What to expect after a wildfire.
As Southern California grapples with the effects of wildfire, Stanford faculty and research scientists lay out the health risks associated with wildfire smoke, which is about 10 times as toxic as regular air pollution. Meanwhile, as L.A. residents turn toward the recovery process, Red Cross disaster director Luke Beckman, ’09, offers tips on what to do now, whether you’re a survivor of a recent fire or someone who wants to become better prepared. And Adrienne Heinz, a psychologist with on-the-ground expertise, offers mental health insights for survivors and their communities. “This is almost like your existence was erased,” she said. “You can feel quite untethered.” For friends and family looking to offer help, Heinz recommends good ways to go about it. One thing you shouldn’t say? The phrase at least. “‘At least you didn’t lose your house....’ You just want to say, ‘I’m here for you.’”
He’s giving art and soul.
Alexander Nemerov’s annual art history survey course has a lofty goal: to feed souls. Officially titled How to Look at Art and Why: An Introduction to the History of Western Painting, it’s known by most students as simply Nemerov. The professor of art and art history created the course when he taught at Yale, where it became the school’s largest humanities class. He found it more challenging to build interest on the Farm. But those who do take it sometimes refer to the course in religious terms. “His lectures are like these confessional experiences,” said one. Nemerov brings his own experience with art—including works that have altered his sense of self and the world—to class, hoping to spark self-discovery with each lecture. “He’s a brilliant scholar in an area where sometimes people might think, ‘This is not necessary; this is a luxury,’” said Debra Satz, dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences. “He’s turned so many students on to art and to seeing that this is absolutely necessary for your soul.”
Body building.
If you thought 3D printing was only good for clunky cutlery and figurines, get ready for a change of heart. Renee Zhao, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is printing crumb-sized robots that can spin through blood vessels to aid in blood clot removal. Yunzhi Peter Yang, a professor of orthopedic surgery, has filled a gap in a horse’s broken jaw with a 3D-printed scaffold. And Joseph DeSimone, a professor of chemical engineering and of radiology, is working on 3D-printed microneedle patches that painlessly deliver vaccines to our skin, which could be even more effective than a shot to our muscles.
But Mark Skylar-Scott’s $26 million project really gets our blood pumping. The assistant professor of bioengineering is working to print a heart and implant it into a living pig. “There is a lot of work and a lot of scientific engineering uncertainty remaining,” Skylar-Scott told Stanford magazine. Still, he’s excited for the gateway 3D printing is opening. “Pick another organ that you might want to replace,” he said. “One day, this could extend to that.”
No negative (temperature) thoughts here.
Photo: Andrew Brodhead
Daytime highs have hovered in the 50s to mid-60s on campus recently, which we understand is a smidge warmer than most of the nation. So here’s a flash of sunshine from the lighter side of the polar vortex.
Why flu shots lose effectiveness.
The two-shot vaccine series for measles, mumps, and rubella can provide a lifetime of immunity, so why do seasonal flu shots lose effectiveness after mere months? “The question of why some vaccines induce durable immunity while others do not has been one of the great mysteries in vaccine science,” said Bali Pulendran, a professor of microbiology and immunology. According to a new study, the answer appears to lie in a molecular signature ultimately pointing to megakarocytes—cells found in bone marrow that play a role in making antibodies. When mice were given a bird flu vaccination in tandem with a drug that boosts the number of activated megakarocytes in their bone marrow, there was a sixfold increase in levels of anti-bird flu antibodies two months later. The finding may help researchers develop vaccines with longer-lasting responses. In the meantime, there’s hope among the study authors that they can use this information to determine how long a vaccine is likely to last, and even to personalize vaccine plans. “This could help us identify who may need a booster and when,” said Pulendran.
Introducing: Book Nook
Illustration: Giorgia Virgili
If you’ve been looking for a new read, look no further. Stanford magazine is launching Book Nook: monthly recommendations of books written by alumni and faculty. Once per month, you’ll find those teased right here in the Loop. Just a few each month. We don’t want anyone drowning in towers of tomes—leave that to our books editor. In our first batch: Isola, by Allegra Goodman, PhD ’97. The saga of a French noblewoman deserted on an island? We’re in.
But wait, there’s more.
Lily Sarafan, ’03, MS ’03, co-founder and executive chair of TheKey, will succeed Jerry Yang, ’90, MS ’90, as chair of the Stanford Board of Trustees. Her term begins July 1.
There’s more than one way to make it to the NFL. Just ask three of the five Dollies from the Class of 2020: Sydney Maly, ’20, MA ’20, Grace Dong, ’20, MA ’21, and Sam Loui, ’20. They’ve all cheered for pro teams, with two (so far) making it to the Super Bowl.
Starting in June, Sarah Soule, a professor at the Graduate School of Business and director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, will be the GSB’s new, and first female, dean. She succeeds Jonathan Levin, ’94, who left the role to serve as university president.
Former British prime minister Rishi Sunak, MBA ’06, is now a visiting fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution. He’ll work on issues including trans-Atlantic relations and global security challenges.
Michele Judd, ’87, lost her home in the recent L.A. fires. Now, she’s organizing community support in the form of a group dubbed the Order of the Phoenix.
This week's Sundance Film Festival includes five films with ties to Stanford's documentary film and video program.
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