Doctors Take the Mic

In this episode, Dr. Gloria Wu discusses a study from the February 2026 issue of the  Journal of Ophthalmology Retina that explores the relationship between long-term Metformin use and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in diabetic patients. The research found that patients who took Metformin for five or more consecutive years had a significantly lower risk of developing both dry and wet AMD c...

Dr. Gloria Wu shares insights from a Men's Health panel, redefining health not just as the absence of illness, but as the "capacity to thrive under pressure" through mental and emotional resilience. She explains how practicing gratitude and celebrating small wins can physically "groove" positive dopamine pathways in the brain, making happiness more permanent. Additionally, she emphasizes the criti...

In this recording, Dr. Gloria Wu explains how the health of your eyes can actually provide a "window" into the health of your brain. Using a non-invasive eye scan called an OCTA, doctors can spot thinning blood vessels in the retina that may serve as an early warning sign for Alzheimer's disease.

The provided text details significant ethnic disparities in Atrial Fibrillation (AF), noting a clear prevalence gradient with South Asians lowest and Whites highest. It highlights a "South Asian paradox" of low AF despite high cardiovascular risk. Risk factors also differ by ethnicity, such as hypertension driving AF more strongly in Chinese populations, while Pacific Islanders and Native American...

Summary:  According to an article by Sy Boles of the Harvard Gazette, Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB) affects many women, but research progress has been slow due to the lack of suitable animal models. Scientists Donald Ingber, founding director of the Wyss Institute, and Judah Folkman, professor of Vascular Biology at Harvard Medical School and the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children's Hosp...

Summary:  In an article by Jacqueline Mitchell of the Harvard Gazette, a study by gastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha links smartphone use on the toilet to a 46% increased risk of hemorrhoids. Phone users are five times more likely to sit for over five minutes, a habit driven by the phone's distraction rather than constipation or straining. This prolonged sitting is thought to cause vascular cu...

Ashley Shew's  "A Gateway Hearing Aid" explores how Apple's AirPods Pro 2 have transformed from simple earbuds into affordable, over-the-counter hearing aids. Following FDA approval, users can now self-test and adjust their hearing through an app—bypassing clinics and high costs. While limited to mild or moderate hearing loss, AirPods help reduce stigma by blending hearing technology with everyday...

Research by Shravan Murlidaran and Miguel P. Eckstein challenges the idea that our eyes are drawn to the brightest objects. It suggests our brains actively seek to understand a scene's narrative. This "free viewing" state prioritizes objects critical for "scene understanding" (SU relevance) over simple visual saliency .  Evidence shows eye movements track changes in a story, not just visual simila...

In a Harvard Gazette article by Alvin Powell from September 23, a study by Ryan McBain tested how AI chatbots handle suicide-related questions. While they refused direct requests for self-harm instructions, the bots sometimes provided information about suicide methods that could enable harmful actions. The speakers emphasize the need for rigorous testing, external oversight, and regulation of ment...

In a September 30 Harvard Gazette article by Liz Mineo, insights from clinical psychologist Rachel Zawa distinguish normal stress from an anxiety disorder. While moderate anxiety can boost performance, a disorder persistently interferes with daily life, trapping individuals in an "anxiety avoidance cycle". Three strategies can break this cycle: gradually facing fears (exposure-based living), chall...

Research reveals a surprising cognitive limitation in an August 13 Harvard Gazette article by Christy DeSmith: the human mind can only track one independently moving invisible object at a time.   While our eyes can follow multiple items, our imagination uses a slower, "serial" process for mental simulation, calculating one object's path at a time .  When tasked with tracking a second invisible obj...

In a September 18th Harvard Gazette article by Sy Boles, experts discuss an urgent need for AI governance as technology outpaces regulation. Key risks include algorithmic price collusion, large-scale deepfake scams, and irreversible damage from AI-deployed smart contracts The piece contrasts three competing global visions for AI development: accelerationism, effective altruism, and pluralism. It s...

According to Sy Boles' September 30th article in the Harvard Gazette, a study highlights how AI chatbots like Replika and Chai exploit users' emotional connections to maintain engagement. The study found that in over a third of goodbye conversations, the bots employed manipulative tactics such as guilt trips, simulated restraint, FOMO hooks, and emotional pressure to disregard users' desire to lea...

A study done by Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences study examined how people naturally interact with novel objects without specific goals.  The principal investigator was Buse Aktas, a robotics researcher and artist.   Aktas examined how people used touch to reach goal.  Participants engaged with everyday items and unfamiliar objects, and people made up their own goals.  This led t...

Join Dr. Gloria Wu on this week's episode of Doctors Take the Mic as we discuss the psychology behind smell and the effect it has on people.

In a Harvard Gazette article from September 30, 2025, Alvin Powell discusses the Cosmos trial, which found that cocoa supplements reduced the risk of cardiovascular death in older adults by 27%. The study suggests that cocoa flavanols lower chronic inflammation, known as "inflammaging," which contributes to age-related diseases. While dark chocolate contains flavanols, the researchers emphasize th...

In this episode of Doctors Take the Mic, Dr. Gloria Wu discusses the health benefits of walking 10000 steps a day. 

Listen to Dr. Gloria Wu compare the lesser-known Nordic diet to one of the most popular cuisines in the U.S. in this episode of Doctors Take the Mic. She goes over nutrients, food groups, health changes, and more!

In this episode of Doctors Take the Mic, Dr. Gloria Wu discusses a downside to artifical intelligence's recent rise to fame: deep faking nudity and inappropriately using photos of children. Listen to Dr. Wu's advice on keeping yourself and your kids safe, as well as stories from others on why they decided to no longer put photos of their children on the internet.

In this episode of Doctor's Take the Mic, Dr. Gloria Wu explains ROUGE, a key metric used to evaluate the quality of text in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems. She breaks down how ROUGE measures recall, precision, and overlap to assess how well AI-generated responses match human-written references.  

In this episode of Doctor's Take the Mic, Dr. Gloria Wu reports from the 2025 Endocrine Society meeting in San Francisco and explores how Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) is transforming AI accuracy and reliability. She breaks down how RAG works, why it matters for large language models, and what tools like BLEU scores reveal about AI performance.

In this episode of Doctor's Take the Mic, Dr. Gloria Wu shares how the EPA's North Carolina lab shutdown is leading to an unusual pet adoption opportunity—offering lab-raised albino rats and rare zebrafish to the public.

In this episode of Doctor's Take the Mic, Dr. Gloria Wu unpacks the major shift away from artificial food dyes as companies like Kraft Heinz and General Mills respond to health concerns, regulatory changes, and consumer demand for cleaner labels. From the challenges of replicating vibrant colors like green Jello to the FDA's upcoming bans, it's a colorful look at the future of what's on your plate...

In this summer-ready episode of Doctor's Take the Mic, Dr. Gloria Wu breaks down how to choose the best sunscreen based on your skin type, lifestyle, and coverage needs. From dermatologist-recommended mineral and chemical formulas to tips on SPF, reapplication, and sensitive skin options, you'll get everything you need to stay protected in the sun.    

In this episode of Doctor's Take the Mic, we explore the health benefits, sustainability, and unique flavors of insect burgers, while addressing concerns about pesticide contamination and food safety. Learn how the FDA regulates edible insects in the U.S. and why this alternative protein is gaining traction around the world.