Science...

It permeates everyday life. Yet the understanding of advances in biomedical science is limited at best. Few people make the connection that biomedical science is medicine and that biomedical scientists are working today for the medicine of tomorrow. Our weekly five-hundred word newspaper column and two-minute radio show provides insights into a broad range of biomedical science topics. Medical Discovery News is dedicated to explaining discoveries in biomedical research and their promise for the future of medicine.

Each release is designed to stimulate listeners to think, question and appreciate how science affects their health as well as that of the rest of the world. We also delve into significant biomedical discoveries and portray how science (or the lack of it) has impacted health throughout history.

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Week of February 11

Religion: Gatekeeper of Deadly Disease

Religion: Gatekeeper of Deadly Disease Fans of Freakonomics are familiar with some of its wild assertions. The author, economist Steven Levitt, makes correlations between people's behavior and economic and social outcomes. For example, he makes a link between a person's name and financial success.

In biomedical science, epidemiologists and evolutionary biologists use mathematical and statistical methods to link seemingly disparate items to produce some astonishing conclusions. One that has re-surfaced is the link between the establishment of religions and how that may have prevented the spread of infectious diseases... More »

Week of February 4

A Vaccine for Cocaine

A Vaccine for Cocaine In the city that never sleeps, 274 people died due to cocaine abuse last year, according to the New York Post. While that figure has decreased by almost half in the past four years in New York City alone, scientists are attempting to create vaccines to end the addiction for millions of people around the world.

Despite the general belief that drug addiction is a moral failure rather than a physical disease, developing and producing inexpensive vaccines for addicts can reduce the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on their medical care and incarceration. Plus, it can help turn their lives around... More »

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Medical Discovery News featured in the UTMB magazine

Medical Discovery News mentioned in the UTMB magazine. View the story about Medical Discovery News hosts Dr. David Niesel and Dr. Norbert Herzog and the beginnings of the radio program in the University of Texas Medical Branch's magazine here.

Show must go on for UTMB professors

Dr. Norbert Herzog and Dr. David Niesel had to laugh when they recalled the first time they pitched their idea for a radio show devoted to biomedical science to a program manager at prominent radio station in Austin.

Dr. Niesel's favorite episode is Invisible Weapons of War and Terror [Listen here].
Dr. Herzog's favorite episode is The French Paradox [Listen here].

The Journal of Friendswood…

Medical Discovery News wins AAMC award

Medical Discovery News, UTMB’s two-minute weekly radio program that delves into a broad range of biomedical science topics, has received a 2009 Award of Excellence from the Association of American Medical Colleges. AAMC judges commended the work of UTMB Drs. David Niesel and Norbert Herzog with comments such as "Great use of resources" and "Well deserved. " To learn more about Medical Discovery News, find a radio station broadcasting it near you, or test your knowledge of current biomedical topics.

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UTMB’s Medical Discovery News wins media excellence award

UTMB’s "Medical Discovery News" has received another honor, this time being awarded a media excellence award by the Texas Public Health Association.

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On The Edge…

A Battle of the Vampires, 20 Million Years Ago?
They are tiny, ugly, disease-carrying little blood-suckers that most people have never seen or heard of, but a new discovery in a one-of-a-kind fossil shows that "bat flies" have been doing their noxious business with bats for at least 20 million years.

It's Not Solitaire: Brain Activity Differs When One Plays Against Others
Researchers have found a way to study how our brains assess the behavior -- and likely future actions -- of others during competitive social interactions. Their study, described in a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to use a computational approach to tease out differing patterns of brain activity during these interactions, the researchers report.

Positive Parenting During Early Childhood May Prevent Obesity
Programs that support parents during their child's early years hold promise for obesity prevention, according to a new study in the online February 6 issue of Pediatrics.

Gossip Can Have Social and Psychological Benefits
For centuries, gossip has been dismissed as salacious, idle chatter that can damage reputations and erode trust. But a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests rumor-mongering can have positive outcomes such as helping us police bad behavior, prevent exploitation and lower stress.

Hearing Metaphors Activates Brain Regions Involved in Sensory Experience
When a friend tells you she had a rough day, do you feel sandpaper under your fingers? The brain may be replaying sensory experiences to help understand common metaphors, new research suggests.

Mechanism Sheds Light On How the Brain Adapts to Stress
Scientists now have a better understanding of the way that stress impacts the brain. New research, published by Cell Press in the January 26 issue of the journal Neuron, reveals pioneering evidence for a new mechanism of stress adaptation and may eventually lead to a better understanding of why prolonged and repeated exposure to stress can lead to anxiety disorders and depression.