In 2023, many authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.
Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspectives and insightful views as authors.
Outstanding Authors (2023)
Toan Ha, University of Pittsburgh, USA
Henry A. Willis, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Nicolas Postel-Vinay, European Hospital Georges Pompidou, France
Bertalan Mesko, The Medical Futurist Institute, Hungary
Brittany S. Gluskin, Boston Children’s Hospital, USA
Kathleen E. Davis, Texas Woman’s University, USA
K. Taylor Bosworth, University of Missouri - Columbia, USA
Gilbert A. Orta Portillo, University of Southern California, USA
Irene Tamí-Maury, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, USA
Urs-Vito Albrecht, Bielefeld University, Germany
Namita Bhardwaj, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA
Vahagn Aldzhyan, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA
Toan Ha
Dr. Toan Ha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, USA. His research focuses on social and behavioral aspects of HIV, stigma, the role of alcohol use on ART adherence, sexual and reproductive health, and the use of mHealth to promote health behaviors including HIV testing and the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among key affected populations. His recent projects include research on HIV risks and sexual and reproductive health among young migrant workers in Vietnam, a study on the impact of alcohol use on ART adherence among men living with HIV in India, using social media campaigns for partner notification services for HIV/STI prevention and treatment in Pennsylvania, as well as HIV education and training for healthcare professionals in the US.
Based on Dr. Ha’s personal experience, he has encountered several difficulties in academic writing. Firstly, it can be challenging to come up with a new research topic or hypothesis that contributes to existing literature in the field. Therefore, it is important to conduct thorough research and literature review to identify research gaps and develop a strong research question or hypothesis. Secondly, organizing one’s thoughts and presenting them in a clear, concise, and logical manner can also be difficult. Thirdly, it is essential to use proper grammar, and vocabulary, and avoid informal language when addressing knowledge in the field of interest. Lastly, revising and editing the work can be time-consuming to ensure that there are no errors and improve the overall quality of the writing.
In order to ensure one’s research writing remains up-to-date and insightful, Dr. Ha believes it is crucial to remain informed about the latest developments in one’s field of study. This requires staying abreast of new research publications, attending conferences and seminars, and following social media accounts and blogs of prominent researchers. One of the experiences that he has found valuable is to actively seek out and engage in collaborative partnerships with colleagues from the same or different institutions across different countries. He believes that this is a critical component of staying current and generating new insights. Collaborating with others in one’s field can offer unique perspectives and expertise, leading to novel research approaches and the exploration of previously unexplored research areas. Through effective collaboration, one can build a robust network of professional relationships, exchange knowledge and skills, and contribute to impactful research that advances the scientific community.
On the other hand, Dr. Ha also encourages authors to share their research data so as to enable other researchers to build on their work, validate their findings, promote open science, and ensure ethical research practices. Data sharing also fosters collaboration across disciplines and countries. Nowadays, several websites and journals facilitate data sharing by publishing datasets online. For instance, the Data in Brief journal provides brief articles that describe and give access to research data, making it easily accessible to other researchers.
“It can be challenging to find time to write papers, especially when juggling teaching, research, and service responsibilities at the university and school. To ensure that I have enough time to work on a paper, I make a commitment to schedule specific writing times during the week, evenings, or weekends. I always avoid meetings by all means for the specific time during the week to focus on writing. Also, I often break the writing process into smaller tasks and set achievable goals for each session. For example, I may focus on writing the introduction one week and the methods section the next week. I always keep in mind that doing science is a collaborative work, and writing a paper also requires collaboration,” says Dr. Ha.
(Brad Li is the main author; Yi Tang, an intern of AME, helped proofread this interview)
Henry A. Willis
Henry A. Willis, PhD, is currently a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice, and Columbia University’s School of Social Work, USA. He is also continuing his clinical work with patients from across the lifespan in private practice in New York City, and he assists in clinical training at the HOPE Center, a free mental health clinic in Harlem, New York. In Fall 2023, Dr. Willis will be joining the Clinical Psychology Department at the University of Maryland, College Park as a tenure-track Assistant Professor. His research interests include exploring the relationship between online and offline racial discrimination and mental health outcomes, understanding sociocultural protective factors (i.e., racial identity) and how they impact psychopathology within African Americans, creating cultural adaptations of evidence-based treatments, and utilizing mobile-health technology to increase access to mental health treatments for underserved populations. Connect with Dr. Willis on Twitter @HeyArtez.
