Best Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Podcasts (2025)

1
What Can a Digital Mental Health Tool Do for Teens? with Jessica Schleider, PhD 30:43

4d ago30:43

30:43

New evidence shows that a one-time intervention can lead to lasting improvement in the lives of young people struggling with mental health problems. In this episode, Jessica Schleider, PhD, associate professor of Medical Social Sciences, explains how she is using this approach to scale single-session interventions (SSIs) to reach more people in nee…

1
The Science Behind Sleep Health with Minjee Kim, MD 29:20

26d ago29:20

29:20

In this episode, Minjee Kim, MD, shares results of recent studies she has conducted to better understand the role of inadequate sleep on long-term metabolic health in pregnant women and middle-aged adults. She also discusses a new AI-based intervention that could bring a better night of sleep to those who need it.…

1
New Insights from Inside the Brain with Rodrigo Braga, PhD 20:39

2M ago20:39

20:39

In this episode, Rodrigo Braga, PhD, explains recent advances in his Human Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, using precision functional MRI technology, that is helping us better understand how the brain is working. He details recent findings published in Science Advances that provide new understanding of how the brain works during and after social intera…

1
Inventing a Tiny Pacemaker with John Rogers, PhD 29:27

2M ago29:27

29:27

What could be the world's smallest pacemaker was recently developed at Northwestern University and details of the device were published in the journal Nature. This incredible innovation, about the size of a grain of rice, from the lab of John Rogers, PhD, is designed to be an alternative to bulky, wired temporary pacemakers. In this episode, Rogers…

1
How Alzheimer’s Drugs Work with David Gate, PhD 14:44

3M ago14:44

14:44

A Northwestern Medicine study published in Nature Medicine, used a new technique called spatial transcriptomics to examine the brain’s response to Alzheimer's therapies, revealing new molecular targets that could enhance the effectiveness of current therapies and not just slow the disease, but potentially improve patient outcomes. David Gate, PhD, …

1
Celebrating BHM 2025: Dr. Paris Thomas of Equal Hope 8:12

3M ago8:12

8:12

Wrapping up our celebration of Black History Month (BHM) 2025, we are featuring a conversation with Dr. Paris Thomas, CEO of Equal Hope, as she shares her personal story and Equal Hope's mission to reduce women's healthcare disparities.Equal Hope saves lives by tackling health inequities head-on by providing free breast and reproductive cancer serv…

1
Intervening Earlier in Mental Healthcare for Kids with Lauren Wakschlag, PhD 24:49

3M ago24:49

24:49

A new $11.7 million award from the National Institute of Mental Health aims to help Northwestern Medicine investigators move the dial on the youth mental health crisis by targeting early warning signs of mental health risk in toddlers, rather than waiting until diagnosable and severe conditions are present later in childhood. In this episode, Laure…

1
Celebrating Black History Month: Delores King of Livin' Through the Lenz 13:02

3M ago13:02

13:02

Join us as we celebrate Black History Month 2025 with our special guest Delores King, Founder/CEO of Livin' Through the Lenz -- a nonprofit that combines photo-based therapy and visual storytelling to aid healing.https://www.livinthruthelenz.org/By Center for Health Equity Transformation at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

1
Advancing Ovarian Health from Fertility to Lifespan with Francesca Duncan, PhD 25:40

3M ago25:40

25:40

Women are living longer, healthier lives, but ovarian aging still impacts fertility and hormone production as it always has. In this episode, Francesca Duncan, PhD, discusses novel research into maintaining ovarian function, longer. This work could someday help prevent or slow down age-related changes to the ovaries, offering hope for better health…

1
Pursuing Precision Medicine for Rare Diseases with Gemma Carvill, PhD 26:10

4M ago26:10

26:10

Scientists from Northwestern Medicine, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have uncovered the first rare genetic disorder linked to a long non-coding RNA gene. In this episode, Gemma Carvill, PhD, explains how this discovery, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, came to be and the critical roles non-coding regions of the genome may …

