Which is the "correct" term: Alzheimer's disease, Alzheimer disease? Should the eponym be replaced entirely? According to the Wikipedia article on medical eponyms, "medical eponyms are terms used in medicine which are named after people (and occasionally places or things). In 1975, the Canadian National Institutes of Health held a conference that discussed the naming … Continue reading 01(32): Should we abandon medical eponyms? →

What comes to your mind when you think of people swimming in warm freshwater lakes and rivers? For me, this thought conjures pleasant images of people relaxing in these water bodies. Some might even relax in natural hot springs. Usually, all is well and people are just enjoying their time away from work: the rat … Continue reading 01(30): Think twice before swimming in warm freshwater lakes, rivers, and hot springs overseas? →

Yesterday, I was watching a video where the teacher had asked his students a question. He had just discussed how penicillins and cephalosporins can be used against certain bacteria, right after talking about Mycoplasma. The teacher then asked the class: "Which is Mycoplasma more sensitive to: penicillins or cephalosporins?" One student raised his hand and … Continue reading 01(29): What do beta-lactams and perhaps the smallest known living organism have in common? →

NOTE: To make this blog post more educational, I have decided to come up with some questions throughout this blog post which you can contemplate to reinforce your understanding. My suggested answers can be found at the bottom of the post, just above the references. Feel free to give me feedback so that I can … Continue reading 01(28): Blood types, and converting type A to type O blood with two gut bacterial enzymes →

"Hey bro, do you have this thing called G6PD? What is this G6PD?" What do the title and the preceding sentence have in common? These are perhaps the words of full-time national servicemen, both 30 years ago and now respectively, to their fellow soldiers as they are left perplexed by the medical questionnaires they are … Continue reading 01(27): Eh blarder, u god g6pd anot. dis g6pd si simi? →

The world's tiniest motor, ATP synthase, or F1FO-ATPase, stands at about 20 nm in height and 10 nm in diameter. Look at the above artist's impression of ATP synthase. What a beautiful image. This protein complex is something that many biology, biochemistry, health sciences students are required to learn about. Today, I wish to talk … Continue reading 01(26): The world’s smallest motor →

Ask any kid what he thinks of when he comes across the word "scientist". It is not surprising to hear scientists being described as weird, introverted, bespectacled old men with grey hair in white lab coats who do crazy stuff involving explosive chemical reactions in the laboratory. This stereotypical portrayal is perpetuated by the abundance … Continue reading 01(25): The fascinating story of Helicobacter pylori →