clinical trials
Whole Genome Sequencing: Society to Reap the Benefits But Individuals to Bear the Risks
Using a person’s own genetic code to figure out what treatments might work best against a particular disease will be one of the most powerful weapons available to 21st century doctors and researchers. But such potential carries a heavy burden to protect the privacy of individuals who agree to share their most intimate information. That’s […]
A Glassful of Grapefruit Juice Helps the Medicine
Like so many promising partnerships, it began with a mixed drink. In 1989, some pharmacists wanted to study the effects of alcohol consumption on a calcium-channel blocker. To mask the flavor of alcohol, they mixed it with grapefruit juice. The alcohol, they discovered, made no difference. Yet blood pressures plummeted and drug levels increased dramatically, […]
A Stem Cell Trojan Horse Against Brain Tumors
The medical playbook against tumors is typically a three-pronged approach: cut as much of the tumor out as possible, then attack it with radiation and chemotherapy drugs. But some tumors don’t make it easy. Brain tumors, for example, are difficult to extract without causing serious and permanent damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Whole brain radiation […]
LabBook June 29, 2012
Welcome to LabBook, our weekly roundup of University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences research news from around campus and the world wide web. Each Friday, LabBook will recap the week on the blog, link to news stories about our faculty and studies, and briefly summarize a handful of recent publications by our researchers. THIS […]
Grasping at Straws while Gasping for Air
The phone call came in early October, 2011. “You could sense the tone of it right away,” recalls pulmonologist Imre Noth, MD, who runs one of the country’s largest practices for patients with pulmonary fibrosis. “There was just something about the voice on the line.” The conference call came from the data and safety monitoring […]
LabBook June 18, 2012
Welcome to LabBook, our new weekly roundup of University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences research news from around campus and the world wide web. Each Friday (or, occasionally, Monday -ed), LabBook will recap the week on the blog, link to news stories about our faculty and studies, and briefly summarize a handful of recent […]
A HIRO in Radiology
Medical imaging has become a crucial tool for diagnosis and clinical research. Imaging services in an academic medical institution like the University of Chicago Medicine are used by dozens of departments for everyday patient care and clinical trials, making them subject to a bewildering array of policies and procedures to protect patient privacy and preserve […]
Drugs & Exercise: A 1-2 Punch for Parkinson’s?
Exercise is increasingly an important component of treating Parkinson’s disease. To supplement the effects of medication or surgery, Parkinson’s patients may undergo physical therapy or programs such as Tai Chi to improve motor symptoms including balance, gait, and tremor. Generally, the idea behind these exercises is to strengthen the body’s muscles to compensate for the […]
From Beehives to Prostate Cancer Treatment
by Rob Mitchum A common feature of pharmacies and organic grocery stores is the aisle of natural remedies, featuring bottle upon bottle of herbs, extracts, and oils that promise a wide range of medical benefits. For legal reasons, the health claims made by these products are often fuzzy, boasting of vague antioxidant or anti-inflammatory activity. […]
