Episode Notes

Guest: Dr. Laurence Busse, Associate Professor, Emory University School of Medicine.

Joining us is Dr. Laurence Busse, an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine. Clinical trials are often restricted to large, urban academic centers, leaving community hospital patients without access to the latest treatments. Dr. Laurence Busse explains how the STAGE program (Satellite Trials Group of Emory) is mobilizing research, bringing life-saving trials for conditions like sepsis and pneumonia directly to the communities where patients live.

Key Takeaways:

1. Access is Equity: Patients shouldn't have to travel hours to a main campus to participate in research. Making trials mobile ensures a more diverse and representative patient population.
2. The "Research Halo": Hospitals that conduct research generally provide a higher level of care for all patients, as the staff is constantly engaged with the newest clinical guidelines and advancements.
3. Innovating in Sepsis: Dr. Busse’s work includes novel approaches to treating septic shock by filtering endotoxins directly from the blood, a trial now available at community sites through STAGE.

Resources:

• Learn more abotu Dr. Laurence Busse - https://med.emory.edu/directory/profile/?u=LBUSSE
• Learn more about STaGE (Satellite Trials Group of Emory) - https://med.aws.emory.edu/departments/medicine/divisions/pulmonary/research/the-satellite-trials-group-of-emory-stage.html

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To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform, and if you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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Episode Notes

In this conversation, we sit down with Dr. Ronald Eldridge, an Assistant Professor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. For many cancer patients, the greatest threat isn't just the tumor—it's the involuntary loss of weight and muscle known as cachexia. Epidemiologist Dr. Ronald Eldridge discusses his research into identifying metabolic "early warning signs" to help clinicians intervene before a patient loses their strength and independence.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding Cachexia: Cachexia accounts for roughly 30% of all cancer deaths. It is a metabolic disruption, not just "not eating enough," and is currently very difficult to reverse once it starts.
• Early Intervention: Identifying biomarkers (like fatty acid and bile metabolites) can help clinicians predict which patients are at risk of severe weight loss before clinical symptoms appear.
• Quality of Life: The goal of modern cancer research is shifting from simply "destroying the tumor" to ensuring the patient maintains the strength to live their life during and after treatment.

Resources:

• Dr. Ronald Eldridge - Emory Faculty Profile
• Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing

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Episode Notes

Guest: Dr. Musa Dube, William Ragsdale Cannon Distinguished Professor of the New Testament, Candler School of Theology.

About this Episode: This episode features Dr. Musa Dube, the William Ragsdale Cannon Distinguished Professor of the New Testament at the Candler School of Theology. What happens when women are excluded from religious leadership and scriptural interpretation? Dr. Musa Dube discusses "The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians" and their work to provide gender-sensitive perspectives on theology, climate change, and gender-based violence across the African continent.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Interpretation: When theology is exclusively male-centered, scriptures are often used to justify gender inequality or violence. Reclaiming these texts is essential for social justice.
• Sankofa: Meaning "go back and get it," this concept guides the Circle’s work in reviewing the progress of African women researchers since 1989 and building on that foundation.
• Theology and Climate: Dr. Dube’s current work explores how religious communities can use scripture as a constructive tool to care for the Earth and support those devastated by global warming.

Resources:

• Dr. Musa Dube - Emory Faculty Profile: https://candler.emory.edu/faculty/profiles/dube-musa.html
• The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians: 
• https://circle.org.za/

https://www.circlekenya.org/

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Episode Notes

Why do many students lose interest in science by high school? We are joined by Dr. Sarah Fankhauser, an Associate Professor of Biology and Chair of the Natural Science and Mathematics Division at Oxford College of Emory University. Dr. Fankhauser explores the concept of "scientific identity." By engaging students in the peer-review and publication process through the Journal of Emerging Investigators, she is proving that you don't need a degree to be a scientist—you just need to participate in the scientific community.

Key Takeaways:

• Scientific Identity: A student’s persistence in STEM is highly correlated with whether they see themselves as a "scientist," which is built through recognition, competence, and performance.
• The "Fun" of Science: Science is often thought of as a series of facts to memorize. True science is the collaborative process of asking questions and receiving feedback from peers.
• Mentorship at Scale: The Journal of Emerging Investigators has provided over 20,000 hours of mentoring to middle and high school students, primarily through volunteer graduate students.

Resources:

Visit Dr. Sarah Fankhauser’s Emory Faculty Profile

Visit the Journal of Emerging Investigators

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To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform. If you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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Episode Notes

This episode features Dr. Deepa Das Acevedo, an Associate Professor at the Emory University School of Law. Tenure is often discussed but rarely understood with data. Dr. Deepa Das Acevedo discusses her groundbreaking research and her book, The War on Tenure. She provides a data-driven look at how tenured faculty actually lose their jobs and why the "elite" status of academia often masks the grueling reality of the profession.

Key Takeaways:

• Tenure as a Contract: Tenure isn't a "job for life" without accountability; it is a high-level "just cause" contract similar to those held by unionized employees.
• The Productivity Myth: Data suggests there is little to no correlation between getting job security and decreases in productivity. In fact, security often enables more ambitious, long-term research.
• The Financial Reality: The path to becoming a professor is longer and more expensive than the public assumes, often resulting in a high debt-to-income ratio for many faculty members.

