Category: Science

February/March 2017 Writing for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Prior to leaving my position at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute in early December 2016, I wrote the following stories which were later published in February and March 2017:

Ring Chromosome Study to Address Neurodevelopment and DNA Looping

Powering Up Mitochondria Could Boost Military and Civilian Health

Seeing the Unseen to Change the Picture for Lymphatic Disorders

Childhood Cancer Research Effort Shoots for the Moon

CHOP Expert Advises Blue Ribbon Panel for National Cancer Moonshot Initiative

Pooling Clinical Data Aids Patient-Reported Outcomes

Leading the Way by Harnessing ‘Big Data’ to Help Little Patients

Making Headway in Understanding Autism in the Brain

Dynamic Cancer Trial Closes the Loop Between Lab and Clinic

Entrepreneurial Spirit Revving Up Pediatric Research at CHOP

CHOP’s Innovative Spina Bifida Fetal Surgery Grows Up

December 2016/January 2017 Writing for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following stories published in December 2016 and January 2017 by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute:

Q&A with Sage Myers: How a National System of Health Data Can Improve Care

CHOP Research In the News: Hypertension, Cancer Survivors’ Parents, Breastfeeding, Antibiotics, Allergies

Frankly, My Dear, That’s Clear to an Expert: A Q&A on ‘Frank’ Presentations of Autism

Our 12 Top Stories Show Great Things Happened for Children’s Health in 2016

A Look Back at 2016: A Banner Year for Pediatric Research at CHOP

Researchers Find Compelling Preclinical Evidence for High-Risk Leukemia Therapies

Trio of Studies Shows Oral Antibiotics Are As Good As IV Antibiotics After Discharge

Neuroblastoma Genetics Study Seeks to Spell Out Structural Errors

Transformational Science: Q&A with Douglas Wallace, PhD, Winner of Franklin Medal

November 2016 Writing for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following articles published in November 2016 by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute:

Linking Patients and Data, Medicine and Science: CAVATICA Data Analysis Platform Launches

Untangling Attention Difficulties in Autism

Smart Robotic Toy Gym Could Identify Early Signs of Babies’ Developmental Delay

Cellular Energy Flaws Studied as Contributor to Schizophrenia

A ‘Critical Mass’ of Mitochondrial Disease Research Accelerates Treatment Quest

CHOP Research In the News: Body and Mind, Stayin’ Alive, ADHD Guidelines, Innovation Leadership

Q&A: How Pediatricians Can Help Suburban Families in Poverty

CHOP Research In the News: From Good Starts to Young Adult Transitions

CHOP Honors Superhuman Abilities of Clinical Research Coordinators

October 2016 Writing for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote (or edited, as noted) the following articles published in October 2016 by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute:

Scientists Seek Mitochondrial Mechanism to Overcome Cancer Treatment Resistance

Finding of Variability in Antibiotic Prescribing Yields Improvements, Accolades

Project Aims to Automate Adverse Event Reporting in Cancer Clinical Trials

In a Teenager’s Brain, HIV Infection Could Cause Unique Damage

How to Address Four Factors That Limit Gender Equality in Academic Medicine

I noticed a CHOP-affiliated co-author, Dr. Ganetzky, listed on a piece in the journal Academic Medicine calling for action on gender equality. I approached Dr. Ganetzky with the idea for a guest blog post on the subject and worked with her to refine and edit the post for publication.

CHOP Research In the News: Ear Infection Genetics, Childhood Cancer Heredity, Vaccine Anniversary

CHOP, Penn Researchers Share Progress and Tips for Using mHealth Tools

CHOP Research In the News: Cancer Moonshot Yields Data-Sharing Initiatives, Hemophilia Surprise, Mitochondrial Medal

Mentorship in Medicine, Zebras, and Holsteins: Q&A with Elaine Zackai

September 2016 Writing for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following stories published by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute in September 2016:

Going with the Flow: How Lymphatics is Emerging as Medicine’s Newest Specialty

Pediatricians May Better Help Parents Quit Smoking With Decision Support Tool

Discovering How a Neurological ‘Pit Crew’ Keeps the Brain on Track

Scientists Identify Molecule Controlling Inflammatory Immune Response

Neuroblastoma Drug Candidates Target Key Henchmen of a Supervillain Oncogene

Fresh Hope for Treating a Rare Progressive, Lysosomal Storage Childhood Disease

CHOP Research In the News: Cancer Moonshot, Why Children Get Cancer, and a Push for Vaccination

Patients as Partners and the Legacy of Henrietta Lacks: A Q&A with David Lacks

Do Food Allergies Increase the Risk of Asthma? Key Questions From a New Study

CHOP Research In the News: Emmy Award, Kids and the Cancer Moonshot, Precision Approach to Epilepsy, Concussion Monitoring App

August 2016 Writing for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following stories published in August 2016 by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute except as otherwise indicated:

How Reformed ‘Mean Girls’ Can Help Their Classmates

Competing in ‘Olympics’ Helped Teens Retain CPR Skills

Children May Be Overtreated for Joint Pain Resulting from Infection

Positive Parenting Program Improves Bad Behavior in Preschool-Age Children

Childhood Cancer Advocates Find Strength in Numbers

Laws Limiting School Junk Food Sales and Ads Show Potential to Impact Obesity

“We’re Just Laughing About Poop”: A Clinical Research Study Experience Q&A

This article was written by our intern, Elyse Siravo, under my editorial guidance. I helped develop the concept for this Q&A as part of an initiative to improve clinical research recruitment. I sought and identified the interviewees, helped Elyse shape the questions, sat in on the interview, took the photo, and substantially edited Elyse’s written draft of the Q&A and its introduction in multiple stages.