A good academic paper, in Dr. Willis’ opinion, seeks to advance and stretch the field in new and exciting ways by exploring understudied areas using rigorous methods to push the field forward. More importantly, he believes that a good academic paper should be one that strives to not just sit “on the shelf”. In other words, academic papers should be more than a byline on a CV or a manuscript that stays behind a paywall. He explains, “Good academic papers can strive to be used to offer answers to current problems, as well as concrete next steps to help advance the health and well-being of society.”
According to Dr. Willis, authors should be willing to learn from different scholarly and community stakeholder viewpoints. This is not always easy as it requires authors to engage in critical reflections on one’s own positionality and skillsets. He thinks authors should also strive to accept feedback that advances the goals of science, even if it means the authors have to stretch their own capabilities or lean on other scholars for support. This is best encapsulated as the ability and willingness to collaborate. Finally, he points out that authors should be prepared to defend their scholarship when necessary, and advocate for the communities they represent and/or communities they seek to support (i.e., underserved communities and communities of color), since these communities are traditionally underrepresented in the academy and published research.
Another important point in relation to academic writing, according to Dr. Willis, is for research to apply for institutional review board (IRB) approval. He emphasizes that such step helps to ensure that the populations being studied are protected against unethical practices. This is extremely important when working with populations that have been historically abused and deceived by researchers (e.g., African Americans in the U.S. via the Tuskegee Experiment, Henrietta Lacks, etc.). If this process is omitted, it could deepen the distrust between these communities and researchers.
“I chose to publish in mHealth because of its focus on evaluating and amplifying scholarship related to mobile-health technology and research, and its ability to reach an interdisciplinary audience. The ultimate goal of my research is to reduce health disparities in access to mental health treatments among communities of color, and I believe an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to solving this problem. Therefore, mHealth is a great choice to publish a paper that seeks to enhance the visibility of African Americans in mHealth research, and to foster future interdisciplinary collaborations,” says Dr. Willis.
(By Brad Li, Eunice X. Xu)
Nicolas Postel-Vinay
Dr. Nicolas Postel-Vinay is a clinician in the Hypertension Unit of the European Hospital Georges Pompidou, European Society of Hypertension Excellence Center, Paris, France. He also works with Santé Service Foundation Hospital at Home, Levallois, France. His area of expertise covers new information & communications technologies, patients’ digital path, patient education and remote medical decision making. He is especially concerned with the advantages and challenges of telemonitoring and self-management in the clinical management of arterial hypertension. In his role of usual care, he is directly confronted with the problem of digital health literacy among patients and health professionals. He has piloted projects for the French Ministry of Health and the prestigious research and teaching institution, Collège de France. He is also an active participant in teaching activities in the field of digital health.
“The act of writing a scientific article for a peer-reviewed journal can be compared to figure skating in a compulsory figure event,” says Dr. Postel-Vinay when he is asked about the commonly encountered difficulties in academic writing. To him, academic writing requires technical skill and the necessary work to produce a text that adheres to a rigid structure: Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions. For clinicians responsible for patients, the available time for writing is scarce, which poses a real challenge. The most significant difficulties lie in the design and implementation of the study that the article will focus on. Conducting research can sometimes involve immense regulatory and financial obstacles. Needless to say, before an article, there is the design of a study protocol that should be as original as possible and lead to useful results, which makes academic writing even more challenging.
Speaking of the preparation of a paper, Dr. Postel-Vinay thinks clarity and conciseness are two important aspects. The writer must choose the conclusion they are aiming for from the start. This choice must be made honestly. Peer-reviewed journals ensure adherence to these quality criteria.
Seeing the prevalence of data sharing in scientific writing in recent years, Dr. Postel-Vinay believes that sharing our knowledge is essential because everyone builds upon the work of others. It is also important to share failures (negative studies) because too much effort is wasted by reproducing the same mistakes or pursuing utopian ideas. This holds true for the world of e-health as well.
“The hope of being useful is my initial motivation to do academic writing, but let's not forget that professional careers need recognition and appreciation. An accepted article is akin to winning a medal,” says Dr. Postel-Vinay.
