The Princeton Pulse Podcast

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast highlights exciting advancements in the fight against breast cancer and the research that makes them possible.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world; about one in eight women will face the disease during her lifetime. The good news, however, is that while cases are going up, the death rate is going down – thanks, in large part, to scientific discoveries fueling breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment. 

For decades, the National Institutes of Health has poured billions of dollars into the biomedical research driving that success. But federal support has plummeted, creating a climate of uncertainty and prompting states and research institutions to pursue other sources of sustainable funding.

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, delves into some of these promising innovations and funding challenges with Princeton professor and molecular biologist Yibin Kang, whose groundbreaking research has increased our understanding of how breast cancer spreads and has led to more effective treatments. Kang is also a co-founder of the Princeton branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and two biotechnology companies focused on novel cancer therapeutics. Also joining the show is Dr. Kenneth Adler, a hematologic oncologist and current chair of the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research, who is advocating for the state of New Jersey to allocate $10 million annually from its tobacco tax revenue to cancer research, creating a stable funding stream that would allow New Jersey-based researchers to continue their life-saving work.  

The panel will share some of the novel therapeutics bringing hope to patients with metastatic cancer, such as precision treatment and immunotherapy, strides in early detection, and concerns regarding disparities in access. They also will discuss the precarity of scientific funding and what’s at stake if we lose it – including a whole generation of researchers who could expand our arsenal of life-saving cures.

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Read about Yibin Kang’s latest breakthrough in immunotherapy and other research on the molecular mechanisms of cancer metastasis.

Read about proposed, bipartisan legislation to secure sustainable funding for cancer research in New Jersey.

Read Heather Howard’s article on how the 1998 tobacco settlement can inform the disbursement of other revenue streams.

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

Why do some people age faster than others? That question has intrigued scientists for centuries as they try to unravel the mysteries of longevity. This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast highlights breakthroughs in genetics, molecular biology, and genomics that are helping researchers understand the biological process of aging and, in turn, how we can not only live longer, but also healthier. 

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, is joined by two guests: Professor Coleen Murphy, director of Princeton’s Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and the Paul F. Glenn Laboratories for Aging Research, whose work explores the molecular underpinning of longevity and age-associated diseases; and  Professor Jeremy Berg from the University of Pittsburgh, who formerly served as editor-in-chief of Science magazine and director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. 

The panel discusses how scientific research could hold the key to longevity. They explain how studying worms and other organisms may lead to discoveries that improve women’s reproductive health, slow down cognitive aging, and prevent or manage certain chronic and degenerative disorders. They also underscore the impact of federal research funding on this important work.

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Learn more about Coleen Murphy’s research on the process of aging: Coleen Murphy | Lewis-Sigler Institute 

Learn more about Jeremy Berg’s current research at University of Pittsburgh: Jeremy M. Berg, PhD - Department of Computational and Systems Biology

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

About 40 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. Since 1964, this federal program, formerly known as food stamps, has prevented low-income households, children, people with disabilities, veterans, and other vulnerable populations from going hungry. But changes are coming. On this episode, we explore how major policy reforms, budget cuts, and the Make America Healthy Again Movement are set to transform the way benefits are administered and who is eligible to receive them. 

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, is joined by two guests: Benjamin Chrisinger, an assistant professor at Tufts University and a visiting research scholar at Princeton’s Center for Health and Wellbeing, whose work examines food access, safety net programs, and other issues related to health and health disparities; and Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP Director for the Food Research and Action Center, where she advocates for policies to restore, protect and strengthen the SNAP program.

The panel explains the latest research regarding SNAP’s impact on food security, health outcomes, and the broader community, as well as challenges that threaten the program’s effectiveness. They also cover how states are considering changes of their own, from restrictions on SNAP-eligible foods to a shift from food vouchers to cash transfers. Finally, they highlight ways to inform hunger-fighting policies while improving public health, reducing health care costs, and boosting local economies.

Visit the FRAC website for fact sheets, reports and other resources related to SNAP.  

See recent SNAP-focused publications authored by Ben Chrisinger:

Removing Unhealthy Foods From SNAP—A MAHA Strategy to Take Seriously

Keeping SNAP in Line with Global Evidence on Food Security | New England Journal of Medicine

Read Heather Howard’s piece in the New England Journal of Medicine:

The Rural Health Transformation Program — An Avenue for Promoting Administrative Policies | New England Journal of Medicine 

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

This special episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast features a conversation with Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, known as CMS. Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, recently sat down with the renowned Princeton alumna to discuss the future of U.S. health care policy. Their talk was held in front of a live audience to kick off the Dean’s Leadership Series, hosted by the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is an inspiring changemaker in the realm of health and health care. She was the first Black woman to lead CMS, where she oversaw programs serving more than 150 million Americans. Under her leadership, from 2021-2025, CMS doubled health coverage under the Affordable Care Act marketplaces from 12 to 24 million enrollees, expanded and strengthened Medicaid, lowered prescription drug prices, and raised maternal health standards. 

