December Newsletter
- amwautd
- Dec 8
- 25 min read
2025 Edition
“She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails"
-- Elizabeth Edwards
The Editor's Take: Good luck during finals week!
Happy winter, AMWA UTD!
My name is Gauri, and I wanted to start off by saying that I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving break, however you may have celebrated it. This December, we continue to feature your favorite columns - Spotlight and What's Poppin' - while also continuing our exciting new column: Booked. This month, Sarah will be helping us page through the life of Dr. Lewis Thomas in his book The Youngest Science.
I wanted to wish you all the best of luck during finals week. I know it's typically the worst of the worst, but we need times of adversity to know when the good times are. Use winter break as motivation to ace your exams and get those A's! This is the final stretch, you can do it. Please take care of yourselves and don't spend too many sleepless nights studying.
This month, our committee of writers includes: Sasha Burford, Sarah Sunelwala, Amani Ahmed, Samhitha Palla, and Sahaana Anand. Each of these writers has written an individual article about something close to their hearts as well as a column article - either paired or for Booked.
We warmly encourage all AMWA UTD members to submit their own pieces for potential inclusion in the newsletter. Whether it’s an article, reflection, or creative piece, your voice matters, and we would be proud to feature it. Please feel free to email me at gauri.guruprasad@utdallas.edu with your ideas and submissions!
I hope you enjoy getting to know the issues that are near and dear to our writers' hearts. They all did fantastic jobs this month, with so many emotional, raw, and wildly informative articles.
Happy reading,
❤︎ Gauri ❤︎
Booked: The Youngest Science
By: Sarah Sunelwala
The Youngest Science by Lewis Thomas is both a historical memoir and an ethical account of how medicine has changed throughout the twentieth century and how it will continue to change throughout the twenty-first. Thomas begins his story by drawing on his childhood experiences in the 1920s in Flushing, New York in which he shadowed his father, a general practitioner, and later he himself became a doctor in the early 1930s. As Thomas advances in his career he brings us along as he becomes a researcher, an administrator, a physician, and a public intellectual. His memoir offers a rare point of view in which he depicts the bridging of an era when medicine could do almost nothing into an era when medicine could do almost everything.
Throughout the memoir, Thomas illustrates how medicine shifted from a deeply interpersonal art, grounded in bedside presence, intuition, and personal trust to a data-driven science capable of curing diseases once considered hopeless. Today, that evolution is not only ongoing but accelerating, we are discovering things at an unprecedented pace (such as, the recent discovery of the hemifusome, the first new organelle identified in human cells in more than a century). Science and medicine will continue to advance which is very much what Thomas has predicted in his book. This shift of medicine into a data-driven science while life-saving, also introduced new challenges, the depersonalization of care, the overwhelming growth of medical knowledge, and the risk of losing the human element that once defined the physician’s identity. And as medicine continues to evolve, we are left wondering whether we will truly be grateful for these changes or whether part of us longs for the way things used to be. Do we prefer to be treated quickly and efficiently, or do we want physicians who sit with us, talk with us, and take their time? Do we want both? And if so, is having both even possible? These are the kinds of questions Thomas evokes in his book and the kinds of questions that are ever important as medicine evolves.
Thomas begins with vivid portraits of his father’s medical practice in the 1920s, house calls, surgeries performed in kitchens, placebo drugs given out to patients. A lot of things that make you grateful to have been born in the 21st century. Physicians of that era could not cure diseases very often, they could instead offer only presence, reassurance, and compassion. Thomas’s father warned him that “there were so many people needing help and so little he could do for any of them.” which is a statement that still rings very true today, that even with all of our modern advancements there will still be patients and cases in which all a medical professional can do is offer sympathy because while we have discovered so much there is still so much left undiscovered. The early 19th century era of medicine was profoundly limited, hospitals were considered places of dying, diagnostics were rudimentary, and medical education had only begun to teach its students how to diagnose patients when Thomas began medical school in the 1930s. As Thomas grew into his own career, he witnessed the awful and simultaneously influential scientific breakthrough that shifted medicine into its data-driven scientific era. Antibodies, blood banking, surgical advances, and the rapid expansion of laboratory medicine categorized the 1940s-1950s. Suddenly, doctors could make diagnoses with precision and cure diseases once guaranteed to be fatal. To Thomas, although this transformation was extraordinary and very necessary he also recognized the cost. Where the conversation once was the treatment, modern medicine was now shifted towards efficiency, measurement, and clinical throughput. The most personal interactions that most patients have according to Thomas are often with insurance or financial staff, and the physician risks becoming “the stranger in the room” valued more for diagnostic accuracy than for compassion.
