UConn Health Pulse

What to Watch for With Ticks, and When

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:13:40 -0400

Ticks can be active whenever the temperature is above 40 degrees, meaning the tick-borne illness is more than a seasonal worry limited to a portion of the summer. And Connecticut is seeing more types of ticks, and more than just Lyme disease.

Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus, chief of UConn Health's Division of Infectious Diseases, explains all this, plus how to recognize, treat, and reduce the risk of tick-borne illness, and says some potentially promising Lyme disease news is on the horizon.

(Dr. Kevin Dieckhaus, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, September 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat)

Kevin Dieckhaus, MD
https://www.uconnhealth.org/providers/profiles/dieckhaus-kevin

UConn Health Division of Infectious Diseases
https://www.uconnhealth.org/infectious-diseases

Skin Cancer Risk: Spray Away?

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 12:17:27 -0400

“There’s no such thing as a healthy tan.” While we may be coming around on that idea, are we getting distracted by potential reasons not to use sunscreen? Are there ingredients in sunscreens that are toxic to us, or to the ocean’s ecosystem? What about those spray sunscreens? Dr. Jenna Kelsey, UConn Health dermatologist, joins to help weigh the risks and benefits of these factors against the carcinogenic properties of sun exposure.

(Dr. Jenna Kelsey, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, August 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat)

Jenna Bordelon Kelsey, MD
https://www.uconnhealth.org/providers/profiles/bordelon%20kelsey-jenna

UConn Health Dermatology
https://www.uconnhealth.org/dermatology-cosmetic-surgery/dermatology

UConn Health’s advanced melanoma program
https://www.uconnhealth.org/cancer-blood-disorders/services-specialties/skin-cancer

American Academy of Dermatology
https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/prevent

Examining Energy Drinks

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:05:21 -0400

They come in all kinds of colors, flavors, sizes, and prices — products claiming to deliver a burst of energy to wake you up, keep you going, or give you that needed jolt. Are they more than just high doses of caffeine and sugar? What are we actually drinking? Do we really need them? Are there healthy (or healthier) alternatives? UConn Health registered dietitian Linda York joins us to discuss the exploding energy drink trend, and offer some less caffeinated ways to boost your energy.

(Linda York, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, July 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat)

UConn Health Nutrition Services:
https://www.uconnhealth.org/nutrition-services

Angst Over Additives in Our Food

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 08:37:12 -0400

As the push to ban certain food dyes gains momentum, what should we know about them, and about other additives in our food supply? What are the potential consequences of ingredients that are not naturally occurring? How do we know what to believe and what conclusions to draw?

Dr. Rebecca Andrews, UConn Health primary care physician whose roles include director of primary care, associate program director of UConn’s Internal Medicine Residency, and nationally, chair of the American College of Physicians Board of Regents, helps us try to navigate it all.

(Dr. Rebecca Andrews, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, June 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat)

Dr. Rebecca Andrews
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Andrews-Rebecca

Internal Medicine at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/internal-medicine/

Measles and Vexing Vaccines (Including COVID)

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:34:27 -0400

Vaccines are considered by more than a few scientific experts to be among the most significant developments in modern medicine. Now, it’s hard to know what to believe about vaccinations. The resurgence of measles, effectively eradicated in the U.S. 25 years ago, is one indication that in some pockets of our country, is one indication of doubt in vaccines’ effectiveness. Meanwhile, the federal government is pulling back on its recommendations about who should take the COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Melissa Held, professor of pediatric infectious diseases and senior associate dean of medical student education at the UConn School of Medicine, and Dr. David Banach, associate professor of medicine, infectious diseases physician and UConn Health’s hospital epidemiologist, join us to help separate facts from myths.

(Dr. Melissa Held, Dr. David Banach, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, May 2025, studio and production support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat)

Dr. Melissa Held
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Held-Tobin-Melissa

Dr. David Banach
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Banach-David

UConn Health’s Infectious Diseases Division
https://health.uconn.edu/infectious-diseases/

American Academy of Pediatrics
https://www.aap.org/

Infectious Diseases Society of America
https://www.idsociety.org/

Connecticut Department of Public Health
https://portal.ct.gov/dph

Spray Away Severe Depression

Thu, 08 May 2025 10:10:45 -0400

When severe depression becomes treatment-resistant depression, an unconventional medication is proving to be effective. It’s a specific form of ketamine that is administered by nasal spray in a supervised clinical setting, approved by the FDA for this purpose. Dr. Caleb Battersby, director of interventional psychiatry at UConn Health, explains how esketamine works and why this treatment approach has been providing hope for those who otherwise may be out of answers.

(Dr. Caleb Battersby, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, April 2025, studio and technical support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat)

Dr. Caleb Battersby
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Battersby-Caleb

UConn Health Department of Psychiatry
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/

Find a treatment center
https://www.spravato.com/find-treatment-center/

UConn Health Minute: Treating Severe Depression (December 2024)
https://today.uconn.edu/2024/12/uconn-health-minute-treating-severe-depression/

Attacking Endometriosis With Awareness and Research

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:04:45 -0400

Treatable but not curable, endometriosis affects one in 10 women and girls of reproductive age. But it's not all that well understood and recognized, and can go undetected, leading to years of avoidable suffering and causing time away from school, work, and other activities. UConn Health is part of a collaboration with The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and the state of Connecticut called EndoRISE, which seeks to raise awareness and advance research of endometriosis. Dr. Danielle Luciano, director of minimally invasive gynecological surgery at UConn Health, and Jasmina Kuljancic, EndoRISE program manager from JAX, help lead this effort.

