Media Coverage
The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
-
Yahoo! News
–
Could CRISPR cure HIV someday?
In an ongoing clinical trial, researchers are testing if just one dose of a new gene therapy that might effectively cure human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections is safe in humans. The therapy, named EBT-101, involves using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to treat HIV. This potential treatment strategy has been studied in animal models since the development of CRISPR-Cas9 in 2012. However, this is the first time such a gene-editing treatment for HIV has been tried in humans. The latest data from the trial suggest that EBT-101 is safe at the doses tested, but we don’t yet know if it cures HIV. According to the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), approximately 39 million people globally were living with HIV in 2022, and there were about 630,000 AIDS-related deaths that year, making HIV a continued public health burden. There is no vaccine or easily accessible cure for HIV, although a handful of people have been effectively cured through intensive stem-cell transplants. CRISPR works by targeting and cleaving specific sequences of DNA from the genome; a “guide” leads CRISPR’s famous “molecular scissors” to the targeted gene. This either deactivates the gene or allows it to be removed and swapped for different DNA. Research groups believe this strategy could be effective in removing latent HIV infections, because it can target the viral DNA embedded in the genome, rather than only stopping replication. The EBT-101 trial “is an important step forward in the development of this technology to treat human disease and infection, including HIV,” Thomas Hope, PhD, a professor of cell and developmental biology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine who was not involved in the work, shared.
-
The Washington Post
–
How to protect your lungs and breathe easier, especially as you age
Your body’s cells need oxygen to live. That’s why it’s critical to take care of your lungs, which help transport oxygen. As you age, changes to your bones, muscles and lung tissue can compromise the organ, causing shortness of breath and increasing your risk of infection. Exposure to air pollutants also can compromise your lungs, as can heart failure, which can lead to fluid buildup. Some decline in lung function is expected as you age, but exercise and other steps can help you breathe easier. Heart and lung health go hand in hand, says G.R. Scott Budinger, MD, chief of pulmonary and critical care at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Some evidence suggests that the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet can help promote lung function in people with lung disease. A nutritious diet can also help support your immune system so your body can fend off respiratory infections better. Prioritize antioxidant-rich foods (primarily fruits and vegetables) as well to stave off inflammation in the lungs and throughout the body.
-
WGN Chicago
–
What doctors are saying about the new weight loss drug Zepbound
A new version of the diabetes drug Mounjaro – which people have been seeking out as a weight loss drug all year – is now officially approved by the FDA to help patients do just that. The drug, made by Eli Lilly, is marketed as Zepbound. Also known as tirzepatide, it has helped dieters lose as much as 40 to 60 pounds in testing. Veronica Johnson, MD, an obesity medicine specialist at the Northwestern Medicine Center for Lifestyle Medicine and assistant professor of medicine (general internal medicine) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said the drug was just about as effective as metabolic and bariatric surgery. It gives patients an alternative to going under the knife to treat obesity, and all the medical conditions that come with excess weight. Dr. Johnson encouraged people to think of Zepbound as a potential solution to the complex condition of obesity. “Obesity is far more complicated than just eat less, move more,” she said. “We have clear hormones in our body and other determinants and contributors that make it harder for us to manage our weight with just lifestyle modifications.”
-
CBS News
–
Don’t blame the turkey, here’s what is really behind your Thanksgiving food coma
A mainstay on the dinner table at this time of year, turkey, contains tryptophan, which is widely believed to be responsible for the uncontrollable yawns and sudden snoozes common after huge family feasts. However, it is not the only thing to blame for sleepiness after Thanksgiving dinner. “Turkey doesn’t really make us sleepy,” Kristen Knutson, associate professor of neurology and preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. said. “If we feel sleepy after a big meal, it is likely due to not getting enough sleep in the days leading up to the big event and finally being able to relax after the dinner is over,” said Knutson.
-
New York Times
–
This Is Not the Way to Help Depressed Teenagers
Ever since the pandemic, when rates of teenage suicide, anxiety and depression spiked, policymakers around the world have pushed to make mental-health resources more broadly available to young people through programming in schools and on social media platforms. This strategy is well intentioned. Traditional therapy can be expensive and time-consuming; access can be limited. But there is now reason to think that this approach is risky. Recent studies have found that several of these programs not only failed to help young people; they also made their mental-health problems worse. Jessica Schleider, PhD, a psychology researcher and associate professor of medical social sciences and pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, has tested several single-session treatments that can be offered online and show promising results in teenagers. But although such offerings fill gaps in our mental health infrastructure, they cannot take the place of more time- and resource-intensive forms of care. The hard truth is that soaring rates of teenage depression and anxiety present a structural problem requiring structural solutions, including the training of a much larger work force of therapists.
-
USA Today
–
After eye drop recall, should consumers be worried about buying over-the-counter drugs?
