Inside U Miami Medicine

The field of radiology is in flux, shifting with wave after wave of advanced technology.  While the public speculated whether artificial intelligence (AI) might render radiologists obsolete, the experts were already harnessing its power to optimize workflows, alleviate burnout, improve patient care, and redefine their role within the health care team. At the forefront of this transformation is Dr. Alexander McKinney, Shapiro professor chair of the Department of Radiology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He joined us to share his excitement about the incredible potential of AI in radiology.

The world of migraine is complex and often misunderstood, even though it’s one the most disabling neurologic disorders in the world. Despite its prevalence, this common disease remains deeply stigmatized. Teshamae Monteith, M.D., a nationally recognized headache expert, sheds light on groundbreaking research, pharmaceutical innovations and emerging treatments that aim to reshape the way we think about and treat migraine.

Prostate cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in U.S. men. While initial treatments offer hope, many patients find that their cancer returns with often fatal outcomes. But what if the key to stopping this deadly progression lies in our genes? Dr. Nima Sharifi, scientific director of the Desai Sethi Urology Institute, discovered a specific genetic variant that enables tumors to bypass treatments, effectively producing their own hormones to fuel cancer growth. Tune in!

Dr. David Davis, is breaking new ground in understanding how toxins, especially microplastics, may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, ALS, and Parkinson's. In this episode of Inside U Miami Medicine, Dr. Davis shares his journey and the groundbreaking methodologies he developed to detect and study these toxins. From cyanobacterial blooms to airborne plastic particles, he reveals the urgent need to address these environmental threats.

We’re exploring visionary breakthroughs in the field of ophthalmology with Eduardo Alfonso, M.D., director of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Dr. Alfonso has his sight set on an ambitious project - whole eye transplant. He and his team are currently exploring the use of an ECMO device to preserve a donated eye, enabling them to apply gene therapy and stem cells, replace specific parts of the organ, and enhance its functionality. Tune in to hear more about this fascinating venture, as well as other breakthroughs and challenges in the field that are providing new avenues for disease modeling, drug screening and cellular therapies.

Dr. Helen Bermudez, a gastroenterology fellow, overcame immense challenges to pursue her dream. Born in Cuba, she immigrated to the U.S. at age 15. She spoke no English but carried an unwavering dedication to help others through medicine. Tune in as we explore Dr. Bermudez’s story of resilience and the advice she offers others facing similar paths.

Dr. Ashish Shah, a neurosurgeon and brain cancer researcher at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, is weaponizing viruses to make brain cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy and radiation. It’s a delicate process that involves delivering viral-based gene therapy directly into the tumor or tumor cavity to alter the fundamental genome of the cancer cells. Tune in to learn how this treatment is offering new hope for glioblastoma patients.

When the very treatment keeping a patient alive also exacts a heavy toll on lives, researchers are compelled to ask, “Is there another way?” Glioblastoma is a brutal brain cancer. It is aggressive, common and nearly always fatal. Standard treatments of radiation and chemotherapy often leave patients with cognitive problems and a diminished quality of life. But Dr. Macarena de la Fuente, chief of the Neuro oncology Division at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, envisions a future that empowers patients to manage tumors with fewer compromises. She investigates new drugs that prolong progression-free survival and delay the need for toxic treatments. In some of the clinical trials she and her team are advancing, the tumors even shrank in size.

In the vast landscape of medical research, few areas are as intricate and nuanced as traumatic brain injury. However, amidst these profound challenges lies the relentless pursuit of understanding and innovation spearheaded by pioneers like Dr. Dalton Dietrich. Dr. Dietrich, scientific director of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, recently joined the Inside U Miami Medicine podcast to share the latest neuroscience discoveries and how novel therapies – like targeted hypothermia – may protect and enhance recovery of neurological function. He also addresses the question on many people's minds: "Does TBI lead to dementia?" Tune in.

When disaster occurs, Dr. Elizabeth Greig runs toward the chaos. She and her team follow in the wake of hurricanes, earthquakes and other hazardous events to help the world’s most vulnerable communities heal and rebuild. They provide medical care and essential resources, bolster infrastructure and strengthen the health sector. Sometimes, they construct buildings. As of April 2024, a hospital they helped erect in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is still functioning despite the current gang violence. Tune in to hear her talk all things disaster response, crisis management, resilience, climate change and so much more.

Raymond Schinazi, Ph.D., a world-renowned scientist, knows that research requires resilience. “I have file cabinets full of rejections,” he said. In the second part of our episode with Dr. Schinazi, we explore how he developed a life-saving cure for Hepatitis C, despite being denied funding from the NIH. Instead of giving up and focusing on other antivirals, he founded his own biotech company and set his sights on revolutionizing the treatment landscape for Hepatitis C.