(Dr. Danielle Luciano, Jasmina Kuljancic, Chris DeFrancesco, March 2025, studio and technical support by Ethan Giorgetti and Ryan Bernat)

EndoRISE
https://www.ctendorise.org/

Dr. Danielle Luciano
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Luciano-Danielle

Endometriosis care at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/women/gynecology/endometriosis/

UConn Today: 'EndoRISE Launch Marks New Era in Endometriosis Research and Support'
https://today.uconn.edu/2024/06/endorise-launch-marks-new-era-in-endometriosis-research-and-support/

Fluoride Flak: Dental Experts Weigh In

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:09:41 -0500

Many of us have been told for most of our lives that fluoride is greatly beneficial to our health. So how did we get from fluoride in the public water supply being one of history’s great public health achievements to it standing trial in the court of public opinion? We invite Drs. Bina Katechia and Aadarsh Gopalakrishna from the UConn School of Dental Medicine to deliberate and render a verdict.

(Dr. Bina Katechia, Dr. Aadarsh Gopalakrishna, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, February 2025, studio and technical support by Ethan Giorgetti)

Dr. Bina Katechia, interim chair, UConn School of Medicine Department of Pediatric Dentistry
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Katechia-Bina

Dr. Aadarsh Gopalakrishna, chair, UConn School of Medicine Division of General Dentistry
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Gopalakrishna-Aadarsh

Pediatric dentistry at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/dental/patient-services/pediatric-dentistry/

General dentistry at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/dental/

UConn School of Dental Medicine
https://dentalmedicine.uconn.edu/

Expertise in Treating Advanced Melanoma

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:51:02 -0500

The deadliest form of skin cancer is even deadlier when it spreads beyond the skin. When simply cutting out the cancerous skin is not enough, melanoma goes from a dermatology matter to an oncology matter. Dr. Margaret Callahan is a medical oncologist and Dr. Giao Phan is a surgical oncologist. Together they lead UConn Health's advanced melanoma program, which offers specialized care for when this cancer has spread.

(Dr. Margaret Callahan, Dr. Giao Phan, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2024)

Dr. Margaret Callahan
https://www.uconnhealth.org/providers/profiles/callahan-margaret

Dr. Giao Phan
https://www.uconnhealth.org/providers/profiles/phan-giao

"Advancing Specialty Care for Metastatic Melanoma at UConn Health," UConn Today, Sept. 23, 2024
https://today.uconn.edu/?p=219219

Drs. Phan and Callahan on Channel 3's "Great Day Connecticut," Dec. 18, 2024
https://youtu.be/OXqT8x79SZo

Skin Cancer care at UConn Health's Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center
https://health.uconn.edu/cancer/patient-services/clinical-services/skin-cancer/

860-679-4600

Melanoma navigator
860-692-8455

Retraining the Brain With Neurosurgical Breakthrough

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 08:32:09 -0500

An emerging approach to stroke recovery involves an outpatient neurosurgical procedure that implants a device capable of stimulating a nerve found to be central to the brain's ability to learn. Dr. Christopher Conner in UConn Health's Brain and Spine Institute is the first neurosurgeon in Connecticut to implant this device, which can make the brain more receptive to intensive occupational therapy. Dr. Conner explains vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and describes its early success.

(November 2024, Dr. Christopher Conner, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco)

Dr. Christopher Conner
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Conner-Christopher

Connecticut's 1st VNS device implant (UConn Today, May 2024)
https://today.uconn.edu/2024/05/first-in-connecticut-ischemic-stroke-survivors-have-renewed-hope-with-the-vagus-nurve-stimulation-device-now-available-at-uconn-health/

Treating movement disorders with deep brain stimulation (UConn Today, May 2024)
https://today.uconn.edu/2024/05/deep-brain-stimulation-changing-the-quality-of-life-for-those-with-parkinsons-disease/

UConn Health Brain and Spine Institute
https://health.uconn.edu/brain-and-spine-institute/

UConn Health Stroke Center
https://health.uconn.edu/stroke-center/

UConn Health Neurology Deep Brain Stimulation Program
https://health.uconn.edu/neurology/clinical-services/movement-disorders/parkinsons-disease/

UConn Health Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center
https://health.uconn.edu/parkinsons/

UConn Health's Excellence in Huntington's Disease Care

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 15:15:26 -0400

It takes expertise across many specialties to earn a designation as a Center of Excellence from the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. UConn Health has earned that designation. From UConn Health's Huntington’s Disease Program, Dr. Shakaib Khan, medical director, and nurse practitioner Robin Zingales-Browne describe what goes into providing care and support for those with Huntington’s Disease and their families. Plus, learn about Huntington’s Disease Education Day, taking place at UConn Health Oct. 26.

(Robin Zingales-Browne, Dr. Shakaib Khan, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, October 2024).

2024 Huntington’s Disease Education Day, Oct. 26, 2024
https://connecticut.hdsa.org/events/2024-huntington-s-disease-education-day-farmington-ct

Huntington’s Disease Center of Excellence in Connecticut Designated at UConn Health
https://today.uconn.edu/2024/03/huntingtons-disease-center-of-excellence-in-connecticut-designated-at-uconn-health/

Enroll-HD Study
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/research/research-studies/#fl-accordion-606dfb3f99d42-tab-4

Huntington’s Disease Program at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/areas-of-care/adult/huntingtons-disease-program/

Dr. Shakaib Khan
http://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Khan-Shakaib

Robin Zingales-Browne
http://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Browne-Robin

Fall and Winter Respiratory Ailments Await

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:41:55 -0400

Whether it's cold or flu, COVID or RSV, get ready for what seems like a growing number of respiratory illnesses this fall and winter. How do we recognize them, how do we react to symptoms, how do we treat them, and how can we reduce their likelihood in the first place? We ask UConn Health infectious diseases experts Nancy Dupont and Dr. David Banach that and more.

(September 2024, Nancy Dupont, Dr. David Banach, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco)

UConn Health Infectious Diseases Division
https://health.uconn.edu/infectious-diseases/

Proper hand-washing demonstration by Nancy Dupont, UConn Health nursing director of epidemiology and infection control
https://youtu.be/UaPSP8rhmCw

Dr. David Banach, UConn Health hospital epidemiologist
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Banach-David

CDC information for the 2024-2025 flu season
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2024-2025.htm

CDC information for COVID-19
https://www.cdc.gov/covid

CDC information for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/

What Can We Learn About Vocal Injury From Aerosmith

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:23:21 -0400

A fractured larynx? That's what's done in Steven Tyler and forced Aerosmith to retire from touring. This month we talk to two experts from UConn Health's Voice and Speech Clinic to explain this and other voice problems they see, and to offer some tips on how to treat and prevent them: Dr. Denis Lafreniere, chief of the UConn Health Division of Otolaryngology, and speech and language pathologist Ann Clifford.

