As we expand the reach and scope of our blog, M&D co-founder S. Patrick Murphy will now be regularly contributing on issues related to public health, genetics, and science communication. This week, we are joining forces to tell you a little bit more about ourselves, our expertise, and our interests, and we thought what better way to do so than with a short public health resource round-up.
S. Patrick Murphy received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Science with a concentration in Molecular Genetics from the University at Albany School of Public Health, where he now teaches courses in biological principles of public health and scientific writing for the online MPH program. Prior to receiving his doctorate, Patrick was employed professionally in a number of different fields including commercial art and social work. He has also done extensive advocacy work throughout his life for HIV/AIDS and for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. He has had a lifelong interest in genetics and will be using this space to highlight new research, provide educational content, and offer advice on how to communicate on these topics to diverse audiences.
Here is Patrick’s round-up:
The microbe.tv franchise offers many excellent podcasts on key areas within the biomedical sciences, but TWIV’s regular “Clinical Updates” feature with Dr. Daniel Griffin is especially noteworthy. Listening to TWIV is a good way to stay on top of COVID trends in terms of infection, treatment, and prevention, in addition to other pressing public health issues. Dr. Griffin brings a clinical perspective to lab science, often giving much-needed context to new developments in virology. In addition, TWIV is an excellent resource for learning how to read papers and evaluate data.
This podcast presents the latest trends in biomedical science in plain language that is easy for listeners to follow. It’s a great way to get up to speed on emerging research, particularly if you sometimes struggle to read the literature in this field.
The CDC National Wastewater Surveillance System is one of the few remaining methods of tracking COVID-19 infections. It also tracks other viruses that threaten public health (currently Mpox and Influenza A) and allows you to view national as well as regional and state trends. As wastewater surveillance matures, we are likely to rely on these dashboards more heavily, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with these resources now.
4. GenBank
GenBank is an annotated collection of all publicly available DNA sequences “designed to provide and encourage access within the scientific community to the most up-to-date and comprehensive DNA sequence information.” If you are starting out in the field of genetics, this is an essential resource.
5. Snapgene
Snapgene is another great resource for the early-career geneticist. This is a user-friendly app for annotating, designing, and comparing genetic sequences. It is also a great way to check genomic data in publications for accuracy.
Heather Duncan began her career in the humanities, receiving an MA and Ph.D. in English from the University at Buffalo. She then took a position as an Assistant Professor of English Language and Literary Studies at United International College in Zhuhai, China before returning to upstate New York, where she continued to teach writing and literature to undergraduates while also freelancing as a marketing professional until 2021. She has always had a strong interest in the history of science and medicine, and her enduring fascination with the study of disease motivated her to pursue a new direction in her career. She now combines her unique skills to advise clients on how to conduct and communicate public health research. Having completed her MPH, she is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Epidemiology at the University at Albany School of Public Health.
Here is Heather’s round-up:
Both podcasts are produced by the Society for Epidemiologic Research, but for different audiences. Epidemiology Counts is a highly accessible podcast that offers an epidemiologic perspective on a wide range of public health topics for the general public. Some of their most recent episodes cover wildfires, eating disorders, and Alzheimer’s. SERious Epi is a podcast intended for practicing epidemiologists. For their second season, they covered every chapter of Modern Epidemiology, the standard textbook for doctoral students.
We recently had the honor of attending a talk by Katelyn Jetelina, who was awarded the UAlbany School of Public Health 2024 Axelrod Prize in Public Health for her newsletter, Your Local Epidemiologist. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jetelina has provided her subscribers with the most up to date information and analysis. She has recently begun expanding beyond the pandemic to address other pressing public health matters.
3. ProMED Mail
The Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases is a free service offered by the International Society for Infectious Diseases. Supported by volunteer work, this surveillance network is an essential resource for staying on top of emerging global threats. Their service allows you to create customized email alerts focused on your interests.
Those Nerdy Girls is “an interdisciplinary, all-girl team of doctorally trained researchers and clinicians with areas of expertise including nursing, mental health, demography, health policy, economics, family medicine, immunology, and epidemiology.” Like Katelyn Jetelina, they entered the social media space to address the rampant misinformation and disinformation that spread during the COVID-19 pandemic. They now offer evidence-based health and wellness advice via their newsletter and social media accounts.
5. Health Nerd
Health Nerd is a substack newsletter by epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz. Like most public health newsletters, Health Nerd provides evidence-based analysis of public health issues. However, his work is notable for tackling controversial research, most recently the Cass Review Into Gender Identity Services for Children, offering thorough and detailed analysis that is still accessible to a general audience.
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