This candid and rich discussion addresses the future of Medicare and Medicaid under the current administration, policy pathways to strengthen these programs, and opportunities for advancing equity, access, and innovation in U.S. health care. 

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Learn more about Brooks-LaSure’s views on Medicare and Medicaid: 

Medicare and Medicaid Turn Sixty

Medicare Check-Up With Former CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast addresses the public health implications of U.S. foreign aid cuts, which have sent shock waves across the world. With the stroke of a pen, billions of dollars were abruptly pulled from projects dedicated to HIV prevention, treatments for deadly diseases, basic health care for children, and other essential services – rolling back decades of progress with severe consequences that could affect generations to come. 

Without U.S. support, countless lives are at risk. While populations in low-income countries will hurt the most, citizens of all countries will pay the price, including Americans, as global health systems collapse, infectious diseases soar, and the world is less prepared for emerging health threats.

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, is joined by two distinguished guests. Pascaline Dupas, professor of economics and public affairs and director of the Center for Health and Wellbeing at Princeton University, and also a scientific director for JPAL, is a development economist. Over the past two decades, Dupas has conducted research aimed at reducing global poverty and identifying evidence-based solutions for critical health challenges in low-income settings. Also joining the show is Cindy Huang from the Center for Global Development, who has over 20 years of experience leading humanitarian and international development efforts across government and non-profit sectors. 

The panel discusses the reach and effectiveness of global health programs, why U.S. foreign aid cuts will impede the discovery and adoption of life-saving interventions, how countries can become less reliant on external aid, and hope for the path forward.

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Articles relevant to topics discussed:
Subsidizing secondary education has huge benefits, for this generation and the next
Free contraception had no impact on birth rates in Burkina Faso

The impact of price on take-up and use of preventive health products 

The Future of US Foreign Assistance: Lessons and Strategic Directions 

How Many Lives Does US Foreign Aid Save? 

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

Imagine a tiny patch that could painlessly deliver life-saving vaccines without a trained medical professional. Or a malaria vaccine that doesn’t require refrigeration, making it easier to distribute in tropical countries where the disease is commonly transmitted. Those innovations, among others, are on the cusp of transforming vaccine development and delivery, a top priority in global health. 

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast concludes a two-part series on vaccines, which protect hundreds of millions of people from preventable illnesses like smallpox, polio, and measles. The last show addressed concerning shifts in U.S. vaccine policy. This one focuses on progress and promise, even in the face of dwindling global health resources and a host of other challenges. 

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, is joined by two guests: Princeton Professor Andrea Graham, an evolutionary ecologist with strong research interests in immunity, disease ecology, and disease transmission; and Janeen Madan Keller, deputy director of global health policy and policy fellow at the Center for Global Development. Together, they highlight scientific discoveries that set the stage for a new generation of vaccines that could boost immunization rates around the world while preparing us for the next pandemic. 

The panel shares exciting advances in the lab, from mRNA technology that can train the immune system to recognize, remember, and target invading pathogens, to plant-based edible vaccines. They also talk about overcoming barriers to access with solar-powered refrigerators that don’t depend on unreliable energy sources, combination vaccines that reduce the number of injections and medical visits, and other potential game changers that could ensure vaccines reach the people who need them most.

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Learn more about the Center for Global Development and its Tough Times, Tough Choices series.

Visit Andrea Graham’s website to read about her lab’s research on the immune system and disease transmission.

Listen to Alarming Trends in U.S. Vaccine Policy – And What We Can Do About It

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

In this episode, the Princeton Pulse Podcast explores recent developments in federal vaccine policy that have public officials deeply worried, along with strategies for reducing vaccine hesitancy and restoring public trust.

Will Americans lose access to life-saving vaccines, one of the greatest achievements in public health? Will we see a resurgence of previously eradicated diseases, like measles, which is dangerously on the rise? What can we do at the state and local levels to counter misinformation and protect people from harmful diseases? 

Host Heather Howard addresses these questions and more with two guests: Dr. Céline Gounder, a practicing infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist as well as a senior fellow at KFF, editor-at-large at KFF Health News, and medical contributor for CBS News; and Jason Schwartz, associate professor at the Yale School of Public Health, whose research examines vaccination and public health policy, medical regulation, and the impact of science in government decisions. 

The panel discusses alarming trends in U.S. vaccination and immunity rates, our increasing vulnerability to disease outbreaks, the erosion of transparency and processes in scientific decision-making, and how states, the medical community, and researchers can help to rebuild trust in science and public health.

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Learn about the Vaccine Integrity Project of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy and the Edelman Trust Barometer, which reports on public trust in institutions, media, and other sources of health information.