(August 2024, Ann Clifford, Dr. Denis Lafreniere, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco)

UConn Health Voice and Speech Clinic
https://health.uconn.edu/otolaryngology/areas-of-care/voice-and-speech-clinic/
860-679-2804
Request an Appointment Online

UConn Health Division of Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat)
https://health.uconn.edu/otolaryngology/

Dr. Denis Lafreniere
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Lafreniere-Denis

Ann Clifford
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Clifford-Ann

Listen to Your Limbs

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 17:04:19 -0400

Dr. Justin D'Addario, vascular and endovascular surgeon at UConn Health, explains the potential health hazards of poor blood flow, and how to recognize problems like peripheral arterial disease, deep vein thrombosis, and aneurysms, and address them before they require drastic measures.

(June 2024, Dr. Justin D'Addario, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco)

Dr. Justin D'Addario
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/D'Addario-Justin

UConn Health Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
https://health.uconn.edu/vascular-surgery/

“UConn’s Vascular Surgeons Take DETOUR to Save Woman’s Toes, Foot, and Leg from Peripheral Arterial Disease” (UConn Today)
https://today.uconn.edu/?p=208883

BEFAST to Save Brain From Stroke

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 10:16:56 -0400

Whether it's the acute care during the medical emergency or the recovery and rehabilitation that follows, UConn Health continues to earn recognition for its stroke care. Dr. Priya Narwal, interim medical director of UConn Health's Stroke Center, Brooke Medel, stroke nurse navigator, and nurse Kristen Bryant, interim stroke coordinator, share their expertise, and remind us that BEFAST (Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech, Time) is still the mantra when it comes to recognizing and reacting to stroke.

(Dr. Priya Narwal, Brooke Medel, Kristen Bryant, Chris DeFrancesco, May 2024)

UConn Health Stroke Center
https://health.uconn.edu/stroke-center/

Dr. Priya Narwal
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Narwal-Priya

News on UConn Health stroke care

Miracle Outcome for Patient’s Life-Threatening Stroke
https://today.uconn.edu/?p=214021

First in Connecticut: Ischemic Stroke Survivors Have Renewed Hope With the Vagus Nerve Stimulation Device Now Available at UConn Health
https://today.uconn.edu/?p=214132

Hacer que la EM sea más 'VISIBLE'

Fri, 10 May 2024 14:04:05 -0400

Un gran reto en la atención de la esclerosis múltiple es reconocerla lo suficientemente pronto como para iniciar la intervención y cambiar la trayectoria de la enfermedad. Los determinantes sociales de la salud, incluyendo las barreras culturales, pueden hacer que esto sea especialmente difícil. El Dr. Jaime Imitola, jefe de la División de Esclerosis Múltiple y Neuroinmunología Traslacional de UConn Health, dirigió un grupo que ideó un nuevo recurso bilingüe para ayudar a los pacientes, estudiantes de medicina y proveedores a reconocer los signos de la enfermedad y evitar los retrasos en la atención medica.

(Dr. Jaime Imitola, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, marzo de 2024)

Enlaces de referencia:

http://www.imitolab.org/visiblms.html

http://www.imitolab.org/

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585241228739

https://health.uconn.edu/multiple-sclerosis/

https://today.uconn.edu/2024/03/making-early-signs-of-multiple-sclerosis-visibl/

Keeping Women Moving

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:15:09 -0400

You don't have to be an elite athlete to take advantage of a new care model that offers access to full range of expertise: the Women's Center for Motion and Performance at UConn Health is for women of all ages, ability levels, and medical needs. Dr. Katherine Coyner, director, and Dr. Allison Schafer, medical director, explain how patients will benefit from this collective of specialties designed to optimize the coordination of care and get or keep women active and healthy.

(April 2024, Dr. Katherine Coyner, Dr. Allison Schafer, Chris DeFrancesco)

Women's Center for Motion and Performance at UConn Health (starting 4/23/24)
https://health.uconn.edu/womens-center-for-motion-and-performance/

Women's Center for Motion and Performance nurse navigator:
https://health.uconn.edu/orthopedics-sports-medicine/

Dr. Allison Schafer
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Schafer-Allison

Dr. Katherine Coyner
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Coyner-Katherine

Dr. Coyner's Inspiring Women in Engineering and Medicine (IWEM) program
https://www.drcoyner.com/iwem.html

UConn Health Half Marathon, June 1, 2024
https://www.hartfordmarathon.com/uconn-health-half-marathon-10k-5k/

UConn Institute for Sports Medicine
https://sports.institute.uconn.edu/

UConn Health Simsbury
https://health.uconn.edu/plan-your-visit/locations-and-directions/simsbury

UConn Health Southington
https://health.uconn.edu/plan-your-visit/locations-and-directions/southington

Making MS More 'VISIBL'

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:30:19 -0400

A great challenge in multiple sclerosis care is recognizing it soon enough to start intervention and change the disease trajectory. Social determinants of health, including cultural barriers, can make this especially difficult. Dr. Jaime Imitola, chief of UConn Health’s Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Translational Neuroimmunology, led a group that came up with a new, bilingual resource to help patients, medical students, and providers recognize the signs and avoid delays in care.

(Dr. Jaime Imitola, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, March 2024)

Note: A Spanish version of this episode is in production. It will be released separately to subscribers' feeds and be available on Podbean and at https://health.uconn.edu/archives/uconn-health-podcast.

