When the very treatment keeping a patient alive also exacts a heavy toll on lives, researchers are compelled to ask, “Is there another way?” Glioblastoma is a brutal brain cancer. It is aggressive, common and nearly always fatal. Standard treatments of radiation and chemotherapy often leave patients with cognitive problems and a diminished quality of life. But Dr. Macarena de la Fuente, chief of the Neuro oncology Division at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, envisions a future that...

In the vast landscape of medical research, few areas are as intricate and nuanced as traumatic brain injury. However, amidst these profound challenges lies the relentless pursuit of understanding and innovation spearheaded by pioneers like Dr. Dalton Dietrich. Dr. Dietrich, scientific director of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, recently joined the Inside U Miami Medicine podcast to share the latest neuroscience discoveries and how novel therapies – like targeted hypothermia – may...

When disaster occurs, Dr. Elizabeth Greig runs toward the chaos. She and her team follow in the wake of hurricanes, earthquakes and other hazardous events to help the world’s most vulnerable communities heal and rebuild. They provide medical care and essential resources, bolster infrastructure and strengthen the health sector. Sometimes, they construct buildings. As of April 2024, a hospital they helped erect in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is still functioning despite the current gang violence....

Raymond Schinazi, Ph.D., a world-renowned scientist, knows that research requires resilience. “I have file cabinets full of rejections,” he said. In the second part of our episode with Dr. Schinazi, we explore how he developed a life-saving cure for Hepatitis C, despite being denied funding from the NIH. Instead of giving up and focusing on other antivirals, he founded his own biotech company and set his sights on revolutionizing the treatment landscape for Hepatitis C.

We’re talking to one of the most remarkable scientists of our time, Raymond Schinazi, Ph.D. Dr. Schinazi is a visionary researcher whose contributions have revolutionized the landscape of antiviral therapy. More than 94% of HIV-infected individuals in the U.S. on combination therapy take at least one of the drugs he created. He also invented the cure for Hepatitis C. But his story begins far from the laboratories and lecture halls of prestigious universities. Growing up in Egypt during the...

“People who have done so much and given to their community for so long, why are they lonely at the end of their lives?” It’s a question that Harsh Moolani, currently a third-year M.D./M.P.H. student, grappled with when volunteering at local hospices. The care industry didn't seem to have any long-term solutions for patients, so, as a junior in college, he developed one himself. Harsh joins Inside U Miami Medicine to discuss how he founded a nonprofit that tackles some of the biggest...

Latina immigrant, DACA recipient, first-generation physician. Pia Iribarren, M.P.H, a fourth year medical student, shares how her experiences, from how immigrating to the U.S. to navigating the healthcare system as an undocumented family, motivated her to become a physician. Tune in to hear how she is changing the future of medicine, especially for families like her own.

Can we prevent ALS before it starts? ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a profoundly complex and destructive disease, characterized by the progressive loss of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord which enable muscle movement. It steals the body's strength and challenges nearly every aspect of life. There is currently no known cure, but groundbreaking research is offering hope.   Dr. Michael Benatar, an internationally recognized ALS expert, is leading advances that are...

Dr. Yiannis Chatzizisis, an internationally recognized interventional cardiologist, was at a crossroads. Two of his patients presented with significant blockages in their left main coronary artery, the heart’s biggest artery that is essential to its function. Dr. Chatzizisis could opt for a conventional stenting approach that fails in 30% of patients. Or he could leverage computational technology to assess infinite scenarios and obtain detailed insights into stent performance and technique...

Because of complex genetic mutations, treating blood cancers is particularly challenging and requires specialized therapies. In the intricate world of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, each breakthrough achieved through clinical trials brings scientists and clinicians a step closer to transforming standards of care for patients around the world. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, provides insight into these diseases and shares...

“You shouldn’t have to compromise any aspect of your humanity to be a physician.” Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, a world-renowned hematologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, is fighting for providers to preserve the vulnerability and humanity that initially inspired them to embark on their journey in medicine. Listen in as he and Dean Henri Ford explore important topics like physician burnout, patient communication and more on the latest episode of Inside U Miami Medicine.

Physician burnout has become an epidemic in the U.S., with nearly 63% of physicians reporting emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, according to the American Medical Association. This struggle often starts in medical school, where students experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and mental stress compared to peers in non-medical career paths. In the latest Inside U Miami Medicine episode, Dean Henri Ford sits down with Dr. Jason Onugha, co-founder of Without The White Coat and...

