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Advancing Cancer Care
Predicting how cancer patients will respond to treatments has been a major challenge in the field of oncology, but a new preclinical laboratory model may help to more accurately predict treatment outcomes. This new model not only has the potential to create more personalized and more effective treatment plans for patients, but could also improve and accelerate drug screening and development. Advancements began when scientists discovered that tumor cells taken from a patient and grown under the right conditions can grow, divide, and unite to create a three-dimensional miniature tumor in a dish, a cancer organoid.
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Lab Work During Covid and My First Panic Attack
Do you think lab work is just carrying on as usual during COVID? I’m here to tell you it’s not. COVID adds obstacles that make research much more challenging. Here’s my experience: Before COVID, I could go to my lab’s supply closet and find all the consumables I needed. Now, gathering supplies for an experiment is like a treasure hunt. If it’s not in the stock room then I check shelves in the lab, then shared drawers and cabinets, I look on or in my lab mates' benches, and, finally, reach out to other labs.
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Science Meets Journalism
Understanding the complex mechanisms that make us human is a driving force behind much scientific research, but getting at the root of what makes us human is not a purely scientific pursuit. San Francisco Chronicle science and health writer Erin Allday, who spoke at UCSF on Jan. 26, uses journalism to not only explain science but also to better understand people. Much like a scientist, Allday starts with questions she wants to answer, works meticulously to gather data, and then presents her results.
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The Psychology of Betrayal
Stories of sexual assault are rampant in the news today. From Hollywood producers and radio hosts to politicians and news reporters, it is clear that no field is immune to violations of trust. The chain of events may seem clear for those who have not experienced emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. A betrayal occurs, a survivor reports that betrayal, and the perpetrator is punished. However, these betrayals and their underlying psychology are far more complex.
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