064: Fun(gus) in the Sun(gus): Fungal Infections with Neil Clancy

microTalk

Candida albicans is the most common cause of fungal disease in the United States. C. albicans can cause serious and often fatal systemic infections, especially in hospitalized patients with underlying conditions.

Dr. Cornelius Clancy is an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and the Director of the XDR Pathogen Lab. Dr. Clancy talks about the clinical implications of fungal infections, how a physician should communicate with patients, how the unique perspective of a clinician enhances research, why there is a lack of effective antifungal drugs, why the societal cost needs to be factored into the cost of antimicrobials, why there has never been a better time to do science, and what the right motivation is to choose medicine as a career.

The microCase for listeners to solve is about Alf Viddersane, who gets sick along with all his family and friends at his 50th birthday party.

Participants: Karl Klose, Ph.D. (UTSA) Cornelius Clancy, M.D. (University of Pittsburgh) Janakiram Seshu, Ph.D. (UTSA) Mylea Echazarreta (UTSA)