In February, Global Pharma, announced the recall of EzriCare and another eye drop brand it said had potentially been contaminated with drug-resistant bacteria linked to infections that caused deaths, eye-removal surgeries and blindness. In another public health warning last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to avoid or discard more than two dozen versions of eye drops. The FDA said these over-the-counter products sold by CVS Health, Rite Aid, Target, Walmart, Leader/Cardinal Health, Rugby/Harvard Drug Group and Velocity Pharma LLC could cause infections leading to vision loss or blindness. Timothy Milton Janetos, MD, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Northwestern University and co-author of the JAMA Ophthalmology paper, said the vast majority of eye drops sold over-the-counter are safe. He said the challenge for both doctors and consumers is evaluating the less than 1% risk that an eye drop is contaminated. “It’s hard for physicians because we get asked all the time, ‘What is safe for me?”’ Milton said. “I can’t really make a recommendation because there’s really no source of information for me to look at and say, ‘Oh, this is a good eye drop or a bad eye drop.’” Milton and his co-author David N. Younessi concluded that “limitations in regulatory oversight highlight a substantial gap in the public health safety net, potentially leaving consumers exposed to harmful products.”
-
New York Times
–
Running vs. Walking: Which Is Better for Lasting Health?
When considering the health benefits of an activity like walking or running, there are two connected factors to keep in mind. One is the workout’s effect on your fitness — that is, how it improves the efficiency of your heart and lungs. The second is the ultimate positive outcome: Does it help you live a longer life? The gold standard for assessing fitness is VO2 max, a measure of how much oxygen your body uses when you’re exercising vigorously. It’s also a strong predictor of life span, said Allison Zielinski, MD, a sports cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. Even doing a small amount of activity — like taking slow steps throughout the day — somewhat improves VO2 max compared with staying completely sedentary, according to a 2021 study of 2,000 middle-aged men and women. But bigger benefits come when you begin walking faster, which raises your heart and breathing rates. Check with your doctor first if you’re being treated for heart disease or another chronic condition, or if you have symptoms like chest pain, Dr. Zielinski said. You might need to undergo a stress test or other evaluation before being cleared to do vigorous activity.
-
New York Times
–
Race Cannot Be Used to Predict Heart Disease, Scientists Say
Doctors have long relied on a few key patient characteristics to assess risk of a heart attack or stroke, using a calculus that considers blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes status, as well as demographics: age, sex and race. Now, the American Heart Association is taking race out of the equation. “We should not be using race to inform whether someone gets a treatment or doesn’t get a treatment,” said Sadiya Khan, MD, a preventive cardiologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who chaired the statement writing committee for the American Heart Association, or AHA. “Race is a social construct,” Dr. Khan said, adding that including race in clinical equations “can cause significant harm by implying that it is a biological predictor.” That doesn’t mean that Black Americans are not at higher risk of dying of cardiovascular disease than white Americans, she said. They are, and life expectancy of Black Americans is shorter as well, she added. But race has been used in algorithms as a stand-in for a range of factors that are working against Black Americans, Dr. Khan said. It’s not clear to scientists what all of those risks are. If they were better understood, “we could address them and work to modify them,” she said.
-
New York Times
–
Do I Need to Worry About Smartphone Radiation?
Spending all day glued to your smartphone probably isn’t doing you any favors. Excess phone use has been linked with a range of concerns, including sleep issues, elevated cortisol levels, joint pain and even relationship woes. But if it’s radiation you’re worried about, experts say you don’t have to ditch your phone. “There’s no risk of anything hazardous or dangerous with radiation from cellphones,” said Gayle Woloschak, PhD, an associate dean and professor of radiology at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “A lot of people think ‘radiation is radiation,’ but it’s not all the same.” Dr. Woloschak said. “There’s no DNA damage seen from cellphone use.” Cellphones today are nothing like the brick phones of the early 2000s. The phones we’ll use next decade will be different, too. This makes it challenging to study the long-term risks from any one phone. Radiation actually decreased with newer technology, and Dr. Woloschak said new networks aren’t riskier than older ones, either. According to Dr. Woloschak, radiation would need to heat our bodies several full degrees to pose health risks like burns or a fever. “A cellphone’s never going to do that,” she said.
-
NPR
–
Can little actions bring big joy? Researchers find ‘micro-acts’ can boost well-being
An analysis released Tuesday from scientists behind a research initiative called the BIG JOY Project finds that people who commit daily “micro-acts” of joy experience about a 25% increase in emotional well-being over the course of a week. “I appreciate the skepticism,” says Judith Moskowitz, PhD, MPH, a social scientist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who is not involved in the new Big Joy analysis. The body of research on positive psychology has to date produced mixed results. And Moskowitz says the ongoing research creates an opportunity to better understand the effects of these small steps. Moskowitz’s own research has shown a series of small steps (similar to those used in the Big Joy project) can help people cope during bad situations. For instance, she found caregivers caring for a sick loved one were able to tamp down anxiety after going through a 5-week course. “So many of the things that are causing us stress and sadness are out of our control,” Moskowitz says. “So these micro moments can give you something to hold on to,” she explains, and help you stay engaged. “Decades of research have shown that even in the context of really stressful events or sickness, there is absolutely the capacity to experience moments of positive emotion as well,” she says.