View Jason Schwartz’s research at Yale School of Public Health.

Dr. Céline Gounder shares health news, articles, and research at https://x.com/celinegounder.

Read a recent op-ed co-authored by Professor Howard: New Jersey must act to protect public health from federal sabotage.

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

As Congress considers $880 billion in Medicaid cuts, the health and wellbeing of our children, and our nation’s future, perilously hang in the balance. 

Today’s episode explores how the proposed cuts would put young lives at risk. Defunding this critical safety net for Americans would threaten the health, development and future prosperity of the more than 37 million children who rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP). It could force states to ration care; delay access to vaccinations, screenings, and other essential services; burden families with crushing medical bills; perpetuate cycles of poverty; and exacerbate children’s health disparities. 

The panel also highlights how the benefits of these public health insurance programs – for families and our society – exceed the costs to government. Babies and mothers are more likely to survive. Kids are less likely to have chronic conditions, preventable disease, and mental illness as they grow older, and more likely to attend college, to work, and to pay taxes as adults. Research clearly shows that investing in our children’s health not only improves the quality of life for the kids who depend on Medicaid and CHIP but also contributes to our nation’s economic growth and prosperity. 

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health, is joined by two guests: renowned economist Janet Currie, a Princeton professor and co-director of the University’s Center for Health and Wellbeing, whose pioneering research in the economic analysis of child development has helped to shape public policy over the past several decades; and  Abuko Estrada, Vice President of Medicaid and Child Health Policy at First Focus on Children, who brings deep experience working on Medicaid and children’s health policy at the state and federal levels, inside and outside of government.

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Read related papers authored by Janet Currie: 

Administrative Burdens and Child Medicaid and CHIP Enrollments | NBER

What We Say And What We Do: Why US Investments In Children’s Health Are Falling Short | Health Affairs

Read more about the impact of proposed Medicaid and CHIP cuts on children’s health, from First Focus on Children: 

Prescription for Disaster: The Impact of Proposed Medicaid and CHIP Cuts on Children’s Health | First Focus on Children 

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

The World Health Organization is not mincing words when it comes to climate change, calling it one of the greatest health threats for humanity. 

On this episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast, we discuss the increasingly dire health impacts of global warming – from air pollution to water contamination, higher disease burdens, and a host of other outcomes that directly or indirectly endanger human health and wellbeing. Scientists warn that these consequences will only worsen over time if we don’t take immediate action, and that lower-income countries and communities that are least equipped to adapt will suffer the most.

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health, confronts the challenges of climate change from a public health perspective with two distinguished guests: climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton professor and director of the university’s Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment; and Dr. Jeremy Hess, a professor and director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at University of Washington. 

The panel takes a candid look at the mechanisms by which climate change  affects human health and the urgent need for mitigation. They talk about the increasing scale, frequency and intensity of extreme weather; heat-related illness; human migration; food supply threats; equity concerns; and the policy issues and implications in light of a changing administration. At the same time, they offer hope for the path forward, noting a worldwide energy revolution that will continue to drive progress, even if it’s at a slower pace.

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Watch a recent episode of RNZ’s “30 with Guyon Espiner” podcast series, where Oppenheimer discusses many aspects of global climate change.

Oppenheimer participated in a UN Climate Week symposium moderated by David Wallace-Wells, an opinion writer and columnist for The New York Times Magazine. Tipping points in the climate system was the central issue.

The panel discussed research on mortality caused by tropical cyclones in the United States. Read the paper published in Nature.

The Center for Health and the Global Environment at University of Washington developed an interactive decision tool that links heat-health risk assessment with evidence-based guidance on how to protect public health under changing climate-related environmental conditions. 

This article, co-authored by Heather Howard and published by Health Affairs, examines how state health programs – especially Medicaid – are working to mitigate the health consequences of extreme heat. 

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

The 2024 elections will be among the most consequential in American history, as voters grapple with profound policy differences on everything from the economy to foreign policy, climate change, and, of course, health care. 

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast unpacks the health policy issues at play. Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health, is joined by Joanne Kenen, a contributing editor to Politico Magazine, and journalist in residence at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Institute for Policy Studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Kenen is a leading health care journalist and trenchant observer at the intersection of health care policy and politics. Over the course of her career, she has covered implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the Covid-19 pandemic, and much more.  

Howard and Kenen discuss how the upcoming election could impact the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans. They address reproductive health care, the fate of the ACA, prescription drug costs, Medicare, and broader questions on the future of Medicaid and our health care safety net.  

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Read KFF Election Coverage  (KFF is an independent health policy organization.)

Read one of Kenen’s most recent articles for Politico. 

Read other articles about health policy and the upcoming election:
Health Is on the Ballot in the Presidential Election  (JAMA)
History Repeats—The Election Battle for Medicaid in 2024  (JAMA)

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.