(by Camellia Zhou, Brad Li)
Bertalan Mesko
Dr. Bertalan Mesko, PhD, is the Medical Futurist and the Director of The Medical Futurist Institute analyzing how science fiction technologies can become reality in medicine and healthcare globally. He is a Certified Superforecaster for Good Judgment, Inc. As a geek physician with a PhD in genomics, he is also an Amazon Top 100 author and a Private Professor at Semmelweis Medical School, Budapest, Hungary. With 500+ presentations including courses at Harvard, Stanford and Yale Universities, Singularity University's Futuremed course at NASA Ames campus and organizations including the 10 biggest pharmaceutical companies, he is one of the top voices globally on healthcare technology. He was featured by dozens of top publications, including CNN, the World Health Organization, National Geographic, Forbes, TIME magazine, BBC, and the New York Times. He publishes his analyses regularly on medicalfuturist.com. His research focuses on the role of artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare; as well as digital health technologies’ impact on the future of care. Learn more about Dr. Mesko here and connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram.
To Dr. Mesko, a good academic paper must address an important clinical /research gap; identify a new challenge/solution; or provide deep-level insights that help others in the field better understand a particular scientific problem. It must be well-written in a way that even non-experts could get a glimpse of the major messages of the manuscript. It should also implement scientific marketing to make sure the paper will be easy to find. He is also a big advocate for figures and graphs that are in line with the infographic revolution we are witnessing in every field. Such visual representations can really help the reader understand the points the authors try to make.
Mentioning the key skill sets of an author, Dr. Mesko believes that a good style in writing and explaining even complex phenomena are skills that every author can learn with time and practice. A good author should not only focus on writing down what they found during their research, but also try to see the paper from the potential readers’ perspective. He points out that it is not enough anymore to have a paper that is fairly well written. The visual style, and the nature of figures can also add significantly to the reader’s experience.
On the importance for authors to disclose Conflict of Interest (COI), Dr. Mesko points out that since a lot of researchers are involved in companies, and with the rise of digital health and artificial intelligence, it is particularly important for them to transparently disclose any of the business/financial relationships they have as those can influence the outcome of the paper. He adds, “This is the only way to ensure that evidence-based medicine keeps on being the guiding light for all of us in healthcare.”
“I find it very exciting to go through the process of doing research while keeping the potential paper as the outcome at the end of it in mind. I love finding out how to put our thoughts and findings into an easily digestible, well-written and well-visualized paper. I also enjoy peer review on both sides. Being a reviewer, I think it’s a good kind of responsibility to contribute to others’ works with proper and useful suggestion and criticism; while I also like to tackle challenges posed by reviewers to our papers,” says Dr. Mesko.
(by Camellia Zhou, Brad Li)
Brittany S. Gluskin
Brittany Gluskin, MA, is a Clinical Research Specialist in the Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, USA. Her educational background includes degrees in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University. Her recent projects are centered around sexual and reproductive health interventions for young women with depression and HIV and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) education among adolescents and young adults, as well as studies investigating substance use interventions in youth populations.
In Brittany’s view, a good academic paper should convey a clear, cohesive story via the appropriate organization of ideas and the use of concise language. As a reader, she wants to be able to easily summarize the major ideas presented in a paper by the time when she has finished it. Additionally, authors should remember that a study does not need to have significant results to be worth writing about and that a well-written academic paper can be an important contribution to their field irrespective of their specific study findings.
To Brittany, it is important for authors to consider several big picture questions during manuscript preparation: What do we currently know based on the existing literature in this field? What contributions does this research make to the field (e.g., does it support or contradict previous findings? What does it add that is new?)? How can this research inform future studies? Authors should avoid losing sight of these questions when describing the details of their research. Authors should also consider the intended audience to help guide their writing approach.
Lastly, Brittany points out that although it would be frustrating to deal with the process of submitting applications, revisions, and/or reports to the institutional review board (IRB), it is helpful to step back and think about why they are necessary. She adds, “Conducting research ethically and with the utmost respect for human rights is far more important than any inconvenience related to the application process. The ultimate purpose of the research that I am involved with is to determine how we can improve health outcomes for various populations. It would go directly against this goal to conduct our research in a manner that did not adequately take into account the health, safety, and rights of study participants.”
“I am fortunate to have exceptional mentors whose guidance and encouragement motivate me to continuously work on improving my research skills, including academic writing. Some of the best advice that I have received about the writing process is to first focus on putting your ideas down on paper without worrying about style or structure, which will come later on in the process. Consistent writing practice is also key since it is easier to stay motivated when writing has become more of a habit than an occasional research activity. I am grateful to currently be in a position that has granted me ample opportunities to practice academic writing across a diverse range of topics. Finally, discovering different writing styles by reading the work of researchers both within and outside of my field helps motivate me to continue working to develop my own writing style,” says Brittany.
