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At the Center of It All: Applying Network Analysis to Authoritarian Elite Shareholders in Singapore
No full textAuthoritarian regimes concentrate power in an exclusive elite. When the elite depends on state access for power, the regime is able to discipline and reward these elites through interventions on their supply and demand. When the regime faces a contestation to power, authoritarian theory reveals two possibilities. One, the regime may expand distribution of benefits to co-opt outsiders. Two, the regime may further concentrate benefits to trusted elites. I test these hypotheses in Singapore, a state with clear authoritarian origins, an elite of government-linked companies (GLCs), and recent existential political threats to power. Utilizing data from nearly 30,000 government contracts across six years, I find evidence of concentration of benefits over the period as changes in total spend outpace changes in supplier count. I then bring novel applications of network analysis to the shareholders who own the suppliers. Through nodal representations and robust centrality indices, I find that shareholder centrality grows in importance, indicating that contracts go to more connected suppliers. The top shareholders at all times are GLCs, affirming that the developmental elite still dominates government contracts today. These findings support the latter hypothesis of concentration of benefits, though future work is needed to understand causal relationships and fringe elites.Computer Scienc
A knowledge graph foundation model for neurological disease
No full textNeurological disorders are the leading global cause of disability, yet most lack disease-modifying treatments or cures. Efforts to understand, diagnose, and treat these conditions have been frustrated by disease complexity and heterogeneity. To address these challenges, we introduce CIPHER, a foundation model for neurological disease. CIPHER is a 578-million-parameter heterogeneous graph Transformer for neuroscientific discovery and precision medicine. CIPHER is trained on NeuroKG, a multiscale knowledge graph assembled from 36 large-scale biomedical databases and containing 147,020 nodes and 7,366,745 edges. To provide brain-specific context, NeuroKG integrates 2,480,956 neurons and 888,263 non-neuronal cells from a human brain single-cell RNA-sequencing atlas, as well as 387,483 nuclei from patients with Parkinson’s disease and matched controls. We evaluate CIPHER across a broad range of tasks, diseases, and datasets: a CRISPR/Cas9 essentiality screen in hPSC-derived dopamine neurons; GWAS and RVAS hits in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s; genome and proteome-wide alpha-synuclein-related experimental screens, including overexpression and proximity labeling assays and a targeted exome screen in n = 496 synucleinopathy patients; pesticides toxic to patient-derived dopaminergic neurons; FDA-approved treatments for 25 neurological diseases; and cerebrospinal fluid proteomics from n = 956 subjects representing multiple genetic subtypes of Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls. CIPHER demonstrates strong performance at disease-associated gene and pesticide discovery, in silico experimentation, hypothesis generation, therapeutic prioritization, and disease subtyping, paving the way toward AI-driven neuroscientific discovery.Computer Scienc
'Will they be assets or will they be liabilities?': Two German Jewish Pediatrician Refugees from Nazi Germany and their Contributions to US Science and Society
No full textAuthor's Origina
When Life Shifts: A Memoir in Essays
No full textIn this compelling memoir, journey through the raw, unfiltered landscape of resilience, trust, and self-discovery. The author takes readers on an emotional voyage, revealing what it means to face life's darkest chapters head-on and emerge stronger.
From the relentless challenges of caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s to the battle against self-doubt and the pursuit of reclaiming one’s identity, each essay peels back the layers of human experience. The narrative is enriched by moments of unexpected hope and transformative connections that spark the courage to keep moving forward.
This memoir is a testament to the art of rebuilding trust—both in others and within oneself—and showcases the life-changing power of vulnerability and authentic living. Perfect for those seeking inspiration, it serves as a powerful reminder that even in the face of profound adversity, the path to renewal and lasting happiness is always within reach
Identification and characterization of unique enzymatic transformations by gut microbes
No full textThe human gut microbiome is a diverse community of microorganisms that catalyze millions of unique biotransformations of both endogenous and exogenous compounds. The production and modification of these microbial products can influence both other gut microbes and the human host, having impacts on health and disease. Characterizing these biotransformations is an important part of understanding the functions of the gut microbiome and a key step in the development of microbiome-directed therapies.