CHOP Research In the News: Policies Protecting Children and a Portal for Parents and Teachers

Safety, Thinking, Partnerships, Motherhood: Six Key Quotes from a Physician Scientist on a Mission

Behavioral Health Prevention Efforts Prepare Kids to Learn in School

CHOP Research In the News: Allergies and Asthma, Arthritis, and Immunology of Inflammation

June and July 2016 Writing for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following stories published in June and July 2016 by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute:

Ready to Be a Healthy Adult Survivor of Childhood Cancer? Text Y/N

Microbiome Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Will Give the Gut a Holiday

‘Y’ Could Help Answer ‘How’ for Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Brain

Study Aims to Match Injured Children to Hospitals Best Equipped for Their Care

Time to Strengthen Parent-Pediatrician Conversations About Autism Care

CHOP Research In the News: Clinical Research in the Spotlight

Q&A: How Computer-Simulated Hospital Systems May Improve Care

CHOP Research In the News: Children’s Surgery Safety, Mentoring Award, and More

An Entrepreneurial Approach to Learning Language Grows From and Catalyzes Research

CHOP Research In the News: Big Efforts Aimed at Small Things

On Your Skin, In Your Gut, and All Around: A Microbiome Q&A

Capitalizing on the Research Potential of Mobile and Digital Technologies

How Warts Could Reveal the Immune System’s Tiny Flaws and Functions

CHOP Research In the News: Trauma, Asthma, Autism Insurance Mandates, and Sexual Health

CHOP Research In the News: New Rare Disease, FA Woodstock, Bioengineering, and Protecting Toddlers from Child Abuse

May 2016 Writing for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following stories published by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute in May 2016:

Studies Support Parent-Teen Communication to Improve Adolescent Health

Mitochondrial Medicine Pioneer Inducted to Italian Academy of Sciences

Seeking Serotonin-Connected Solutions to Heart Valve Disease

Collaborations on Language-Focused Autism Research Gain Momentum

Using Sociology to Outsmart Superbugs

CHOP Research In the News: Regulating Iron, Mother’s Dedication, Knee Troubles

CHOP Research In the News: Summer-Ready Stories about Families, Travel, and Science

April 2016 Writing for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following articles published by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute in April 2016:

Restoring Balance in the Brain After Concussion

CHOP Oncologist Appointed to Blue Ribbon Panel for National Cancer Moonshot

Teaching a Computer to See Like a Dermatologist

Study Maps Early Connectivity Networks in Newborn Babies’ Brains

CHOP Research In the News: Transgender Youth, Vaccines, and Sleep

In Bench to Bedside: Finding Research Success in Setbacks

Growing Into Healthy Relationships: A Teen Dating Violence Q&A

CHOP Research In the News: Genetic Superheroes, Excess Bone, and Secondhand Smoke

Coordinating Research with 80 Million Participants: A PCORnet Q&A

Hakon Hakonarson Honored for Excellence in Research Mentoring

CHOP Research In the News: Plastic Bronchitis, Baby BMI, Voice at the Vatican

March 2016 Writing for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

I wrote the following stories published by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute in March 2016, except as otherwise indicated:

CPR for Children Gets Smarter

In this story, I explored a body of research on improvements to in-hospital CPR that CHOP clinician-researchers had been at work on for more than a decade, but that had been under-reported within the CHOP community. Coincidentally, I discovered the story just as the investigators were preparing to be awarded a major NIH grant that put several pieces of their program’s work together, so I was able to announce the grant through this feature article.

Seeing the Impact of a Decade of Genomics Discoveries

This story looks back on the first decade of accomplishments of a center that was established as one of the largest research investments at CHOP at the time. I pursued the story initially due to Dr. Hakonarson’s recognition on the Thomson Reuters “highly cited” list but broadened its focus once I realized that his center’s tenth anniversary was approaching.

A Molecular Balancing Act to Fight Autoimmune Disease and Cancer

I found out about one new grant Dr. Hancock had received. To my surprise, when I met with him for an interview, he mentioned that he had received notice on the same day of another award to study the same molecules but for an opposite effect. It was completely fascinating! This molecular biology story turned out to be one of the most popular articles in our Bench to Bedside publication that month, despite the relative obscurity of its focus.

Concussions’ Unpredictability Underscores Need for Follow-Up Care

Using Doctors’ Certification Requirements to Increase HPV Vaccination

CHOP Honors Distinguished Research Trainees on Poster Day

CHOP Research In the News: DNA Scrunching, Video Games, Smart Drugs

CHOP Research In the News: Obesity, PTSD, and Alice in Wonderland

Staying Safe in the Sun: A Sun Protection Q&A

CHOP’s Foerderer Awards Support Novel Biomedical Research Studies

A Week in the Life of the Research Navigator

For this guest blog post written by Katherine Yang-Iott, I initially proposed the concept of hosting a blog post about Katherine’s new role, approached Katherine, and worked with her to develop a “day in the life” concept into a “week in the life” post. My role included guiding her in how to think about writing the piece through contributing multiple phases of editing to shape the final product.