(by Camellia Zhou, Brad Li)
Kathleen E. Davis
Kathleen Davis, PhD, RDN, is an Associate Professor and Dietetic Internship Program Director at Texas Woman’s University-Denton, USA. Her primary areas of research focus include preventing obesity among children and families with the use of technology; promoting optimal nutrition for children with special healthcare needs; and addressing college food insecurity by promoting food literacy. Dr. Davis is currently working on a USDA SNAP-ED funded, multi-level intervention with researchers at the University of North Texas to promote physical activity and healthy diet among Head Start children and their families. Another project focuses on improving dietary diversity and quality among children with autism and overweight and obesity. As co-lead for Eat Well, one component of TWU’s Health and Wellbeing Initiative, she is leading service and research to improve the food security and literacy of students and improve the campus food environment.
A good academic paper, in Dr. Davis’ opinion, should follow quality standards such as those in the COREQ checklist, focus on a question or issue of broad concern to the public, and seek to minimize bias.
In order to ensure research writing remains up-to-date and insightful, Dr. Davis would subscribe to a few research list servers that provide her with regular updates on articles published in her areas of interest such as obesity and nutrition in general. She also tries to set aside time every so often to peruse these for more depth.
Speaking of how to allocate time to write papers, Dr. Davis shares, “I have a systematic approach to tracking my tasks and scheduling. This includes a weekly, hand-written master list of tasks that need to be completed organized by research, classes, particular service areas, and particular grants. At the end of the day each Friday, I rewrite my list for the next week while looking at my on-line calendar, I highlight in one color the most urgent tasks that must be completed the next week and in another color, tasks that should be completed if I have time. Each day, I look at the next day’s schedule on-line and put a few tasks from my master list on the next day’s list. If I have days with a few hours together, I reserve those spots for writing or analysis. This ensures that I am able to submit a few publications each year. I also make a summer calendar with goals for which tasks are completed in each summer month, which usually involves writing at least one major grant or paper.”
Finally, on research data sharing which is prevalent in recent decade, Dr. Davis thinks it can lead to greater transparency and better research practices. It helps keep people honest and may help others find inadvertent mistakes as well. She fully supports transparency in research.
(by Camellia Zhou, Brad Li)
Ashwini Lakshmanan & Isabel Sunshine
Ashwini Lakshmanan, MD, MS, MPH, FAAP, is an Associate Professor of Health Systems Science at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. She is a neonatologist and health services researcher passionate about neonatal-perinatal health equity, digital health, long-term follow-up, and access to care.
Isabel Sunshine, MD, is a first-year Pediatrics Resident at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), USA. She recently graduated from Keck School of Medicine of USC, where she worked closely with Dr. Lakshmanan on multiple research projects intended to investigate and ameliorate the existing health disparities in transition from neonatal intensive care unit to home, particularly for historically marginalized and underserved patient populations. At UCSF, she is a part of the PLUS track for Pediatric trainees, which is intended to cultivate leadership and advocacy skills towards advancements in health equity.
mHealth: What are the essential elements of a good academic paper?
Dr. Sunshine: In my opinion, the essential elements of a good academic paper are originality, reproducibility, and relevancy. A good paper should investigate an original topic and represent work that has not otherwise been published or discussed in depth elsewhere. It should also present reproducible data. Therefore, one’s methods and analyses should be carefully and accurately outlined. The final, and perhaps most important, element of a good paper is relevancy; the paper and its subject should represent something of social, historic, and/or scientific significance.
Dr. Lakshmanan: The essential elements of a good academic paper are novelty, rigor in methods, and relevance. The manuscript should provide a thoughtful research question, detailed methodology, and present results in a logical manner. The discussion should provide context and generate ideas for future work.
mHealth: What are the qualities an author should possess?
Dr. Sunshine: The qualities I appreciate in authors who can write research with clarity, conciseness, and transparency. Given my interest in health equity research, I also appreciate authors who incorporate a discussion of social determinants of health and those who recognize racism as a potentially important contributor to health/health outcomes.
Dr. Lakshmanan: An author should be creative, thoughtful, and apply honest research methods. I also appreciate it when authors provide thoughts on actionable next steps.
mHealth: Why do you choose to publish in mHealth?
Dr. Sunshine: mHealth was an ideal journal for our research related to mobile solutions for improving the transition from NICU to home. Our work centers on attempting to produce a mobile application to assist parents in caring for their medically complex newborns and to ease the transition to critical outpatient follow-up. I also appreciate that mHealth recognizes the potential for mobile solutions to address health disparities.
