20-Minute Health Talk

Honoring mRNA pioneers Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman

While the Covid vaccines were developed and deployed in less than a year, the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that powered them took more than five decades to develop. On this episode, we speak with two researchers who played a key role in advancing the science: Katalin Kariko, PhD, adjunct professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania and a senior vice president at BioNTech; and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, the Roberts Family Professor of Vaccine Research in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine. Despite setbacks and even ridicule from peers, they worked tirelessly to find a way to harness the potential they saw in mRNA. In 2001, they discovered a way to turn fragile mRNA strands into viable vaccines and medicines by packaging them into lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). For their contributions to medical research, they were recently awarded the 2022 Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine, an annual award meant to cultivate promising careers in the fields of science and research.  

In this episode, the history-making duo discusses what motivated them to endure their decades-long scientific struggles, their plans to continue their mRNA research and what it means to be awarded the Ross Prize. Also on the show, we speak with Kevin Tracey, MD, president of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, about the importance of supporting young scientists, early-stage research, the culture of science and how listeners can nominate a candidate for the 2023 Ross Prize.

Dr. Tracey is widely known as the "father of bioelectronic medicine," an emerging field of medicine that is making strides in the use of devices, rather than medications, to treat chronic diseases. Among the most promising is a treatment called vagus nerve stimulation.

More on the history of mRNA technology

Learn more about the history of mRNA technology and the development of the Covid-19 vaccines on this episode of the podcast, featuring Wall Street Journal writer, Gregory Zuckerman, and two of the first Americans to receive the vaccine, Sandra Lindsay and Yves Duroseau, MD. 

Watch episodes of 20-Minute Health Talk on YouTube. 

Burn pits: Understanding the problem, identifying solutions

For the 5 million veterans who served overseas in the last couple of decades, burn pit exposure continues to pose a threat to their well-being. Toxic fumes have triggered breathing troubles and other serious health conditions in more than 12,500 veterans between 2007 and 2020. Our guest, Anthony Szema, MD, has worked not only to diagnose and treat these burn pit-related issues, but better understand them through research and advocacy. He recently joined several patients and fellow advocates at the White House to witness the signing of the PACT Act — new legislation that will help veterans suffering from burn pit exposure get treatment.

On this episode, Dr. Szema, who is director of Northwell Health’s International Center of Excellence in Deployment Health and Medical Geosciences, shares his extensive knowledge of burn pits, the impact they've had on his patients, and his experience at the White House. He also shares the recommendations he made to the Senate Armed Services Committee to prevent future exposures.

Why — and how — surgeons are ditching opioids in the OR

Recovering from surgery can be difficult —  and opioids actually make it tougher. In addition to side effects such as nausea, lethargy and potential breathing problems, this potent painkiller also carries the risk of addiction for about 3 to 4 percent of surgical patients. That number climbs to about 8 percent for bariatric surgery patients because they may also be battling joint pain stemming from their weight issues.

On this episode of the podcast, two bariatric surgeons share how they are limiting, and in some cases even eliminating all together, the use of opioids during a patient's stay in the hospital and after discharge through their "enhanced recovery" initiative. They are:

• Dominick Gadaleta, MD, chair of surgery, South Shore University Hospital
• David Pechman, MD, bariatric surgeon, South Shore University Hospital

And they’re joined by an expert in substance use disorder:

• Sandeep Kapoor, MD, assistant vice president of Emergency Medicine Addiction Services.

Read more about how the use of nerve blocks is reducing the need for opioids at Northwell hospitals.

Regenerative medicine: Helping the body heal itself

It sounds like science fiction, but researchers today are unlocking the body's natural healing ability as part of an emerging field of science called regenerative medicine. Although the field is relatively young, some regenerative treatments are already approved to help repair joints and relieve pain, allowing some patients to avoid surgery altogether. Two leaders in the field detail their research into current and future clinical applications within orthopedics. 

• Kenneth Zaslav, MD, is director of The Center for Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine at Northwell/ and part of the Lenox Hill Orthopedic Institute 
• Seth Sherman, MD, is a sports medicine and orthopaedic surgeon at Stanford Health Care. 

Learn more about Northwell Health's Center for Regenerative Medicine. 

 

How philanthropy is improving health equity

Medical research often depends upon the generosity of donors: In this episode we talk to philanthropy experts about the role of donations in driving medical breakthroughs and achieving health equity across all zip codes. The panel includes:

Brian Lally, senior vice president and chief development officer for Northwell Health and head of Northwell's Foundation.

Mark Butler, PhD, assistant professor in the Institute of Health System Science, part of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. He is leading a study using smart prescription pill bottles to help address medication adherence and reduce cardiovascular disease in the Black community.

