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.
Health Lab
RNA modifications control how stem cells develop into retinal cells
Researchers from the University of Michigan investigated which signals control the development of stem cells into retinal cells. Their findings could help inform future research into creating cells for transplantation and screening promising drugs for retinal diseases.
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Cataract surgery restores 20/20 vision to 78-year-old patient who was also nearsighted
Linda Corbett had cataract surgery and lens replacement to fix her myopia or nearsightedness. She now has 20/20 vision.
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New guidelines issued for treating thyroid cancer
The American Thyroid Association first published guidelines for managing differentiated thyroid cancer in 1996. The current updates consider every aspect of the patient’s journey, including diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. Megan Haymart answers questions about understanding the risk for thyroid cancer, active surveillance and current treatment options.
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4-year-old pediatric brain cancer patient wins over his care team with cheerful personality
Pediatric cancer patient at Michigan Medicine was diagnosed with ATRT and underwent chemotherapy and radiation. Four years later, he’s doing well.
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Two pediatric cancer patients become close friends during treatment
Landen Silveus and Donovan Sheedy met while being treated for osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer that affects adolescents. They supported each other through chemotherapy and surgery.
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Adult stem cells show therapeutic promise in treating vision loss from macular degeneration
Researchers used retinal pigment epithelial stem cells derived from adult postmortem eye tissue in a phase 1/2a clinical trial. This is the first treatment to show promise for age-related macular degeneration or AMD.
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Fish oil supplements may not work for certain cancer patients
Michigan Medicine study emphasizes the need to screen for the presence of ALOX15 in cancer patients when developing prevention strategies using fish oil supplements.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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.
