The Conversation

Jules Gill-Peterson in an orange shirt, a grey brick wall in the background
The struggles of trans children in the era before modern medicine show not just how trans youths are far from a new phenomenon, but also how tenacious they were compared to their parents and doctors, writes Pitt’s Jules Gill-Peterson for The Conversation.
Rogers in a suit and tie in front of a flowering bush
Gayle Rogers, professor in and chair of Pitt's Department of English and author of the forthcoming book, “Speculation: A Cultural History from Aristotle to AI,” writes about financial speculation through the ages, from tulips and scrips to bitcoin and meme stocks.
A physician adjusts a mask on a patient lying down
New treatments target different stages of COVID-19, including before patients become sick enough to need hospitalization, write Pitt medicine's William G. Bain, Georgios D. Kitsios and Tomeka L. Suber for The Conversation.
Barry Mitnick in a black suit and red tie
For decades, presidents routinely replaced large swaths of the government workforce, often requiring them to pay fees to political parties in exchange for their jobs. Professor Barry Mitnick explains the history of the “spoils” system in The Conversation.
A person in a blue shirt and jeans buckling in a seat belt
For The Conversation, Randy P. Juhl, Pitt Dean Emeritus and Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy, wrote about what it takes to change behavior due to health risks—and what it means for the COVID-19 pandemic.
A pile of almonds in the foreground with Brussels sprouts behind them
Counting or comparing calories across dishes and quantities is a lot harder to do than people think, found Peggy Liu, assistant professor of business administration, in a series of studies.
A blood supply system in a liver organoid
The new study, led by pathologist and bioengineer Mo Ebrahimkhani, is a step toward figuring out the genes necessary to produce mature cells needed to construct a functioning liver.
A face displayed with the chromosomes associated with different facial features
A new study revealed that more than 130 regions in human DNA play a role in sculpting facial features. Understanding the link between specific genes and facial features could be useful for treating facial malformations or for orthodontics.
a person holding another person's bandaged hand
The older you get, the more slowly you heal, and there are a number of reasons why. Matthew Steinhauser, associate professor of medicine, explains for The Conversation.
an image of the coronavirus
Virologist Megan Culler Freeman has been curious about reinfections since the pandemic began. For The Conversation, she addressed some questions raised by a man who reportedly was reinfected with SARS-CoV-2.