"Making Early Signs of Multiple Sclerosis 'VISIBLE'" (UConn Today)
https://today.uconn.edu/2024/03/making-early-signs-of-multiple-sclerosis-visibl/

"VISIBL-MS: A bilingual educational framework to increase awareness of early multiple sclerosis" (Multiple Sclerosis Journal)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585241228739

VISIBL-MS tool (open access)
http://www.imitolab.org/visiblms.html

Imitola Lab
http://www.imitolab.org/

UConn Health’s Multiple Sclerosis Center
https://health.uconn.edu/multiple-sclerosis/

Addressing Barriers to Rx Access

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 16:37:10 -0500

UConn Health is now part of the Dispensary of Hope Network, which means it can connect qualifying patients with no-cost prescriptions for certain medications that the pharmaceutical companies make available. Emmett Sullivan and Dr. Hetal Patel from the UConn Health Pharmacy explain the program, which is only the third of its kind in Connecticut and joins about 250 other pharmacies throughout the U.S.

(Dr. Hetal Patel, Emmett Sullivan, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2023)

UConn Health Specialty Pharmacy
https://health.uconn.edu/specialty-pharmacy

Dispensary of Hope:
https://www.dispensaryofhope.org/

Season’s Eatings: Tips From an RD

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 11:00:07 -0500

Temptation surrounds us during the holiday season. How do we navigate those holiday parties, potlucks and happy hours so we can be reasonably healthy and still be festive? Linda York, registered dietitian at UConn Health, has some tips on how to "brave the buffet" and still share in the merriment.

(Linda York, Chris DeFrancesco, November 2023)

Meet the ’Trauma Avengers’

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 13:20:41 -0400

A nationwide child and adolescent behavioral health project that originated at UConn Health takes a creative, modern approach to helping young people cope with mental health challenges. At the same time, it creates educational resources for therapists throughout the country. A component of this includes the "Trauma Avengers" sharing their "Digital Diaries." Clinical psychologists Julian Ford and Rocio Chang, co-directors of the Center for the Treatment of Developmental Trauma Disorders, join Carolyn and Chris to explain.

(Dr. Rocio Chang, Dr. Julian Ford, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, August 2023)

Julian Ford, professor of psychiatry, UConn Health
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Ford-Julian

Rocio Chang, assistant professor of psychiatry, UConn Health
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Chang-Roc%C3%ADo

Center for Treatment of Developmental Trauma Disorders
https://developmental-trauma.org/

Trauma Avengers (Digital Diaries: Rx)
https://traumaavengers.com/

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/areas-of-care/child-and-adolescent/

860-523-3745

Start School Sleep Schedule Soon!

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:00:14 -0400

When is the best time to start moving up bed time? Hint: it's not the night before the first day of school! Dr. Jennifer Kanaan from UConn Health's Sleep Disorders Center works with adults, adolescents, and children. She joins the podcast to explain what's happening in our bodies when we sleep and why it's so beneficial to our performance, particularly in school. Listen to her advice and start the school year off right!

(Dr. Jennifer Kanaan, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, July 2023)

Dr. Jennifer Kanaan
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Kanaan-Jennifer

UConn Health Sleep Disorders Center
https://health.uconn.edu/pulmonary/sleep-disorders-center/
860-679-4090

Managing Movement Disorders Like Parkinson’s

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 16:16:44 -0400

Identifying Parkinson's disease early and starting a treatment plan can go a long way in delaying the onset of disability or loss of function. Once that diagnosis is made, supportive care and planning become crucial parts of managing the disease. Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues, director of UConn Health's Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center, explains.

(May 2023, Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues, Chris DeFrancesco)

Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/parkinsons/

Call for appointment: 860-679-4888

Dr. Bernardo Rodrigues
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Rodrigues-Bernardo

Parkinson's disease patient support group at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/parkinsons/patient-resources/

Parkinson's disease caregiver support group at UConn Health
parkinsons@uchc.edu, 860-679-3224

Education as a Diabetes Management Tool

Tue, 16 May 2023 10:29:17 -0400

Two UConn Health endocrinologists, Drs. Pooja Luthra and Parvathy Madhavan, and the coordinator of UConn Health's Diabetes Self-Management Education Program, nurse practitioner Luriza Glynn, discuss the importance of recognizing early signs of diabetes and managing it once diagnosed with the benefit of education.

(Luriza Glynn, Dr. Parvathy Madhavan, Dr. Pooja Luthra, Chris DeFrancesco, April 2023)

Diabetes care at UConn Health:
https://health.uconn.edu/diabetes/

UConn Health Diabetes Self-Management Education Program:
https://health.uconn.edu/diabetes/diabetes-self-management-education-program/

Prediabetes risk test:
https://diabetes.org/diabetes/risk-test

UConn Health endocrinology:
https://health.uconn.edu/endocrinology/
860-679-3245

Alternatives to Opioids in Pain Management

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:40:29 -0400

When it comes to pain management, particularly back and neck pain, narcotics are not the only option. We ask two UConn Health physiatrists — Dr. Joseph Walker and Dr. Durgadas Sakalkale — about the approaches they take in the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute.

(March 2023, Dr. Joseph Walker, Dr. Durgadas Sakalkale, Chris DeFrancesco)

UConn Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
https://health.uconn.edu/orthopedics-sports-medicine/
860-676-6600

UConn Health Comprehensive Spine Center
https://health.uconn.edu/spine/
860-679-6662

Dental Care for Kids

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 11:51:34 -0500

Dr. Katherine Fleming from the UConn School of Dental Medicine's Division of Pediatric Dentistry and Dr. Michaela Matos, a UConn pediatric dental resident, join for Children's Oral Health Month. They explain what is (and isn't) a dental emergency, discuss the importance of establishing a dental home for your child, and offer tips for parents to cultivate health habits.

