Public Health United

Learn what it's like to be a scientist on the frontlines of viral outbreaks like Ebola and MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) with our guest Dr. Vincent Munster, Chief, Virus Ecology Unit at Rocky Mountain Labs at the National Institutes of Health. Vincent shares his story on what it was like to be a scientist in Africa at the height of the Ebola outbreak and his cutting edge work on MERS. Truly an inspirational scientist who's focusing on improving global health! Also joining us is our friend and colleague, University of Pennsylvania PhD Candidate Steve Goldstein. Visit www.publichealthunited.org to learn more about this episode including helpful links.

PHU is throwing a charity event on December 5 to benefit Moveable Feast, a Baltimore non-profit that provides free meals and nutritional counseling to people with HIV. Baltimore is number 3 in the nation for incidences of HIV infection and CEO Tom Bonderenko tells us about how Moveable Feast has been helping in the fight against AIDS since 1989. For more information on our charity event and our GoFundMe to benefit Moveable Feast, please visit www.publichealthunited.org/charity-events/

One of the most confusing and politically charged topics, climate science remains a mystery to most. National Academy of Sciences President Ralph Cicerone tells us about his interesting path to the NAS (including a congressional hearing) and the concepts he wishes everyone understood about climate science. Check out www.publichealthunited.org for show links.

Nina and former Hopkins colleague Steve Goldstein, now a PhD Candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, meet at the American Society for Virology (ASV) conference in London, Ontario, Canada. Steve and Nina talk about ASV, the MERS outbreak and the larger coronavirus community, and how to build your Twitter following. Steve also tells us about his non-traditional path into studying virology.

Science is in crisis from external and internal forces. Poor PhD curriculum and science communication with the public are in dire need of improvement according to our latest podcast guest, Dr. Arturo Casadevall. Dr. Casadevall recently became chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. We are thrilled to share with you this thought provoking interview on the current and future state of Science and Science Communication with Dr. Casadevall.

In PHU's latest episode, Nina interviews Dr. Paul Offit, leader in vaccine communication and research at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Offit is best known as the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine (vax against a diarrheal disease mostly impacting African infants) and as author of multiple books on vaccine education for the general public. His advice to Nina: "Get in the game and start communicating science to the public. You can only learn by doing." PHU is thrilled to share this insightful and humorous discussion on vaccine communication. Please check out www.publichealthunited.org for more articles and updates.

In our latest two part episode, Nina and colleagues from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Kyle McLean and Dr. Beth Linas discuss science funding. In part 1, we give an overview of funding history and how politics can skew the facts about the importance of basic science funding. We also review how the grant application process works. In part 2, we continue the discussion about peer review, issues with the system, and possible long term solutions.

In our latest two part episode, Nina and colleagues from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Kyle McLean and Dr. Beth Linas discuss science funding. In part 1, we give an overview of funding history and how politics can skew the facts about the importance of basic science funding. We also review how the grant application process works. In part 2, we continue the discussion about peer review, issues with the system, and possible long term solutions.

Voted one of Time Magazine's "World's 100 Most Influential People of 2012", Dr. Ron Fouchier barely needs an introduction, especially if you follow flu news. Fouchier shares with us his side of the avian H5N1 flu research controversy that catalyzed a frenzy of (bad) science reporting in 2011-2013. What made this research so controversial? Did the press misrepresent Fouchier? What has he learned about science communication during this process? For these answers and more insights into how the American press failed us, check out this podcast and visit our website for related links at www.publichealthunited.org.

Guns and gun policy can often be a source of heated debate. But how often are we basing these discussions on real facts and research? After a debate with friends, Nina realized that she had little factual knowledge on the subject and was basing claims on morals. anecdotes and political bias. Our latest episode features Dr. Daniel Webster, Director of the Center For Gun Policy and Research at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Dr. Webster discusses how these conversations on whether guns should be banned or not are harming good gun policy progress and points out the kinds of research that have been most helpful in reducing gun violence. Yet another example of how bad communication can harm public health progress! Please check out www.publichealthunited.org for show links.

Our latest guest, Kyle McLean, is a wealth of science knowledge and lore. In this episode, Kyle discusses the pitfalls of putting the majority of public funding into translational or applications-based research instead of basic science. Kyle also tells Nina's favorite story of science communication gone awry when poor communication of data led to the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger and all of its occupants. Kyle ends with explaining how we scientists need to put more thought into how we present our data and to better adapt our presentations to fit the audience. Please check out www.publichealthunited.org for show links and other interesting articles.

