Tonight’s episode of the Perpetual Notion Machine continues the discussion of COVID-19 to a set of clinical trials being administered by UW-Madison and UW Health. Vaccines may be the best way of combating this pandemic, and several appear to be on the cusp of clinical trials. However, in the meantime, some drug cocktails could also […]
COVID-19 and the Immune System
Back on June 25, the Perpetual Notion Machine learned a little about the immune system – how it works, the organs and cells, that it can remember previous infections, and what triggers an immune response. Our guest was Matt Reynolds, an immunologist in pathobiological sciences at UW-Madison. Tonight, Matt is back to extend our conversation […]
Science Policy
“Science and society…have each invaded the other’s domain, and the lines demarcating the one from the other have virtually disappeared.” 20 years after Michael Gibbons wrote that, scientific developments from CRISPR to AI have made the lines between science and society even hazier. As scientists themselves have increasingly taken up the call toward civic engagement, […]
Public Health – School Immunizations
With back-to-school season in full swing, we turn our attention to school immunizations for today’s episode. Our guest is Sarah Hughes, immunization coordinator with Public Health Madison & Dane County, who answers a host of listener calls about the vaccination schedule for K–12 students, healthcare access for low-income communities, the public controversy around vaccination, and […]
Vaccines And Public Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the measles eliminated in 2000, but this year, 22 states around the U.S. have reported cases of the measles, including major outbreaks in Washington state and New York. In this time of heightened debate around vaccine resistance and public health, guest host Nina Kravinsky spends the […]
Wisconsin Keeping Vaccine Exemption Option, Despite Measles Elsewhere
Measles is back in the US. Thirty states across the county have reported cases so far this year — including Illinois, Iowa and Michigan. Wisconsin hasn’t seen an outbreak yet. But it’s one of a handful of states that allow parents to opt out of vaccinating their kids before sending them to school. State Rep. Gordon […]