In this thesis, I describe my work identifying and characterizing several unique microbial enzymes and the conditions necessary for their activity. In chapter 2, I describe our identification of a steroid 21-dehydroxylase present in gut microbial species Eggerthella and Gordonibacter that transforms glucocorticoid steroids into progestins. My work in this chapter focuses on understanding the role of hydrogen production by E. coli and other bacteria in facilitating this reduction, characterizing the genetic and metabolic regulation of the steroid 21-dehydroxylase, and developing protein purification parameters both to confirm our identified enzyme and to provide a framework for subsequent mechanistic studies.
In chapter 3, we introduce a new biochemical transformation for microbiome— sulfonation. Sulfonation is an important biochemical transformation that has long been attributed solely to host metabolism. We showed that the gut commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron encodes for a sulfotransferase (SULT) enzyme capable of catalyzing the sulfonation of cholesterol and structurally related steroidal molecules (BT0416 or BtSULT). Our discovery and characterization of this enzyme revealed that it is structurally selective for substrates with a “planar” 5α-trans or 5-ene A/B ring structure within the steroidal core. Additionally, accompanying in vivo studies in monocolonized germ free (GF) mice showed that the presence of this bacterial gene increased cholesterol sulfate (ChS) levels and reduced T cell migration to the mesenteric lymph nodes, showing the potential for sulfated products of the gut microbiome to influence host biology.
In chapter 4, we follow up on our discovery of BtSULT, seeking to identify and study new sulfotransferases across the microbiome. Sulfated metabolites have important roles in regulation of metabolism, immune cell function and migration, and disease phenotypes; therefore, understanding the role of the microbiome in producing sulfated metabolites is an important area of study. To identify and study SULTs across the microbiome, we leveraged PAPS biosynthesis to integrate a stable isotope labeled sulfate moiety into sulfated metabolites both in bacterial monoculture and in vivo mouse samples. Using a combination of comparative methods and high-resolution mass spectrometry, we identified hundreds of sulfated features in mouse tissues and several new chemical classes from bacterial cultures. We identified sulfated hydroxy fatty acids as a new type of microbiome-derived sulfated metabolite and identified a candidate sulfotransferase enzyme encoded in the genome of Eubacterium ramulus ATCC 29099. The data from these exploratory studies will inform future investigations of other classes of sulfated metabolites and provide a framework for studying their SULTs.
In all, these studies contribute to our understanding of gut bacterial enzymes, their metabolic and genetic regulation, and the biological activities of their products. The tools used in these studies will facilitate future studies of gut bacterial enzymes and the small molecule metabolites that they produce.Chemical Biolog
Harnessing Multi-Electron Entanglement in Modern Quantum Materials
No full textPhysicsAuthor's Origina
The Biopsychosocial Impact of Stress and Mental Health on Cancer Risk
No full textCancer remains one of the most pressing global health concerns, with incidence rates rising despite advancements in early detection and prevention. While genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors are well-established contributors to cancer risk, the role of stress and mental health in cancer development is an emerging area of research. Chronic stress, major life stressors, mental health disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders), and hazardous substance use are increasingly recognized for their potential to influence cancer incidence. These psychosocial factors may impact biological pathways related to immune system function, inflammation, and hormonal dysregulation, yet their precise contribution to cancer risk remains underexplored. This scoping review aims to synthesize existing literature to evaluate the biopsychosocial impact of stress, mental health, and substance use on cancer risk.
A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, analyzing studies published between 1985 and 2024. Selected studies examined associations between stress, mental health, substance use, and cancer risk, focusing on biological and behavioral pathways. The review highlights multiple pathways through which stress, mental health, and substance use may influence cancer risk. Chronic stress and mental health conditions have been associated with dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary– adrenal axis, immune suppression, and increased inflammation, all of which are implicated in cancer progression. Studies also indicate that major life stressors can contribute to cancer risk by triggering prolonged physiological stress responses.
