Flyn Kaida-Yip

  When environmentalists discuss saving endangered species, they likely did not intend to include the measles virus. Parents refusing to vaccinate their children, however, seem very motivated to bring the virus back from being nearly nonexistent in the United States. There were fewer than 100 reported cases of measles almost every year from 2001-2012, and many of the … [Read more...] about Trust Me, I’m Premed: Measles Outbreaks

  It is no great mystery that Los Angeles contains an immense homeless population. On the relatively short drive from the University of Southern California’s campus to downtown Los Angeles, one can spot the tents and shopping carts that mark sections of sidewalk homeless individuals have claimed as theirs. As people walk or drive through Los Angeles and observe the … [Read more...] about Trust Me, I’m Premed: Healthcare for the Homeless

  In a previous blog post, I discussed aspects of the human microbiome – primarily bacterial roles in our digestion and a few comments on interactions between bacteria and our immune system development. To build upon that, I would like to go further into details that indicate a coevolution between us and our bacterial friends. Studies indicate that disruption of the … [Read more...] about Trust Me, I’m Premed: Partners in Evolution

While I do enjoy the thriving metropolis of Los Angeles, I always look for opportunities to get out of the city for a breath of fresh air (literally). Many who share this sentiment find great trails to hike or areas to rock climb and boulder. With the great outdoors, however, comes great potential for injury. Injuries in the wilderness are always much more difficult to address … [Read more...] about Trust Me, I’m Premed: Basic Survival in the Wilderness