Ths discussion captures the experiences of parents raising neurodivergent children, emphasizing the importance of finding joy, fostering inclusion, and supporting sibling relationships. Parents share personal stories of resilience, from guiding neurotypical siblings to embrace their roles with love to advocating for inclusive school environments. They highlight the unexpected ways their children teach them patience and strength, as well as the deep sense of community that emerges when families, ...
Feb 26, 2025•57 min
Karen Christman, Sheila Chari, Stella Hurtley, and Robert Stephenson explore academic publishing in stem cell research, focusing on reproducibility, collaboration, and public communication. Editors from top journals discuss curating impactful research, sharing clinical trial data, and addressing challenges in scaling and standardizing therapies. They emphasize bridging silos, advancing precision regenerative medicine, and navigating open access publishing to responsibly propel the field forward....
Feb 18, 2025•59 min
This engaging panel discussion delves into the evolving representation of autistic characters in literature, comics, and pop culture, featuring authors and creators who bring authentic perspectives to their work. The conversation highlights the importance of intentionality in storytelling, challenges stereotypes, and explores the nuances of portraying neurodiverse experiences with depth and empathy. Panelists share personal journeys, writing inspirations, and the transformative power of seeing o...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr
The human body is made up of billions of cells. These cells are the basic building blocks of life, and they work together to form tissues, organs, and systems that enable our body to function and carry out various activities. Each cell has its own specific function and role in maintaining the overall health and functionality of the body, but how do these cells know what to do? Researchers at UC San Diego and Hebrew University of Jerusalem share an intercontinental effort working to determine jus...
Jan 31, 2025•12 min
What's the secret to supporting a sharp mind at any age? In this program, Dr. Nancy Isenberg discusses the latest science-based practices to promote brain health and resiliency as we age. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40508]
Jan 30, 2025•9 min
Learn about advancements in precision medicine, particularly the role of AI, stem cell research, and gene therapy. Experts highlight AI’s potential in personalized treatments, diagnostics, and patient care. Key topics include RNA targeting therapies, base editing for gene mutations, and using stem cells for disease modeling and regeneration. AI’s contribution to enhancing healthcare efficiency and decision-making is also explored, emphasizing its role in personalized medicine through large data ...
Jan 24, 2025•58 min
A healthy microbiome can prevent disease and obesity. Dr. Sean Spencer discusses how a diet rich in fiber supports our health in various ways. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40458]
Jan 16, 2025•9 min
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) an estimated 1.3 billion people or 16% of the global population have a significant disability. A disability is a condition that can be mental or physical, and can affect a person's vision, movement, thinking, learning, communication, hearing, mental health or social relationships. However, not all disabilities are the same. Some disabilities are genetic, passed down from generation to generation, while others may have been caused by an incident ou...
Jan 15, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion where experts explore the contributions of Indigenous practices to modern agriculture. The conversation highlights traditional ecological knowledge, addresses gaps in food access, and proposes strategies to promote food sovereignty. Panelists examine how Indigenous wisdom and contemporary innovation create equitable, sustainable food systems, amplify Indigenous voices, and inspire collaboration for a resilient future. Series: "Future Thought Leaders" [Healt...
Jan 13, 2025•2 hr 18 min
Carissa Cascio, Ph.D., explores how autistic individuals perceive and process sensory experiences, focusing on internal sensations of the body, known as interoception, and their impact on emotions, anxiety, and sleep. Cascio highlights the challenges of heightened sensory awareness, including how it can disrupt rest, and underscores the importance of understanding these experiences to improve therapy and overall well-being. Cascio shares personal anecdotes and challenges myths about autism, emph...
Jan 10, 2025•35 min
Gordon Saxe, M.D., Ph.D., reveals the secrets to slowing down the aging process and living a healthier life. He uncovers how aging affects everything from our bones and muscles to our brain, leading to issues like memory loss, fatigue, and weakened immune responses. How can you make choices today that could help you live longer and feel better? Saxe dives into groundbreaking research on caloric restriction, a powerful tool for extending lifespan, and how a plant-based diet can prevent chronic di...
