Breakthroughs

Northwestern has long been on the forefront of studying the causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) and treating patients with the disease. Robert Kalb, MD, Director of the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine, is optimistic that more breakthroughs in the basic biology of the disease are on the way and a cure is possible. Photo Credit: Evangelos Kiskinis Lab, Northwestern University

Pregnant women get sick, and sick women get pregnant. Katherine Wisner, MD, has dedicated her scientific career to studying the psychiatric treatment of women of childbearing age and understanding how medications can be used to treat mental illnesses, such as depression, during pregnancy.

As a group, fathers have been understudied by scientists, but a growing body of literature has found that fathers can play an important role in the health of their children. Becoming a father can also impact a man's health, mentally and physically. Craig Garfield, MD, has published dozens of studies about fatherhood. He shares insights about modern-day dads that might surprise you.

Pathology is a field that’s rapidly evolving, in parallel with advances in precision medicine and a trend toward sub-specialization. Daniel Brat, MD, PhD, a neuropathologist who has spent nearly two decades studying diffuse gliomas, is spearheading this evolution within the arena of brain tumor diagnostics while straddling the line between scientific investigation and the practice of medicine.

Peter Penzes, PhD, says the field of autism neurobiology is ripe for discovery and his team at the new Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment at Feinberg is laying the groundwork for new treatments for the disorder.

In Chicago, where you live can impact your likelihood to die from cancer. Melissa Simon, MD, wants to change that. Find out how this scientist, educator and advocate for the underserved is working to improve the cancer mortality gap in Chicago.