This week on Health 411, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur are joined by a Reiki Master, Taylor Smith, from Belmar New Jersey. According to Smith's description of her practice,
"Reiki (pronounced ray-kee) is a Japanese healing practice based on the idea that a universal life force energy flows through all living things. The word itself means universal (Rei) life force energy (ki) . Reiki is about channeling this energy through the hands to bring balance and harmony to the body, mind, and spirit. It’s a gentle, calming practice that helps clear energetic blockages and supports the body’s natural ability to heal, leaving you with a deep sense of peace and relaxation.
From a scientific point of view, Reiki is seen as a form of biofield therapy, which means it works with the body’s natural energy. Studies show that Reiki can help trigger the body’s relaxation response, lower stress, and bring the nervous system into balance. In simple terms, it helps your body shift out of stress mode and into a state where it can rest, restore, and heal itself more easily."
Listen in on this exciting and informative conversation to learn about how Smith became a Reiki Master, the reasons behind her passion, and her incredible journey.
You can find out more about her after the episode on Instagram @RisingSol.Offerings
With more and more new research coming out on cancer treatments, it seems that we're bound to have some sort of breakthrough soon. Today Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur discuss an article that might just be one of the newest and best concepts that we have right now for advancement of cancer treatment. This article was published on October 9th, 2025, in the Cell Reports Medicine journal; since its publication it has become very well-discussed and brought up in the press. So what is this "cancer vaccine"? Does it work for all types of cancer? Is this a viable concept to continue researching in hopes of a cure for cancer? Tune in to this week's episode of Health 411 to find out!
Happy Public Health Workforce Week!
The process to become a medical professional is never easy, nor is it linear. There are so many different positions and areas of study that it can be overwhelming to decide where you want to end up. Dr. Nadeem Obaydou, an Emergency room MD from Capital Health may be able to help. This week on Health 411, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur are joined by Dr. Obaydou to discuss everything from undergrad and medical school, to growing up in Syria during the Civil War, to how the Emergency room operates and what makes this position different from other areas of medical care. No matter if you want to become a doctor, nurse, or just curious about the in-and-outs of the ER and patient care, Dr. Obaydou is here to answer all of the questions you may have. This is the perfect episode to tune into to celebrate Public Health Workers Week!
Down syndrome, also known as Trisomy 21, is a common genetic condition affecting roughly 1 in 700 live births in the United States.
A recent study that came out in February 2025 that studied skin cells from an individual with Down syndrome to determine if it was possible to genetically engineer the extra chromosome out of the DNA. This study's aim was to see if it was possible to use CRISPR-CAS9 (a technology used to modify genetic code and expression), to be able to completely knock out a chromosome. The reason these researchers used the DNA from an individual with Down syndrome was because the third chromosome is a clear marker that they can see easily to determine if they were successful or not.
However, one Press Release article covering this research wrote a piece that incorrectly frames the study as a possible way to "cure" Down syndrome, which is not at all what the researchers were attempting to do. This week, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur go through the details of this study, what the scientists' goals were, and why the Press Release article did not accurately describe anything that the researchers did. Tune in to find out more about this interesting study, possible future research, and practical uses of CRISPR-CAS9 genome editing technology!
As covered on some previous episodes of Health 411, the Press Release version of a Primary Literature article might not always be the most accurate one. This week, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur dive into the differences and similarities between the PR and Primary Literature of a study done on Brain Organoids. What is a multi-region brain organoid, and why should we know the difference between one of these and a full adult brain? What were these scientists trying to accomplish, and did they accomplish it? Tune in to the latest episode of Health 411 to find out the answers to these burning questions and more.
When it comes to being an Emergency Room doctor, every day is something new. You can never really know what to expect each day- and it's more than likely to see a case you've never seen in a textbook before. Having to figure out how to treat patients in the moment to keep them alive is the job of every ER doctor, nurse, and technician. Today, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur are joined by Dr. Mark Pappadakis from Capital Health to discuss what being an ER doctor is like. From his experiences in college and medical school to his day-to-day in the Emergency room, Dr. Pappadakis describes some of the most important things for you to know about the ER.
