Credit: iStock/blackCAT As a scientist, I’ve often wondered: Why do women report more severe side effects from medications? The answer isn't a medical mystery; it’s historical oversight. For decades, medical research and drug development disproportionately focused on men, disregarding the unique biological and physiological complexities of women. This singular focus created a significant and lasting … Continue reading The Gender Gap in Medicine: Why Drugs Must Be Developed with Women in Mind
Scientific Research
Nanotechnology in Physiology: The Science Behind the Science Fiction
Credit: iStock/boonstudio When you hear “nanotechnology,” the image that comes to mind may be one from a recent movie you have seen, maybe in the Avengers franchise or the Terminator series. Many of these films use nanotechnology in what may seem like an unrealistic way to make some science fiction “movie magic.” Nanotechnology is being … Continue reading Nanotechnology in Physiology: The Science Behind the Science Fiction
A Fatty Truth: How Your Meat and Eggs Become Messages
Credit: iStock/4kodiak When you bite into a burger or crack an egg open, it's more than just a meal. Every fat molecule in that food carries information—tiny signals your body listens to. The way animals are raised, whether in a pasture or in conventional systems, subtly shifts the types of fats that end up on … Continue reading A Fatty Truth: How Your Meat and Eggs Become Messages
Good Morning, Fall! How ‘Falling Back’ to Standard Time Affects Our Body Clock
Credit: iStock/simonapilolla Fall is here—a time for sweaters and scarves, warm beverages and changing leaves. Nights grow longer as the sun sets earlier, and in many parts of the U.S., we “fall back” from daylight saving to standard time to accommodate this shift. We may celebrate the feeling of getting to sleep in, or we … Continue reading Good Morning, Fall! How ‘Falling Back’ to Standard Time Affects Our Body Clock
Embrace the Burn: Dispelling Years of Lactate Misconceptions
Credit: iStock You may be familiar with the feeling known as “the burn”—the tingling soreness emanating from deep within your muscles, telling you to stop what you’re doing and rest. The burn can appear during the last few reps at the gym, the end of a long jog or even during the last few twists … Continue reading Embrace the Burn: Dispelling Years of Lactate Misconceptions
Autism, the Microbiome and Picky Eating: What’s Really Going On?
Credit: iStock/Magone Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a complex developmental condition that affects communication, behavior and social interaction. It is often marked by repetitive behaviors and highly focused interests. While the exact causes of autism remain unclear, what we do know is that its prevalence is rising. One out of every 31 eight-year-olds … Continue reading Autism, the Microbiome and Picky Eating: What’s Really Going On?
Blood Substitutes: How Distant Is This Future of Patient Care?
Credit: iStock/ojos de hojalata Chances are, by the time you finish reading this sentence, someone in the U.S. will need a blood transfusion, likely due to blood loss from a serious injury or a health condition. Blood is the highway of the body. It’s the route by which oxygen, nutrients, carbon dioxide, immune cells, platelets … Continue reading Blood Substitutes: How Distant Is This Future of Patient Care?
Dreams, Challenges and Resilience: A Journey Through Grad School
Credit: iStock/Huseyin Bastanci I have always dreamed of earning a doctoral degree in science. I still remember a moment from 15 years ago, chatting with my friend and sharing my aspiration for getting a PhD. Unaware of what the future would hold, I was always mapping each step that would bring me closer to making … Continue reading Dreams, Challenges and Resilience: A Journey Through Grad School
The Eye Is a Window to the Kidney
Credit: Josselin Nespoux, created with Grok You may have heard the phrase "the eyes are windows to the soul”.Recent research has revealed that our eyes may also be windows to our kidneys. At Edinburgh Kidney, we are investigating how subtle changes in the tiny blood vessels of the eye, known as the retinal vasculature, can … Continue reading The Eye Is a Window to the Kidney
Understanding the Link Between Oral Health and Dementia
Credit: iStock/simarik Dementia is a brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and cognitive functioning. It is the seventh leading cause of death in older people and affects more than 57 million people worldwide. In recent years, research on this topic has expanded, meaning you may have seen more recommendations (such as healthy eating and exercising) … Continue reading Understanding the Link Between Oral Health and Dementia