What To Know: A Video Series

9.16.22

Time is of the essence when a patient exhibits signs of sepsis – the body’s extreme reaction to an infection. At UT Southwestern, Sterling Overstreet, M.D., an emergency medicine physician, and Cary Orrick, Performance Improvement Coordinator for Nursing, have helped introduce protocols to diagnose sepsis early and reduce mortality rates, raising awareness about the potentially life-threatening condition.

9.02.22

Survival rates for most forms of cancer have improved in recent years, but pancreatic cancer remains a deadly anomaly because early detection is very difficult. By focusing on a unique prevention program for high-risk individuals, clinical research, and advances in endoscopic and surgical treatments, UT Southwestern specialists are working to change the outlook for pancreatic cancer patients.

8.19.22

As cases rise in Texas and the U.S., monkeypox has been declared a public health emergency and questions continue to swirl about the viral outbreak. UT Southwestern infectious disease experts Dr. Trish Perl and Dr. Ikwo Oboho explain the origins of monkeypox, its symptoms and severity, how to protect yourself, and who needs a vaccine.

8.05.22

The rise of Omicron mutations BA.4 and BA.5 has created a fresh wave of confusion and concern for a COVID-weary public. Dr. Brad Cutrell, an infectious diseases expert, and Dr. Jeffrey SoRelle, a pathologist whose lab at UT Southwestern is sequencing COVID-19 subvariants, tackle the tough questions about accelerated transmission rates, milder COVID-related illness, reduced vaccine efficacy, and Omicron-specific booster shots.

7.22.22

Gliomas have long been considered one of the most daunting forms of cancer, but advances in research, imaging, and treatments are turning the tide on these brain tumors. Dr. Elizabeth Maher, Director of UT Southwestern’s translational research program in neuro-oncology, and Dr. Toral Patel, a neurosurgeon who specializes in advanced surgical techniques, provide a glimpse into the precise and personalized treatment options now available to patients.

7.08.22

The revolution in cancer survival rates has created a new field in medicine called cardio-oncology, in which heart specialists work closely with cancer doctors to maximize care and minimize cardiovascular risks from treatments such as chemotherapy. UT Southwestern cardio-oncologist Dr. Vlad Zaha and Dr. Suzanne Conzen, Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology, explain how this bridge between cancer and heart care provides long-term benefits patients.

5.06.22

The magnitude of America’s opioid crisis can feel overwhelming – we lose more people every year to overdoses than we did in the Vietnam War. But Marti Taylor, President and CEO of OneFifteen, a treatment center in Dayton, Ohio, says investments in evidence-based care and screening, plus reducing the stigma surrounding addiction, can help turn the tide.

4.29.22

The field of organ transplantation has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, with longer-term survival rates, fewer post-transplant infections, and more living donors coming forward. For Donate Life Month, the leaders of UT Southwestern’s Kidney and Liver Transplant Programs discuss the tremendous progress that’s been made and the challenges that still lie ahead.

4.22.22

With case counts low and summer vacations coming up, many people over age 50 are trying to decide if, and when, to get their fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine (second booster). UT Southwestern Infectious Diseases specialists Dr. Pearlie Chong and Dr. Reuben Arasaratnam weigh in on the benefits of the second booster and who needs it most.

4.14.22

For families living with diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, finding an expert diagnosis and advanced care can be very challenging. Dr. Angela Scheuerle and Dr. Ralph DeBerardinis lead UT Southwestern’s Center of Excellence for Rare Diseases, where genetic research and clinical progress are making a real impact on patients’ lives.

4.01.22

As we transition to a recovery phase of the pandemic, supporting children’s physical and mental health presents a new challenge for parents. UT Southwestern pediatric specialists Dr. Maeve Sheehan and Dr. James Norcross provide practical advice on how to help kids of all ages adjust to a post-pandemic life.

3.18.22

Our eyes have been working overtime during the pandemic, with many of us staring at screens for hours on end. Dr. J. William Harbour, the new Chair of UT Southwestern’s Department of Ophthalmology, discusses strategies to combat eye fatigue as well as the research his team is doing to safeguard patients’ vision in the face of age-related degeneration and ocular cancer.

3.04.22
The pandemic has created a seismic shift in how and where we work. Dr. Susan McElroy, an Associate Professor of Economics at UT Dallas, and Michael Billing, Managing Director of Consulting for real estate and investment firm JLL, explore how individuals and companies are adapting to a post-COVID workplace.

2.18.22
Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S., and as the Omicron wave wanes, an SMU medical anthropologist and a UT-Dallas social scientist examine what the world will look like post-pandemic and how our lives will be forever changed.

2.04.22
The pandemic has taken its toll on our hearts with blood pressure levels rising, particularly among women. UT Southwestern cardiologists Dr. Maryjane Farr and Dr. Ann Marie Navar suggest that February – Heart Month – is the perfect time to ramp up prevention strategies and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

1.21.22
Advances in brain mapping, CRISPR technology, and neurosurgery are being transformed into life-changing treatments for patients at UT Southwestern’s Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute. Dr. William Dauer, Director of the Institute, and Dr. Nader Pouratian, Chair of Neurological Surgery, discuss how their teams are unlocking the mysteries of brain diseases, from epilepsy to Alzheimer’s.