On this episode of The Vitals, we dive deep into one of the most compelling topics in global health today: autism. We welcome two leading experts from the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai: Dr. Joseph D. Buxbaum – Professor of Psychiatry, Genetics & Genomic Sciences, and Neuroscience; Director of the Seaver Autism Center: https://profiles.mountsinai.org/joseph-d-buxbaum Dr. Avraham (Avi) Reichenberg – Professor of Psy...

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) isn’t new—but the conversation (and the tools) have changed. In this episode of Vitals, host Leslie Schlachter sits down with Dr. Jennifer Duchon and Dr. Sean Liu to break down: how RSV spreads, why babies are at higher risk, what to watch for, why antibiotics don’t help, when oxygen is essential, and much more. Learn more about our panelists: Dr. Sean Liu: https://mshs.co/3WjBtsn Dr. Jennifer Duchon: https://mshs.co/4nKWrMW Explore Mount Sinai Podcasts: ht...

As families prepare to head back to school, pediatric experts Dr. Jennifer Duchon and Dr. Meredith Grossman from the Mount Sinai Health System join The Vitals host Leslie Schlachter for a timely conversation on how to set kids up for a healthy, successful school year. From getting back into a learning mindset to essential immunizations, nutrition, and even backpack safety, this episode covers everything parents need to know for a confident return to the classroom. Drs. Duchon and Grossman al...

September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. In this special episode of The Vitals, Mount Sinai experts Dr. Shari Brasner (Obstetrics & Gynecology) and Dr. Alison Snow (Oncology & Supportive Care) discuss the latest in gynecologic cancer prevention, early detection, treatment options, survivorship, and patient support programs. They highlight key issues surrounding ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer, and vulvar cancer—as well as the emotional, physica...

Can alcohol increase the risk of breast cancer? In this episode of The Vitals, Dr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of Mount Sinai’s Dubin Breast Center, breaks down the science, risks, and what every patient should know. Dr. Port brings her expertise as a nationally recognized breast surgeon and leader in breast cancer research to shed light on what patients, families, and the public need to know about this important connection. 🔗 Visit the Dubin Breast Center: Dubin Breast...

Mount Sinai experts explore how cutting-edge technology — from brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to AI-powered imaging — is transforming neurosurgery and patient care. Discover how BCIs turn thought into movement, how AI can spot strokes in minutes, and how neuro-navigation helps surgeons operate with unprecedented precision. Featuring: Dr. Joshua Bederson — Chair of Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Health SystemDr. Ignacio Saez — Neuroscientist and BCI Researcher, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount...

In this podcast, guest host Raja Flores, MD, interviews Rosalind J. Wright, MD, MPH, and Robert O. Wright, MD, MPH about the field of exposomics. Exposomics studies the impact of environmental factors on health, going beyond genetics to understand how exposures from conception to the present day affect well-being. They discuss how data like air quality, diet, and stress levels, combined with advanced computational analysis, can provide insights into disease development and prevention. The dis...

Loneliness is more than just a feeling—it’s a growing public health crisis with serious mental and physical consequences. In this episode of The Vitals, host Leslie Schachter, PA-C, sits down with Mount Sinai experts to explore the science of loneliness, its effects across age groups, and what can be done about it. Featuring: Dr. Fernando Carnavali, Associate Professor of Medicine and Internal Medicine Physician; Dr. Lea Marin, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry; Dr. Shawn Rhoads, Assistant P...

In this episode of The Vitals podcast, Leslie Schlachter, PA, Chief Physician Assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery, hosts a discussion regarding the role of resilience in both professional and personal struggles. She is joined by Dennis S. Charney, MD, the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System.  Dr. Charney explains how resilience helped guide him following an unsuccessful attemp...

In this episode of The Vitals podcast, Leslie Schlachter, PA, Chief Physician Assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery, hosts an expert panel discussion regarding the recent advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General about the link between drinking alcohol and cancer. She is joined by Benjamin Laitman, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in the Mount Sinai Health System, and Sue Hahn, MD, Assistant Professor of Colon and Rectal Surgery at The ...

Leslie Schlachter, PA, continues the conversation with Zevy Joshua Hamburger, MD, and Erik Blutinger, MD, MSc about their experiences during the pandemic.

On our first episode, host Leslie Schlachter, PA, Chief Physician Assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery, interviews two Mount Sinai physicians who worked on the front lines in the early days of the pandemic. Zevy Joshua Hamburger, MD, Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine and Erik Blutinger, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Public Health Specialist talk about what it was like as the pandemic spread across the world and the res...