Ramos, M.D. outlines the comprehensive maternal care services at UC San Diego, emphasizing clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact. She highlights programs in diabetes and pregnancy, high-risk obstetrics, postpartum and HIV care, and maternal mental health. Ramos describes cutting-edge capabilities in fetal and placental imaging, including expertise in placenta accreta and genetic counseling. A fetal surgery program is launching soon, expanding access to specialized care and research. The department’s patient population closely reflects San Diego County’s demographics, which informs both clinical care and research priorities. Ramos also details a collaborative structure with multidisciplinary conferences and welcomes partnerships in research related to maternal, placental, and fetal health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40669]

UCLA’s Avishek Adhikari, PhD, presents new research on the role of GABAergic neurons in the brain’s periaqueductal gray (PAG) region. Previously studied for their involvement in fear and defensive behaviors, these neurons were found to promote food-seeking behavior when activated—even in fully fed mice. Using calcium imaging and optogenetics, Adhikari’s team discovered that these neurons are active during food approach but suppressed during eating. The effect is stronger for high-value foods like chocolate or crickets and depends on the mouse’s prior experience with that food. A key finding is that these neurons influence behavior through a specific projection to the zona incerta, a subthalamic region. Rather than signaling hunger, this pathway appears to drive food seeking based on reward value, highlighting a new motivational circuit in the brain. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 40444]

Sheng Zhong, Ph.D. pioneers technologies that advance women’s reproductive health. Zhong develops a minimally invasive method to analyze extracellular RNA secreted by embryos during IVF. By sequencing tiny samples of spent culture media, they generate comprehensive RNA profiles and use machine learning to identify biomarkers that predict embryo quality with accuracy comparable to traditional imaging. This breakthrough offers a gentler, data-driven alternative for assessing embryo viability, with the potential to improve live birth rates and support families navigating infertility. Zhong’s research highlights the power of molecular innovation to transform fertility care and address critical challenges in women’s health. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40676]

Dr. Kelly Fitzgerald explains current standards of care for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, focusing on treatment strategies shaped by both clinical trial data and emerging imaging technologies. She defines key terms such as poly- and oligometastatic disease and outlines how newer imaging methods like PSMA PET scans are reshaping diagnosis. She describes the shift from traditional androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to intensified ADT, where additional agents—such as chemotherapy or novel hormone therapies—are shown to improve survival. Fitzgerald also reviews ongoing questions around triplet therapy and the potential benefits of local treatments like radiation. She highlights the importance of patient-specific factors and the evolving definitions that influence treatment decisions in this complex disease landscape. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40809]

Linda Brubaker, M.D. emphasizes the urgent need to advance women’s health research beyond its traditional focus on reproduction, pregnancy, menopause, and breast cancer. She highlights the biological, social, and lifestyle factors that affect women across the lifespan and calls for greater inclusion of women in clinical research. Brubaker announces her leadership of a new JAMA initiative to centralize women’s health content and promote rigorous scientific studies. She stresses that conditions like menopause and aging impact all areas of medicine and should be understood by all clinicians. Brubaker encourages collaboration, innovation, and resilience in pursuing high-quality science to support personalized care, healthy aging, and improved outcomes for all women. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40677]

Antoni J. Duleba, M.D. outlines the broad scope of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, emphasizing care across a woman’s lifespan—from adolescence through menopause. He explains common endocrine conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and menstrual disorders, all of which can affect fertility and overall health. Duleba highlights advances in fertility preservation, especially for patients undergoing cancer treatment, and notes the rising need for such services as more women delay childbearing. He also addresses efforts to improve hormonal therapies, IVF outcomes, and treatments that target inflammation and the microbiome. In addition to medical innovation, he points to social and financial barriers that continue to limit access to reproductive care. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40672]

