The digital edge

Superstar

Young scientist helps design software that measures a surgeon’s skill

On the record

Meet a new member of the health care team: the electronic health record

Driving us sane

In a literal test drive, I chatted with experimental robots that help manage stress — here’s how it went

Hands-on

Surgeon, educator and inventor builds on collaborations to advance the science of touch

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Upfront

Upfront is a quick look at the latest developments from Stanford Medicine

Killer waves

Killer proteins are often propelled during cell death by trigger waves, new research suggests.

Sugar bombs

Evidence of blood-sugar level spikes in healthy people prompts call for everyone to undergo annual continuous glucose monitoring.

Sociability boost

Activating the release of a mood-regulating chemical into a single brain circuit can improve the sociability of mice with autismlike symptoms.

Magnetic pull

Researchers have figured out how to employ a magnetic wire to detect up to 80 times more free-floating cancer cells in blood than can be found through simple blood tests.

Blues clue

Clinically depressed people have lower levels of a naturally occurring amino acid called acetyl-L-carnitine that helps our bodies produce energy.

Stalling salmonella

Varying levels of a natural molecule that slows the spread of salmonella could explain why the pathogen doesn’t sicken everyone who ingests it.

DNA stutter

The relatively rapid evolution of our brains could explain why humans suffer from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but other animals don’t.

Cancer canary

People with frequent common skin cancers could have a higher risk of developing other cancers, including blood cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer.

Letter From the Dean

Planning a digital future with humanity

Dean Lloyd Minor discusses Stanford Medicine’s aim to embrace high-tech tools in health care without diminishing the crucial need for the human touch.


Plus

Deciding to change

In his recently released autobiography, Stanford neuroscientist Ben Barres, who died in December 2017, describes the emotional process of transitioning to male.

Plus

Compatible with life?

Today, some families of children diagnosed with severe congenital disorders want more options for their treating their babies.

The Backstory

Going strong

A genetic test could help predict, earlier in life, who is at risk of getting bone fractures because of osteoporosis.

In Brief

Snake weather

Snakebite numbers increase in California after rainy seasons and decrease after droughts, a finding that can help emergency personnel plan better for treatment.