Resurgence of Worrisome Diseases
PodcastDX
Several preventable diseases are experiencing a resurgence due to declining vaccination rates. These include: Diphtheria: A bacterial infection that can lead to a thick membrane in the throat and respiratory failure. Tuberculosis: A bacterial infection that can affect the lungs and other organs. Chickenpox: A viral infection that can cause blisters and scarring. Polio: A viral disease that can cause paralysis. Measles: This highly contagious virus can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis. Mumps: A viral...
info_outline
Understanding POTS with Dr. Diana Driscoll
PodcastDX
This Week on PodcastDX: Understanding POTS with Dr. Diana Driscoll This week we are honored to welcome none other than Dr. Diana Driscoll, a world-renowned authority on the autonomic nervous system. An optometrist and Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO), Dr. Driscoll is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking research on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and other conditions once thought to be “invisible.” Dr. Driscoll has dedicated her career to improving the lives of those affected by autonomic disorders. Her journey began as a patient...
info_outline
Spinal Muscular Atrophy SMA with Gyzele Brown
PodcastDX
Gyzele Brown is a proud native of Greenville, MS, now residing in Cleveland, MS. She is the owner and operator of Gyzele’s Salon and Spa, where she’s dedicated to not only transforming looks but also impacting lives through her work. A graduate of Delta State University and Goshen Cosmetology School, Gyzele’s journey began with a background in speech and hearing science — yet her passion for hair and beauty took center stage. Beyond her career, Gyzele is a proud mother of three amazing children who all have spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic disease. Her journey...
info_outline
The Trifecta: EDS, POTs & MCAS
PodcastDX
What do we mean when we see the word "Trifecta" ? In Horse Racing you would be talking about a bet where you must pick the first, second, and third-place horses in the precise order they finish. In skincare, "The Trifecta" can refer to a set of three essential skincare products that work together for visible results, like a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer. But in this show where we discuss healthcare conditions, "" refers to the three specific diseases which are often found to occur together. For today's show that means EDS, (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) POTs (Postural...
info_outline
Friedreich's Ataxia with Alexia Baker
PodcastDX
This week we talk with Alexis, 25, was diagnosed with Friedreich ataxia (FA) five years ago and since then, has been using her voice and social media platforms to raise awareness for the rare disease. Alexis recently started a foundation, whose goal is to raise money to provide new walkers and wheelchairs for those in need. She currently lives in Tennessee, loves fashion and is currently planning a wedding to her fiancée. Friedreich's ataxia is a rare, inherited disease. It damages the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and the cerebellum part of the brain. It also leads to heart...
info_outline
Hemiplegic Migraine
PodcastDX
Migraine can present in a variety of ways. Hemiplegic migraine is a rare form of migraine where people experience weakness on one side of their body (hemiplegia) in addition to the migraine headache attack. The weakness is a form of migraine aura and occurs with other forms of typical migraine aura like changes in vision, speech or sensation. Our guest on today's show is Amber is a Registered Nurse turned blogger and patient advocate for those with chronic illnesses. Amber Blackburn is a Registered Nurse turned blogger and patient advocate for those with chronic...
info_outline
Dangers in the Beauty Industry
PodcastDX
This week we discuss dangers in the beauty industry. From a client's perspective, the issues might not be as severe, but the clinicians who must deal with chemicals day in and day out are at a greater risk. The average woman uses 12 different beauty products every day — cleansers, conditioners, hair dyes, fragrances, skin care products, scented lotions, nail polish, and makeup, to name a few. Take a quick glance at the labels, and you'll see a cocktail of chemical components. You might assume that all these ingredients have been tested to ensure that they're safe for long-term...
info_outline
Elderly Fade
PodcastDX
This week's episode has the cohosts talking about social isolation and earlier death among the elderly population. Studies have shown that loneliness is associated with a higher risk of mortality in older adults. For example, one study found that individuals experiencing loneliness at one or more points in time had a higher hazard for mortality compared to those who never experienced loneliness. Loneliness can trigger physiological stress responses, potentially leading to chronic inflammation and reduced immunity. These factors can contribute to the development of...
