Round Up

Braining Mechanisms

Tourette syndrome is a disorder characterized by uncontrollable motor or vocal tics that manifests in childhood, usually between the ages of 5 and 10, and can interfere with school performance, relationships, and quality of life. Using stem cells from patients to build 3D models that mirror portions of their brain development in a culture dish, a Yale team led by Flora Vaccarino, MD, Harris Professor in the Yale Child Study Center and professor of neuroscience, has illuminated the mechanisms underlying the condition as well as potential treatments for it.

Physician Turnover

With burnout on the rise at many health care facilities, a recent study published in PLOS ONE used machine learning to predict with 79% accuracy which physicians would leave their jobs within the 2018–2021 study period. The study pulled data from electronic health records, rather than job satisfaction surveys, which tend to have low response rates. Length of tenure, age, the complexity of the physician’s cases, and demand for services, were among the factors that impacted risk of physician turnover during the study period. “The findings highlight there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution,” said Andrew Loza, MD, PhD, cosenior author of the study and a lecturer and clinical informatics fellow at YSM.

Board Inauguration

Experts gathered in New Haven last December for the first meeting of YSM’s Scientific Advisory Board, which draws from leading scientific institutions across the United States. Sessions focused on existing strengths, developing strengths, and cross-cutting themes. Topics included neuroscience; biomedical informatics and data science; and faculty development and partnerships with engineering.