August 19th, 2025 was a great day for neuroscience. Why, you may ask? Because a paper published on Nature Aging discussed a breakthrough in being able to pinpoint a specific iron-associated protein in the Hippocampus related to age-related cognitive impairment. While numerous Press Release articles have made this sound like the cure to aging, this is not the case. Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur break this paper down into the steps these scientists took, and the logic behind their experiments and findings to determine if the PR articles have it right; is this truly the cure to aging, or is the media over exaggerating and generalizing specific findings? Listen in to find out in the newest episode of Health 411!
In regards to recent promises made by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to "find the cause of autism" by September 2025, Dr. Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur discuss the history of autism. In this episode, they cover previous attempts made by psychologists, researchers, and other scientists to determine the cause of this condition and to figure out what autism actually is. They also discuss the outdated myths regarding theorized causes of autism, who can have autism, the diagnosis of autism, and the social stigma surrounding those who have it. Why are there so many myths and misconceptions about autism? Is finding the cause of autism in under a month possible? Find out in the latest episode of Health 411.
With some of the sunniest and hottest days of the year still ahead of us, Dr. Johnathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur set out to talk about the main causes of skin cancer and how to prevent yourself from getting it. Today, we answer all of your burning questions-- What SPF sunscreen should you really be using? Is there a benefit to UV protective clothing rather than sunscreen? Are tanning beds actually that bad for you? How would you even know if you had skin cancer? These answers and more when you tune in to this week's episode of Health 411.
In recent years, the subject of primate research has become a controversial topic of discussion. Is it unethical? Are there too many primates being tested on? Are primates necessary to conduct certain studies? What are the specific goals of primate research? Today Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur are joined by Dr. Corey Roach, a researcher from the University of Pennsylvania, to answer these questions and more.
Lyme Disease, while not particularly deadly, is a highly common disease in the Northeast and upper Midwestern North America. According to the Global Lyme Alliance, roughly 476,000 new cases are reported every year. And although this is a curable disease, many people end up experiencing the characteristics of Lyme Disease long after they have been "cured", leading to chronic symptoms. Today, tune into a conversation between Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur as they discuss everything you need to know about this disease.
You may have heard about Methylene Blue recently, with many people promoting it as a cure for different ailments and diseases, and possibly as a "cognitive enhancer". But what is methylene blue and how does it work? Is it really helping to alleviate all these illnesses? Listen in on a conversation between Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur as they go into the science of this prospective medication. From the history to the health benefits and risks, this is Methylene Blue.
The words "Food Safety" can mean a wide range of things- whether or not to wear gloves in food preparation, what temperature to store and cook food at, how to avoid cross-contamination, and even where your food is coming from. With so many things to be mindful about when preparing or eating food, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur clear up some myths and misunderstandings regarding food safety and provide some history on what has happened when these precautions aren't taken.
From ice baths to cold showers to polar plunges, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur discuss the health benefits and drawbacks of cold water immersion. Can dunking yourself in a freezing bath raise your immunity? Does it lower anxiety and reduce stress levels? Find out the answers to these questions and more in the latest episode of Health 411.
What is a phobia, and is it a bad thing to have one? Are there treatments for phobias? Today, Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur talk about these questions as they discuss phobias from a social perspective to a neurobiological perspective.
What's the difference between an EMT and a paramedic? Today Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur are joined by Wayne Murphy, a paramedic for Capital Health with over thirty years of experience, to have a conversation about what being an EMT or a paramedic is about.
Are there different kinds of empathy? What makes someone empathetic towards another person? Today Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur discuss what empathy is on a neurobiological level.
Is vaping bad for you? How do you become an interventional pulmonology specialist? Today Dr. Jonathan Karp and student producer Kaya Basatemur are joined by Dr. Diana Kolman, one of Capital Health's Interventional Pulmonologists.
Measles is back after being almost eradicated in the US. Professor Jim Riggs visits Health 411 to discuss the history, immunology, and potential future of the measles virus.
Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine
Ever wonder how stem cells help bones and joints heal? On this episode of Health411, Professor Karp and neurosurgeon Dr. Jeffrey Gross have a conversation about the use of stem cell-derived exosomes in treating bone and joint disorders.
