Better Edge : A Northwestern Medicine podcast for physicians
Better Edge is a podcast for physicians. It showcases current research and breakthroughs in care by Northwestern Medicine. Northwestern Medicine is an academic medical center located in Chicago, IL.
Episodes
In this episode of Better Edge, Geriatrician Eliana Gellar, DO, discusses how home-based care offers a window into patient health that’s often unavailable in the clinic setting. From identifying safety risks and functional decline to understanding caregiver challenges and social drivers of health, the conversation explores the critical insights revealed by home visits that can that affect clinical decision-making and support ...
In this episode of Better Edge, Shan H. Siddiqi, MD, discusses how connectivity-based, image-guided neuro-navigation is refining transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols for treatment-resistant depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. He details findings from a recent JAMA Psychiatry trial that found that this approach raised response rates from 60% to 80%, with lesion-network mapping potentially expanding TMS ...
As routine testosterone screening gains national attention, Nelson Bennett Jr., MD, discusses the importance of symptom-based evaluation, repeat testing, identifying reversible causes of hypogonadism and counseling patients on fertility before treatment. He shares practical guidance for ensuring increased awareness translates into evidence-based, patient-centered healthcare.
In this episode of Better Edge, Rheumatologist Irene Blanco, MD, moderates a multidisciplinary discussion with Nephrologist Yonatan Peleg, MD, and Dermatologist Paras Vakharia, MD. The conversation explores common causes of delayed lupus diagnosis, when subspecialty involvement can be most valuable, how kidney and skin manifestations can inform treatment and why coordinated care is essential.
In this episode of Better Edge, Northwestern Medicine geriatricians explore how emerging technologies are transforming the care of older adults. Moderated by Lee A. Lindquist, MD, and featuring Jennifer Woodward, MD, Alexandra Petrakos, MD, and Alaine Murawski, this expert panel shares how they are integrating gerontechnology into clinical practice, research and education.
What you’ll hear:
• Improving access to ca...
Nirmala Gonsalves, MD, discusses findings from the landmark DEGAS trial evaluating dupilumab in eosinophilic gastritis (EOG). She explores the evolving understanding of Type 2 inflammation, transcriptomic remodeling and the clinical implications of the trial results for gastroenterologists.
In this episode of Better Edge, Eric Ruderman, MD, sits down with Anisha Dua, MD, and Brian Jaros, MD, co-directors of Northwestern Medicine’s Vasculitis Center to walk through practical approaches to vasculitis care.
They discuss:
• Early recognition and diagnostic workup
• Treatment decisions and evolving therapies
• When to refer to a specialized center
• How guideline updates and clinical trials are sha...
In this episode of Better Edge, Melanie A. Stearns, MD, shares her approach to managing patients with functional neurological disorder in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. Through a compelling case study, she discusses patient selection, interdisciplinary care, the important role of psychology, what referring physicians should know, and the strategies that can help patients achieve meaningful functional recovery.
In this episode of Better Edge, a panel of Northwestern Medicine ophthalmologists discuss recent advances in refractive cataract surgery. Surendra Basti, MD, Dmitry Pyatetsky, MD, Avrey Thau, MD, and former cornea fellow Nahrain Schumaier, MD, share their insights on patient selection, intraocular lens decision-making, surgical technique and complication management.
In this episode of Better Edge podcast, Rajesh N. Keswani, MD, explores major advances within the Northwestern Medicine Pancreas Program, including standardized pancreatitis care and findings from key trials. He also highlights progress in high‑risk pancreatic cancer surveillance and the expanding use of AI to enhance early detection and diagnostic accuracy.
How can clinicians make age-friendly care a seamless part of practice? Join moderator Lee A. Lindquist, MD, and experts Alexandra Petrakos, MD, Jennifer Woodward, MD, and Alaine Murawski, LSW, as they explore integrating age-friendly principles into care delivery to improve outcomes for older adults.
Learn more: breakthroughsforphysicians.nm.org/geriatrics.html
Grazia Aleppo, MD, discusses the evolving role of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in non-insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes, drawing from her recent review published in Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics that examines evolving evidence and real world implications.
Practical considerations for integrating CGM into routine care are also reviewed, with an emphasis on early intervention and data-driven decision-making.
Key Top...
As new data reshape treatment discussions for high-risk localized prostate cancer, understanding the nuances behind the evidence is critical. Ashley E. Ross, MD, PhD, a member of the PROTEUS (Perioperative Treatment with Erleada United with Surgery) steering committee, offers an insider's perspective on the landmark trial, including how it’s adding options for standard of care.
In this episode of Better Edge, Transplant Hepatologist Laura Lulik, MD moderates a panel discussion about the Northwestern Medicine Liver Transplant Tumor Clinic. The conversation covers advances in imaging, systemic therapies and innovative procedures, as well as the clinic’s multidisciplinary approach.
The panel includes:
• Daniel Borja, MD, transplant surgeon
• Aparna Kalyan, MD, medical oncologist
• Robert ...
In this episode of Better Edge, Paul Bryar, MD, and Dustin French, PhD, reflect on key takeaways from the 2026 ARVO Annual Conference, including insights from their own presentations, notable research highlights and emerging developments in ophthalmology.
AI and robotic-assisted technologies in spine surgery have moved beyond early promise and are shaping clinical practice today.
In this episode of Better Edge, Alpesh A. Patel, MD, moderates a conversation with fellow spine surgeons Srikanth N. Divi, MD, and Najib El Tecle, MD, on how AI use in the field has evolved.
What They Cover:
• Where AI and robotics deliver real clinical value today
• How these technolo...
In this episode of Better Edge, Palak Shah, MD, the new chief of the Section of Heart Failure and medical director of the Heart Transplant Program at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, shares how his career has been shaped by the transformation of advanced heart failure care, from LVADs to transplantation. Dr. Shah discusses his clinical training and research, his systems-based vision for delivering advanced hear...
In this episode, Ishaan Hublikar, DO, and Kevin Roy, DO, discuss a complex case of ischemic spinal cord injury following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, highlighting the clinical nuances and rehabilitation challenges unique to vascular etiologies of SCI. They explore how early, intensive, multidisciplinary rehabilitation at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital — supported by specialized expertise and adva...
In this episode of Better Edge, Elnur Babayev, MD, MS, physician scientist and reproductive endocrinologist, discusses a complex case involving diminished ovarian reserve, advanced reproductive age and complications following intra ovarian platelet rich plasma (PRP).
Using this case as a lens, he examines the evidence gaps, safety concerns and opportunity costs associated with commercially marketed, unproven fertility inter...
Nearly two decades after the introduction of combined radiation therapy and temozolomide, the Stupp protocol remains the foundation of glioblastoma treatment. In this episode, Roger Stupp, MD, and Rimas Lukas, MD, take a look at how this regimen emerged as a durable standard of care and how clinical insights since then have refined its use.
Dr. Stupp and Dr. Lukas walk through the modern care pathway for newly diagnosed gli...
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