Jan 08, 2025•33 min
Martin Kampmann, Ph.D., explores how CRISPR screening and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology can uncover new insights into neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's. His lab uses CRISPR to identify genes that influence protein aggregation and cellular vulnerability, focusing on neurons, astrocytes, and microglia derived from human stem cells. Kampmann highlights the roles of mitochondria, autophagy, and other cellular pathways in disease progression, emphasizing the importance of un...
Jan 03, 2025•58 min
Anthony Lim, M.D., J.D., explores how small, intentional steps can lead to lasting behavioral change. Lim breaks down a simple, four-step framework—awareness, intention, action, and reflection—to help people achieve their goals, whether it's improving health, forming better habits, or making positive life changes. Through real-life examples and insights from neuroscience, he emphasizes the power of connecting with your deeper "why," taking action, and practicing self-compassion. Series: "Stein I...
Dec 27, 2024•30 min
Christine Wu Nordahl, Ph.F., offers an insightful exploration into the unique needs and experiences of autistic teens, focusing on fostering inclusive spaces. Highlighting themes of gender diversity, underdiagnosis in girls, and the impact of societal perceptions, she emphasizes the importance of tailored support for neurodiverse individuals. Through powerful participant stories and an inspiring poem, Nordahl underscores the resilience and creativity within the autistic community. Her passionate...
Dec 26, 2024•35 min
Frank Furnari, Ph.D., and Alexander Khalessi, M.D., M.B.A., discuss exciting advancements in brain cancer research, focusing on glioblastoma, an aggressive and challenging tumor. They highlight how specific genetic mutations drive tumor growth and how targeting these mutations could lead to new treatments. They also delve into cutting-edge therapies, including using light to activate drugs aimed at combating cancer. A central theme of the talk is the complexity and ever-changing nature of these ...
Dec 23, 2024•57 min
Le Xu, Ph.D., examines the intricate processes underlying lung development and disease, with a focus on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Xu explores the roles of genetic and cellular mechanisms, including the hedgehog pathway, FGF signaling, and epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, in driving lung fibrosis. Xu also highlights links between congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and lung development, suggesting that both mechanical and genetic factors contribute to lung hypoplasia. The discuss...
Dec 18, 2024•59 min
Carrie Bearden, Ph.D., delves into how sleep patterns and brain activity influence memory and cognitive abilities in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. Her research reveals that while these individuals tend to sleep longer, their brain activity shows unique differences, such as reduced slow-wave power, which may limit the cognitive benefits typically associated with sleep. Bearden also spotlights groundbreaking studies using advanced tools like stem cells and brain ...
Dec 16, 2024•34 min
In this program, Dr. Jeffrey Gordon, Director of the Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology at Washington University and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography's 2024 recipient of the Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest, discusses his research into the microbiome. Gordon is credited with founding the field of gut microbiome research. His transformative studies have demonstrated that human health and disease are shaped by the communities of microbes that l...
Dec 06, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Madeline Oudin, Ph.D., is a scientist and mother on a groundbreaking mission to help her daughter, Margot, who has two de novo mutations in the SCN8A gene, which causes epilepsy. Margot's condition causes frequent seizures and developmental challenges. Determined to make a difference, Madeleine and her team are pioneering a cutting-edge genetic therapy that could one day transform treatment for Margot and others like her. In this heartfelt talk, Madeleine shares how her scientific expertise and ...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Gloria Yiu, M.D., Ph.D., delves into the transformative potential of genetic editing technologies in addressing rare immune disorders, with a focus on CD3δ severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)—a condition characterized by impaired T-cell development and severely compromised immune function. Leveraging her expertise as a physician-scientist, Yiu explores how CRISPR and other precision gene-editing tools can correct genetic mutations at the cellular level, potentially restoring T-cell productio...
