Ananya Sen

Sen covers cancer clinical care and pediatric cancer research, ophthalmology, endocrinology, diabetes, emergency medicine, survival flight, and children's and women's health. Sen completed her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she then worked as a science writer after graduation.

child in back seat of car in car seats
Health Lab

New child passenger safety laws in Michigan: What to know

Starting April 2, 2025, Michigan will be implementing new child passenger safety laws based on guidelines and best practices recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 
little girl posing sassy in pink dress hospital room
Health Lab

7-year-old faces cancer treatment with ‘optimistic sassiness’

Emilia Pigeon was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that starts in immature nerve cells. She was treated with chemotherapy and surgery and continues to do well.
light blue background with pink brain with red circle area growing
Health Lab

Dietary changes could provide a therapeutic avenue for brain cancer

A team of researchers from Michigan Medicine tracked how glucose is used in glioblastoma tumor cells. They showed that dietary interventions can slow brain cancer growth in mice.
close up cell one half of slide is black with purple and the other half of slide is green and white on blue background
Health Lab

Study identifies key features of cancer cell response and resistance to treatment

University of Michigan researchers created a prostate cancer cellular atlas, identifying why some prostate tumor cells resist therapy and others respond to treatments.
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Health Lab

Brain neurons are responsible for day-to-day control of blood sugar

University of Michigan researchers have shown that a specific population of neurons in the hypothalamus help the brain maintain blood glucose levels under normal circumstances.
brain scan on computer
Health Lab

FDA clears new DMG treatment: What it means for a deadly pediatric brain tumor

Diffuse midline gliomas are aggressive tumors that begin in the brain or spinal cord. It is universally fatal, and patients typically live for nine to 15 months after diagnosis. The FDA has approved ONC201 (dordaviprone) to treat recurrent H3K27M-mutant diffuse glioma. It's the first-ever FDA-approved treatment for this disease.
kidneys blue yellow
Health Lab

New technology called PathoPlex maps the location of proteins inside cells

Abnormal changes in protein levels and patterns can result in diseases. Understanding protein organization can improve treatments and minimize disease symptoms. A team of researchers developed a new technology called pathology-oriented multiplexing, or PathoPlex, to map more than 140 different proteins across 40 tissue samples.
blood vials together with blue caps and blue gloves
Health Lab

Active surveillance helps men avoid unnecessary surgery for prostate cancer

About one in eight men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. However, each man’s risk can vary based on age, race, family history and lifestyle. Todd Morgan answers questions about the different stages of prostate cancer, when active surveillance is preferred and why surgical interventions can be harmful.
close up of microscope image lighter blue up top looks to be glowing and lower not glowing and more black
Health Lab

Inactivation of key pathway boosts the body’s immune response against tumors

Immunotherapy uses the body’s immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. However, many patients are resistant to this therapy, which poses a challenge to their treatment. A study led by researchers from the University of Michigan showed that targeting CDK12/13 improves the effectiveness of cancer therapies.
close up image side by side red and blue
Health Lab

Amino acid glutamine is important for eye health

Photoreceptor death is the cause of vision loss in many retinal diseases, and there are no effective therapies that improve their survival. In a new paper, University of Michigan researchers studied the dependence of photoreceptors on glutamine.
scale close up of numbers orange wall
Health Lab

Protein targets can act as a switch for obesity and anorexia

In the U.S., dietary obesity has a prevalence of 40% and obesity increases the risk of other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Even though anorexia nervosa has a prevalence of 1%, it is the second-highest death rate of any mental illness. Roger Cone discusses how melanocortin receptors can be used to treat both obesity and anorexia.
US News and World Report 2025 badge with a U-M Health skyline backdrop
News Release

U-M Health’s Ann Arbor hospitals recognized as No. 1 in Michigan, among best in nation by U.S. News & World Report

University of Michigan Health’s Ann Arbor adult hospitals were ranked best in Michigan and in the top 20 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings for 2025-2026.
cell microscopic level looks like dividing and pink yellow blue black background
Health Lab

New strides in Ewing sarcoma research

Patrick Grohar answers questions about symptoms, treatments and research initiatives that are being undertaken with respect to Ewing Sarcoma.
woman scientist in white coat teal background holding put with red plant coming out of it bright with gold circle around the top close up
Health Lab

Misfolded proteins accumulate in the mitochondria of patients with type 2 diabetes

Aging-related diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disorders and type 2 diabetes, are associated with defects in protein synthesis and folding. In a new study, researchers at the University of Michigan found that mitochondria also accumulate misfolded proteins, which kills insulin-producing β-cells of patients with type 2 diabetes.
astronaut woman brushing tears away with astronaut glove and tear drops on the helment see through
Health Lab

How do spaceflights and long term planetary missions affect vision?

Joshua Ong, M.D., resident physician at University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center answers questions about how spaceflight affects vision and what protective measures astronauts use.
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