Thomas’s memoir also raises difficult questions about medical training. He recalls that his own education relied heavily on peer learning, “We taught each other… we may even have set careers for each other without realizing it.”
Students had time to reflect, to watch, to learn empathy by witnessing suffering firsthand. Thomas worries that today’s medical curriculum is so saturated with lectures, structured modules, and exorbitant amounts of data that students no longer have space for the informal, profoundly human learning that once shaped a doctor’s identity. And raises the question that has medicine become so technical that future doctors lose time to learn empathy, communication and self-awareness, skills once learned informally through shared experience? However, it is equally important to recognize that medical students must also learn the science itself, the “art of the disease,” the biology of infection, and the mechanisms of pathology. Beyond cultivating empathy, they must be equipped with the tools necessary to make accurate diagnoses, interpret complex data, and ultimately send patients home with their illnesses cured. The challenge, then, is not choosing between scientific mastery and human connection, but finding a way to train physicians who can do both well.
Toward the end of The Youngest Science, Thomas foresees a looming crisis in healthcare, not a crisis of scientific capability, but a crisis of humanity. As medical systems grow more complex, bureaucratic, and technologically sophisticated, he warns that the personal relationships between doctors and patients may be destroyed. “When conversation disappears from medicine,” he cautions, “it may be too difficult a task to bring it back again.” His prediction feels uncannily relevant to today, physicians are pressed for time, often required to document more than they speak, and insurance formalities carve away at the moments that once allowed doctors and patients to truly communicate and establish trust with each other. Increasingly, clinicians are evaluated through metrics, efficiency scores, and productivity standards, systems that track everything except human connection. Thomas predicted this healthcare crisis and the modern healthcare environment reflects his concerns with startling accuracy. Yet he also believed that progress, if guided by self-awareness and compassion, could coexist with humanity. The challenge is not choosing between the scientific and the human, but learning to protect both.
Ultimately, The Youngest Science reminds us that medicine is astonishing, lifesaving, and ever-advancing. The questions Thomas leaves us with are ever present, will we continue to be grateful of modern medicine, or will we long for the personal intimacy of earlier generations? Will we have to choose between speed and compassion, or is it possible to have both? And if both are possible, do we have the courage to design a healthcare system that preserves the humanity of care even as technology transforms it? Thomas believed that the future of medicine depends not just on discovery, but on remembering who physicians are meant to be: scientists, yes, but also healers, companions, and witnesses to human vulnerability. His memoir leaves us with a challenge that grows more pressing each year: How do we ensure that medicine continues to expand in knowledge without diminishing in humanity?
Reclassification of Advanced Degrees
By: Sasha Burford
This past month, the Department of Education under the Trump administration released a reclassification of advanced level degrees. Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, are a few fields that have been designated as “non-professional”. While it may seem that this is merely a change in title, there are significant financial impacts for pre-health students.
So, what is a professional degree? These programs are defined as a program that supplies education and training for skills beyond a bachelor’s degree, and where professional licensure is generally required for practice. This typically refers to medicine (M.D., D.O.), law (J.D.), dentistry (D.D.S.), optometry (O.D.), and more. It used to include MPAS (Master of Physician Assistant Studies) and MSN (Master of Science in Nursing). However, the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act overhauls the federal financial assistance for these programs leading to a new classification of degrees. Per the proposed definition, only 11 programs fit the criteria for a professional degree.
Professional degree-seekers will be able to borrow $50,000 annually and up to $200,000 for completion of their program. “Graduate” or non-professional degree seekers will only be able to borrow $20,500 annually and up to $100,000 total for the completion of their program. This leaves those pursuing mid-level and advanced healthcare degrees at a severe disadvantage if they are not able to pay the upfront cost of their program. On average, physician assistant programs cost anywhere between $98,000 and $107,000 in tuition alone, not including housing and other necessities for students. Occupational Therapy programs can cost up to $70,000. Where students face challenges getting their expenses paid, they may be forced to turn to private loan options. These agreements can be predatory and have exorbitant interest rates that are not eligible for federal repayment programs. These programs are highly competitive in nature, making admittance an already stressful event. Now, low-income students that rely on federal assistance face another hurdle to overcome in pursuing their education.