(Dr. Katherine Fleming, Dr. Michaela Matos, Courtney Chandler, Chris DeFrancesco, February 2023)

UConn Health Pediatric Dentistry Clinic
https://health.uconn.edu/dental/patient-services/pediatric-dentistry/
65 Kane St., West Hartford
860-523-3770

UConn Pediatric Dental Residency Program
https://dentalmedicine.uconn.edu/divisions/pediatric-dentistry/

Dr. Matos also would like to acknowledge her co-residents:

Dr. Shailly Shah
Dr. Marissa Ruggiero
Dr. Dan Nyguen

Addressing Alcohol Addiction

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:51:59 -0500

One of the founding fathers of the Alcohol Research Center at UConn Health — the longest-running NIH-funded center of its kind — is part of an international collaboration of addiction researchers out with updated findings on the social, cultural and environmental factors that influence alcoholism and harmful drinking. UConn School of Medicine Professor Emeritus Thomas Babor is a lead author of the third edition of Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity, which explains those factors and makes policy recommendations on how to address them. The book is scheduled to be available for hard copy purchase in the U.S. in late January. An open-access PDF is available for free download now.

(Thomas Babor, Chris DeFrancesco, January 2023)

Thomas Babor, professor emeritus, public health sciences, UConn School of Medicine
https://health.uconn.edu/public-health-sciences/faculty-profile-tom-babor/

Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity (open-access PDF)
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/alcohol-no-ordinary-commodity-9780192844484

UConn Health Alcohol Research Center
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/research/alcohol-research-center/

UConn Today feature on Alcohol Research Center, June 2019
https://today.uconn.edu/2019/06/uconns-alcohol-research-center-continues-unprecedented-run/

Breaking Down Health Barriers With Urban Service

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 14:03:50 -0500

The Urban Service Track incorporates prevention and primary care in underserved communities into the training of future prepares health professionals. It's a program of the Connecticut Area Health Education Center, housed at UConn Health. This summer, Urban Service Track students worked with the Hartford Department of Health and Human Services to go door-to-door in city neighborhoods to have conversations about preventive medicine and offer COVID-19 vaccinations on the spot. Three students who took part in this effort, Brian Liang (fourth-year UConn medical student and master of public health candidate), Eddyson Altidor (second-year UConn dental student), and Julia Levin (first-year UConn medical student), share their experience and how it's shaping them as future clinicians.

(Julia Levin, Brian Liang, Eddyson Altidor, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2023)

Connecticut Area Health Education Center (CT AHEC)
https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/

Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program
https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/urban-services-track-and-ahec-scholars/

TARGETing PTSD

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:33:14 -0400

Post-traumatic stress disorder is often associated with military combat and experiencing a traumatic situation, such as the Sandy Hook school shooting. A few weeks ahead of the 10-year anniversary of that tragedy, we discuss PTSD with UConn Health clinical psychologists Julian Ford and Rocio Chang. They explain what PTSD is and isn't, differentiate between PTSD and the somewhat newly diagnosed form known as "complex PTSD," what we've learned in the 10 years since Sandy Hook, and how to help those affected by PTSD — including a treatment approach known as TARGET, which our guests helped develop.

(Dr. Julian Ford, Dr. Rocio Chang, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, November 2022)

UConn Health Department of Pyschiatry
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/

Serving the Underserved; Primary Care Outlook

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 12:34:17 -0400

The American health care system is facing a shortage of primary care physicians. Preparing the next generation of providers is one of the missions of UConn Health, where the training includes hands-on experience delivering care to historically underserved populations. Dr. Bruce Gould, UConn School of Medicine professor emeritus, founding associate dean for primary care, and founding director of the Connecticut Area Health Education Center, discusses how students serve the needs of today while training to become the providers who serve the needs of tomorrow.

(Dr. Bruce Gould, Chris DeFrancesco, September 2022)

Connecticut Area Health Education Center (CT AHEC)
https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/

Urban Service Track
https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/urban-services-track-and-ahec-scholars/

'Knock, Knock: UConn Students Making Hartford House Calls with COVID Vaccines'
https://today.uconn.edu/?p=189476

Community-based experiential learning
https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/community-based-experiential-training/

Migrant farm worker clinics
https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/migrant-farm-worker-clinics/

Back to School ’22

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:54:22 -0400

It's likely the closest we've come to a "normal" back-to-school since 2019. So we checked back in with Dr. Erica Waddington, this time at her office in the UConn Health family medicine practice in Canton, to find out what she's telling families -- both the students and the parents who worry about them -- to help them get a healthy start to the 2022 school year.

(Dr. Erica Waddington, Chris DeFrancesco, August 2022)

UConn Health Family Medicine
https://health.uconn.edu/family-medicine/
866-328-8086

Dr. Erica Waddington
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Waddington-Erica

What if Your Surgeon Had X-Ray Vision?

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 12:11:19 -0400

Spine surgeons at UConn Health are using augmented reality technology that provides a 3D rendering of the anatomy, essentially enabling "see-through" surgery. UConn Health is the first in central Connecticut with this suite of tools, which as of July 2022 is the world's largest. Dr. Isaac Moss, UConn Health's orthopedic surgery chair and co-director of its Comprehensive Spine Center, describes how augmented reality spine surgery works and what its advantages are.

(Dr. Isaac Moss, Chris DeFrancesco, July 2022)

UConn Health Comprehensive Spine Center
https://health.uconn.edu/spine/

860-679-6662

Augmented reality spine surgery at UConn Health
https://health.uconn.edu/spine/services/minimally-invasive-spine-surgery/augmented-reality-spine-surgery/

UConn Today, May 13, 2022
https://today.uconn.edu/2022/05/tech-assisted-spine-surgery-likened-to-x-ray-vision/

Cycling X-Country to Help Kids

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:35:54 -0400

The UConn Health tradition of students spending their last free summer bicycling cross-country to raise money for a charitable cause continues for a 17th year. Rising second-year dental student Brian Legato and medical students Julia Neri and Dustin Moore make up the 2022 Coast to Coast for a Cause team. Hear what they had to say about their adventure the day before they started it.