Andrea Z. LaCroix, Ph.D. presents major public health trends affecting women across the lifespan, from rising maternal mortality and chronic disease risks linked to pregnancy complications to the ongoing need for improved menopause care. She highlights innovative research, including digital tools for menopause education, studies on cancer survivorship, and efforts to predict healthy aging using epigenetic clocks and physical activity data. LaCroix shows how decades of research continue to shape strategies for aging with preserved cognitive and physical function, aiming to help more women thrive into their 90s and beyond. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40766]

Join Fadel Zeidan, Ph.D. for a guided meditation. Follow along as he teaches simple breathing techniques and short practices designed to build focus and calm the nervous system. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40783]

As part of the 2025 Developmental Disabilities Conference, Dr. Diane Cullinane talks about the spectrum of therapeutic approaches for working with people with autism. Series: "Developmental Disabilities Update" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40615]

UCSF’s Dr. Cornelia Ding demystifies the prostate cancer pathology report and explains how to read and understand it. The report contains five key sections: patient information, diagnosis and comments, gross description, and any addendums or amendments. It serves multiple purposes—as a medical, legal, and clinical communication tool—and often contains technical language not written for patients. Dr. Ding walks through important terminology such as Gleason score, Grade Groups, and specific diagnostic patterns like intraductal carcinoma, emphasizing how each affects risk assessment and treatment planning. Patients are encouraged to focus on the diagnosis and comment sections and to discuss any unclear details with their doctors. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40797]

Dr. Samuel Washington presents an in-depth overview of prostatectomy, a surgical option for treating prostate cancer confined to the prostate gland. He explains how robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery allows for precise removal of the prostate and seminal vesicles while minimizing recovery time and hospital stay. Washington discusses the importance of imaging, biopsy results, and patient risk levels in guiding decisions about lymph node removal and nerve-sparing techniques. He emphasizes realistic expectations around recovery, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, and outlines strategies for managing these outcomes, such as rehabilitation programs and medication. He also addresses the anatomical changes caused by surgery and the impact on fertility and sexual function. Emerging technologies aim to further improve surgical precision and cancer removal. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40802]

Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S., with evolving screening and treatment practices reshaping care in 2025. UCSF's Dr. Matthew Cooperberg highlights a shift away from overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-risk cancers, focusing instead on identifying aggressive disease through tools like MRI and advanced biomarker tests. A new “smarter screening” model now guides primary care, recommending long testing intervals for men with low PSA levels. While active surveillance has increased nationally, significant variation in care remains, and racial disparities—especially for Black men—persist. Patients are encouraged to take time in making treatment decisions, as prostate cancer often progresses slowly and allows for thoughtful, personalized care. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40796]

Gretchen Bandoli, Ph.D., highlights four major research initiatives within her division focused on maternal and child health. The Center for Better Beginnings studies medication and vaccine safety during pregnancy and lactation through ongoing cohort studies. The Mommy’s Milk Human Milk Research Biorepository collects breast milk samples to investigate postnatal exposures. The SOMI study links medical records and geolocated data for over 7 million California births to examine maternal-child health outcomes. Bandoli also leads a site for the Healthy Brain and Child Development Study, a national project following 7,500 mother-child pairs over the first ten years of life with neurodevelopmental assessments and biological sampling. All projects welcome collaboration and emphasize long-term outcomes. Series: "Motherhood Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40772]

In this presentation, UCSF’s Dr. Eric Small explains the role of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in prostate cancer treatment across various stages of the disease. He discusses how prostate cancer cells rely on testosterone to grow and how medications can effectively reduce testosterone levels by targeting hormone signals or blocking production. Dr. Small outlines the different forms of ADT—injectables, implants, and pills—and reviews their pros, cons, and side effect profiles, including cardiovascular considerations. He also describes how combining ADT with newer androgen signaling inhibitors has improved survival outcomes in patients with metastatic or recurrent disease. The talk emphasizes the importance of balancing treatment benefits with side effects and highlights the role of shared decision-making in choosing the right approach. Series: "Prostate Cancer Patient Conference" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40799]