1
Special Guest Hosts with Dr. Joe Feinglass on the U.S. Healthcare System 59:05

4M ago59:05

59:05

In this special episode, our guest co-hosts are Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (ChicagoCHEC) Fellows Program Alumni David Bastos (Northwestern University) and Vanessa Pineda (University of Illinois at Chicago) sit down with Dr. Joe Feinglass, Research Professor at Northwestern University on health services with over 30 years of experien…

1
2024 ChicagoCHEC Fellows: Reflections on Experience 57:45

6M ago57:45

57:45

Join us in this special episode featuring the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (CHEC) Fellows Program 2024 cohort. This program brings undergrad and postbac students together in preparation for careers in social, behavioral, and biomedical research and in health care.They share with us their experiences with the CHEC Fellows program inclu…

1
Investigating the Health Impact of Incarceration with Linda Teplin, PhD 18:55

6M ago18:55

18:55

With a new $20 million grant from the National Institute on Aging, Northwestern investigator, Linda Teplin, PhD, is extending the work of the Northwestern Juvenile Project to study the long-term consequences of incarceration on age-related conditions, including Alzheimer's and other age-related diseases. This project is the only large-scale longitu…

1
Studying Social Networks to Address Health Inequities with Michelle Birkett, PhD 24:23

6M ago24:23

24:23

Understanding the systemic drivers of health disparities within marginalized populations is complex. In this episode, Michelle Birkett, PhD, explains how she uses network and quantitative methodologies to study the health of marginalized populations, particularly sexual and gender minority youth. She also discusses her new center, the Center for Co…

1
Emerging Drug Targets in Parkinson's Disease with Joe Mazzulli, PhD 28:08

7M ago28:08

28:08

Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with Parkinson's disease, a condition for which there is still no known cause or cure. Joseph Mazzulli, PhD, has led two recent studies published in Neuron and Nature Communications uncovering previously unknown cellular mechanisms driving the disease. These studies highlight the potential for new th…

1
New Insights into Cellular Metabolism with Issam Ben-Sahra, PhD 18:14

7M ago18:14

18:14

New research from the lab of Issam Ben-Sahra, PhD, could rewrite textbooks on our understanding of cellular metabolism and potentially identify new targets for cancer and metabolic diseases such as obesity. The discovery, published in the journal Science, has been praised for its rigorous simplicity and underscores the importance of understanding t…

1
Understanding Gut Microbiome Science with Jeffrey Gordon, MD 35:30

8M ago35:30

35:30

Jeffrey Gordon, MD, often called “the father of microbiome research,” is the 2024 recipient of the Mechthild Esser Nemmers Prize in Medical Science. In this episode, Gordon discusses the impacts of his long career in gut microbiome research, which has profoundly transformed our understanding of human health. Specifically, he shares the evolution of…

1
Overcoming Hormone Therapy Resistance in Prostate Cancer with Sarki Abdulkadir, MD, PhD 23:03

9M ago23:03

23:03

The MYC oncogene is notorious in the cancer research world because it is implicated in many advanced or aggressive cancers such as treatment-resistant prostate cancer. In this episode, Sarki Abdulkadir, MD, PhD, shares how his team bucked the conventional notion that the MYC gene is “undruggable” and uncovered a handful of compounds that block MYC …

1
How to Measure Biological Age with John Wilkins, MD 21:27

10M ago21:27

21:27

A team of Northwestern Medicine scientists are conducting a new longitudinal cross-sectional study to investigate why some people see to age faster than others. In this episode, John Wilkins, MD, associate director of the Human Longevity Laboratory at the Potocsnak Longevity Institute, shares details of the study, which will eventually include a va…

1
A Compelling New Lupus Discovery with Jaehyuk Choi, MD, PhD 20:10

11M ago20:10

20:10

Northwestern Medicine physician-scientist Jaehyuk Choi, MD, PhD joins the show again to discuss another breakthrough. This time for lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition affecting 300,000 Americans that can cause inflammation in many body parts, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs. Findings by Choi and his lab membe…