(June 2022, Julia Neri, Dustin Moore, Brian Legato, Chris DeFrancesco)

Coast to Coast for a Cause 2022 blog
https://uconncoast2coast2022.blogspot.com/
(may not work on UConn Health network)

Coast to Coast for a Cause 2022 link tree
https://linktr.ee/C2C2022

Coast to Coast for a Cause 2022 / Hole in the Wall Gang camp
http://getinvolved.holeinthewallgang.org/site/TR/HWCGGlobal/General;jsessionid=00000000.app20114a?team_id=4042&pg=team&fr_id=1625&NONCE_TOKEN=F6AFFD4E833B5D2D193C17EB9F9EE1F6

Pandemic Challenges to Women’s Health

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 16:30:00 -0400

For some women, maintaining their own health can have its challenges, whether everyday things like putting family and career ahead of their own needs, or potential barriers to care related to socio-economic status. What kind of a multiplier effect has the pandemic had on those factors? Dr. Shontreal Cooper, a maternal-fetal medicine physician in UConn Health's Women's Center, shares her observations from the last two years, what she tells her patients, and a creative way she tries to break down barriers.

(Dr. Shontreal Cooper, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, May 2022)

Dr. Shontreal Cooper
https://health.uconn.edu/find-a-provider/physician/Cooper-Shontreal

UConn Health Women's Center
https://health.uconn.edu/women/

Supplying CT’s Health Care Workforce

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 11:23:08 -0400

The No. 1 source of physicians and dentists who practice in Connecticut is UConn Health, whose schools have been graduating physicians, dentists, biomedical researchers, and masters of public health for five decades. This month we hear from Dr. Bruce T. Liang, dean of the UConn School of Medicine (and UConn Health's interim CEO and executive vice president for health affairs) and Dr. Steven Lepowsky, dean of the UConn School of Dental Medicine. The deans explain the role of the medical, dental, and graduate schools in preparing and producing generations of professionals to maintain Connecticut's health care workforce.

(Dr. Bruce T. Liang, Dr. Steven Lepowsky, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, April 2022)

UConn and the Health Care Workforce
https://medicine.uconn.edu/healthcare-workforce/

UConn School of Medicine
https://medicine.uconn.edu/

UConn School of Dental Medicine
https://dentalmedicine.uconn.edu/

UConn Health Graduate School
https://health.uconn.edu/graduate-school/

Graduate Medical Education
https://health.uconn.edu/graduate-medical-education/

CT Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/

Colon Cancer, Nuts, and Early Onset

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 11:28:28 -0400

Dr. Daniel Rosenberg, professor of medicine, Health Net Inc. Chair in Cancer Biology, and investigator in UConn Health's Center for Molecular Oncology, is on the trail of the connection between our digestive system's microbiome and colon cancer. His research has shown how walnut consumption can impact gut bacteria in a way that seems to fight off inflammation in some people. He's also investigating why colon cancers are turning up more in younger people, in their 40s and even 30s.

(March 2022, Daniel Rosenberg, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco)

Daniel W. Rosenberg, Ph.D., faculty profile
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Rosenberg-Daniel

UConn Health Center for Molecular Oncology
https://health.uconn.edu/molecular-oncology/

Walnut study
https://starr.uchc.edu/Study/StudyDetails.aspx?ID=1796
gajewska@uchc.edu, pappleton@uchc.edu

Peanut study
https://starr.uchc.edu/Study/StudyDetails.aspx?ID=1704
nfan@uchc.edu

Masako Nakanishi, Ph.D., Center for Molecular Oncology
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Nakanishi-Masako

John Birk, MD, chief, UConn Health Division of Gastroenterology
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Birk-John

Haleh Vaziri, MD, UConn Health gastrotenterologist
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Vaziri-Haleh

George Weinstock, Ph.D., The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine
https://facultydirectory.uchc.edu/profile?profileId=Weinstock-George

Best Ways to Treat the Feet

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 20:46:13 -0500

Our feet and ankles are among the most commonly injured parts of our body. There's a wide range of problems, and thankfully, with the right experts, a wide range of treatment options. Dr. Lauren Geaney, UConn Health foot and ankle surgeon and director of UConn's orthopedic surgery residency program, describes some of the advances in addressing both common and complex problems. She also discusses her role in educating tomorrow's orthopedic surgeons, including a narrowing gender gap in the specialty, and shares news of a recent development in UConn's orthopedic surgery training.

(Dr. Lauren Geaney, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, January 2022)

UConn Health Orhopedics and Sports Medicine
https://health.uconn.edu/orthopedics-sports-medicine/

Stroke and the Need to BE FAST

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 17:26:42 -0500

When it comes to treating stroke, initiating care ASAP, especially at a certified stroke center, can greatly improve the trajectory for survival and recovery. Regulatory bodies and other third parties have taken note of the stoke care at UConn Health, which has maintained the distinction of "primary stroke center" from The Joint Commission since first earning it in 2014. This month, two of the nurses behind the UConn Health Stroke Center's success, Jennifer Sposito (clinical coordinator) and Brooke Medel (patient navigator) describe what makes UConn Health so effective at stroke care and tell you what you need to watch for in order to BE FAST, act quickly, and recognize this medical emergency.

(Jennifer Sposito, Brooke Medel, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2021)

UConn Health Stroke Center
https://health.uconn.edu/stroke-center/

UConn Health Stroke Survivor Group
https://health.uconn.edu/stroke-center/events-and-programs/

Video: Stroke Survivor Returns for Promised Dance With His Nurse
https://youtu.be/V6tD8RO_0SE

Elite Expertise in Brain and Spine Disorders

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 13:18:37 -0500

The UConn Health Brain and Spine Institute, an elite collaboration of experts in areas including neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-radiology, and comprehensive spine, continues to grow. Two of its members, Dr. John Greenfield, neurology chair, and Dr. Ian McNeill, neurosurgeon who specializes in spine abnormalities and disorders, describe how this high level of coordinated care ensures patients who've suffered from brain tumors, strokes, spine problems, and other disorders of brain and spine are seeing the optimal combination of providers for the best outcomes.

(Dr. John Greenfield, Dr. Ian McNeill, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, November 2021)

UConn Health Brain and Spine Institute
https://health.uconn.edu/brain-and-spine-institute/
860-679-6551

Enhancing Independence in Older Adults

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 18:15:04 -0400

An elite national research collaborative to shape the future of geriatrics to help older adults maintain their independence now includes UConn Health. The UConn Center on Aging recently won a $7 million grant to become one of 15 "Pepper Centers" of excellence to advance the newer field of precision gerontology. Drs. George Kuchel and Richard Fortinsky from the UConn Center on Aging explain what's involved and why having a Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at UConn Health is a win for the institution, the state, the public, and both today's and tomorrow's patients and family members.

