Coffee Conversations with Scientists

Grab your coffee and join us today for our Coffee Conversations with Scientists episode: The Science Behind How Stress Impacts the Brain. Stress doesn't just affect how you feel in the moment. It can actually reshape how your brain processes emotions, memory, and decision-making over time. We'll chat with John Mantsch, PhD, Florence Williams Endowed Chair and Professor and Chair of Pharmacology &...

As chronic cough, hoarseness, and “silent reflux” continue to affect millions, the need for clear, science-based understanding of what’s really happening in the body has never been greater. Nikki Johnston, PhD, professor of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences at MCW, will chat with us about how the digestive enzyme pepsin may drive upper-airway inflammation, complicate reflux diagnosis, and...

Grab your coffee and join us today for our Coffee Conversations with Scientists episode: The Science Behind Pediatric Vaccines. Pediatric vaccines are among the most effective tools in modern medicine. They help shape lifelong health through prevention, timing, and protection, yet they’re often misunderstood. Storm Dorrough, MD, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellow at MCW, will chat with us about...

Grab your coffee and join us today for our Coffee Conversations with Scientists episode: The Science Behind the GLP-1 Weight Loss Pill. GLP-1 drugs have gained widespread attention for their effectiveness, but questions remain about their long-term impact, accessibility, and what’s next. Join the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment for a virtual cof...

Grab your coffee and join us today for our Coffee Conversations with Scientists episode: The Science Behind Glaucoma. Joel Miesfeld, PhD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy at MCW, will join us to discuss the different types of glaucoma and uncover how the eye’s internal cellular networks shape vision developmen...

Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, Senior Associate Dean in MCW’s School of Medicine and Executive Director of AHW, will join us to explore how digital health solutions, including artificial intelligence, are reshaping healthcare. The conversation will cover how technology can ease health worker burnout, improve quality of care, strengthen provider-patient relationships, and highlight why human oversight o...

Olena Klindukhova, MD, will discuss the biological connections between obesity and cancer, unpack how holiday habits may influence long-term risk, and share practical strategies for healthier nutrition, movement, and stress management.

Kirsten Beyer, PhD, MPH, Professor of Epidemiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will talk about how climate change is reshaping our environment, threatening natural resources, and impacting our health—and how communities are adapting with resilience.

Jennifer Connelly, MD, Neuro-Oncologist with Froedtert's Cancer Center and Professor at MCW, will discuss the rarity of brain tumors and advancements being made in their diagnosis and treatment. She'll share the science, stories, and the strength of a community fighting back, showing how early research, small donations, and shared knowledge are fueling hope and prolonging life expectancy.

David Cipriano, PhD, Child and Adolescent Psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at MCW, will discuss how Milwaukee Public Schools are using innovative technology and strategic partnerships to understand how students' proximity to emergency response calls affects their mental health—and what they're doing with these powerful insights.

The Science Behind Clinical Trials by Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment in partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin

Grab your coffee and join us today for our Coffee Conversations with Scientists episode: The Science Behind Health Workforce Well-Being. Michael Stadler, MD, Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and former Chief Medical Officer of Froedtert Hospital, will discuss a transformative statewide initiative to support the well-being of Wisconsin’s he...

Alan Silverman, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Pediatric Psychology Training at MCW, will discuss feeding and nutrition disorders in pediatrics, their impact, and how parents can find the right support.

Take a virtual coffee break today with the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Srividya (Vidya) Kidambi, MD, MS, Chief of Division of Endocrinology and Molecular Medicine and Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, about the body's physiological adaptations to a fasted state or calorie restriction and the implications fo...

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Michael Widlansky, MD, MPH, Northwestern Mutual Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, department of medicine and pharmacology, and director of the Cardiovascular Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin, about optimizing our endothelial cell function and why it’s im...

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Cheryl Stucky, PhD, Marvin Wagner Endowed Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin, about the neural basis of Sickle Cell Disease pain and discuss recent advancements in pain management strategies.

Take a virtual coffee break today with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Dr. Leslie Ruffalo, Associate Professor in Family and Community Medicine at MCW, about how fostering trusted partnerships between communities and farmers can be a powerful approach to addressing nutrition insecurity.

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Gustavo W. Leone, PhD, Director of Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center and Senior Associate Dean of Cancer Research at the Medical College of Wisconsin, about urgent research and cutting-edge therapies that are transforming the fight against pancreatic cancer.

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Girija Ganesh Konduri, MD, Pediatrician and Neonatologist with Children’s Wisconsin and Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, about the urgent and often life-threatening challenges of neonatal respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension in premature babies...

Take a virtual coffee break today with the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Julia Dickson-Gomez, PhD, anthropologist in the Institute for Health & Equity and professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, about how we can tackle the complex and evolving overdose crisis in our communities.

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Allison Linton, MD MPH, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin, about the latest trends in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and why syphilis is on the rise.

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Angela Rabbitt, DO, Child Abuse Pediatrics at Children’s Wisconsin and Professor in the Department of Child Advocacy and Protection at the Medical College of Wisconsin, on the systems changes needed to detect, prevent, and treat youth who are sex trafficked.

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment today as we chat with David Nelson, PhD, Professor, Department of Family and Community at the Medical College of Wisconsin, on the systems changes needed for health integration and delivery for diabetes prevention.

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment as we chat with Leslie Ruffalo, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, on how transformative imagination and creative communication strategies could increase caregiver and patient relations for persons li...

Take a virtual coffee break with the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment today as we chat with Alexander Buhk, PhD, Bariatric Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at MCW, on the correlation between self-compassion and weight management and tools to help love yourself at any size.