ThinkResearch
Podcast by Harvard Catalyst
Episodes
August 27, 2025 • 18 mins
Launched in 2014, the Football Players Health Study is the largest study of living former NFL players, with more than 4,800 participants. In this episode, Alicia Whittington, PhD, assistant director of engagement and health equity research, joins us to discus her work on the study, including a family initiative and resources for former NFL players.
Transcript: http://bit.ly/47iyKpX
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July 25, 2025 • 25 mins
How does growing up with two NFL football players spark a career in research? In this re-airing of our May 2022 interview with Alicia Whittington, PhD, of the Football Players Health Study, Whittington shares how her upbringing helped lead her to her current work in health equity and community-engaged research.
Transcript: http://bit.ly/3J1wlpb
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June 25, 2025 • 13 mins
In this follow up to our 2019 interview, Alex Lin, PhD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital shares updates on his research investigating brain injuries. In this episode, Lin discusses his research over the past six years, including his work studying the impact of hormones on the brain and gender differences in concussion.
Transcript: http://bit.ly/4k54AJn
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May 21, 2025 • 24 mins
In case you missed it: Back in 2019, we interviewed Alex Lin, PhD, director of the Center for Clinical Spectroscopy at Brigham and Women's Hospital. In this episode, he discusses his research investigating traumatic brain injuries and how he measures brain chemistry using magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/3ZwKaRY
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March 29, 2025 • 18 mins
Bioadhesive materials have the potential to support patient care in a number of ways, from wound healing to repairing the dura to assisting with leaks of cerebral spinal fluid. In this follow-up to our 2022 interview, Ben Freedman, PhD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, shares technological advancements and discoveries made by his team over the past three years.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/42btErk
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March 8, 2025 • 19 mins
In case you missed it: Adhesive biomaterials are used in orthopedic and cardiovascular surgery, as well as neurosurgery, to improve patient care. In this episode from 2022, Ben Freedman, PhD, of the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, discusses his research on the design and synthesis of these biomaterials.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/4mIujKn
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December 14, 2024 • 23 mins
In part one of this two-part special, we take a look back at some of our interviews from 2024. In this episode, hear from Jason Vassy, MD, MPH, of Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System, on how patient DNA might be used to improve healthcare and prevent disease. Also hear from Mayank Chugh, PhD, of William & Mary, as he shares how social inequity dimensions such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and citizenship impact ...
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November 17, 2024 • 33 mins
"Translational science is really general principles for how we take scientific discoveries and basic scientific information and translate that into implementable, viable, feasible health solutions for both the patient and the provider to be able to utilize," says Michael Kurilla, MD, PhD, of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS).
In this episode, Kurilla discusses his work as the director of the Divisio...
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October 23, 2024 • 32 mins
"Growing up in Fiji, I witnessed firsthand the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on small island communities," says Nile Nair, PhD, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In our latest episode, Nair shares his research studying the effects of climate change and the accelerated nutrition transition on Indigenous populations.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/3YeDzu3
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September 18, 2024 • 16 mins
It’s well known that mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, but research shows they can also offer new insights into how cells maintain their metabolic balance, potentially leading to novel therapeutic strategies to help fight diseases. Marjana Ndoci MSc, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, shares her research on this topic.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/4d6Ep1i
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August 7, 2024 • 34 mins
Sharing data in the context of community-engaged research involves specialized practices and considerations. Our latest episode, hosted by Karen Emmons, PhD, faculty lead for Harvard Catalyst's Community Engagement program, discusses critical aspects of data sharing and privacy that researchers need to know with Susan Adams, PMP, and Cheryl Clark, MD, ScD, of Massachusetts League of Community Health.
Transcript: bit.ly/46yawp2
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July 24, 2024 • 22 mins
"[Health equity] is a term that we often listen to, but it involves so many things," says Frans Serpa, MD, Smith Center for Outcomes Research in Cardiology. On this podcast, Serpa discusses his innovative work at the intersection of cardiology, health equity, and health economics. Tune in to learn more about how common heart conditions and outcomes are evaluated through epidemiology and cost analysis.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/4d...
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June 19, 2024 • 21 mins
"The National Academy of Medicine said that every American, at least once in their lifetime, will likely experience a diagnostic error, some of which will have devastating consequences," says Christina Cifra, MD, MS, of Boston Children's Hospital. In this episode, Cifra discusses her work as a health services researcher focusing on patient safety and ways to prevent diagnostic error.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/3xs34i9
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May 15, 2024 • 26 mins
"Suicide is not simply a mental health issue, it's a public health issue," says Sara Kohlbeck, director of the Division of Suicide Research and Healing at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In this episode, Kohlbeck shares her research, which focuses on understanding suicide among disproportionately affected populations, including farmers, veterans, and youth of color.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/4a05v91
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April 17, 2024 • 25 mins
"We need to better meet the needs of children and families by understanding what their needs are and addressing that in the care we deliver," says Meg Simione, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital. In this episode, Simione shares her research examining the determinants and impacts of pediatric disorders and ways to improve access to care through implementation science.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/448dZtk
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March 27, 2024 • 31 mins
How do social inequity dimensions such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, and citizenship impact STEM education? In our latest episode, Mayank Chugh, PhD, of Harvard Medical School discusses his research.
Transcript:
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January 24, 2024 • 22 mins
What role can genomics play in improving healthcare? Jason Vassy, MD, MPH, MS, of Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System and Brigham and Women’s Hospital shares his research on how patient DNA might be used to improve healthcare and prevent disease.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/3SjtTwF
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December 13, 2023 • 26 mins
“The more diverse that we are, the better off we are for the health, safety, and success of the human race,” says Kris King, founder and executive director of the Trans+ Community Celebration at Harvard University. In this episode, King discusses the importance of embracing neurodiversity to create a more compassionate and inclusive world. Isabel Castanho of The MIND Project serves as guest host.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/4837eJU
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November 15, 2023 • 37 mins
"Without the input of the people in the community, I don't think we would be essentially where we are," says Ruth-Alma Turkson-Ocran, PhD. In this episode, Turkson-Ocran and Stephen Juraschek, PhD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, discuss their research study entitled "Groceries for Black Residents of Boston to Stop Hypertension". The conversation focuses on how they've engaged the local community in their research as well ...
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September 27, 2023 • 20 mins
Neurodiversity is a concept that recognizes the natural diversity of neurological traits and conditions of human beings. Guests Georgios Ntolkeras, Walid Yassine, and Anuksha Wickramasinghe from The MIND Project join us to explore this topic and their work in this area. Isabel Castanho of The MIND Project serves as guest host.
Transcript: https://bit.ly/3ZrEeZb
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