As people age, their immune systems naturally begin to decline. This aging of the immune system, called immunosenescence, may be an important part of such age-related health problems as cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as older people’s less effective response to vaccines. But not all immune systems age at the same rate. In our […]
3 min read
Do you tend to see the glass as half full, rather than half empty? Are you always looking on the bright side of life? If so, you may be surprised to learn that this tendency could actually be good for your health. A number of studies have shown that optimists enjoy higher levels of wellbeing, […]
4 min read
In an amazing twist of fate, the aggressive cervical cancer tumor that killed Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year old African American mother, became an essential tool that helped the biomedical field flourish in the 20th century. As a cancer researcher who uses HeLa cells in my everyday work, even I sometimes find it hard to believe. […]
3 min read
Anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental disorders in children and youth. They emerge and can be diagnosed as early as preschool age, with half being diagnosed by the age of six. Anxiety in early childhood has consistently been associated with symptoms of anxiety throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood, and with a lower […]
5 min read
If you had to choose, which would you rather have: a healthy father or a good father? Studies suggest men often choose being a good father over being healthy. Becoming a father is a major milestone in the life of a man, often shifting the way he thinks from being “me focused” to “we focused.” […]
4 min read
When my oldest son, now nearly 13, was born in July of 2008, I thought I could easily balance my career and my desire to be far more engaged at home than my father and his generation were. I was wrong. Almost immediately, I noticed how social policies, schools and health care systems all make […]
4 min read