info_outline
Tularemia or Rabbit Fever
PodcastDX
Tularemia is a highly infectious disease you get from the bacterium F. tularensis. You can get it from bug bites, infected animals, contaminated water or food, and particles of bacteria in the air. Tularemia can affect your skin, eyes, throat, lungs and intestines. Tularemia should be treated as soon as possible with antibiotics. We will not have a guest for this week, but would love to invite anyone who has been diagnosed with Tularemia to be a guest on a future show. Tularemia causes your lymph nodes to painfully swell and other symptoms in your lungs, eyes, throat and intestines,...
info_outline
Blastomycosis
PodcastDX
Our guest for this week is Sara Olson. Sara (her TikTok name is ) is from the Wolf River area of Wisconsin which just happens to hold the highest concentration of the fungus that causes Blastomycosis. When Sara got Blastomycosis in January 2024, she thought it was 'just the flu'. With a chest xray, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. Several rounds of antibiotics didn't help so she did a CT scan where they found an embolism. Still not knowing anything else, they continued treating her for bacterial pneumonia. They did a swab of her sputum in which her health...
info_outlineThis week we will discuss M-RNA vaccines. Our guest is Thomas VanCott, PhD. Thomas VanCott is currently the Chief Scientific Officer for Combined Therapeutics, a Boston based biotech company developing targeted mRNA therapies. Prior to this he served as the Chief Technology and Strategy Officer for Catalent Cell & Gene Therapy, a global CDMO manufacturing viral vectors for gene and cell therapies as wells as plasmid DNA & mRNA platforms based in Baltimore, MD. He was responsible for strategically enhancing CMC services to meet the market demand of increasingly complex gene and cell therapy products as well as leading the product development and internal R&D teams. Prior to this, he was the CEO for 10 years at a Maryland-based CMO/CRO (ABL) where he was responsible for the strategic international growth of the company. He has been involved in biologics product development for over 25 years. He has a PhD in physical chemistry and started his career as a Captain in the US Army stationed at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) studying and developing HIV vaccines for international deployment from initial construction through preclinical development, GMP manufacturing and clinical development.
Vaccines help prevent infection by preparing the body to fight foreign invaders (such as bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens). All vaccines introduce into the body a harmless piece of a particular bacteria or virus, triggering an immune response. Most vaccines contain a weakened or dead bacteria or virus. However, scientists have developed a new type of vaccine that uses a molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA) rather than part of an actual bacteria or virus. Messenger RNA is a type of RNA that is necessary for protein production. Once cells finish making a protein, they quickly break down the mRNA. mRNA from vaccines does not enter the nucleus and does not alter DNA.
mRNA vaccines work by introducing a piece of mRNA that corresponds to a viral protein, usually a small piece of a protein found on the virus’s outer membrane. (Individuals who get an mRNA vaccine are not exposed to the virus, nor can they become infected with the virus by the vaccine.) By using this mRNA, cells can produce the viral protein. As part of a normal immune response, the immune system recognizes that the protein is foreign and produces specialized proteins called antibodies. Antibodies help protect the body against infection by recognizing individual viruses or other pathogens, attaching to them, and marking the pathogens for destruction. Once produced, antibodies remain in the body, even after the body has rid itself of the pathogen, so that the immune system can quickly respond if exposed again. If a person is exposed to a virus after receiving mRNA vaccination for it, antibodies can quickly recognize it, attach to it, and mark it for destruction before it can cause serious illness.
Like all vaccines in the United States, mRNA vaccines require authorization or approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they can be used. Currently vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, are the only authorized or approved mRNA vaccines. These vaccines use mRNA that directs cells to produce copies of a protein on the outside of the coronavirus known as the “spike protein”. Researchers are studying how mRNA might be used to develop vaccines for additional diseases. (credits: Medline Plus)