The Research Her

In this episode, we interview and highlight Chrystelle L. Vilfranc. She shares how she went from wanting to go to medical school to find her calling in research. She tells us about her journey to her to a Ph.D. program and gives insight into how she remains mentally healthy while getting her degree.

Chrystelle is a Ph.D. candidate studying cancer and cell biology. She went to Oakwood College and got her bachelor's degree in biochemistry and mathematics. Her specific areas of research include liver injury, hepatocellular carcinoma, and DNA damage and response.

The specific focus of her project involves the use of a mutant mouse model to understand novel roles of DNA damage repair and response pathways in the regulation and protection against acute and chronic liver disease, including hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer. She has a recent publication related to this work.

Chrystelle hopes to provide new knowledge for understanding liver tumor initiation and progression as well as providing new information on how a DNA damage response protein can potentially be a target for potential cancer therapeutics.

Apart from her work in the lab, Chrystelle serves as the digital curator for @VanguardSTEM. Being passionate about mental health and mental well-being she started a writing series in collaboration with #VanguardSTEM, known as #RevealToHeal (found on Medium). She is also a proud #YaleCienciaAcademy2019 fellow.

Find Chrystelle:

Twitter: @GiveHerThePhD24

Instagram: @giveherthephd24

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Show Sources:

Chrystelle's publication

Liver problems - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Liver Cancer | CDC

In this episode, we discuss the controversial research related to using body powder and whether the powder causes ovarian cancer. Johnson and Johnson say that their products are absolutely safe but what do the studies say?

Today's featured microbiologist:

Ashlei is a microbiologist at a pharmaceutical company in the Philadelphia area. She received her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Millersville University. In her spare time, she focuses on spreading her love for microbiology (and other sciences) through her blog and Instagram. In particular, Ashlei hopes to inspire more colored women to pursue the sciences.

Find her

Website: https://microbiomaven.com/

Instagram: @Micro_Maven

Today's interesting topic was provided by Jada Samone

Instagram @jadasamonee

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Show sources

J&J: Facts about Talc Webpage

Owen Dyer Johnson & Johnson knew for decades talcum powder contained asbestos, reports allege

D.L. Longo, R.C. Young COSMETIC TALC AND OVARIAN CANCER

The Chronicle Herald Jury awards $417M in lawsuit linking talcum powder to cancer.

Deer, W.; Howie, R.; Zussman, J. An Introduction to the Rock-Forming Minerals

J. Henderson, C. A. F. Joslin, K. Griffiths, A. C. Turnbull TALC AND CARCINOMA OF THE OVARY AND CERVIX

Daniel W. CRAMER, Rebecca F. LIBERMAN, Linda TITUS-ERNSTOFF, William R. WELCH, E. Robert GREENBERG,John A. BARON and Bernard L. HARLOW GENITAL TALC EXPOSURE AND RISK OF OVARIAN CANCER

Serena C. Houghton, Katherine W. Reeves, Susan E. Hankinson, Lori Crawford, Dorothy Lane,

Jean Wactawski-Wende, Cynthia A. Thomson, Judith K. Ockene, Susan R. Sturgeon Perineal Powder Use and Risk of Ovarian Cancer

Joellen M. Schildkraut, Sarah E. Abbott, Anthony J. Alberg, Elisa V. Bandera, Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan, Melissa L. Bondy, Michele L. Cote, Ellen Funkhouser, Lauren C. Peres, Edward S. Peters, Ann G. Schwartz, Paul Terry, Sydnee Crankshaw, Fabian Camacho, Frances Wang, and Patricia G. Moorman Association between Body Powder Use and Ovarian Cancer: The African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES)

*Note* I am not an expert in this field. All literature interpretations are from my perspective and do not always reflect the intention of the authors.

In this SPECIAL episode, I interview my biggest inspiration. My mother. Dr. Erica Jordan is a school counselor for Chicago Public School where she has worn many hats. We discuss how she went from not being able to write a 10-page paper to write a full doctoral dissertation. As a single mother in college, she had no idea the barriers that she would break! I talk about the privilege of having an educated mother and a supportive family. We get into conversations about when I was a little Li. This is a great episode if you want to hear about a mother's grind and her brag her favorite child. You get to know us and about her research.

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

In this episode, I break down endocrine disruptors and why we should avoid them for optimal health. I talk about the best practices for avoiding harmful chemicals in hair products.

