Helen Lawler, MD, instructor of medicine, in June discussed an advocacy group’s advertisement warning of health problems related to soda consumption. She told 9News of Denver that obesity in the U.S. a “major problem” and “I do think limiting soda and drinking more water is definitely recommended.” 

Amber Khanna, MD, assistant professor of medicine, explained her research finding that living at high altitude is associated with increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). “This is a call for people living in high altitudes to be very vigilant” about other factors that may lower SIDS risk, “like putting the baby on his back every time, no smoking, encourage breast-feeding,” she told The New York Times in May. 

Linda Barlow, PhD, professor of cell and developmental biology, in May told CBS4 of Denver that she and fellow researcher Dany Gaillard, PhD, have discovered a key genetic pathway that controls the renewal of taste buds, a finding that could help cancer patients who lose their sense of taste. “We might be able to have like a topical cream or some kind of a lollipop that patients could suck on from time to time that would give them a local burst of this signal that they could perhaps retain or maintain their sense of taste a little bit better.”  

Michelle Barron, MD, associate professor of medicine, in September discussed news reports of pollution in Rio de Janeiro’s water less than a year before the 2016 Olympics. She told a sports columnist for the Colorado Springs Gazette that her advice to a patient would be simple: “I would tell you to not go in the water.” 

Emily Townsend, DPT, who graduated from the School of Medicine’s Physical Therapy Program in May, told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that her impaired vision helps her relate to patients. “Many of my patients and their families have experienced significant loss or hardship when it comes to their physical challenges,” she said. “I am not only able to empathize, I have also experienced a loss regarding my physical abilities. I believe this connection allows for a mutual understanding which allows for extremely open and effective communication.” 

Kristen Boyle, PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics, explained in Time magazine her re-search suggesting that children of obese mothers may be predisposed to being obese due to their womb environment. “The next step is to follow these offspring to see if there is a lasting change into adulthood,” she said in June. 

Caley Orr, PhD, assistant professor of cell and developmental biology, explained on Denver’s Channel 7 the importance of a fossil discovery in South Africa. Orr analyzed the fossil hands. “The more we understand about the past,” he said, “the better we are able to come to grips with what is our nature, what are the types of things we need as humans to thrive.” 

Chris Hoyte, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, told ABC News in June that the increase in emergency calls nationwide due to synthetic marijuana is often because of contamination with other substances including opioids, heavy metals and prescription drugs. “The high people get off of them is different,” he said. “There’s no quality control.” 

Fred Hirsch, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and pathology, reported to the Denver Post in September that progress in efforts to treat lung cancer have been significant. “We are on the way to make lung cancer a chronic disease,” he said. “And not that far in the future.” 

David Tinkelman, MD, professor of pediat-rics, discussed with Denver’s 9News the use of vaporizers to consume marijuana and the increasing use by teenagers. “[Kids’] fear of getting caught has gone down, and that’s a big deal,” he said. “Once you remove that fear of getting punished, they’re going to experiment more, and I’m not surprised one bit about it.” 

Robert Eckel, MD, professor of medicine and of physiology and biophysics, was quoted in an article by Kaiser Health News and published by PBS in September saying physicians should talk with older patients about prescribing statins when there’s scant evidence that the benefits outweigh the risks. “It’s a gray zone,” he said, referring to the need for more clinical trials.