The Princeton Pulse Podcast

Why do some people age faster than others? That question has intrigued scientists for centuries as they try to unravel the mysteries of longevity. This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast highlights breakthroughs in genetics, molecular biology, and genomics that are helping researchers understand the biological process of aging and, in turn, how we can not only live longer, but also healthier. ...

About 40 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Since 1964, this federal program, formerly known as food stamps, has prevented low-income households, children, people with disabilities, veterans, and other vulnerable populations from going hungry. But changes are coming. On this episode, we explore how major policy reforms, budget cuts, and the Make Ameri...

This special episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast features a conversation with Chiquita Brooks-LaSure , former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, known as CMS. Host Heather Howard , a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, recently sat down with the renowned Princeton alumna to discuss the future of U.S....

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast addresses the public health implications of U.S. foreign aid cuts, which have sent shock waves across the world. With the stroke of a pen, billions of dollars were abruptly pulled from projects dedicated to HIV prevention, treatments for deadly diseases, basic health care for children, and other essential services – rolling back decades of progress with...

Imagine a tiny patch that could painlessly deliver life-saving vaccines without a trained medical professional. Or a malaria vaccine that doesn’t require refrigeration, making it easier to distribute in tropical countries where the disease is commonly transmitted. Those innovations, among others, are on the cusp of transforming vaccine development and delivery, a top priority in global health.  Th...

In this episode, the Princeton Pulse Podcast explores recent developments in federal vaccine policy that have public officials deeply worried, along with strategies for reducing vaccine hesitancy and restoring public trust. Will Americans lose access to life-saving vaccines, one of the greatest achievements in public health? Will we see a resurgence of previously eradicated diseases, like measles,...

As Congress considers $880 billion in Medicaid cuts, the health and wellbeing of our children, and our nation’s future, perilously hang in the balance.  Today’s episode explores how the proposed cuts would put young lives at risk. Defunding this critical safety net for Americans would threaten the health, development and future prosperity of the more than 37 million children who rely on Medicaid a...

The World Health Organization is not mincing words when it comes to climate change, calling it one of the greatest health threats for humanity.  On this episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast, we discuss the increasingly dire health impacts of global warming – from air pollution to water contamination, higher disease burdens, and a host of other outcomes that directly or indirectly endanger human...

The 2024 elections will be among the most consequential in American history, as voters grapple with profound policy differences on everything from the economy to foreign policy, climate change, and, of course, health care.  This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast unpacks the health policy issues at play. Host Heather Howard , a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commission...

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast takes on one of the hottest topics in health care – and in Washington: the use and regulation of artificial intelligence, or AI.  Research suggests that AI could revolutionize the delivery of health care, from pinpointing cancers that are invisible to the human eye, to powering wearable devices that can detect abnormalities before a medical emergency occ...

Today’s episode features a candid conversation with Dr. Ashish Jha , a globally renowned public health leader and Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health. An accomplished physician and researcher, Dr. Jha is acclaimed for driving improvements in public health policy and practice. Most notably, his groundbreaking work on pandemic preparedness and response led to a role at the White Hou...

On this episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast, we dig into the ongoing debate about banning menthol cigarettes in the United States.  We’ve known for decades that menthol cigarettes are more addictive and ultimately more harmful than tobacco-flavored cigarettes. Yet they’re still around, attracting young smokers, increasing health disparities, and causing preventable deaths. That is why the FDA h...

The Global Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast takes on one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity: antimicrobial resistance, often called AMR. According to the World Health Organization, this concerning phenomenon directly or indirectly claims more than six million lives each year. That means that antimicrobial-resistant infection...

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast takes on medical debt, a pervasive and uniquely American problem. Forty one percent of U.S. adults, or about 100 million people, are struggling to pay their medical or dental bills, which has delayed or prevented care, worsened health outcomes, and incurred financial hardship. Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey...

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast takes us to the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic and other public health crises with Dr. Jerome Adams , former Surgeon General of the United States. Serving as the “nation’s doctor” during the height of the pandemic, and as a member of the President’s Coronavirus Task Force, Dr. Adams was an integral part of the U.S. response to Covid-19. A public he...

This episode examines clinician burnout, a public health issue propelled into the spotlight by the Covid-19 pandemic. Up to 54 percent of nurses, physicians, and other clinicians experience prolonged, occupational stress. They suffer exhaustion, low job satisfaction, lack of achievement, and other consequences that not only compromise their personal wellbeing, but also the care they provide to the...

This episode tackles gun violence in America, a serious and escalating public health crisis. According to the CDC, firearms kill nearly 50,000 Americans each year and are now the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens. The facts are startling, but not entirely surprising, when you consider that Americans own more guns per capita than any other country in the world.  Unfortunately, gun...

This episode highlights a potential win in the fight against cervical cancer – one that comes from a place that you might not expect. Rwanda, a low-income country, could become the first country in the world to eradicate the disease.  Armed with a remarkably ambitious vaccination program for human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer, along with a screen-and-treat program to ensure e...

This episode spotlights health insurance in the U.S. – and why an estimated 15 million Medicaid enrollees are at risk of losing their health insurance coverage and access to care.   In 2020, Congress enacted legislation that gave states extra Medicaid funds to help address the raging pandemic, but they attached a condition that prevented states from disenrolling individuals during the public healt...

This episode takes on vaccine hesitancy and climate change. What do these seemingly diverse problems have in common? More than you might think. Although they are distinct challenges, both imperil global health, are perpetuated by social behaviors, and, according to a recent study, could be solved with a similar playbook. Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jerse...

This episode is about measuring “The Good Life.” Gross domestic product, or GDP, has been the longstanding indicator for evaluating a country’s performance and prosperity. But there is a growing movement to look beyond GDP, which only accounts for goods and services. Economists and other stakeholders argue the need for a better metric – one that considers health, access to education, happiness, an...

This episode of The Princeton Pulse explores the effectiveness of levies on sugar-sweetened beverages, comparing experiences from South Africa and Philadelphia. Sometimes called soda or sugar taxes, they are used as a policy tool to address rising rates of obesity and other non-communicable diseases, and the related social and economic costs. Studies show that drinking too much sugar contributes t...

The inaugural episode of The Princeton Pulse Podcast addresses maternal and infant health disparities, a serious and often overlooked public health crisis. The facts are startling. In the United States, Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than white women, and Black babies are twice as likely as white babies to die before their first birthday...