Dec 02, 2024•28 min
The infections disease landscape is constantly changing - challenging our standard treatments. Can new - as well as ancient - therapies be the answer? Hear from experts on the cutting edge of phage therapy, HIV/AIDS research and cancer care about what is on the horizon to improve human health. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 39982]
Nov 30, 2024•56 min
Examine how what we eat and how we live can promote wellness, enhance immunity, combat age-related diseases, and promote longevity. Gordon Saxe, M.D., Ph.D., and Anthony Lim, M.D., J.D., share a timeless perspective, supported by their own research and clinical experience, on how optimal nourishment, purposeful reflection, health movement, and generosity of spirit can improve age-related conditions and slow the aging process. They present evidence-based recommendations for diet and lifestyle, as...
Nov 26, 2024•1 hr 40 min
John Dick, Ph.D., F.R.S., explores the role of CD83, a molecule found in blood stem cells, in how these cells respond to inflammation. His team demonstrates that CD83 becomes highly active during inflammation and contributes to the loss of healthy stem cells. Using advanced gene-editing tools, they show that removing CD83 protects stem cells from inflammation-related damage. This discovery highlights CD83 as a potential marker for identifying inflamed stem cells and as a possible target for trea...
Nov 25, 2024•46 min
How can a healthy microbiome prevent disease? In this program, Dr. Sean Spencer talks about the vast microbial world that lives within our guts — known as the gut microbiome — and how it supports our health. He discusses the current evidence about how to nourish your microbiome to prevent and treat disease. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40074]
Nov 22, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Catriona Jamieson, M.D., Ph.D., discusses pioneering research on cancer and aging in space environments, highlighting how microgravity accelerates cancer cell growth and leads to stem cell exhaustion, genomic instability, and “dark genome” activation. Using innovative tools like nano-bioreactors and artificial intelligence, her team simulates these effects and tracks cellular changes, uncovering how space’s unique conditions drive mutations and alter cellular behavior. They find that stem cells ...
Nov 18, 2024•28 min
What's the secret to supporting a sharp mind at any age? In this program, Dr. Nancy Isenberg discusses the latest science-based practices to promote brain health and resiliency as we age. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40073]
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 26 min
Through the UniversityLink Medical Science Program (ULMSP), college students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds who aspire to become future health science professionals develop essential academic and professional skills, benefit from long-term mentoring, and build lasting social and professional networks. Dr. Ramón A. Hernandez highlights how the program fosters family support, instills a culture of academic excellence, and emphasizes the importance of community service, showing...
Nov 13, 2024•17 min
Elizabeth Blackburn, Ph.D., examines the relationship between telomeres, cellular aging, and metabolic health, highlighting how telomere regulation differs between insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant individuals. She discusses the effects of environmental factors—like glucose levels, stress hormones, and drugs—on telomere maintenance, which can disrupt cellular coordination and contribute to age-related diseases. Blackburn also shares insights from studies on hibernating lemurs, indicating t...
Nov 08, 2024•45 min
In the last ten years, we've seen a huge change in our approach to epilepsy surgery. We have more options than ever before for patients with uncontrolled seizures. In this new video, @UCSFHospitals neurosurgeon Edward Chang, MD, provides an overview of the pros and cons of different minimally invasive surgical treatments: laser ablation, responsive neurostimulation, deep brain stimulation and vagal nerve stimulation. We hope that raising awareness about the available options can help more people...
Nov 04, 2024•8 min
Dennis O. Clegg, Ph.D., discusses treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that causes vision loss. Clegg explains that while patients often report improved vision after receiving implants, objective tests don't always confirm this. He explores the potential differences in patients' responses based on genetics and disease progression. There is also an ongoing challenge in finding the best ways to reduce immune rejection of these treatments. New trials are underway to te...
Nov 04, 2024•1 hr 13 min