How can we talk to the public about viruses, when it's difficult to even define what they are? Guest virology experts Drs. Gary Ketner (JHSPH) and Barry Margulies (Towson University) discuss the perils of communicating about virus research to the media, the worst virus miscommunication they've ever seen, and how we can make virology more accessible to the public.

Our latest episode features guests from four different departments at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who trace public health news stories from their scientific journal source to their flashy headlines in popular news media sources. An excellent discussion ensues on how the science communication went awry and what will clue readers in to false information. We finish the episode with HOTSPOT, when guests have to spontaneously define in layman’s terms an important public health term. Guests include PhD students: Ben Blumberg from Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Beth Linas from Epidemiology, Laysha Oslow from Mental Health, and Eric Simko from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Part 5 of 5: It's HOTSPOT time! Let's say your friend hears a piece of public health jargon on TV and asks you what it means. Can you explain it to them in layman's terms? Guests are put on the spot to define terms from a different public health discipline. The guests finish up the podcast with reflections on what they've le

Our latest episode features guests from four different departments at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who trace public health news stories from their scientific journal source to their flashy headlines in popular news media sources. An excellent discussion ensues on how the science communication went awry and what will clue readers in to false information. We finish the episode with HOTSPOT, when guests have to spontaneously define in layman’s terms an important public health term. Guests include PhD students: Ben Blumberg from Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Beth Linas from Epidemiology, Laysha Oslow from Mental Health, and Eric Simko from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Part 4 of 5: Laysha talks about the National Institute of Mental Health's (NIMH) new policy on RDoC, how that has ignited public interested in the validity of psychiatric diagnoses in the DSM, and the research base for both of the things (both very limited)--and how that relates to access to care and civil rights/public per

Our latest episode features guests from four different departments at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who trace public health news stories from their scientific journal source to their flashy headlines in popular news media sources. An excellent discussion ensues on how the science communication went awry and what will clue readers in to false information. We finish the episode with HOTSPOT, when guests have to spontaneously define in layman’s terms an important public health term. Guests include PhD students: Ben Blumberg from Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Beth Linas from Epidemiology, Laysha Oslow from Mental Health, and Eric Simko from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Part 3 of 5: Eric shows us what NPR does right and wrong concerning the story, "Healthful Living May Lengthen Telomeres And Lifespans" which is based off a 'The Lancet' article.

Our latest episode features guests from four different departments at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who trace public health news stories from their scientific journal source to their flashy headlines in popular news media sources. An excellent discussion ensues on how the science communication went awry and what will clue readers in to false information. We finish the episode with HOTSPOT, when guests have to spontaneously define in layman’s terms an important public health term. Guests include PhD students: Ben Blumberg from Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Beth Linas from Epidemiology, Laysha Oslow from Mental Health, and Eric Simko from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Part 2 of 5: Ben picks apart a recent Fox News Story on how "Lobsters Can Make Us Live Forever" ... Total balderdash! Listen to this episode to find out where Fox goes completely wrong.

Our latest episode features guests from four different departments at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health who trace public health news stories from their scientific journal source to their flashy headlines in popular news media sources. An excellent discussion ensues on how the science communication went awry and what will clue readers in to false information. We finish the episode with HOTSPOT, when guests have to spontaneously define in layman’s terms an important public health term. Guests include PhD students: Ben Blumberg from Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Beth Linas from Epidemiology, Laysha Oslow from Mental Health, and Eric Simko from Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Part 1 of 5: Introduction + Beth's Article. After we introduce the guests and their fields, Beth traces how an article from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute is portrayed in the New York Times.

In Part 2, Nina and Griffin have a great discussion on who should be responsible for science communication, including how parents and educators should keep science exciting and focused on questions, rather than pure memorization. Griffin also explores her role as Chair of MMI and the goals of the department --including what she hopes students learn from the program.

Diane Griffin is Chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and Vice President of the National Academy of Sciences. In Part 1, Griffin explains how lucky opportunities brought her from a small liberal arts college in the rural Midwest to being an honored head of a very unique and interdisciplinary research department.

Nobels, Impersonations, and Talking Science on the Colbert Report: Interview 2 with Peter Agre, 2003 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Peter relives the day he won the Nobel followed by a discussion on mentors, the Colbert Report and talking religion/science with the public. Peter also gives Nina some valuable life advice at the end.