One of the important jobs of a doctor is to prescribe medications. Unfortunately, it also happens to be one of the most challenging. Pharmacokinetics, physiology, and drug-to-drug interactions are just some of the challenges that doctors deal with every day. It is becoming more apparent that for medications and one size (dose) does not fit them all. In addition, it the role of genetics is also becoming increasingly important for the drugs that suit, and don’t suit, individual patients. Our special guest for this episode is Professor Graeme Suthers to help us shed light on this area of Pharma ..read more

In the 1920’s, Pearl Buck searched for an answer to her 3 year old daughters intellectually disability. Unfortunately, no-one could help her because her daughter's condition was not yet known. From the mid 1930s to the 1960s, a remarkable sequence of events led to the discovery of Phenylketonuria (PKU), accurate testing and widespread screening that revolutionised early detection of childhood disease(s) It was also around the same time (mid 1930s) that some young children were believed to be dying of Coeliac disease. One child had an unusual findings in their pancreas. Further investigation ..read more

The computing world has come a long way in less than 100 years. Since Alan Turing introduced his paper ‘Computing Machinery and Intelligence’ in 1950, we have not only achieved the ‘Turing Test’ of Artificial Intelligence, but exceeded it. This episode takes a look at Digital Pathology and the prospects of Artificial Intelligence particularly in relation to Anatomical Pathology. Our special guest is Dr Joseph Anderson Dr Joseph Anderson Bio Connect on LinkedIn  Dr. Joseph Anderson, the host of Digital Pathology Today, is a consultant to early stage and mature companies in the digital ..read more

Cholesterol is an essential component of our cells. It is synthesized by our cells and affected by dietary, lifestyle, and genetic factors. Unfortunately, cholesterol for doctors can feel like a moving target as different guidelines have different recommendations, new measurements can appear on reports (ie Non-HDL), and it is a constantly evolving topic for research In this episode, we talk to one of Australia’s foremost expert in Cholesterol, Professor Ken Sikaris. This podcast is eligible for 1 RACGP CPD point – self reporting. Associate Professor Ken Sikaris Bio KEN trained in science the ..read more

“I die before my time, killed by the English oligarchy and its hired assassins.” These are the words of Napoleon Bonaparte dictated in his last will and testament on his death bed. Napoleon is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest Generals. During his life, France become a global power. The man responsible for the Napoleonic wars and had previously escaped exile before, was captured again following the defeat at the Battle of Waterloo and exiled a second time to the island of St Helena in the Pacific. The official cause of death concluded by an autopsy was stomach cancer. However ..read more

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia is a difficult diagnosis for patients, families, and clinicians. The vast array of symptoms, affected organs, and complex genetics often mean that it can take years (if not longer) for it to be diagnosed. In addition, the impact for the patient is significant as it is a familial disease that is autosomal dominant with very high penetrance. These syndromes were only identified around the 1960s. However, clinical suspicions were unable to be confirmed as the molecular/genetic techniques only in its infancy. It is a rare condition but one that is critical to recognise ..read more

Coeliac disease has been recognised since the times of Ancient Greece. This is a malabsorption disease that causes abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhoea, and leaves sufferers starved of nutrients. The offending protein is Gluten which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. It was a Dutch Paediatrician by the name of Dr Willem Dicke who discovered the link between Gluten and Coeliac disease around the 1940s. This arose from the keen observation of a young patient’s mother to the devastation and starvation of the Hunger Winter in World War 2. This is a story like no other. See omnys ..read more

Leprosy the disease, is rife with myths and false beliefs. In 1863, Hawaii recognised leprosy an official public health threat. In 1865, a law of segregation was enacted forcing sufferers to Kalaupapa on Molokai island. As fate would have it, St Damien of Molokai (canonized in 2009) was there to serve. His role was that of a model Priest and his feats were super-human. However, local legends are not always a perfect reflection of historical events, and Damien the man can be lost in St Damien the hero. Leprosy is a terrible disease but it is much less contagious than commonly thought. Its histo ..read more

Lead has been used for thousands of years. And why not? This is a metal that is abundant, pliable, has a low melting point, and does not easily corrode. However, even our ancestors knew that those who worked closely with it often became sick. Called Saturnism by the Ancient Romans, lead poisoning was known to cause a pale appearance, intestinal problems, paralysis, delirium, and even death. We have not escaped the perils of lead in our modern times. Petrol, paint, construction, ammunition, cosmetics, toys, etc. have at all included lead at some point in time. Recent regulations have reduced ..read more

In June 1981, the CDC reported an article of 5 men who presented with Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). PCP is an opportunistic infection more commonly found immunosuppressed patients (ie. patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer). The 5 men were young and otherwise healthy. They were also all homosexual.   In July 1981, another CDC article reported 26 men who presented with PCP as well as Kaposi sarcoma. Kaposi sarcoma is a rare blood vessel tumour. This could not be a coincidence and the world was on the precipice of a pandemic that would kill millions and unleash a wave of homophobia, pr ..read more