Additionally, hazardous substance uses behaviors, including alcohol and tobacco consumption, frequently co-occur with stress and mental health disorders, serving as indirect mediators that further elevate cancer risk. Findings suggest that individuals with PTSD, depression, or anxiety may be at a higher risk for specific cancers, including breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers. Finally, there is a dose-response between substance use and risk of cancer. Notably, even the lowest amount of alcohol and tobaccos use increase the risk of cancer. While epidemiological studies support an association between stress, mental health, and cancer, causality remains challenging to establish due to confounding variables and reliance on self-reported data.
This scoping review underscores the complex interplay between psychological stress, mental health, and cancer risk, highlighting the need for an integrated approach to cancer prevention that includes mental health management. Addressing modifiable risk factors could enhance cancer prevention strategies by mitigating both direct biological effects and indirect behavioral influences. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to establish causal relationships and explore potential interventions targeting stress reduction and mental health support as part of comprehensive cancer prevention programs.Extension Studie
The New Surface: Street as a Contested Field Condition
No full textAutonomous vehicle (AV) technologies are fundamentally altering the operational logic of streets, disrupting established urban patterns. This thesis examines the spatial consequences of automation on the street as a complex field condition—where movement systems, regulations, and urban form intersect and compete. Through critical examination of historical urban visions proposed in response to transportation revolutions—from the automobile’s emergence to the proliferation of highway infrastructures—the research reveals patterns of adaptation to changing mobility systems. Building on this historical analysis, the thesis explores how AVs will prescribe new spatial logics and politics on streets. Rather than accepting this impending mobility shift as technological inevitability to which cities merely react, the thesis reframes it as a contingent process that can transform in response to urban design desires. The work concludes with speculative urban scenarios that project AVs’ continued influence, suggesting design interventions that reimagine streets as contested urban conditions—where boundaries between infrastructure, public space, and technology are continuously renegotiated.Department of Urban Planning and Desig
Attending and Fellow Perspectives on Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellow Supervision
No full textBackground:
Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) is one of the newest pediatric subspecialties, and the number of PHM fellowship programs continues to grow rapidly. Many PHM attendings have limited experience supervising fellows. Currently, the PHM fellowship program at Boston Children’s Hospital lacks a structured curriculum to prepare attendings for clinical supervision. This study aims to conduct an organizational needs assessment among PHM attendings and fellows to identify faculty development needs related to fellow supervision. This assessment represents the second step in Kern’s six-step approach to curriculum development, as incorporating faculty and fellow input is essential for designing a curriculum that meets attendings’ needs.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study utilized three surveys targeting: (1) attendings at the main academic site (BCH), (2) attendings at the community site (SSH), and (3) current and graduated PHM fellows. The attending surveys assessed overall preparedness for fellow supervision, key topics to include in a curriculum, and overall interest in a curriculum. Fellow surveys explored their experiences working with attendings. Surveys were distributed anonymously via Qualtrics. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and a modified qualitative analysis using the framework method for free-response questions.
Results:
Results from BCH and SSH surveys varied given the inherent differences in training environments. The academic site (BCH) had a survey completion rate of 71.1% (32/45). Attendings expressed a need for more training on supervising both residents and fellows while tailoring teaching to the fellow’s level. Additionally, the majority of attendings at both sites shared interest in participating in a curriculum on fellow supervision. At the community site, the completion rate was 53.8% (7/13), with attendings identifying teaching to the fellow’s level and providing feedback as key training needs.
The fellow survey had a completion rate of 78.6% (11/14). Fellows identified promoting fellow autonomy as a critical topic at both training sites. Qualitative responses highlighted the need to educate community site faculty on the overall goals of fellowship training. Across all groups, the preferred curriculum delivery method was a shared document or resource folder.
Conclusion:
Our organizational needs assessment highlights the need for enhanced attending training on PHM fellow supervision from the perspectives of both attendings and fellows. While training priorities may differ between the academic and community sites due to the inherent differences in training environment, ongoing faculty development is essential for effectively preparing the next generation of PHM fellows.Graduate Educatio