1
Uncovering Insights into Cancer and Alzheimer's with Marcus Peter, PhD 27:36

1y ago27:36

27:36

For decades, Marcus Peter, PhD, has drilled into an area of research focused on cell death and the roles of toxic and protective short RNAs, with the goal of developing a novel form of cancer treatment. Now, this same line of research has led Peter’s team to uncover new insights into the cause of Alzheimer's disease. In this episode, Peter explains…

1
The Evolution of Digital Pathology with Lee Cooper, PhD 20:11

1y ago20:11

20:11

New advances in digital pathology are revolutionizing the analysis of disease, paving the way for greater accuracy and efficiency when it comes to diagnostics, predicting outcomes and treatment. In this episode, Lee Cooper, PhD, discusses the future of digital and computational pathology and his research on machine learning and pathology, including…

1
Driving Innovations in Biostatistics with Denise Scholtens, PhD 23:33

1y ago23:33

23:33

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is home to a team of premier faculty and staff biostatisticians who are a driving force of data analytic innovation and excellence. In this episode, Denise Scholtens, PhD, a leader in biostatistics at Feinberg, discusses the growing importance of the field of biostatistics and how she leverages he…

1
Leading Pediatric Obesity Research with Justin Ryder, PhD 22:32

1y ago22:32

22:32

Northwestern Medicine scientists are at the forefront of research investigating the most effective ways of treating obesity in children and teens and improving their access to care. In this episode, Justin Ryder, PhD, a clinical and translational obesity scientist at Feinberg, talks about the use of new GLP-1–based medications for childhood obesity…

1
Discovering New ALS Therapeutic Avenues with Evangelos Kiskinis, PhD 25:00

1y ago25:00

25:00

An estimated 32,000 Americans are currently living with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Northwestern investigators have uncovered novel cellular mechanisms involved in two types of genetic ALS that might lead to future targeted therapies. Evangel…

1
Pursuing Deeper Understanding of Inflammation with Murali Prakriya, PhD 23:40

1y ago23:40

23:40

Inflammation is a common feature of many diseases and Northwestern Medicine investigators have identified how a calcium channel contributes to inflammation in the brain and lungs. This could aid in finding new types of therapeutics for inflammation-related diseases and conditions. In this episode, Murali Prakriya, PhD, discusses the evolution of th…

1
Partnering with Libraries to Address Teen Mental Health with Ashley Knapp, PhD, and Robert Simmons, MA 21:31

1+ y ago21:31

21:31

Teens are reporting struggles with their mental health at unprecedented rates, but resources to help these young people deal with anxiety or depression can be difficult to access. In this episode, Ashley Knapp, PhD, assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Robert Simmons, MA, director of social services and public safety at Oa…

1
Engineering Bacteria to Monitor and Treat Disease with Arthur Prindle, PhD 24:49

1+ y ago24:49

24:49

Thanks to advancements in synthetic biology, scientists are now engineering bacterial communities with the goal of using these cells to monitor and treat diseases. In this episode, Arthur Prindle, PhD, explains how his lab is reprogramming bacteria that may be used in the future to detect disease and deliver therapeutics for many different conditio…

1
Strengthening T-Cell Therapy for Solid Tumor Cancers with Jaehyuk Choi, MD, PhD 19:37

1+ y ago19:37

19:37

A new study published in the journal Nature details breakthrough T-cell immunotherapy research from Northwestern Medicine. In this episode, Jaehyuk Choi, MD, PhD, senior author of the paper, explains how a gene mutation found in T-cells of patients with lymphoma could hold the key to a potent cancer-fighting immunotherapy for solid tumor cancers, w…

1
New Insights into Dopamine with Raj Awatramani, PhD, and Daniel Dombeck, PhD 23:46

1+ y ago23:46

23:46

When most of us think about dopamine, we think about reward signals. But new research from Northwestern Medicine, published in Nature Neuroscience, has found a genetic subtype of dopamine neurons that do not respond to rewards at all, and instead, fire when the body moves. Rajeshwar Awatramani, PhD, and Daniel Dombeck, PhD led this work. In this ep…

