Quals playlist and cool science

Part 1: Quals

9 days until my qualifying exam. Otherwise known as the Day of Judgement.

I have one major and two minor emphases. My major is Environmental Epidemiology, with minors in Biostatistics and Exposure Assessment.

Only 6 papers, an 8 hour written exam, and a 4 hour oral exam stand between me and official Candidate status.

 To make this entire process more tolerable, I made a qualifying exam playlist. I think it's worth a listen:

1. North by North - Faded Paper Figures
2. Down in the Valley - The Head and the Heart
3. She Lit a Fire- Lord Huron
4. Candles - Daughter
5. Passion Play - William Fitzsimmons
6. I Sing I Swim - Seabear
7. Paper Tiger - Rosi Golan
8. Lonesome Dreams - Lord Huron
9. Smashed Birds - Soley
10. Arms - Seabear
11. Orange Sky - Alexi Murdoch
12. An Instant - Eliabethan Report

Although studying for quals sucks, this entire process hasn't turned me off from Environmental Health or Epidemiology like I was afraid it would.

Part 2 - Cool Science:

My department's research retreat is enjoyable for two reasons: 1) We stay at a really nice hotel on the Cape for free, and 2) we talk about science.

This year, I learned about chemicals that have the ability to turn your bones into fat, called PPAR agonists. Yup. You read that correctly. Bones turning into fat.

PPAR is a gene that controls whether immature cells in your bones turn into bone cells or fat cells, which are not supposed to be in your bone marrow. These chemicals can be found in pesticides, wood preservation chemicals, and maybe even medications.

Rosiglitazone, a diabetes medication that stimulates PPAR, has side effects that include weight gain and fractures. This study found a increased risk of fractures in people taking the medication: Rosiglitazone and fractures

This could be due to the fact that their bones are turning into fat. Crazy huh!

*Shout out to Val!