Emmet Conlon, senior vice president and group head of U.S. Healthcare and Higher Education at TD Bank, which funded Dr. Butler’s clinical trial.

Support our nonprofit mission and save lives. Your generous gift will allow our clinical teams to remain at the forefront of care for people in our communities.

Injectable PrEP: Adding choice to HIV prevention

 

An estimated 38,000 Americans are diagnosed with HIV annually. An important tool in the effort to end the ongoing epidemic is an injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the first option to prevent HIV that does not involve taking a daily pill. The injectable form of the drug received FDA approval in late 2021 and has begun to hit the market. This is Part 2 of our conversation (Recorded May 16, 2022) with a panel of experts specializing in the HIV treatment and prevention. They discuss the benefits and what people at risk for HIV should know, challenges of implementation among providers and more. 

The panel includes: 

David Rosenthal, DO, PhD, medical director for the Center for Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV.

Demetre Daskalakis, MD, director of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Charles Gonzalez, MD, medical director for the New York State Department of Health's AIDS Institute

More from the experts

Dr. Rosenthal talks strengthening HIV prevention with PrEP and expanding the four key strategies to end AIDS by 2030.

Treating trans youth: Separating fact from fiction

In recent months, more states have debated and even passed legislation that limits how health care is delivered to transgender individuals. In the last year alone, more than 20 such bills have been enacted nationwide. In Part 1 of this two-part episode (recorded May 16, 2022), we take a closer look at the impact these laws are having on transgender care with a panel of experts at the local, state and federal level. In part 2 (posting June 28) our experts discuss PrEP injectables, the newest treatment and prevention modality for HIV.

Joining us for this panel discussion are: 

• David Rosenthal, DO, PhD, medical director for Northwell’s Center for Transgender Care; as well as medical director for the Center for Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV. 
• Demetre Daskalakis, MD, director of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Charles Gonzalez, MD, medical director for the New York State Department of Health's AIDS Institute

More from the experts

Dr. Rosenthal shares his perspective as a physician treating transgender individuals on care being politicized and how health care can help. 

 

Nerve blocks: Fighting opioid addiction with safer pain management

The overuse of opioids in health care over the last two decades has had devastating effects. The development of the ultrasound-guided nerve block has revolutionized the field of anesthesia and is part of an important and necessary shift in the conversation about how we manage pain. Not only championing its use in the surgical setting, Joseph Marino, MD, Northwell’s senior vice president for anesthesia, is now expanding its use to emergency departments in Staten Island, Westchester and Long Island.

The team responsible for implementing this approach at Staten Island University Hospital share their experiences using the femoral nerve block for certain painful ailments, like hip fractures. They include: 

• Joshua Greenstein, MD, Assistant Medical Director, Department of Emergency Medicine
• Maria Tama, MD, co-director, division of emergency ultrasound in the hospital’s Department of Emergency Medicine
• Simone Rudnin, DO, co-director, division of emergency ultrasound, Department of Emergency Medicine and director, emergency medicine clerkship

Telemedicine in Ukraine: A system to support frontline healthcare workers

On this episode of the podcast, we speak with two Northwell leaders who have led the effort to create and deploy a 24/7 consultation and support service to Ukraine. This real-time, doctor-to-doctor platform is now offering health care workers a vital resource, particularly for those displaced by the ongoing hostilities in the country. Eric Cioe-Pena, MD, director of Northwell's Center for Global Health, and Jonathan Berkowitz, MD, medical director for the Center for Emergency Medicine, discuss:

• Northwell's Ukraine Relief Fund
• The benefits of telemedicine in a conflict
• Adapting existing infrastructure for Ukraine
• Reactions from doctors in Ukraine and Northwell
• How technology is driving Global Health forward

Support the Center for Global Health's Ukraine Relief Fund

More from the experts

Read more about standing up a telemedicine system in Ukraine from Dr. Cioe-Pena and Dr. Berkowitz.

Listen to Dr. Berkowitz talk more about the overnight telemedicine platform, ER on Demand, which he helped to launch in summer 2021. 

Watch episodes of this health podcast on YouTube.

 

CCTA: Diagnosing chest pain just got a lot easier

For the millions of US patients who go to an ER or medical office with chest pain every year, doctors have several options for screening. New national guidelines recommend a quick and non-invasive heart scan known as CCTA for stable chest pain. Our guests today are leading experts in the field of advanced cardiac imaging and discuss the history and many applications of this technology, which produces a 3D image of the heart and can be used to rule out several potentially deadly conditions. The updated guidelines come from the American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association (AHA), and other groups.

Podcast transcript.

Meet the experts

Amar Shah, MD, is Northwell's chief of cardiac imaging

Michael Poon, MD is director of advanced cardiac imaging, for Northwell's Western Region.

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