People decide to practice medicine for a variety of reasons. Whether it be for personal interest, financial security, a passion of science, or a love for humanity, those that dedicate their careers to medicine typically face a sacrifice of time and put in hard work to achieve their goals. How much more sacrifice will be asked of them? And in the face of a massive healthcare worker shortage, the more accessible these programs are, the less of the burden is felt on current workers. This will lead to a more effective healthcare system that can provide patients with exceptional care, and an ease for providers to focus on their skills.
What's Poppin': Rise of Colorectal Cancer in Young Adults
By: Amani Ahmed and Sasha Burford
It’s becoming more and more common for physicians to be diagnosing young adults for certain types of cancer. One of which is early onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC) - colorectal cancer in individuals under the age of 50. In fact, it is expected that the incidence of colorectal cancer among young adults is expected to double from around 10% in 2010 to nearly 20% in 2030 (ACS, 2024). Once thought to occur more in older individuals, colorectal cancer is becoming an increasingly alarming problem for younger generations.
In recent years, several notable individuals have experienced an early death as a result of colorectal cancer. This includes American actor Quentin Oliver Lee, known for his role in “The Phantom of the Opera”, who died from colon cancer in 2022 at the age of 34. Similarly, Chadwick Boseman, star in the film “Black Panther” also died from colon cancer at the age of 43 in 2020. Although underlying risk factors and family history can play a role in the development of colorectal cancer, it still remains that one’s diet and lifestyle are a lead contributing factor.
To help understand this trend, a longitudinal research study was conducted by oncologists. They investigated the relationship between ultraprocessed foods and EOCRC. Specifically, researchers were interested in seeing which EOCRC precursors were associated (if at all) with ultra processed foods such as sugar/artificially sweetened beverages, ready-to-eat meals, prepackaged desserts, and certain breakfast breads to name a few. Participants were exclusively females who completed yearly food frequency questionnaires to generalize their eating habits, and supplied medical history to measure their cancer precursors. While the connection may seem obvious, the findings are extremely valuable. A significant relationship between UPFs and EOCRC precursors was found. Logistical analysis showed that the highest UPF contributor to this direct relationship was breads and breakfast foods, sauces, spreads, and condiments, and sugary beverages. This could be due to a variety of causes such as microbiome disruption or genotoxin release. But now that researchers have a proven relationship, consumers can better educate themselves on their diet choices.
Furthermore, fiber is an extremely important part of diets that can have a positive impact on gut health. Fiber is produced from plants and cannot be broken down by digestive processes. The American Heart Association recommends 25-30 grams of fiber as the daily dose for adults. A small portion of that intake should be soluble fibers which can absorb water and help lower blood cholesterol. The other portion should be insoluble fibers which help regulate bowel movements. While it can be easily overlooked, fiber can be easily introduced to one’s diet through whole grain products, vegetables, and beans to name a few. A fiber-rich diet can help minimize colorectal cancer chances by improving gastrointestinal health.
Interestingly, as the rate of colorectal cancer is increasing in younger adults, there appears to be a decrease in the rate among individuals over the age of 60 (ACS, 2024). This is largely due to the fact that older individuals are more likely to get a colonoscopy as opposed to younger adults. Moreover, young adults are more likely to dismiss colorectal cancer symptoms instead of going in for a colonoscopy. As a result, the diagnosis for colorectal cancer is often delayed in young adults, often by 6 months after the initial onset of symptoms thereby making treatment more difficult as the cancer has further progressed.
It is important to note that colorectal cancer is one the few cancers that can be largely prevented through screening. The American Cancer Society encourages screening in individuals beginning at the age of 45, yet less than 60% of those eligible actually have them done. Given the increased prevalence in younger adults, some physicians are pushing for the screening age to be pushed back a couple years earlier to the age of 40. As a result, symptoms can be caught earlier, thereby allowing for treatment before progression to cancer.
Through the discussion of EOCRC and some of the key aspects pertaining to it, the goal is to raise awareness about the topic and leave people better informed about their health. By committing and maintaining an appropriate diet and exercise, people can take agency over their own lifestyle which will lead to better health outcomes across all ages.
