Health Science Radio

Pornography has never been easier to access and consume. While experts don’t agree on labeling its problematic use as “addiction,” its use targets the same areas of the brain as substances. And its use can be detrimental to health and well-being. We’re joined by licensed marriage and family therapist Danielle Sukenik, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She shares what the research says about the problematic use of pornography – and the imp...

Fueled by emotion-driven and easily shared social media, the current waves of online misinformation casting doubt on science have grown in size, frequency and intensity. This episode of Health Science Radio features two guests from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus who are passionate about preventing and reversing the trend: Aimee Bernard, PhD, associate professor of immunology and microbiology, and Laura Scherer, PhD, associate professor of medicine in the cardiology divisio...

Colorectal cancer has been upending the lives of younger people at disturbing rates in recent years, becoming the second most common type of cancer in people under age 50 in the U.S. today. By 2030, deaths are expected to double, and the disease is predicted to jump to the leading cause of cancer death in 20- to 49-year-olds. On this episode, we talk about epidemiological factors behind the rise in cases, the age groups affected, symptoms people should be paying attention to, preventati...

How the human body reacts to the transition to deep-space travel – and then adapts, or doesn’t, to lengthy periods in a microgravity environment – remains a largely understudied area. Our guest, Prem Subramanian, MD, PhD, chief of neuro-ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, talks about how space travel, including long-duration spaceflight, affects the eyes and how advancements in neuro-ophthalmology are helping astronauts. He also ...

Influenza season is ramping up, SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) continue to evolve, and the bird flu outbreak is gaining steam in the United States. Against this ever-changing landscape of infectious disease, this episode centers on viruses and vaccines. Our guest is Jenna Guthmiller, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Guthmiller discusses the H5N1 outb...

On this episode of Health Science Radio, Daniel Goldberg, associate professor and director of education in the Center for Bioethics and Humanities, breaks down the importance of history and its place in a modern health sciences curriculum by examining the practical uses of thinking like a historian to better serve patients, inform research and build stronger bonds with the communities future health science leaders will serve.

This episode features a discussion about autoimmune neurological diseases, including the rare stiff person syndrome (SPS) that affects Canadian superstar Céline Dion. Our guest is Amanda Piquet, MD, associate professor of neurology and director of the autoimmune neurology program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Piquet, whose team is conducting groundbreaking research on autoimmune neurologic disorders, has treated Dion’s SPS for over two y...

This episode features a discussion about treating cancer through immunotherapy, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte, or TIL, therapy. Our guest is Eduardo Davila, professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Davila’s team has devised a novel technique to enhance all forms of cellular immunology. The scientists rejuvenate T-cells and improve their durability as well as their ability to find and kill cancer cells. Davila’s team’s research o...

This episode features a discussion about a groundbreaking effort to restore vision in patients with age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. Our guest is Valeria Canto-Soler, associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Canto-Soler shares the dreams behind her research and why she chose the CU Anschutz Medical Campus to develop retinal transplants. Her team is working toward one of the most ambitious goals in its field – transplanting cells...

This episode features a discussion about the burnout crisis among physicians and other healthcare professionals. The Association of Medical Colleges estimates that the United States will face a shortage of between 38,000 and 124,000 physicians by 2034. Our guest is Dr. Lotte Dyrbye, senior associate dean of faculty and chief well-being officer at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a national thought leader in physician burnout. Dr. Dyrbye explains the magnitude of the problem, ...

In this episode of CU Anschutz 360, Daniel LaBarbera, PhD, director of the Center for Drug Discovery, talks about harnessing technology and innovation to speed the development of new therapies. He discusses robotic automation, quantum computing and building bridges over the ‘valley of death.’

This episode of CU Anschutz 360 focuses on the research into long COVID taking place at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. An important study involving CU Anschutz researchers ties into RECOVER, a national initiative seeking to uncover the long-term effects of COVID and develop treatments for long COVID patients. Kristine Erlandson, MD, an associate professor of medicine and infectious disease at the CU School of Medicine, shares insights into the study that developed a...