Playlist: Elaine Vitone's Portfolio
Featured
Itch
From Elaine Vitone | Part of the Pitt Medcast series | 08:25
In this multilayered soundscape, the University of Pittsburgh's Sarah Ross explains the emerging neurobiology of itch, the least understood of our somatic senses. Music, sound effects, and humor bring the science to life for lay listeners.
- Playing
- Itch
- From
- Elaine Vitone
Tinnitus
From Elaine Vitone | Part of the Pitt Medcast series | 09:40
This dramatic soundscape uses interviews, narration, sound effects, and music to explain the emerging neuroscience of tinnitus - a ringing, buzzing, hissing, or other noise that afflicts people who’ve been exposed to loud sounds. Tinnitus is now the number one service associated disability for veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among them is Dan, who survived more than 500 roadside bombs. As recently as 20 years ago, Dan's affliction was thought to be a problem of the ear, but imaging studies eventually proved its source is in the brain. Thanos Tzounopoulos, an expert in brain plasticity at the University of Pittsburgh, explains how he finally uncovered the molecular mechanisms of this long-misunderstood condition: When hearing is lost, the central nervous system tries to adapt and maintain a certain level of activity, filling the void with these phantom sounds.
- Playing
- Tinnitus
- From
- Elaine Vitone
This dramatic soundscape uses interviews, narration, sound effects, and music to explain the emerging neuroscience of tinnitus - a ringing, buzzing, hissing, or other noise that afflicts people who’ve been exposed to loud sounds. Tinnitus is now the number one service associated disability for veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among them is Dan, who survived more than 500 roadside bombs. As recently as 20 years ago, Dan's affliction was thought to be a problem of the ear, but imaging studies eventually proved its source is in the brain. Thanos Tzounopoulos, an expert in brain plasticity at the University of Pittsburgh, explains how he finally uncovered the molecular mechanisms of this long-misunderstood condition: When hearing is lost, the central nervous system tries to adapt and maintain a certain level of activity, filling the void with these phantom sounds.
Cornea-copia
From Elaine Vitone | Part of the Pitt Medcast series | 13:23
Corneal blindness affects millions worldwide. A husband-and-wife team at the University of Pittsburgh has been working toward the dream of regrowing new corneal tissue for years—that’s Jim Funderburgh, a professor of ophthalmology, and Martha Funderburgh, a research assistant in his lab who is a corneal transplant recipient herself. Working with collaborators in India, the couple is now developing ways to repair corneal damage, and even prevent it from happening in the first place. It turns out that adult stem cells taken from our own eyes and teeth are capable of regenerating this tissue so vital to our focusing power.
- Playing
- Cornea-copia
- From
- Elaine Vitone
Corneal blindness affects millions worldwide. To date, the only treatment available is a corneal transplant. But potential new cures are coming from unexpected places—including wisdom teeth!
A husband-and-wife team at the University of Pittsburgh has been working toward the dream of regrowing new corneal tissue for years—that’s Jim Funderburgh, a professor of ophthalmology, and Martha Funderburgh, a research assistant in his lab and a corneal transplant recipient herself.
Working with Sayan Basu, a physician-scientist in Hyderabad, India, and Fatima Syed-Picard, a Pitt postdoc-turned NIH award recipient, the Funderburghs are now developing ways to repair corneal damage—and even prevent corneal scarring from happening in the first place. It turns out that adult stem cells taken from our own eyes and teeth are capable of regenerating this tissue so vital to our focusing power.
This episode of Pitt Medcast was inspired by "Eye and Teeth," a story from the Spring 2015 issue of Pitt Med magazine.
Imperfect Pitch: the promises and perils of personal genomics
From Elaine Vitone | Part of the Pitt Medcast series | 29:20
Our guests, Jeremy Berg (editor of Science magazine) and Mylynda Massart (a primary care physician with a special interest in genetics), discuss how the heavy consumer pitch can cloud medical practice, science, and understanding and the road ahead for medical education as personal genomics becomes increasingly relevant in the clinic.
Imperfect Pitch: the promises and perils of personal genomics
From Elaine Vitone | Part of the Pitt Medcast series | 29:20
Our guests, Jeremy Berg (editor of Science magazine) and Mylynda Massart (a primary care physician with a special interest in genetics), discuss how the heavy consumer pitch can cloud medical practice, science, and understanding and the road ahead for medical education as personal genomics becomes increasingly relevant in the clinic.
Labors and Losses: maternal mortality in the United States
From Elaine Vitone | Part of the Pitt Medcast series | 21:26
Why are new mothers dying at an alarming rate in this country?
Why are new mothers dying at an alarming rate in this country? We sat down with Jada Shirriel, the CEO of Healthy Start, which is charged with improving maternal and child health in Allegheny County, and three University of Pittsburgh professors who’ve been appointed to Pennsylvania’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee. We wanted their perspectives on why the incidence of maternal mortality and morbidity is so bleak in this country compared to other industrialized nations and what can be done to spare families from these tragedies.