Government Shutdown Effects on ACA
By: Sarah Sunelwala
The recent government shutdown and the passage of the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Act or its more common name the Big Beautiful Bill indicate a considerable change in federal health policy. These events mark the beginning of major reductions in healthcare funding that will directly affect the Affordable Care Act (ACA) benefits, Medicare, Medicaid, and overall insurance affordability. Based on what the Big Beautiful Bill has proposed, 15 million or more people will lose health insurance by 2034. $1 trillion in spending cuts will limit healthcare access by 2034 in which a majority of these cuts will affect Medicare. While these are just estimates, they illustrate the magnitude of these changes and their potential consequences.
One of the most consequential changes involves the new Medicare eligibility requirements. People who receive Medicare will now need to work 80 hours a week to show “community engagement,” which includes work, community service or education in order to maintain coverage. And, in order to showcase their 80 hours a week “community engagement” each candidate must submit an electronic report for the amount of hours completed each month. The exemptions to this rule will be if the qualifying candidate is under 19, if they are caregivers of a disabled child aged 13 or younger, or if they have a health condition that prevents them from fulfilling the requirement.
Supporters argue that this policy is intended to reduce Medicare fraud and abuse, which can occur when people obtain Medicare covered services that they are not eligible for or when providers bill for unnecessary treatments. This causes people who actually qualify for Medicare to receive low-quality care. Additionally, placing such a substantial work requirement on already vulnerable populations, particularly those who may have limited work opportunities, unstable health, or be providing caregiving responsibilities that make consistent monthly engagement difficult. Additionally, those enrolled will need reliable internet access, the ability to navigate online systems, and the time and technological literacy to complete and submit monthly documentation. Each state will also be responsible for verifying these reports, although due to the lack of staffing, infrastructure, and funding to track tens of thousands of American forms consistently, risks are greatly increased for denying coverage to those who genuinely need Medicare or Medicaid services. So, in practice the requirement may restrict access to essential care for many eligible individuals.
These restrictions highlight how vulnerable Americans could lose coverage, making it even more important to examine what the ACA currently offers and why its benefits have been so critical. Since its implementation in 2014, the ACA has served as a way to stabilize healthcare costs in a system where health care costs seem ever increasing and employer-based coverage seems to be shrinking. Nearly 30 million Americans rely on ACA plans, many of whom are gig workers, independent contractors, small-business owners, or individuals without employer-based insurance options. Federal subsidies are at the core of the ACA, the government pays a large share of the ACA premiums and plans while the candidate pays the remainder. However, the current ACA subsidies are set to expire at the end of 2025 meaning that individuals currently enrolled in ACA benefit plants will see a sharp increase in their insurance premiums and will most likely have to pay a lot more for their health insurance. Without federal support, premiums are said to increase by at least 25-30% because the government will no longer pay the part of the insurance previously paid for under ACA plans. Rising insurance premiums may contribute to an economic “death spiral,” as healthier Americans drop coverage due to cost, risk pools become older and sicker driving prices even higher. For families already struggling to afford coverage, paying anywhere from $25000 to $27000 a year for insurance (the current average for self-insured plans), any rise in costs will be unattainable for them to pay. Even if someone were making $100,000 a year (on the higher side of income earned) they would end up paying a third of their income just for insurance which again is an exorbitant amount for someone to pay just for health insurance.
Millions of Americans who rely on these programs for stable, affordable care may face significant challenges in maintaining coverage. With the rising premiums, stricter eligibility rules, and reduced financial assistance, there will be widening disparities in healthcare access and affordability.
Anticipating these future changes, the long-term implications of the Big Beautiful Bill extend beyond individual households. As more Americans lose coverage or delay necessary care due to cost, hospitals, especially rural and safety-net facilities, may face increased uncompensated care burdens. Healthcare providers could experience declining revenue, reduced staffing, and even closures, ultimately limiting access to care for entire communities. These effects outline the importance of understanding how federal health policies shape the everyday experiences of patients, families, and healthcare systems.
Huntington's Disease Breakthrough
By: Samhitha Palla
For decades, Huntington’s Disease was regarded as one of the most devastating genetic diseases encountered in medicine. Since the discovery of the condition in 1872 by American physician George Huntington, the disease has had no cure or therapy to slow its progression. Furthermore, it wasn’t until 1993 that an international research group identified the gene responsible for the disease of the HTT gene. Despite all the odds, in September 2025, the University College London Huntington's Disease Centre announced the first successful treatment of Huntington’s Disease. For the scientific community, this is a breakthrough in how the disease could be eradicated and how the technology used can be referenced in treating other genetic diseases.
