Having a great mentor can make a world of difference, especially for young scientists. However, the passion for mentorship can be hard to maintain in a busy lab setting, where experiments with deadlines are always brewing. BPH Student Peter Wagner, on the other hand, has made it a priority in Dr. Quan Lu’s lab, where … Continue reading “Student Mentor Spotlight: Peter Wagner”
In this edition of HSPH’s video series “Why Public Health?” BPH student Jemila Kester talks about what drew her to the field of public health. Jemila, a third year doctoral student studying tuberculosis in Sarah Fortune’s lab, wanted to combine her passion for science, desire for creativity, and need to help people. Click here to … Continue reading “HSPH Video Series: Why Public Health?”
Khanichi Charles knows the value of mentoring. Without it, she wouldn’t have discovered her passion for scientific research, let alone apply to Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). So despite long hours in the lab working towards her PhD in biological sciences, which she expects to earn in August, Charles makes time to be a … Continue reading “Khanichi Charles – A role model for minority science students”
Microbes in and on our bodies outnumber human cells 10 to 1—and may determine how we get sick and stay well. The story of public health has largely been a story of conquering infections, from smallpox to syphilis to scarlet fever. Since the late 19th century, the War on Germs has boosted life expectancy and … Continue reading “Harvard Public Health Magazine – Spring 2013”
Boston, MA — Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers have discovered that a particular type of protein (hormone) found in fat cells helps regulate how glucose (blood sugar) is controlled and metabolized (used for energy) in the liver. Using experimental models and state-of-the-art technology, the scientists found that switching off this protein leads to … Continue reading “Discovery of new hormone opens doors to new type 2 diabetes treatments”
Dyann Wirth serves as expert panelist at this Forum event on May 1, 2013 While many mosquitoes are little more than nuisance insects, some species are capable of transmitting deadly illnesses to humans. According to the CDC, 2012 was the worst year for West Nile virus. Malaria — long-battled — continues to defy eradication, despite … Continue reading “Forum Event: Tackling the deadly illnesses of malaria, West Nile virus”
Hidden parasites pose challenge to eradication, speakers say The prevalence of malaria in the population on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar has fallen to just 2 percent from 70 percent over the last century. Much of the progress came in just the last 10 years, leading to a new challenge: how to sustain eradication efforts … Continue reading “Progress, puzzles in battling malaria”
Curtis Huttenhower, assistant professor of computational biology and bioinformatics, talks about the Human Microbiome Project and the role that microbes—organisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in the stomach, in the mouth, on the skin, or elsewhere—play in normal bodily functions, like development or immunity, as well as in disease. Click here to watch … Continue reading “Human Microbiome Project: Analyzing microbes that play a role in health and disease”
Movement of Gene Inside Parasite’s Nucleus Alters Key Protein on Surface In order to spread disease inside the human body, the malaria parasite must evade the human immune system—which it does remarkably well. Now, researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have uncovered details about the mechanism by which the parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, avoids … Continue reading “Malaria Parasite Transforms Itself to Hide from Human Immune System”
President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual to key Administration posts: Timothy Hyungrock Haahs – Member, Board of Directors of the National Institute of Building Sciences Morton H. Halperin – Member, Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation The … Continue reading “President Obama Appoints David Christiani to National Cancer Advisory Board”