CLICK HERE for a list of chemicals to avoid when picking out cosmetics.

A trusted hair care company - Curl Mix

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Measurement of endocrine disrupting and asthma-associated chemicals in hair products used by Black women by Jessica S. Helma , Marcia Nishiokab, Julia Green Brodya, Ruthann A. Rudela, Robin E. Dodsona

Endocrine Disruption by Mixtures in Topical Consumer Products by Emiliano Ripamonti *, Elena Allifranchini, Stefano Todeschi and Elena Bocchietto

*Note* I am not an expert in this field. All literature interpretations are from my perspective and do not always reflect the intention of the authors.

No, I do not want you out here musty. There is some knowledge that everyone should know about so that they can make their own informed choices about their use of a product. Antiperspirant is one of those products. There is an association between antiperspirant usage and breast cancer, but not in the way that you may think. This episode breaks down the research and explains how to avoid the problematic ingredients getting into your system at such high rates.

My OG Youtube Video: Deodorant Causes BREAST CANCER | CANCEL THAT TOO! | #25 (May 2018)

This Episode was inspired by:

Nutrition Facts Youtube video

Saige and Ivy

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Website: TheResearchHer.com

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Show sources:

Disparities in Breast Cancer: African American Women

Flarend R, Bin T, Elmore D, Hem SL. A preliminary study of the dermal absorption of aluminium from antiperspirants using aluminium-26. Food Chem Toxicol. 2001 Feb;39(2):163-8.

Rodrigues-Peres RM, Cadore S, Febraio S, Heinrich JK, Serra KP, Derchain SF, Vassallo J, Sarian LO. Aluminum concentrations in central and peripheral areas of malignant breast lesions do not differ from those in normal breast tissues. BMC Cancer. 2013 Mar 8;13:104.

Darbre PD, Pugazhendhi D, Mannello F. Aluminium and human breast diseases. J Inorg Biochem. 2011 Nov;105(11):1484-8.

McGrath KG. An earlier age of breast cancer diagnosis related to more frequent use of antiperspirants/deodorants and underarm shaving. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2003 Dec;12(6):479-85.

Callewaert C, Hutapea P, Van de Wiele T, Boon N. Deodorants and antiperspirants affect the axillary bacterial community. Arch Dermatol Res. 2014 Oct;306(8):701-10.

Darbre PD. Underarm antiperspirants/deodorants and breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. 2009;11 Suppl 3:S5.

Mirick DK, Davis S, Thomas DB. Antiperspirant use and the risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2002 Oct 16;94(20):1578-80.

Turner GA, Moore AE, Marti VP, Paterson SE, James AG. Impact of shaving and anti-perspirant use on the axillary vault. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2007 Feb;29(1):31-8.

Mannello F, Tonti GA, Medda V, Simone P, Darbre PD. Analysis of aluminium content and iron homeostasis in nipple aspirate fluids from healthy women and breast cancer-affected patients. J Appl Toxicol. 2011 Apr;31(3):262-9.

Antiperspirants don't cause breast cancer. Harv Womens Health Watch. 2003 Jan;10(5):7.

Sappino AP, Buser R, Lesne L, Gimelli S, Béna F, Belin D, Mandriota SJ. Aluminium chloride promotes anchorage-independent growth in human mammary epithelial cells.

*Note* I am not an expert in this field. All literature interpretations are from my perspective and do not always reflect the intention of the authors.

As a follow up to forming and maintaining habits, learning about what motivates us to do the things that we do is necessary for understanding how to keep from giving up on our goals. Motivation is the reason why we do what we do. In this episode, we talk about research studies related to motivation and what we can do now to stay inspired.

Episodes mentioned

Ep4: Themes for Forming and Maintaining Habits

I Aint Got No Time

The Research Her supports Audible:

For a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial:

http://www.audibletrial.com/research

The Research Her also supports Acorns:

For $5 toward your investing account:

https://www.acorns.com/invite/XMAQL9

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

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Twitter: @TheResearchHer

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Show sources:

Columbia News

Scientific America - Three Critical Elements Sustain Motivation by Daisy Yuhas

The Science of Motivation by ASAPscience

It is important that we begin to understand how our cleaning habits affect our health. With Spring coming, it is a great time to discuss how we can improve our cleaning routine such that we are not causing adverse issues with our health. I share ways of eliminating airborne microbes, chemicals to avoid, and reasons why it is important to declutter your home.

