White Coats, Real Talk

#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.