To realize the significance of this achievement, it’s important to understand the disease at its origin. Huntington’s Disease is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder caused by an expansion of CAG repeats in the HTT gene. The production of the toxic Huntington protein damages neurons responsible for movement, mood regulation and cognition. Currently, 41,000 Americans have the disease and over 200,000 are at risk of inheriting it. To put it simply, if one of your parents has Huntington’s disease, there’s a 50% chance that you will inherit the mutated gene and eventually develop the disease. Patients typically exhibit symptoms such as uncontrolled movement, cognitive decline and mood disturbances, around the ages of 30 to 50. However, there is also the rare Juvenile Huntington’s disease which progresses rapidly and causes seizures. Prior to the trial, treatments focused on managing the severity of the symptoms, rather than eliminating the disease. It has been difficult to treat the disease itself as scientists have trouble selectively disabling the mutated huntington protein without hurting the healthy proteins.
Despite these obstacles, scientists at the University College London Huntington's Disease Centre used a cutting edge procedure involving gene therapy and gene silencing, with the goal of reducing the levels of the Huntington protein permanently in a single dose. In this trial, 29 patients are injected with a safe virus, carrying an altered DNA sequence, in their brains using MRI scanning into two brain regions: the caudate nucleus and the putamen. The virus then delivers the altered DNA into neurons. The neurons will then produce microRNA, which is designed to block the instructions used to produce the mutated Huntington protein, thus resulting in lower protein levels and lower neural death. Since the surgery, the progression of the disease has slowed down by 75%, which is measured through cognition, motor function and the ability to handle daily tasks. Levels of neurofilaments, a marker of brain-cell death, in the cerebrospinal fluid is lower than at the start of theatrical, indicating that the treatment is saving brain cells. While some patients developed headaches and confusion caused by the inflammation from the virus, the symptoms resolved on their own or responded to steroids. This treatment trial became a milestone that the HD community has been hoping for. Such innovations will save affected individuals from succumbing to a fate of cognitive failure and neural death. Since announcing the achievement, UniQure, the biotech company partnered with the research lab, aims to apply for a license in the US in early 2026 with to goal of launching the drug in the same year. While researchers are also planning on releasing the drug in the UK and Europe in 2026, the priority is focused on the US. However, researchers anticipate that the drug will not be accessible for everyone because of the complex surgery and associated costs. Gene therapies have always been complex and expensive for the general public. However, families suffering from heritable diseases, such as Huntington’s Disease, may feel that the long-term impact and improvement in the quality of life may be worth it.
While this instance should not be considered as the ultimate cure for Huntington’s Disease, it marks the first time that the progression of the disease has been convincingly slowed. The experimental drug provides hope for families watching their loved ones succumb to an inherited mutation, allowing them to gain a chance to slow the progression of the diseases, and eventually rid the disease once and for all. Scientific progressions like this trial expand one’s hope in humanity by helping others live into old age, surrounded by loved ones. While we are far from ridding such diseases once and for all, these achievements are a step closer to a cure and a healthier society. After researching this milestone, I encourage everyone to keep up with scientific innovations. As future healthcare professionals, we can help patients by providing them with life saving knowledge and eventually help them lead happier and healthier lives.
Celiac Disease and Women's Health
By: Amani Ahmed
“Does that have gluten in it?”
Gluten-free diets have been adopted by many seeking a healthier lifestyle or yet another method for weight loss. As a result, there has been a rise in gluten-free goods made available to consumers in recent years. A notable example is Crumbl Cookie’s first gluten-friendly dessert introduced earlier this year: Kourtney Kardashian’s flourless chocolate cake became quite viral for its rather interesting taste and texture. Gluten itself, however, is not proven to be linked to weight loss but is necessary for obtaining fiber, vitamins, and minerals. For many, choosing to go gluten-free is merely a trend, but for those with celiac disease, it’s a necessity.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the consumption of gluten - a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye - results in the attack of the small intestine. Finger-like projections called villi line the small intestine and aid in absorption of essential nutrients. For those with celiac disease, gluten results in damage to the villi, which in turn can lead to a wide array of health issues beyond intestinal damage. This can include anemia, osteoporosis, delayed puberty, and even neurological and skin conditions.
