When Francis was born, nobody knew whether he&rsquo;d survive. The doctors didn&rsquo;t know what happened. His parents were in such a state of shock that they immediately abandoned him. His whole life, strangers have underestimated him just because he looks different. Despite this, he found the strength to fight against negative attitudes and achieve things that no one expected. This is the story of a life with Treacher Collins Syndrome.

Episode 1 - About Face

Picture the flag on a pirate ship. What do you see? A grinning skull and bones crossed in an ominous &ldquo;X.&rdquo; These bones are always gleaming white. But have you ever thought about how they got that way? Those pristine bones used to be wrapped in sheaths of muscle that moved them around, skin and hair that protected them. This episode tells the story of how a living, breathing organism turns into a pile of bones, and how those bones can tell us about the lives they led hundreds, or even thousands of years ago.

Episode 2 - Bones Don't Lie

On average, five pounds of our body weight is made up of bacteria.  But what are they doing there? Do they keep us healthy, make us sick, or are they just along for the ride? In this two-part episode, we will explore the mysterious and complex function of these microscopic critters that collectively make up our micro biome.  

In part 1, we talk with Katie Pollard, a UCSF professor who studies the microbiome. Katie explains the current state of microbiome research and how critical her work is to forming appropriate conclusions about the relationship between our microbial ecosystem and disease. 

In part 2, we take a plunge into a man's toilet bowl! (Not-so-average) Joe Hiatt shares an audio diary of his experiences with two extreme diets and the changes he sees in his microbiome.  Join him as he chronicles both his bathroom habits along with his microbial diversity. 

Image adapted from Genetic Science Learning Center, University of Utah, http://learn.genetics.utah.edu.

Me, Myself & My Microbiome

Michelle and Heather talk about a young athlete who recently lost his leg due to an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection. How does that happen? Why do antibiotics sometimes fail? What other treatment options do we have? This episode features Ross Corriden, a project scientist in the UC San Diego School of Medicine who discovered in lab and mouse experiments that the breast cancer drug tamoxifen helps give the immune system a boost.

n=3 When antibiotics stop working, what's next?

Ophthalmologists Lisa Park and Anne Sumers address queries about eyes and vision.

Ask an Ophthalmologist: Bringing Your Eye Questions Into Focus

Published March 13, 2016 -- Linguist Gaston Dorren tells us how languages reveal the personalities and history of the lands in which we travel. We'll also learn how the once-banned Irish language has reclaimed its role at the heart of Irish identity, then listen in as guides from Ireland help travelers prepare for their next trips to the Emerald Isle.
 For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Speaking in Irish; Ireland 2016; Lingo of Europe -- Travel with Rick Steves

A provocative new study suggests that infection may spur the buildup of amyloid-beta, and that Alzheimers disease could be a toxic side effect.

Could Brain Infection Set the Stage for Alzheimers?

In this episode, a team of researchers disprove a decades-old dogma. The result? The first ever FDA-approved drug for primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. In this inspiring story spanning decades of research, you’ll hear all the science, and all the dramatic twists, behind this radical new treatment.

Information about the music and image used in this episode can be found at http://www.carrytheoneradio.com/2017/04/clinical-trials-and-tribulations-steve.html

Clinical Trials and Tribulations: Steve Hauser's quest to cure MS

Your mental state often affects the way you handle uncomfortable situations. Jennifer Mitchell, neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco has recently tested what she calls stress reactivity of patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and alcohol abuse. 

“We make people nervous in a social situation. And that induces really robust cortisol response, increase in heart rate, changes in respiration and blood pressure. And we administer either oxytocin or placebo and then we look to see whether oxytocin enables people to be less nervous and less apprehensive in that situation.”

The oxytocin therapy reduces stress and anxiety and also helps patients be more resilient to alcohol cravings. 

“A lot of people who have troubles with alcohol use disorder and PTSD are self medicating. They are anxious, they are stressed, they are fearful and they find that drinking alcohol ameliorates some of those problems.”

How your mental state affects how you handle stressful situations

UC Science Today is produced by the University of California and covers the latest and greatest research throughout the system. From breakthroughs in medicine, agriculture and the environment to insights into the world around us, Science Today covers it all.

How your mental state affects how you handle stressful situations

UC Science Today

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