The Research Her supports Audible:

For a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial:

http://www.audibletrial.com/research

The Research Her also supports Acorns:

For $5 toward your investing account:

https://www.acorns.com/invite/XMAQL9

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Show sources:

Reducing Bacteria in Household Sponges by Judy Y. Ikawa, M.S. and Jonathan S. Rossen, M.S.

Microorganisms in Kitchen Sponges by Özlem ERDOĞRUL, Feryal ERBİLİR

Short-term respiratory effects of cleaning exposures in female domestic cleaners by M. Medina-Ramón, J. P. Zock, M. Kogevinas, J. Sunyer, X. Basagaña, J. Schwartz, P. S. Burge, V. Moore, J. M. Antó

Women using bleach for home cleaning are at increased risk of non-allergic asthma by Bobette Matulonga, Marta Rava, Valerie Siroux, Alfred Bernard, Orianne Dumas, Isabelle Pin, Jan-Paul Zock, Rachel Nadif, Benedicte Leynaert, Nicole Le Moua

Cleaning Supplies and Household Chemicals by the American Lung Association

Fragranced consumer products and undisclosed ingredients by Anne C. Steinemann

The influence of air-dispersed essential oils from lemon (Citrus limon) and silver fir (Abies alba) on airborne bacteria and fungi in hospital rooms by Alicia Lanzerstorfer, Melanie Hackl, Matthias Schlömer, Brigitte Rest, Evelyn Deutsch-Grasl & Christof Lanzerstorfer

More about Dr. NiCole R. Keith's study

Interactions of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mechanisms in Human Visual Cortex by Stephanie McMains and Sabine Kastner

*Note* I am not an expert in this field. All literature interpretations are from my perspective and do not always reflect the intention of the authors.

This week, we discuss how to form and maintain behavior changes so that we can work toward wellness. I discuss 5 aims that everyone should have when forming new long term behaviors. I open up about some of the old habits that I learned to break and tricks on how I did it.

The Research Her supports Audible:

For a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial:

http://www.audibletrial.com/research

The Research Her also supports Acorns:

For $5 toward your investing account:

https://www.acorns.com/invite/XMAQL9

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Show sources:

Theoretical explanations for maintenance of behaviour change: a systematic review of behaviour theories by

Dominika Kwasnicka, Stephan U Dombrowski, Martin White & Falko Sniehotta

*Note* I am not an expert in this field. All literature interpretations are from my perspective and do not always reflect the intention of the authors.

In the episode, we discuss the research behind hair drug test and its cultural bias. Hair products that are mainly used by people of African descent can bathe drugs in the environments on the hair, which leads to higher rates of false positive drug test results.

The Research Her supports Audible:

For a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial:

http://www.audibletrial.com/research

The Research Her also supports Acorns:

For $5 toward your investing account:

https://www.acorns.com/invite/XMAQL9

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Show sources:

JONES v. CITY OF BOSTON

Ethnic hair care products may increase false positives in hair drug testing by David A. Kidwell, Frederick P. Smith, Arica R. Shepherd

This episode we discuss the relationship between social media and body image. We also dive into the idea of narcissism being associated with what and how much we post on social media.

• I explain why I took a 7-month break from Instagram and open up about my habit of comparing myself to others online.
• There is a discussion about research findings related to the topic and what scientist suggest for improving our unhealthy relationship with social media.

The Research Her supports Audible:

For a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial:

http://www.audibletrial.com/research

The Research Her also supports Acorns:

For $5 toward your investing account:

https://www.acorns.com/invite/XMAQL9

Connect with me:

Website: TheResearchHer.com

Instagram: @TheResearchHer

Twitter: @TheResearchHer

Facebook: @TheResearchHer

Show Citations:

Social Media and Body Image Concerns by Jasmine Fardouly and Lenny R. Vartanian

"Exercise to be fit, not skinny" by Marika Tiggemann and Mia Zaccardo

Mirror, Mirror on my Facebook Wall by Amy L. Gonzales and Jeffrey T. Hancock

Millennials, narcissism, and social networking by Shawn M. Bergman, Matthew E. Fearrington, Shaun W. Davenport, Jacqueline Z. Bergman,

"Let me take a selfie" by Christopher T. Barry, Hannah Doucette, Della C. Loflin, Nicole Rivera-Hudson, Lacey L. Herrington

*Note* I am not an expert in this field. All literature interpretations are from my perspective and do not always reflect the intention of the authors.