(Dr. George Kuchel, Dr. Richard Fortinsky, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, October 2021)

UConn Center on Aging
https://health.uconn.edu/aging/
860-679-3956

Pepper Center grant announcement
https://today.uconn.edu/?p=176121

COVID and Older Adults‘ Resiliency

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 10:05:08 -0400

Perhaps the pandemic hasn't been as hard -- from a mental health perspective -- on older adults has we first feared it might? In fact, we have reason to believe older adults have coped as well as any other age group, or perhaps more so. Dr. David Steffens, UConn Health chair of psychiatry and geriatric psychiatrist, and second-year UConn medical student Tia Kozar have been studying this, and what they're seeing may surprise you.

(Dr. David Steffens, Tia Kozar, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, September 2021)

UConn Health Department of Psychiatry
https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/

UConn School of Medicine
https://medicine.uconn.edu/

Back to School '21 With COVID-19

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 16:21:34 -0400

Kids and parents alike are sure to have questions as they prepare for a new school year that figures to have the characteristics of pandemic learning at least to start. Dr. Erica Waddington at UConn Health's family medicine practice in Canton offers her perspective on back-to-school time as a physician who sees both parents and kids — sometimes from the same family.

(Dr. Erica Waddington, Chris DeFrancesco, August 2021)

UConn Health Family Medicine:
https://health.uconn.edu/family-medicine/

Play Without Pain, Perform at Peak

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 14:27:30 -0400

This month we're on location at the Horsebarn Hill Sciences Complex in Storrs, talking with the co-directors of the UConn Institute for Sports Medicine. Laurie Devaney, UConn physical therapist and athletic trainer, and Dr. Matt Hall, UConn Health sports medicine physician, explain what they and their colleagues can do for athletes to prevent/reduce injury risk, treat injuries and help them recover, and even use innovative ways to analyze movement to enhance performance.

(July 2021, Laurie Devaney, Dr. Matt Hall, Chris DeFrancesco)

https://sports.institute.uconn.edu/

Promoting Interprofessional Learning

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 16:15:07 -0400

Within the Connecticut Area Health Education Center (CT AHEC), housed at UConn Health, students in the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program not only are learning an interprofessional method of delivering care. These Urban Health/AHEC Scholars also are spreading awareness of this evolving approach to health professions training and patient care. UConn dental student Basant Sallam, UConn nursing student Donice "Nicey" Brooks, and UConn graduate public health and social work program alum Michal Klau-Stevens discuss the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program's objectives and their role in promoting it with the student-run podcast series "Urban Service Talks," which just debuted.

(Nicey Brooks, Michal Klau-Stevens, Basant Sallam, Chris DeFrancesco, June 2021)

Listen and subscribe to "Urban Service Talks": https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/urban-services-track-and-ahec-scholars/urban-service-talks/

Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program: https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/urban-services-track-and-ahec-scholars/

CT Area Health Education Center: https://health.uconn.edu/connecticut-area-health-education-center-network/

Connect with "Urban Service Talks":

Teens, Screens, and Anxiety/Depression

Wed, 05 May 2021 15:43:58 -0400

Smartphone use is a big part of our lives, and the pandemic has magnified that, particularly for teens and adolescents. What effect could all that screen time have on these younger, still developing brains? Dr. Jayesh Kamath from UConn Health's mood and anxiety disorders program joins Carolyn and Chris to discuss his research in the area, including how some preliminary findings could help inform the evolution of the approach treating anxiety and depression.

(Dr. Jayesh Kamath, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, May 2021)

https://health.uconn.edu/psychiatry/mood-and-anxiety-clinic/

UConn Health 2021 World Voice Day Special

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:27:33 -0400

World Voice Day carries on virtually this year, with Dr. Denis Lafreniere and Starr Cookman from the UConn Health Voice and Speech Clinic and a live performance from special guest Javier Colon!

(Dr. Denis Lafreniere, Starr Cookman, Javier Colon, Chris DeFrancesco, April 16, 2021)

11 tips for safer choral singing:

Maximize ventilation; sing outside when possible
Wear masks when singing
Maintain at least 6 ft of physical distancing
Rehearse in small groups; perhaps in shifts
Shorten rehearsal time
Limit socializing and sharing food
Wipe down all shared items (music stands, chairs, etc)
Screen for symptoms
Avoid physical contact
Hand washing/disinfection before, during and after rehearsals
Stay away if you are sick

Links:

Javier Colon: http://javiercolon.com/
("Walking Blind," written and performed by Javier Colon)

Artist Job Bank: https://we-ha.com/artist-job-bank-a-new-initiative-of-west-hartford-commission-on-the-arts/

UConn Health Voice and Speech Clinic: https://health.uconn.edu/otolaryngology/services/voice-and-speech-clinic/

World Voice Day: https://www.entnet.org/WorldVoiceDay
(American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery)

UConn Health Pulse podcast April 2021, featuring the Voice and Speech Clinic: https://uconnhealthpulse.podbean.com/e/a-clear-voice-on-vocal-health/

UConn Health Pulse podcast archive: https://health.uconn.edu/archives/uconn-health-podcast

A Clear Voice on Vocal Health

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 08:37:15 -0400

This month we talk about something we often take for granted -- talking (or singing). Dr. Denis Lafreniere and Starr Cookman from the UConn Health Voice and Speech Clinic discuss voice disorders and the importance of maintaining good vocal health as they prepare to celebrate World Voice Day April 16.

(Dr. Denis Lafreniere, Starr Cookman, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, April 2021)

Changing MS Patients' Trajectory

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 18:00:00 -0500

Multiple sclerosis can strike at a relatively young age and can lead to disability later in life. While not curable, it is treatable, and with the right combination of early diagnosis, expert intervention, and patient empowerment, people with MS can minimize their disease progression and delay the onset of disability. This month, MS Awareness Month, we hear from two members of the UConn Health Multiple Sclerosis Center, Dr. Jaime Imitola, director of the Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology, and Karen Nelson, a nurse who serves as clinical patient navigator, describing how the MS Center at UConn Health coordinates elite care to change the trajectory of a patient's life.