1
The Evolution of the NIH Toolbox with Richard Gershon, PhD 22:28

1+ y ago22:28

22:28

As the primary investigator of The NIH Toolbox®, Richard Gershon, PhD, has led a team of hundreds of scientists to develop and evolve state-of-the-art digital assessments of cognition, motor, sensation and emotion which has been used by clinicians, investigators and academics for nearly two decades. In this episode, Gershon explains how the third v…

1
2023 ChicagoCHEC Fellows: Reflections on Experience 52:27

1+ y ago52:27

52:27

Join us in this special episode featuring the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaborative (CHEC) Fellows Program 2023 cohort. This program brings undergrad and postbac students together in preparation for careers in social, behavioral, and biomedical research and in health care.They share with us their experiences with the CHEC Fellows program inclu…

1
How Mitochondria Inform Disease Discoveries with Navdeep Chandel, PhD 25:06

1+ y ago25:06

25:06

Mitochondria are widely known as cellular “powerhouses” for their role in producing energy for cells. But pioneering research from Northwestern Medicine investigators over the last 20 years has proven mitochondria are also major players in lung disease, cancer, brain disease and immune-related diseases. Navdeep Chandel, PhD, a 2023 recipient of the…

1
Advancing Transplant Science with Daniela Ladner, MD, MPH 15:08

1+ y ago15:08

15:08

Northwestern Medicine is dedicated to improving outcomes for patients who are in need of organ transplants. Daniela Ladner, MD, MPH, is leading research that sheds light on the barriers to transplantation as the founding director of the Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC). She discusses the groundbreaking res…

1
How Drinking Alcohol Impacts Aging with Lifang Hou, MD, PhD 18:19

1+ y ago18:19

18:19

Both long-term alcohol consumption and binge drinking can speed up biological aging, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the journal Aging. Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, chief of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention in the Department of Preventive Medicine led the study and discusses the link between genetics and lifestyle in the context o…

1
How AI Can Improve Healthcare Delivery with Mozzi Etemadi, MD, PhD 22:44

1+ y ago22:44

22:44

Mozziyar “Mozzi” Etemadi, MD, PhD, is supporting the transformation of healthcare delivery and patient care at Northwestern Medicine by bringing engineers into direct contact with clinical providers. In this episode, he talks about the explosion of artificial intelligence in healthcare in recent years and how Northwestern Medicine is using this tec…

1
Predicting Which Cancer Cells May Become Drug-Resistant with Yogesh Goyal, PhD 20:58

2y ago20:58

20:58

Treating cancer has become increasingly difficult as cells develop resistance. Northwestern investigators have sought to address this issue on the cellular level through the development of a novel FateMap tool, used to predict the future behavior of cancer cells before they are exposed to cancer-fighting drugs. In this episode, Yogesh Goyal, PhD, d…

1
New Institute Advances Lung Disease Research and Clinical Care with Scott Budinger, MD 21:08

2y ago21:08

21:08

The launch of the Simpson Querrey Lung Institute for Translational Science (SQLIFTS) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine aims to expedite the discovery and implementation of innovative lung disease treatments through a patient-centered approach. In this episode, Scott Budinger, MD, the new executive director of the institute, dis…

1
Understanding Genetic Factors in Parkinson's Disease with Steven Lubbe, PhD 21:38

2y ago21:38

21:38

The global prevalence of Parkinson's disease has doubled in the past 25 years. While research into this extremely diverse neurodegenerative disorder is very active, there is much left to be uncovered about the underlying cause of the disease. Recently, Northwestern Medicine investigators have discovered novel genetic factors contributing to the ris…

1
Why Late-Night Eating is Linked to Weight Gain and Diabetes with Joseph Bass, MD, PhD 19:46

2y ago19:46

19:46

Disrupting our internal clocks can lead to diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Scientists at Northwestern have uncovered the mechanism behind why late-night eating is linked to weight gain and diabetes. Joseph Bass, MD, PhD, led the study published in the journal Science. He shares the results and details the two decades of work leading to this …

