Archive for pulmonology
Studying tools to improve the quality of life for people with cystic fibrosis
Thanks to advances in treatments in recent years, people with cystic fibrosis (CF) are living longer than ever before. Along with this increasing longevity comes some ongoing challenges for patients — from adhering to their treatment plans to managing symptoms to optimize their quality of life. The Cystic Fibrosis Center, through the Division of Pulmonary ... Read More about Studying tools to improve the quality of life for people with cystic fibrosis
Five lessons learned from our Vaping Service
Vaping is a public health emergency in the United States. In recent months, over 2,000 people have become sick after using e-cigarettes and dozens have died. Yet despite the dangers involved, the number of young people who vape continues to climb, according to the latest Monitoring the Future study. The Division of Pulmonary Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital ... Read More about Five lessons learned from our Vaping Service
Finding ways to give thanks for the gift of life
The holiday season is a time for families to count their blessings. But for Elizabeth Molina-Cordero, the meaning of this time of year — and the gratitude she feels — goes much deeper and lasts throughout the year. Five years ago, her son Julian, who is now 7 years old, received the ultimate gift of life ... Read More about Finding ways to give thanks for the gift of life
Mermaid Caitlyn and her mer-doctor face interstitial lung disease
Our daughter Caitlyn’s first year-and-a-half of life was a puzzle. She was getting sicker and sicker and no one near our home in New York could figure her out. After a period of unexplained rashes and weight loss, our pediatrician’s office said to us, “Something’s wrong and we don’t know what it is. Put her ... Read More about Mermaid Caitlyn and her mer-doctor face interstitial lung disease
What you need to know about vaping to keep children safe
Could your child be vaping? A growing number of middle and high school students today are using vaping products, also called e-cigarettes, JUULs, or dabs (used for vaping marijuana) among other names. Signs and symptoms of vaping can be difficult for parents to notice, but talking with your kids about vaping and monitoring for concerning signs ... Read More about What you need to know about vaping to keep children safe
Seeking a way to keep organs young
The wear and tear of life takes a cumulative toll on our bodies. Our organs gradually stiffen through fibrosis, which is a process that deposits tough collagen in our body tissue. Fibrosis happens little by little, each time we experience illness or injury. Eventually, this causes our health to decline. “As we age, we typically accumulate ... Read More about Seeking a way to keep organs young
Building a body, one organ chip at a time
They don’t look like much sitting in your hand. A few pieces of clear plastic, each smaller than an Altoids tin, with channels visible inside and holes for plugging tubing into them. But fill them with cells and treat those cells the right way, and they turn into something amazing: tiny hearts, lungs, guts, kidneys. ... Read More about Building a body, one organ chip at a time
Drug-testing alternative: a lung on a chip
Combining microfabrication techniques from the computer industry with modern tissue engineering, a team at Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering has created a device that mimics the function of a human lung. This living “lung-on-a-chip,” which incorporates human lung and blood-vessel cells, reproduces the all-important interface between the lung’s tiny ... Read More about Drug-testing alternative: a lung on a chip