Letter from the Editor: October 2017

I have become keenly aware while raising two children that humans do not come with manuals. The answers to undesirable behaviors, confusing illnesses, or night terrors are flummoxing. And just as children do not enter the world with a “Here’s What to Do with Me book” tightly grasped in their little fingers, neither do adults carry a “Here’s What’s Wrong with Me” pocket guide when entering a doctor’s office with a strange rash, cough, and headache. 

In their work, doctors and researchers encounter seemingly unrelated clues that may or may not be pertinent. A patient describes a series of problems, and through listening and observation, the doctor creates a list of tests for potential maladies. Now, several medical schools around the country are turning to an unlikely source for diagnostic inspiration, pieces of artwork.

For our previous art-themed issues, we have attempted to find art in science, but this month, we find science in art. Postbac fellow Audrey Lee illustrates (pun intended) the concept of using great works of art to practice tricky medical diagnoses, and Nichole Swan expertly transforms Scott Morgan’s “Speaking about Science” workshop into a beautiful infographic.

Please also check out this month’s Rep Report and October announcements for several enriching opportunities around campus, and learn about the “art” of applying for academic jobs in Dr. Joo Yun Jun’s recap of August’s lunchtime workshop.

For an added treat, several of the background images in this issue are submissions to this year’s Scientific Retreat Image Competition. You’ll find the captivating, award-winning image here!

Your Editor in Chief,
Shana R. Spindler, PhD

Please send questions and comments to our editor at Shana.Spindler@gmail.com.