Health and Medicine (Audio)

Circadian timing shapes how we sleep, feel, and function each day. Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D., Salk Institute, describes what the ideal circadian rhythms of a day look like. Dr. Panda explains that keeping daily light, meals, movement, and sleep in step with the body’s internal clock supports alertness, metabolism, and recovery. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine...

How you time light, meals, and sleep can reset your internal clock. Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D. explains why morning light sharpens alertness, evening dimness protects melatonin, and consolidated sleep supports brain “detox.” Clear, practical takeaways you can use tonight and tomorrow morning. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41206]

Rudeness is not just annoying. John O’Brien, psychologist and author of "Rudeness Rehab," links everyday rudeness to stress and even broader health outcomes, including differences in life expectancy. Series: "Osher UC San Diego Distinguished Lecture Series" [Health and Medicine] [Humanities] [Show ID: 41296]

How much exposure to daylight is recommended for optimal health? Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D., Salk Institute, answers this question and many more on the therapeutic nature of light. Dr. Panda also discusses indoor lighting considerations in order to simulate day/night cycles. Dr. Panda explains that the use of lighting isn't just for safety and convenience but also for one's health. Series: "Stein...

In this excerpt, Dr. Natalie Marshall responds to a question about taking nutritional supplements. Dr. Marshall speaks on the importance of getting vitamins through natural foods. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41185]

Public health often works behind the scenes—preventing illness, protecting communities, and generating research that too often stays hidden behind paywalls. In a world of eroding trust and rising falsehoods, Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist and scientific communicator, explores how we can make the value of public health visible: by telling better stories with data, making science more acces...

Intermittent fasting isn’t just about calories—it’s about timing. Michael J. Wilkinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.N.L.A., explains how time-restricted eating aligns daily food intake with the body’s natural circadian rhythms. He shares insights from animal studies, clinical trials, and UC San Diego research showing how consolidating meals into an 8–10 hour window can improve glucose control, blood pressur...

Biological resilience underpins healthy aging, and Anthony Molina, Ph. D., investigates how people resist, adapt to, and recover from age-related stressors. Molina defines three domains of resilience linked to aging and studies “life course” resilience using the Rancho Bernardo Study, a longitudinal cohort that starts in 1972 and tracks cognitive, sensory, physical function and comorbidities. His...

Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph. D., argues that real progress in understanding regeneration comes from studying whole organisms rather than cells grown under artificial conditions. Sánchez Alvarado shows how observations from intact animals reveal organizing rules that narrow laboratory systems can miss. He presents evidence that stem cells in a studied animal lack detectable junctions with neighb...

Michael J. Wilkinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.N.L.A., explains how aligning when we eat, sleep, and move with our body’s natural circadian rhythms can profoundly affect metabolic health. Drawing on research from UC San Diego and the Salk Institute, he explores how disruptions in daily patterns—late-night eating, less movement, artificial light—contribute to obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. Wi...

In this excerpt, Dr. Natalie Marshall focuses on high intensity interval training, or HIIT. Dr. Marshall discusses the health benefits of HIIT which can be achieved in a short amount of time. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41186]

An in vivo brain organoid platform reveals how human neurons and glia interact across development, aging, and disease. Fred H. Gage, Ph. D., generates three dimensional organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells and examines their maturation, synapses, and network activity with two-photon imaging and single-cell profiling. Gage integrates human microglia and astrocytes to study immune signaling...

Michael J. Wilkinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.N.L.A., responds to the question, "How long does it take to get used to Intermittent Fasting?" Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41183]

If you feel like there's more rudeness in the world, you're not alone. According to John O'Brien, psychologist and author of "Rudeness Rehab," there's a pandemic of incivility. O'Brien says we're seeing bad behavior everywhere, from the streets to the workplace to even the operating room. As part of our Osher Author Talk series, host Henry DeVries talks with O'Brien about the physical and mental t...

Clinical trials turn scientific discoveries into real options for patients and volunteers, advancing care while safeguarding participants. Sheldon Morris, M.D., M.P.H., explains how independent oversight, core ethical principles, and stepwise phases evaluate safety and benefit, and clarifies participants’ rights and responsibilities. Sandip Patel, M.D., F.A.S.C.O., highlights how carefully designe...

Circadian timing shapes how we sleep, feel, and function each day. Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D., Salk Institute, explains that keeping daily light, meals, movement, and sleep in step with the body’s internal clock supports alertness, metabolism, and recovery. Panda notes that evening light and late eating can make it harder to fall asleep and may work against healthy glucose control, while thoughtf...

Join Chancellor May as he meets a couple of UC Davis researchers and the people who have been impacted by their positive work on the UC Davis Health campus. Joseph Tuscano, M.D., oncologist at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, receives federal funding to look for less toxic therapies for treating cancer such as immunotherapy. And Christine Nordahl, director of the Autism Phenome Project at...

Focused ultrasound (FUS), also called high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), is a noninvasive treatment using sound waves to address essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease. Drs. Doris Wang and Leo Sugrue of UCSF explain how FUS and deep brain stimulation work to reduce tremor, outline which patients may benefit, and describe how the UCSF team individualizes treatment. Series:...

Danielle K. Glorioso, LCSW, examines resilience as a skill that can be strengthened. Glorioso explores the many health benefits of resilient behavior. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41123]

Campus-based mental health response matters everywhere, providing timely help that prevents crises and keeps students thriving. At UC San Diego, Triton CORE’s mobile, trauma-informed clinicians meet students where they feel safest and connect them to least restrictive care. Series: "Education Channel" [Health and Medicine] [Education] [Show ID: 40955]

Founded in 1975, UCSF Fresno commemorates 50 remarkable years of training local doctors and improving healthcare in California's Central Valley in 2025. UCSF Fresno is a regional campus of UCSF's School of Medicine, located in the heart of California's San Joaquin Valley. By both serving and drawing strength from extraordinarily deep community roots, UCSF Fresno brings critical health care to fami...

Urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction are common side effects of prostate cancer treatment, but both are manageable. Dr. Lindsay Hampson explains the types of incontinence—stress, urge, mixed, and overflow—and how identifying the cause guides treatment. Management strategies include pelvic floor physical therapy, medications, and surgical options like slings or artificial urinary sphincters....

Psychological resilience in later life examines how older adults adapt after adversity and cultivate everyday practices that sustain well-being and purpose. Elizabeth W. Twamley, Ph. D., introduces and guides a discussion on mental health and resilience among older adults. Ellen E. Lee, M.D., characterizes resilience as dynamic learning oriented toward flourishing and urges a low threshold for see...

Danielle K. Glorioso, LCSW, explores the complex nature of grief, emphasizing that it is a lifelong, evolving response to loss rather than something to “get over.” She explains the differences between acute grief, integrated grief, and prolonged grief disorder. Drawing on both professional expertise and personal loss, Glorioso offers practical strategies for coping, supporting others, and finding...

Cognitive resilience grows from small, consistent habits that keep the brain adaptable. Fadel Zeidan, Ph. D., frames mindfulness as mental training that improves attention, processing, and the way people relate to pain. Erin E. Sundermann, Ph. D., underscores modifiable pathways to healthier aging, highlighting movement, social connection, hearing support, and lifelong learning as mutually reinfor...