1
Rewind: A Promising Obesity Drug with Robert Kushner, MD 16:34

2y ago16:34

16:34

This episode was released in February 2021, and is being re-shared to offer the research behind the popular weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Northwestern's Robert Kushner, MD, discusses the drug semaglutide, typically prescribed for treatment of Type 2 diabetes and the results of the phase 3 clinical trial as a treatment for obesity with very …

1
Improving Exercise Habits for Breast Cancer Survivors with Siobhan Phillips, PhD, MPH 18:53

2y ago18:53

18:53

There's strong evidence that physical activity can play an important role in the health and lifespan of cancer survivors. Siobhan Phillips, PhD, MPH, leads the Exercise and Health Lab at Feinberg, which designs, tests, implements and disseminates physical activity interventions to support cancer survivors. In this episode, Phillips details interven…

1
Advancing Skin Cell Biology with Kathleen Green, PhD 22:33

2y ago22:33

22:33

Skin diseases from psoriasis to melanoma affect as many as one in three Americans at any given time. Kathleen Green, PhD, has greatly advanced basic molecular research related to skin diseases. She discusses recent discoveries in her lab that could lead to future therapeutic targets.By Northwestern University

1
Rewind: How to Stop Antibiotic Misuse with Jeffrey Linder, MD, MPH 21:56

2y ago21:56

21:56

Physicians are notorious for prescribing antibiotics as a "quick fix" when they aren't necessary. There are many reasons why, and Jeffrey Linder, MD, MPH, dives into those and discusses effective ways to reduce the number of inappropriate prescriptions by working with physicians. Originally released in fall 2018, this episode is still timely as the…

1
Can ChatGPT Support Biomedical Research? with Catherine Gao, MD and Yuan Luo, PhD 20:37

2y ago20:37

20:37

Northwestern scientists Yuan Luo, PhD, and Catherine Gao, MD, discuss a study they conducted using the artificial intelligence chatbot, ChatGPT. The results showcase the online tool's ability to produce convincing medical research abstracts. They also discuss the tool’s potential to help with writing-intensive tasks in healthcare and medical resear…

1
How the Brain Regulates Aggressive Behavior with Ann Kennedy, PhD 17:33

2+ y ago17:33

17:33

A theoretical neuroscientist, Ann Kennedy, PhD, is investigating neural computation and the structure of behavior. In this episode, she talks about her recent research in the area of aggression and how it's regulated in the brains of animals. She was recently named the winner of the 2022 Eppendorf and Science Prize for Neurobiology.…

1
Rewind: Can Exercise Slow Parkinson's Disease Progression? with Daniel Corcos, PhD 24:42

2+ y ago24:42

24:42

Parkinson's disease is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease, and nearly one million people have Parkinson's disease in the U.S. A $30 million dollar, phase 3 clinical trial at Northwestern is investigating whether exercise can slow Parkinson's disease progression. Daniel Corcos, PhD, a professor of Physical Therapy and Human Movement…

1
A New Focus on Implementation Science with Sara Becker, PhD, and Rinad Beidas, PhD 26:51

2+ y ago26:51

26:51

To have the greatest impact on human health, biomedical research findings and evidence-based practices need to be implemented into routine healthcare. What is implementation science, and how can we ensure research successfully makes an impact? Rinad Beidas, PhD, and Sara Becker, PhD, discuss the field and its future as a research priority at Northw…

1
Rewind: Why are Food Allergies on the Rise? with Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH 22:30

2+ y ago22:30

22:30

There’s been an uptick in childhood food allergies in recent years, and new evidence from Northwestern shows they’re also becoming more common in adults. Many of the reactions to these allergies are life-threatening. Why is this increase happening, and how can we keep people affected by food allergy safe? Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, is trying to answer t…

1
The Science Behind Culinary Medicine with Melinda Ring, MD 17:03

2+ y ago17:03

17:03

A Northwestern Medicine course called Cooking Up Health is giving medical students, trainees and health professionals the opportunity to learn culinary medicine and food-as-medicine science concepts. Melinda Ring, MD, created the course and explains how it can improve the health of patients and train more nutrition-aware physicians.…

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Northwestern University Feinberg School Of Medicine Podcasts

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