S2E19 | Interview with Dr. Melinda Aldrich

What is antimicrobial resistance and how is it impacting us and our health?

For more information checkout: Discovery and preclinical development of new antibiotics (PMID: 24646092), Five barriers to addressing antimicrobial resistance (Author: Rohan Kocharekar), CDC: Antibiotic Rsistance Threats in the United States 2019, National Strategy for Combating Antibioticresistant Bacteria (Obama Administration), National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria 2020-2025 (ASPE), United States National Actiona Plan (CDC), Enhancing US-Japan Cooperation to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance (PMID: 25470465), A View on 20 Years of Antimicrobial Resistance in Japan by Two National Surveillance Systems: The National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases and Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (PMID: 34680770), Estimating the Economic and Clinical Value of Reducing Antimicrobial Resistance to Three Gram-negative Pathogens in Japan (PMID: 34703834), Strategy on Antiobiotic Resistance Switzerland (StAR), Epidemiological aspects of non-human antibiotic usage and resistance: implications for the control of antibiotic resistance in Ghana (PMID: 22413809), Occurrence of Antibiotics and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Landfill Sites in Kumasi, Ghana (Article ID: 6934507), Determinants of Inappropriate Antibiotics Use in Rural Central Ghana Using a Mixed Methods Approach (PMID: 32266200), Resistance to antimicrobial drugs in Ghana (PMID: 22259250), Scoping Report on Antimicrobial Resistance in India, India's National Action Plan for antimicrobial resistance – An overview of the context, status, and way ahead (PMID: 31334140), Antimicrobial resistance in the environment: The Indian scenario (PMID: 31219076).

Interview with Dr. Melinda Aldrich, who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Genetic Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. We learn about her path to her current research as well as about how different factors impact lung cancer and how race and ethnicity can influence prognosis. We also discuss how important it is to include minority populations in our study research cohorts to truly be able to understand diseases and their development.

Let’s learn about the relationship between epigenetics and public health. We will learn what epigenetics is, how epigenetic modifications occur, as well as how our own epigenetics can continue to evolve. Lastly, we will look at how epigenetics can help us improve public health and develop population specific therapeutics to help tackle diseases.

Let’s learn about the relationship between environmental health and public health. We will discuss the topic of environmental health and its effect on animals and ultimately humans, through issues with microplastics usage and fracking. Lastly, we will look at how these issues can also impact mental health of individuals. 

Let’s analyze the relationship between addiction and drug abuse with public health. We will discuss the current state of addiction and drug abuse, the opioid crisis in the nation, and the programs that have been developed to help tackle this concern. Lastly, we will look at how public health epidemiology can help increase awareness, create new prevention methods, and develop interventions to help with this issue. 

Interview with Dr. Muhammad Zaman, who is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor of Biomedical Engineering and International Health at Boston University. We discuss his journey to engineering and how he found his purpose in bringing engineering solutions to underserved populations as well as the various ways global health can be improved through thoughtful and nuanced engineering and public health solutions.

Let’s analyze the impact of engineering on public health and its advancements. We will discuss how engineering has contributed to the field of public health by helping researchers perform laboratory and field studies, overseeing research and development for solutions-based products, conducting disaster relief and emergency response, and engaging in public health program management.

Interview with Dr. Edward Silberman, who is an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Certified General Psychiatrist as well as a Professor and the Vice Chair of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine. We discuss his journey to psychiatry, his perspectives and opinions on the current state of psychiatry, and how this field has evolved over his career and especially during the pandemic.

Let’s analyze the state of mental health during the pandemic through the lens of the Social Ecological Model. We will discuss the various layers of impact and how public health can help address issues. 

*Disclaimer: We want to acknowledge that though this episode focuses on mental health we are not mental health professionals and this is not medical advice. If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, we recommend that you contact a professional in the field and seek appropriate care. In the show notes we have included links to professional organizations that can help those seeking help, including Crisis Hotline and the National Suicide Hotline. 

Interview with Grace Phelan, who is a certified nutrition support clinician working as a Nutrition Support Coordinator and Critical Care Nutritionist at Tufts Medical Center. We discuss critical care nutrition, national nutrition trends, patient nutrition care, and the future of nutritional policy.