When physicians haven’t be trained to tackle a disease, how do they provide the best care for patients? In the face of #LongCOVID, medical practitioners are finding themselves at a crossroads, grappling with how to effectively treat patients. In the absence of a defined roadmap, Dr. Ana Palacio, director of the University of Miami Program in Research Education and co-director of the Miami VA #LongCOVIDClinic, is drawing upon her own fascinating journey in medicine to formulate a...

Men often grapple with questions about infertility in silence, turning to endless, futile internet searches to find answers. Dr. Ranjith Ramasamy, director of reproductive urology at the Desai Sethi Urology Institute, is using research to debunk common fertility myths and provide clarity and treatment options for couples struggling to conceive. In the latest episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, Dr. Ramasamy tackles the queries many men are reluctant to ask. He also sheds light on contemporary...

Cutting-edge capabilities are rapidly changing medical education. Students are no longer interested in absorbing endless hours of lectures in a classroom. They want to learn by doing. At the helm of this new era of medical training is Dr. Barry Issenberg, director of the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education. Raised in the world of technology and simulation, Dr. Issenberg is bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application to prepare future...

The path to medicine is a remarkable journey, marked by challenges, triumphs and pivotal decision-making. In the latest edition of Inside U Miami Medicine, two chief residents, Dr. Sarah Sukkar and Dr. Josh Kronenfeld, open up about excelling in medical school, choosing a specialty, surviving the couples match, getting involved in community outreach and more. Guest hosted by Dr. Amar Deshpande, associate dean for medical education.

In part two of our episode exploring the latest HIV research, Dr. Mario Stevenson, an internationally recognized molecular virologist, shares why HIV remains dormant in cells, only to reemerge almost immediately when a patient stops taking antiretroviral therapy. HIV is a formidable pathogen that targets the immune system, particularly CD4 cells, and weakens the body's defense against infections. While CD4 cells have been the primary focus of HIV research, Dr. Stevenson's team is...

After more than four decades of investigation, scientists may be on the precipice of finding a cure for HIV, a virus that currently can be reduced to undetectable levels in the body but not completely eradicated. Although HIV can be suppressed using antiretroviral therapy (ART), it cannot yet be cured. This is because the virus integrates itself into host cells and may become dormant but remains ready to emerge from the cell reservoirs when ART stops. Thus, individuals with HIV require...

The culture of academia is dynamic and multifaceted tapestry, characterized by an intricate interplay of innovation, tradition and societal changes. In the latest edition of Inside U Miami Medicine, Alison Mincey, J.D., senior vice president and chief human resources officer for the University of Miami, explores this dynamic and the sheds light on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) has long posed significant challenges for patients and researchers alike. But now, microscopic clusters of organisms are providing a glimmer of hope. Emerging as a new frontier in #T1D treatment, stem cell-derived islet cell therapy is a novel approach that may revolutionize the lives of patients with this chronic disease. Stem cells, with their remarkable ability to transform into specialized cells, offer the potential to restore the function of insulin-producing...

Could insulin dependency be a burden of the past for patients with type 1 diabetes? Matthias von Herrath, M.D., scientific director of the Diabetes Research Institute, is hopeful.  Dr. von Herrath joined Inside U Miami Medicine to share how he and his teams are working on the ultimate T1D moonshot: To restore or preserve natural insulin production and normalize blood sugar levels without imposing other risks that accompany immune suppression. In episode one of this two-part conversation, Dr....

For years, doctors have used a standard course of cancer treatment for patients with glioblastoma brain tumors – a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. But the survival rate is still a dismal 6.8%, and the average patient lives only eight months after diagnosis. This issue is personal for Antonio Iavarone, M.D., deputy director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. With much of his career spent as a pediatric oncologist, he became discouraged that he could not offer more...

How can we improve community wellness with big data and innovation? While data is ubiquitous, different formats are often funneled into their own silos in academic medicine -- rendering them less effective. In part two of Dean Henri Ford’s conversation with Dr. Azizi Seixas, they speak about how artificial intelligence and informatics can break down barriers to catalyze impact and improve health outcomes.

Can altered gut microbiota lead to tic exacerbation in Tourette Syndrome? On the latest episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, Dr. Barbara Coffey, an internationally recognized child and adolescent psychiatrist, talks about the potential link between altered bacteria in people’s digestive systems and and an increase of inflammation in the brain, possibly leading to various tic disorders. She also shares insight into the global phenomenon “TikTok tics,” and the effects of social media and the...