(Dr. Jaime Imitola, Karen Nelson, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, March 2021)

UConn Health Multiple Sclerosis Center: 860-679-4888
https://health.uconn.edu/multiple-sclerosis/

Cranial Nerve and Brain Stem Disorders

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 11:29:30 -0500

Neurological disorders are wide-ranging and include many that are rare and therefore difficult to recognize and treat. Once diagnosed, the individual care plan often requires specialists from across several disciplines. It's why Dr. Ketan Bulsara, chief of UConn Health's Division of Neurosurgery, and Dr. Daniel Roberts, ear, nose and throat surgeon, started the Cranial Nerve and Brain Stem Disorder Program at UConn Health. They explain to Carolyn and Chris how the program harnesses UConn Health's elite combination of experts across multiple specialties, making it a leader in the treatment of these complicated conditions.

(Dr. Ketan Bulsara, Dr. Daniel Roberts, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, February 2021)

The COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 11:43:05 -0500

As UConn Health administers the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to health care providers and other front-line staff, Dr. David Banach, UConn Health's hospital epidemiologist, and Dr. Kim Metcalf, UConn Health's primary vaccine coordinator, join Carolyn and Chris to discuss how UConn Health is serving as a leader in the fight against the pandemic and to explain the significance of the vaccine in that effort.

(Dr. David Banach, Dr. Kim Metcalf, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2020)

When Our Own Cells Catalyze Healing

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:48:03 -0500

We're learning more about the growing field of orthobiologics, the use of treatments derived from individual patients' own cells and injected at the injury site to promote healing. Dr. Allison Schafer, a nonoperative sports medicine physician at the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute, offers bone marrow aspirate concentrate, or BMAC, for this purpose. She joins Carolyn and Chris to explain how it works and what makes it effective.

(Dr. Allison Schafer, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, December 2020)

Technology + Expertise = Healthier Skin

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 16:22:47 -0500

Some of the most advanced lasers and other devices used in cosmetic dermatology are available at UConn Health — with dermatologists who have the expertise to use them. Drs. Maritza Perez and Hao Feng join Carolyn and Chris to explain how they provide the latest available treatment options, not by fitting the device to the patient, but the patient to the device (or other method), safely and effectively resulting in healthier, younger-looking skin.

(Dr. Maritza Perez, Dr. Hao Feng, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, November 2020)

Awake During Hand Surgery?

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 13:20:00 -0400

Drs. Anthony Parrino and Joel Ferreira, UConn Health hand, wrist and elbow surgeons, offer an approach to hand surgery that is not widely available in American health care. They can repair problems like trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome using a local anesthetic, enabling the patient to remain awake and test the repair during the procedure. They join Carolyn and Chris to explain the advantages of this technique, known as "wide-awake hand surgery."

(Dr. Anthony Parrino, Dr. Joel Ferreira, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, October 2020)

Better Sleep, Best Self

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:32:19 -0400

Dr. Jennifer Kanaan from UConn Health's Sleep Disorders Center joins Carolyn and Chris to talk about the impact of sleep has on how adolescents do in school and in their relationships. She explains the advantages of later school start times and offers some advice on how to build good sleep habits.

(Dr. Jennifer Kanaan, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, September 2020)

The Emerging Field of Neuro-oncology

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 12:00:00 -0400

The complex nature of tumors of the central nervous system (brain and spine) has given rise to a subspecialty known as neuro-oncology. It's a still relatively new and uncommon discipline, and was not in place at UConn Health until the arrival of Dr. Kevin Becker in the summer of 2019. Dr. Becker joins Carolyn and Chris to explain his role as a neuro-oncologist and the advantages a neuro-oncology program offers both to patients and to the advancement of medicine.

(Dr. Kevin Becker, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, August 2020)

Diabetes: What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 11:38:44 -0400

Success in managing diabetes largely depends on being an informed patient, as we hear from Jean Kostak, a certified diabetes care and education specialist at UConn Health. We're also joined by Martina Sinopoli, who as a fourth-year UConn medical student developed, as her Capstone project, a nutrition and recipe website that UConn Health's diabetes education program uses as one of its resources for patients. Martina since has graduated and is training in Harvard's psychiatry residency program.

(Jean Kostak, Martina Sinopoli, Chris DeFrancesco, July 2020)

Coming out of COVID: Mental Health

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 09:11:38 -0400

The challenges associated with our gradual return to some kind of normal are sure to vary throughout our populations. Will our older neighbors be hesitant to leave homes for a while? How has the isolation affected them? What about our children and teens, who lost the last three months of school? How has this disruption of routine and regular interaction with peers affected them? In this low-fidelity edition of The UConn Health Pulse, Carolyn and Chris remotely ask two mental health experts about this: Dr. Kristina Zdanys, geriatric psychiatrist in the UConn Center on Aging, and Julian Ford, UConn Health clinical psychologist with expertise in PTSD and adolescent psychiatry.

(Drs. Julian Ford and Kristina Zdanys, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, June 2020)

The Smile Is Just the Start

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 10:18:50 -0500

Dr. Flavio Uribe, chair of orthodontics at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, explains how the benefits of correcting a child's bite go well beyond the cosmetic, plus Courtney and Chris learn about some orthodontic options that weren't options when they were kids.

(Dr. Flavio Uribe, Courtney Chandler, Chris DeFrancesco, February 2020)

Eggs: OK or No Way?

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 13:29:31 -0500

Physician Assistant Brad Biskup from the Lifestyle Medicine Program at UConn Health's Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center tries to help Carolyn and Chris understand the seemingly ever-changing prevailing wisdom on cholesterol, diet, and heart health.

(Brad Biskup, Carolyn Pennington, Chris DeFrancesco, January 2020)