At the time of writing this column, Reid had started his PhD in biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University. He used an engineering approach to research pulmonary hypertension. Reid has cystic fibrosis, and finds much of his drive by experiencing both the research and patient aspects of cystic fibrosis. Reid has also served as a director at the U.S. Adult Cystic Fibrosis Association.I do not have pulmonary hypertension (PH). I do not know what it’s like to live my day-to-day life with the symptoms that may come with the disease. However, I do have cystic fibrosis (CF) — another crippling respiratory disease that shares some similar symptoms. We…
Over the past several months the PH and rare disease community have seen significant progress towards ensuring that everyone with a condition can get access to the proper specialized care they require. This year alone, I’ve become increasingly more involved with disease advocacy; it mattered to me. With…
In the age of big-data large computational power, scientists are hovering over a wealth of information that can unearth the next generation of medical discoveries and therapies. When patients visit a doctor, their information is often stored as an electronic medical record. If the document is thorough,…
Every time I visit my clinic, I get anxious. How can anyone with a chronic disease not feel like a bundle of nerves when they’re on a doctor’s visit? As an engineer, quantifying things is a necessary part of my life. I joke to myself that you…
This past week, I had the honor of presenting my work at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) international conference. Renowned physicians, scientists, companies, and advocates within the realm of pulmonary and cardiopulmonary fields had an opportunity to network and hear about the state of much of…
Last month I had the opportunity to chat up members of the Tennessee Senate about the month of May being Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. May 5 is also World Pulmonary Hypertension Day, an event aimed at helping raise awareness of PH across the globe. While cystic fibrosis…
Contrary to what we learned in our high school biology classes, not all genetic diseases are easy to predict. Many of you may remember Punnett Squares, where we were able to determine the likelihood of a child having certain outcomes or diseases. While cystic fibrosis (CF) often…
Any time I’m feeling down about my health, I run to the scientific literature. For me, science has a way of re-instilling a sense of optimism that gets lost in the day-to-day regimens that leave my day feeling down. Since starting my PhD, I’ve learned how to…
Some may find it odd that, as an engineer, I research pulmonary hypertension. Even before delving into the definition of what it meant to be an engineer, I envisioned gears turning, buildings being built, and constructing airplanes and rockets to be launched into space. But after entering the…
When people hear engineering, many immediately jump to visions of grandiose buildings, beautiful bridges, or complicated machines. The stereotypical vision of engineers has since changed, as many of us have ventured into the field of science and medical research. Why is this important? As a biomedical engineer, my classes and…
Whether you’re studying pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or another disease, there’s always a sense of joy that comes from seeing potential new therapies finding success in the lab. As someone with a rare disease myself, I comb the literature to see what the next life-changing medication may be. While the…
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