Interestingly, celiac disease is more common in women as they are 2 - 2.5 times more likely to be affected compared to men. Women are more prone to autoimmune disorders in general; although not fully understood why, one belief is that it has to do with the presence of 2 X chromosomes in females. Through the process of X chromosome inactivation, an agglomeration of noncoding RNA and proteins create an unfamiliar structure, resulting in an increase of antibodies, as well as autoantibodies which may explain the increased prevalence of autoimmune disorders in females (Stanford Medicine, 2024). Other factors may include female hormones such as estrogen which also play a large role in the immune system.
Whatever may be the cause, the implications of celiac disease extend further for women in the form of many female health complications such as irregular menstrual cycles, endometriosis, miscarriages and infertility. Thus, it becomes clear the risk celiac disease poses for women, especially when it comes to reproduction. Moreover, it is important to note that celiac disease is vastly underdiagnosed and that diagnoses are often delayed by 10 years. In fact, the mean diagnosis age for celiac disease is 40-50 years, meaning that many women are being diagnosed around the time of menopause (NIH, 2010). Therefore, it becomes crucial that women with celiac disease are screened and treated early on in order to ensure optimal chances for reproduction.
A cure for celiac disease is yet to be uncovered; the only current treatment is strict adherence to a gluten free diet. Even a trace of gluten through cross contamination can lead to unwelcome consequences, making celiac disease quite a difficult challenge to navigate through. The rise of gluten-free products found in stores is a welcome sight, but it need not end there. Given the detrimental effects for women especially, there is an interest in gastroenterologists working alongside OBGYNs to better mitigate the challenges of women living with celiac disease. Furthermore, through increased awareness we will be able to develop novel solutions and bring about meaningful change. You don’t have to be personally affected for it to matter - and for you to be part of the solution.
Spotlight: Dr. Eva Ramón Gallegos
By: Samhitha Palla and Sahaana Anand
A world without any innovation is a bleak society with no excitement nor controversies. As relatable to most of us, coming up with creative ideas and research is something we have all had to do in our academic lives, and Dr. Eva Ramon Gallegos did that very thing to the highest extent. Even without many resources, Dr. Gallegos spent most of her life thinking of ways to keep science exciting, no matter the limitations. She is most famously known for her work as a research scientist in the Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN) Lab in Mexico. Her specialty lays in biomedical sciences, mainly for nanobiotechnology advancements in cervical cancer and human papillomavirus therapeutics. Cervical carcinoma, one of the most prevalent types of cancers, is the second leading cause of cancer mortality for women in Mexico. The clinical study she led and conducted was with photodynamic therapy (PDT), which is a form of treatment that uses a light-sensitive drug and an activated light in order to eradicate abnormal, cancerous cells in the cervix. Though the clinical trial has not been fully peer-reviewed or upscaled, the results of Dr. Gallegos’ study proves to be highly effective for the group of women she treated.
Before delving in further on the science and research itself, it is good to know of Dr. Gallegos’ background. She started her training within general chemistry and biomedical fields, which led her to the position she is in now. Her main motive lays in her desire to provide advancements in women's healthcare without worrying about the setbacks that women face in access to intersectional care. This led her to her work in the highly preventable type of cancer that is cervical cancer in women, but so many face nonetheless due to low access to resources. She worked on the initial work before fully launching her PDT clinical trial for a few years after her graduation from higher level studies, where she worked on finding new ways to look at cervical cancer therapeutics that are more minimally invasive and taking into consideration the nuances that women’s bodies experience and possess. After refining such margins, she pioneered in this new method of researching for women' s cervical cancer. Doing so poses her in a position that allows other scientists and public health professionals to realize that so much of these medical issues that are less researched with nuance is simply due to a lack of resources and access, but not the science itself.
The importance of researching HPV can be taken from a simple look at the very prevalence of it in not just Mexico, but the whole world. HPV, with its two hundred known viruses, stands as one of the most prevalent infections in the world, and a lot of these said infections lead otherwise healthy cervical cells to abnormal cells that are startled into a spectrum of pre-cancerous cells that have high potential to become cancerous. This displays the importance of pre-screening and preventative healthcare that is accessible for all. According to the World Health Organization, HPV in 2019 caused around 620,000 cancers in women and 70,000 cancers in men. This number has since then been increasing, given that according to sites from Nature, there was a HPV related cancer prevalence in 735,795 women and 95,407 men in 2022. These statistics highlight the urgency for effective screening and preventative measures against HPV. Despite this urgency, HPV treatment options remain limited. Most treatment plans focus on removing the tissue after cellular abnormalities are detected, rather than eliminating the infection itself. Current treatments, such as LEEP, cryotherapy and surgical excisions, are painful, invasive and difficult to provide in low income communities. Additionally, these treatments fail to cure HPV or directly target it. Instead, they rid the lesions caused by the infection, thus placing women at risk for recurrence and degrading their quality of life.
