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White Coats, Real Talk

White Coats, Real Talk

by Atharva Anand, Akshara Anand

Medicine Mental Health

#36: Inside the Infected Brain

In the thirty-sixth episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand speak with Dr. Kathryn Holroyd, a neurologist at Columbia University specializing in neuroinfectious and neuroinflammatory disorders, with global experience studying HIV-related brain disease. Working at the intersection of neurology, immunology, and global health, Dr. Holroyd cares for patients affected by complex infections of the brain and the immune responses that follow. In this conversation, she explains how infections reach and impact the brain, when the immune system protects versus harms, and what her work in Thailand revealed about access to care and outcomes.

#35: NMO Explained: A Rare Disease, Real Stories

In the thirty-fifth of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand speak with Dr. Anastasia Vishnevetsky, neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and instructor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, specializing in neuroimmunology and complex autoimmune diseases of the nervous system. Working at the front lines of neurological care, Dr. Vishnevetsky treats conditions such as neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a rare but serious disorder that can affect vision and mobility. In this conversation, she explains what NMO is, how it differs from multiple sclerosis, and the role of the immune system in attacking the brain and spinal cord.

#34: The Brain-Blood Sugar Connection

In the thirty-fourth episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand speak with Dr. Alison Holley Affinati, Assistant Professor of Endocrinology of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School. Working at the intersection of research and patient care, Dr. Affinati specializes in diabetes, a condition affecting millions worldwide, many of whom remain undiagnosed. In this conversation, she explains what diabetes actually is, the key differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and how blood sugar is regulated in the body.

#33: Inside Gastroenterology

In this episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand speak with Dr. Andrew Todd Weber, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine in Gastroenterology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Working on the front lines of digestive health, Dr. Weber treats complex conditions such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In this conversation, he breaks down how the gut functions beyond digestion, how it influences immunity and mental health, and what early signs of disease patients should never ignore.

#32: The Transplant Lifeline

In the thirty-second episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand speak with Dr. Jenny Pan, clinical instructor at Stanford School of Medicine and an abdominal transplant surgeon specializing in kidney transplantation. Working at the front lines of transplant medicine, Dr. Pan guides patients through end-stage kidney disease, living donation, and the complex realities of life before and after transplant. In this conversation, she breaks down how kidneys keep the body alive, the major diseases that lead to kidney failure, and how rejection is prevented and treated.

#31: Understanding the Heart

In the thirty-first episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand sit down with Edward K. Kasper, Traill Professor in Cardiology and Director of Outpatient Cardiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. A leading voice in cardiovascular care, Dr. Kasper has spent decades treating heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and complex heart disease, while also empowering patients through his book Living Well with Heart Failure. In this conversation, he explains how heart disease develops silently over time, how to recognize early warning signs, and what modern medicine is doing to protect and strengthen the heart,

#30: The Gift of a Liver

In the thirtieth episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand sit down with Dr. Andrew Cameron, Director of the Department of Surgery and Surgeon-in-Chief at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. A leader in liver transplantation and transplant innovation, Dr. Cameron has dedicated his career to expanding organ donation, improving transplant outcomes, and advancing technologies. In this conversation, he breaks down how the liver works, what leads to liver failure, and how transplantation offers patients a second chance at life.

#29: A Second Chance to Live

In the twenty-ninth episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand sit down with Dr. Marc L. Melcher, Chief of the Division of Abdominal Transplantation at Stanford University and former Program Director of the Stanford Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship. With a career spanning adult and pediatric liver and kidney transplantation, Dr. Melcher is known for advancing donor-recipient matching, improving the long-term success of transplants, and expanding access through living donation and cutting-edge technology. In this conversation, Dr. Melcher shares insights on innovation, and the hope that drives both patients and surgeons toward a second chance at life.

#28: Life in the Lungs

In the twenty-eighth episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand sit down with Dr. Douglas Liou, Clinical Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. A specialist in thoracic surgery, Dr. Liou treats lung cancer, mediastinal tumors, airway disease, and complex chest trauma. Dr. Liou shares insights on precision in the operating room, the challenges of treating one of the deadliest cancers, and the humanity at the heart of every life-changing procedure.

#27: The Gift That Regrows

In the twenty-seventh episode of White Coats, Real Talk, Atharva and Akshara Anand sit down with Dr. Hiroshi Sogawa, Surgical Director of the Yale's School of Medicine Liver Transplant Program. With over two decades of experience spanning liver, kidney, pancreas, and multi-organ transplantation, Dr. Sogawa is known for pioneering advances in living donor liver transplants, minimally invasive surgery, and organ preservation. In this conversation, Dr. Sogawa shares valuable lessons on resilience, surgical precision, and the lasting impact of giving someone a second chance at life.

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