Petrie Dish

Chronic kidney disease with no clear cause is killing young people who do physical labor in Central America at an alarming rate. A UT Health San Antonio researcher has spent a decade looking for answers, and this summer, he'll study similar workers in San Antonio to see if clues he uncovers here can save lives there.

The same mRNA technology President Trump called a medical miracle is now under attack by his own administration, and the stakes go far beyond vaccines. TPR's Bonnie Petrie talks with two San Antonio scientists about the technology's history, its current uncertainty, and its future potential.

A new center for the study of chronic infectious diseases aims to develop treatments for illnesses like Valley fever, tuberculosis, HIV, and Long COVID that disproportionately affect South Texas communities. Led by Dr. Barbara Taylor, the center seeks to attract top researchers and serve as a hub for clinical trials and community-focused care.

In March, around 90% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, which has been linked to serious physical and mental health challenges. What is vitamin D? How do you get it? What can happen if you don't get enough? What is enough? TPR's Bonnie Petrie talks about her own March madness with a Boston University doctor who has been studying this chemical — that isn't actually a vitamin — for decades.

A study of two groups of 70-year-olds found that branched-chain amino acids combined with exercise improve physical function and quality of life. Exercise alone did not.

From COVID-19 research to Parkinson's disease therapies, these statistical experts turn numbers into answers, helping doctors make evidence-based decisions that improve patient care.

Many medications ease the constellation of symptoms that define Parkinson's disease, but the only treatment that slows the progression of the neurological movement disorder can't be purchased at a pharmacy. It's high-intensity, cardiovascular exercise, like boxing, and it's changing lives.

Jannine Cody, PhD, founded and leads the Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center, which has revolutionized the understanding of and care for disorders caused by alterations in chromosome 18 in humans. However, Cody began this mission as a mom with a baby with a chromosome 18 disorder who needed care.

Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital Dr. Peter Hotez shares his thoughts on changes to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule. He also offers advice on where parents can go for credible guidance on whether and when to get their children vaccinated.

From announcing then backtracking on a cause for autism to slashing federal public health funding to changing childhood vaccine recommendations, the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services triggered an earthquake of change in U.S. public health policy. Infectious diseases doctor Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, assesses the still rattling landscape with TPR's Bonnie Petrie.