In these turbulent times, photodynamic therapy is a dynamic approach in treating the disease. The therapy is minimally invasive and is used with photosensitizing agents and controlled irradiation to target the cervical abnormalities. The therapy trial showed that PDT reduced cancerous lesions and preserved healthy cervical tissue. In doing so, the trial became a milestone in women's health research and can potentially become the first therapy capable of treating HPV infections directly. Additionally this therapy could be used in international cervical cancer screening programs and allow healthcare professionals to treat the disease prior to the development of painful lesions. Organizations, such as the WHO, can provide the support and funding to use this trial to treat HPV in underserved and rural communities. In doing so, the prevalence of HPV can be decreased, thus ensuring a higher quality of life for women everywhere.
Ultimately, Dr. Gallegos' work extends far beyond the success of a single trial. Her research can potentially be applied to multiple HPV diseases and cancers, thus treating more patients via inexpensive and less invasive procedures. These treatment trials remind us that scientific and medical communities thrive on innovations that aim to uplift vulnerable communities and help ensure equitable access to quality healthcare. As pre-health students, her research tells us that the future of healthcare is not only dependent on groundbreaking discoveries, but also on our dedication in fighting healthcare inequities and approaching medicine with curiosity and empathy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Developments
By: Sahaana Anand
Cognitive Behavior Therapy, shortened as CBT, is one of the most widely-known forms of therapy used by psychologists and clinicians all over the country. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a form of psychological therapy that is well-established and used for a variety of disorders such as depression, anxiety, addiction, eating disorders, and many other mental health issues. On-going research shows that CBT can be used as a primary source of treatment for those struggling with these issues, and can be more effective than other forms of therapy or even medication. A lot of psychiatrists describe treatment for such complicated issues as something that requires nuance and personalized care for each individual, and CBT is highly inclusive in that manner. This leads me to the main topic of discussion- the disorders and nuances that are still being researched in regards to CBT.
First, to provide an overall background on the latest developments within CBT, it is important to speak about the latest developments behind CBT. Though it is already approved for many conditions such as depression and anxiety, it is still being developed to be more inclusive of other conditions such as specific trauma cognitive behavioral therapy, chronic pain conditions, and emotional regulation disorders. One specific example to make a comparison would be the aspect of whether CBT is a form of trauma-informed care or not. CBT itself covers a greater range of treatments, where the main mode of treatment comes from helping patients realize that some psychological symptoms are rooted in unhealthy ways of thinking and behavior. In a more trauma-informed perspective, it is important to take into consideration the experiences and trauma that may have brought the patient to the state they are in and still acknowledge that while working towards the overarching premise that these distressors can be deeply rooted in patterns of behavior and thought, and overcoming them can look different for various people. CPT, or cognitive processing therapy, is a subsector within CBT that works to alleviate psychological stressors through understanding and creating healthier patterns of thinking, useful especially for those struggling with PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
CBT is also being developed so as to make sure the limitations of any population nuances are not overlooked. The main demographics that have been researched in clinical trials for effectiveness of this form of treatment are adolescents and adults, but it can be used for a whole range of people, including children and elderly adults. There is also a higher need for more nuance within research for how to adapt CBT to help elderly adults in specific. CBT is effective for adults and adolescents, but for the elderly, different dosages and different medical conditions need to be considered. More reviews on CBT effectiveness within different ethnically diverse and minority groups also are being researched to make sure its adaptability can be applied.
Overall, the main framework of CBT itself is the fact that it can be personalized and have trauma awareness in order to make it an accessible treatment form. Identifying patterns of effectiveness and inclusivity within such an important form of therapy that helps so many people who are struggling with various complicated issues is a field that can use all the continued support. It is almost like a reminder that psychological treatment does not have to end in just a straight forward question and answer format like a lot of false bias may portray, but rather be a well backed up and thought out approach that psychologists, scientists, and providers can all benefit from in order to give patients and those in need the best care they can receive.