Resources:

• Dr. Deepa Das Acevedo - Emory Faculty Profile
• Book: The War on Tenure

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To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform, and if you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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Episode Notes

Scaling Smarter with Causal AI

How do global giants like Alibaba optimize logistics for millions of packages? In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Ruomeng Cui, the Goizueta Foundation Term Chair Associate Professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Dr. Cui discusses the shift from traditional machine learning to Causal AI. While standard AI predicts what will happen, Causal AI helps businesses understand why things happen, allowing for personalized interventions that reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction, and protect the environment.

Key Takeaways:

• Prediction vs. Causality: Standard AI identifies patterns, but Causal AI identifies the direct effect of a business decision (like a discount or a shipping change), allowing for more precise resource allocation.
• Individualized Optimization: By using causal frameworks, businesses can move away from "one-size-fits-all" strategies to individual-level preferences, drastically increasing efficiency. By estimating how each individual responds to a treatment and then optimizing who receives it, companies can achieve dramatically more with less.
• Versatile and Expanding Framework: Beyond the wide deployment across industry leaders, Causal AI is currently being adapted for healthcare (e.g., AI scribes) to improve billing accuracy and doctor productivity, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes.

Resources:

• Learn more about Dr. Ruomeng Cui

Follow the Show

To stay updated on the latest research and impact at Emory, follow Impact in Progress on your favorite podcast platform, and if you are an Emory researcher interested in being featured, please reach out to Dr. Kimberly Eck at [email protected].

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Episode Notes

If you are an Emory researcher that would like to be a guest on the show, email us at [email protected].

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Episode Notes

If you are an Emory researcher who would like to be featured on our podcast or you want to nominate an Emory researcher, write to us at [email protected]

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Episode Notes

Dr. Kimberly Eck sits down with Dr. Sheila Rauch to discuss processing trauma. In this episode, Dr. Rauch acknowledges that most people will experience at least one trauma in their life. Her work focuses on reducing the impacts of trauma by equipping therapists with evidence-based practices and creating resources for people to access and process trauma on their own. Dr. Rauch shares that getting stuck in trauma can lead to a host of issues, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use and even homelessness.  In an example, Dr. Rauch states that 40 years of research shows that treatments that work best to address PTSD involve approaching memories.  Yet, most people will not seek treatment. Dr. Rauch along with Dr. Barbara Rothbaum are developing tools to help eliminate access barriers to mental health support.  Two of these resources, app Messy Memories and book Making Meaning of Difficult Experiences, help individuals engage in the work of emotional processing themselves. Dr. Rauch has long-term goals for Messy Memories to expand into a larger platform and for emotional processing to become widely accepted as a low to no cost option. Dr. Rauch is the Mark & Barbara Klein Distinguished Professor in Mind-Body Medicine and Deputy Director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program at the Emory University School of Medicine.  Dr. Rauch has an MA in Psychology and PhD Clinical Psychology from the University of North Dakota.  She is board certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Stay connected to Dr. Rauch and her work by reviewing the resources and links provided below. Special Message – In honor of Veterans Day, we’d like to thank all our veterans for their service and sacrifice.  If you are a veteran or know a veteran who needs mental health support, please visit VA Help for Veterans or the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program or contact the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 then pressing 1. Links About Dr. Sheila Rauch Book – Making Meaning of Difficult Experiences Video – Making Meaning of Difficult Experiences Rauch PEACE Lab Emory Healthcare Veterans Program Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program Messy Memories App - Apple Devices         Android Devices Veterans Mental Health Support If you are an Emory researcher who would like to be featured on our podcast or you want to nominate an Emory researcher, write to us at [email protected]

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Episode Notes

Dr. Kimberly Eck sits down with Rev. Raushanah Butler to discuss processing trauma. In this episode, Rev. Butler discusses the important work she is doing of equipping faith leaders to courageously and holistically respond to members in their community who are experiencing domestic violence. Rev. Butler states that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.  It is expected that faith leaders will encounter someone who is experiencing or has experienced domestic violence.  These faith-based leaders will need tools to be able to support these individuals. Rev. Butler breaks down the two main reasons faith leaders are not responding well to domestic violence and shares her future goals of expanding her training work to support these leaders.  The interfaith training for chaplains currently underway consists of three modules that she’d like to turn into a training manual and eventually a national program. Rev. Butler's overall goal is to see community faith leaders move from passive bystanders to active responders by better exposure to and utilization of domestic violence tools and resources. Rev. Butler is the Director of Alumni Engagement at the Emory University Candler School of Theology. Rev. Butler has an MPM and MBA from the Devry University Keller Graduate School and an MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary. Rev. Butler is pursuing Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership and Community Witness at the Emory University Candler School of Theology. Stay connected to Rev. Butler and her work by reviewing the resources and links provided below. Special Message – This episode is airing during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at  1.800.799.7233 or www.thehotline.org Links About Rev. Raushanah Butler Rev. Raushanah Butler - LinkedIn National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Live Safe Resources If you are an Emory researcher who would like to be featured on our podcast or you want to nominate an Emory researcher, write to us at [email protected]

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