We’re talking to one of the most remarkable scientists of our time, Raymond Schinazi, Ph.D. Dr. Schinazi is a visionary researcher whose contributions have revolutionized the landscape of antiviral therapy. More than 94% of HIV-infected individuals in the U.S. on combination therapy take at least one of the drugs he created. He also invented the cure for Hepatitis C. But his story begins far from the laboratories and lecture halls of prestigious universities. Growing up in Egypt during the Nasser regime, young Raymond witnessed firsthand the devastation of disease when his mother fell critically ill. Determined to make a difference, he embarked on a mission to find cures for the most challenging medical conditions. In the first part of this captivating episode, we’re delving into Dr. Schinazi’s remarkable life story, exploring the triumphs and challenges that shaped his extraordinary career.

“People who have done so much and given to their community for so long, why are they lonely at the end of their lives?” It’s a question that Harsh Moolani, currently a third-year M.D./M.P.H. student, grappled with when volunteering at local hospices. The care industry didn't seem to have any long-term solutions for patients, so, as a junior in college, he developed one himself. Harsh joins Inside U Miami Medicine to discuss how he founded a nonprofit that tackles some of the biggest challenges for adult populations like loneliness, cognitive decay and lack of purpose — all while pursuing his medical degree.

Latina immigrant, DACA recipient, first-generation physician. Pia Iribarren, M.P.H, a fourth year medical student, shares how her experiences, from how immigrating to the U.S. to navigating the healthcare system as an undocumented family, motivated her to become a physician. Tune in to hear how she is changing the future of medicine, especially for families like her own.

Can we prevent ALS before it starts? ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a profoundly complex and destructive disease, characterized by the progressive loss of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord which enable muscle movement. It steals the body's strength and challenges nearly every aspect of life. There is currently no known cure, but groundbreaking research is offering hope.   Dr. Michael Benatar, an internationally recognized ALS expert, is leading advances that are transforming how we study and treat this devastating disease. The core of Dr. Benatar's research lies in the quest for early intervention. By focusing on pre-symptomatic individuals, especially those genetically predisposed to ALS, he and his team are identifying markers that can predict disease onset. These insights could revolutionize the therapeutic landscape, allowing for preventative measures before symptoms manifest.  Tune in to unravel the mysteries of ALS and hear about the resilience exhibited by scientists, clinicians and patients confronting this formidable disease.

Dr. Yiannis Chatzizisis, an internationally recognized interventional cardiologist, was at a crossroads. Two of his patients presented with significant blockages in their left main coronary artery, the heart’s biggest artery that is essential to its function. Dr. Chatzizisis could opt for a conventional stenting approach that fails in 30% of patients. Or he could leverage computational technology to assess infinite scenarios and obtain detailed insights into stent performance and technique optimization – all before deployment in each patient. Tune in to hear how Dr. Chatzizisis performed the world’s first simulation-guided left main stenting procedure using artificial intelligence, computational simulations and extended reality. And, how he and his team utilize these technologies to advance “virtual clinical trials” to test the efficacy and safety of new drugs, medical devices or procedures.

Because of complex genetic mutations, treating blood cancers is particularly challenging and requires specialized therapies. In the intricate world of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, each breakthrough achieved through clinical trials brings scientists and clinicians a step closer to transforming standards of care for patients around the world. Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, provides insight into these diseases and shares the current research landscape in the latest episode of Inside U Miami Medicine.

“You shouldn’t have to compromise any aspect of your humanity to be a physician.” Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, a world-renowned hematologist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, is fighting for providers to preserve the vulnerability and humanity that initially inspired them to embark on their journey in medicine. Listen in as he and Dean Henri Ford explore important topics like physician burnout, patient communication and more on the latest episode of Inside U Miami Medicine.

Physician burnout has become an epidemic in the U.S., with nearly 63% of physicians reporting emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, according to the American Medical Association. This struggle often starts in medical school, where students experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and mental stress compared to peers in non-medical career paths. In the latest Inside U Miami Medicine episode, Dean Henri Ford sits down with Dr. Jason Onugha, co-founder of Without The White Coat and chief psychiatry resident at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, for an important conversation about physician and medical student mental health and humanizing medicine. Tune in to hear how he is raising awareness and breaking the stigma.

When physicians haven’t be trained to tackle a disease, how do they provide the best care for patients? In the face of #LongCOVID, medical practitioners are finding themselves at a crossroads, grappling with how to effectively treat patients. In the absence of a defined roadmap, Dr. Ana Palacio, director of the University of Miami Program in Research Education and co-director of the Miami VA #LongCOVIDClinic, is drawing upon her own fascinating journey in medicine to formulate a #PatientCentric approach.