Sources
Reclassification of Advanced Degrees
Laws, Jasmine. “Full List of Degrees Not Classed as “Professional” by Trump Admin.” Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025, www.newsweek.com/full-list-degrees-professional-trump-administration-11085695.
O’Brien, Kimberly. “Department of Education’s Proposal to Address “Professional” Students for Loans.” Military.com, 24 Nov. 2025, www.military.com/feature/2025/11/23/department-of-educations-proposal-address-professional-students-loans.html.
“Myth vs. Fact: The Definition of Professional Degrees.” U.S. Department of Education, 24 Nov. 2025, www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/myth-vs-fact-definition-of-professional-degrees.
What's Poppin': Rise of Colorectal Cancer in Young Adults
“Increasing Fiber Intake.” Ucsfhealth.Org, UCSF Health, 21 May 2024, www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing-fiber-intake.
Peregrin, Tony. “Clinicians Struggle to Understand Dramatic Rise in Early Onset Colorectal Cancer.” ACS, www.facs.org/for-medical-professionals/news-publications/news-and-articles/bulletin/2024/november-december-2024-volume-109-issue-10/clinicians-struggle-to-understand-dramatic-rise-in-early-onset-colorectal-cancer/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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Huntington's Disease Breakthrough
Devlin , Hannah. “Huntington’s Disease Treated Successfully for First Time in UK Gene Therapy Trial.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 Sept. 2025, www.theguardian.com/science/2025/sep/24/huntingtons-disease-treated-successfully-for-first-time-in-gene-therapy-trial.
Gallagher, James. “Huntington’s Disease Successfully Treated for First Time.” BBC News, BBC, 24 Sept. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cevz13xkxpro.
Celiac Disease and Women's Health
Goldman, Bruce. “Stanford Medicine-Led Study Shows Why Women Are at Greater Risk of Autoimmune Disease.” News Center, 1 Feb. 2024, med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/02/women-autoimmune.html.
Person, et al. “Higher Overall Rates of Women’s Health Disorders Reported among Those with Celiac Disease.” Healio, 26 Oct. 2023, www.healio.com/news/gastroenterology/20231025/higher-overall-rates-of-womens-health-disorders-reported-among-those-with-celiac-disease.
Shah, Sveta, and Daniel Leffler. “Celiac Disease: An Underappreciated Issue in Women’s Health.” Women’s Health (London, England), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2010, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3046043/.
Spotlight: Dr. Eva Ramón Gallegos
Daily, BELatina. “Latina Scientist Eva Ramón Gallegos Figured out How to Wipe out HPV - Why Isn’t Everyone Talking about It? .” BELatina, BELatina Daily, 26 Feb. 2025, belatina.com/latina-scientist-eva-ramon-gallegos-figured-out-how-to-wipe-out-hpv/.
Kohli, Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli. “Breakthrough- Mexican Scientist Discovers Therapy for 100% Elimination of HPV, Cause of Cervical Cancer.” Speciality Medical Dialogues, Speciality Medical Dialogues, 12 Feb. 2019, speciality.medicaldialogues.in/breakthrough-mexican-scientist-discovers-therapy-for-100-cure-of-cervical-cancer.
López-Cárdenas, M. T., Jiménez, A., Espinosa-Montesinos, A., Maldonado-Alvarado, E., Osorio-Peralta, M. O., Martinez-Escobar, A., Moreno-Vázquez, A., Aguilera-Arreola, M. G., & Ramón-Gallegos, E. (2023). Elimination of Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Pathological Microbiota with Photodynamic Therapy in Women from Mexico City with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia I. Photochemistry and photobiology, 99(6), 1468–1475. https://doi.org/10.1111/php.13791
Martin, Jessica. “Major Strides toward HPV Cure Made by Female Scientist.” Women in Science, Women in Science, 19 July 2024, www.womeninsciencesociety.org/post/major-strides-toward-hpv-cure-made-by-female-scientist.
Savkoor, Tanya. “Meet Eva Ramón Gallegos, First Physician to Eradicate HPV in 29 Women.” SheThePeople, 20 Feb. 2025, www.shethepeople.tv/women-in-stem/eva-ram%C3%B3n-gallegos-mexican-physician-treats-hpv-8738614.
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