Dr. Lakshmanan: We were thrilled to publish in mHealth, given the focus on innovative digital health solutions in transitions of care.
(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)
K. Taylor Bosworth
K. Taylor Bosworth, BSc, is a first-year medical student in the Tom and Anne Smith MD/PhD Program and a Senior Research Specialist in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Missouri - Columbia, School of Medicine, USA. Previously, she earned a BSc in Biology and a BSc in Psychology from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Her research interests are health technologies, user-informed design, implementation science, and addiction medicine. Her recent projects focus on primary care topics, such as addiction medicine, obesity, health technologies, and implementation science. The most recent project has been CommitFit, an mHealth app for adolescents with obesity, which is still ongoing. In the future, she hopes to bridge addiction medicine and science with health technologies, such as mHealth apps, to improve access to treatment and care for those with substance use disorders. Connect with K. Taylor on ResearchGate and LinkedIn.
A good academic paper, in K. Taylor’s opinion, is transformative but transparent. She points out that research must be accessible and understandable across disciplines and to the public, which promotes innovation and drives new perspectives. At the heart of a good academic paper is originality supported by evidence. However, the best papers are the ones that create a lasting impact on readers.
Science advances rapidly day by day. The main way K. Taylor keeps her writing up-to-date is to connect with other researchers in the field, especially during conferences. To her, discussions are one of the most impactful ways to share one’s perspective and challenge what one knows or believes. Additionally, she stays committed to continuous learning and professional development. This commitment involves being an active learner and seeking out information as it is available. The most efficient way she seeks out information is to connect with other researchers on platforms such as LinkedIn and ResearchGate.
Outside of medicine and research, K. Taylor is an artist. She paints and draws frequently. In several ways, she believes academic writing is similar to art. For instance, when painting, one must start with an idea or concept. Only after creating a strong background can one intentionally add layers to make the subject. Soon, details are added to tie the piece together and highlight meaning. To her, this process is not unique to artwork. She explains, “We see many parallels in the process of academic writing. When we write an academic paper, we use the same fundamentals: we conceptualize, create a background, and mold meaning from our subject (the research). Artistry and academic writing do not live in separate realms; academic writing is art. At the core, art and academic writing require careful consideration of the message and its intended impact on the audience. The enmeshed nature of art and academic writing makes it truly fascinating.”
Lastly, K. Taylor would like to express her gratitude to all those who have guided her along her academic path. “I would like to thank all of my mentors, especially Dr. Amy Braddock, who has been an amazing mentor and Primary Investigator. She has allowed me the space to grow and flourish as a young researcher. Without her, I would not be the writer or researcher, I am today,” says she.
(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)
Gilbert A. Orta Portillo
Gilbert A. Orta Portillo, MPH, is currently a doctoral student at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, USA. Co-mentored by Dr. Ricky Bluthenthal and Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, Gilbert’s research focuses on HIV prevention, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) linkage, and stigma reduction for sexual and gender minorities. Additional research interests include harm reduction for drug use and infectious diseases, most recently with Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) and Hepatitis C.
In Gilbert’s opinion, academic writing helps provide structure and context to science. It is an opportunity to explore an idea, clarify results, and converse on one’s conclusions. He points out that we are not necessarily reinventing the wheel, but rather refining previous empirically based research through diverse contexts and opportunities. One research topic can have its unique facets and contribute to the overall bigger picture as well. Our responsibility is not only to present information, but more importantly, to create digestible information that can be understood by all.
“That’s the tricky thing about research. There’s new information coming out every day, but only so many hours to read!” says Gilbert when he is asked about how he stays himself abreast of the latest scientific knowledge. To him, technology helps with staying informed, but it is having conversations with others that he finds most helpful with innovation. He adds, “Spanning from cancer epidemiology to physical and mental well-being and even dentistry, my colleagues listen attentively and provide different perspectives that challenge and inspire me to be more curious.”
“I look to the past, the present, and the future for motivation. I honor my Queer history and those who perished during the HIV/AIDS epidemic because of fear and ignorance, and unfortunately still do. I am mi gente, who has been resilient in maintaining our identity when assimilation appears to be the easier option. Finally, I strive to create a future where Queer youth can not only live authentically but, more importantly, are aware of life-saving prevention and treatment options. I look forward to empowering marginalized communities and advocating for the decolonization of literature,” says Gilbert.
(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)
Irene Tamí-Maury
Dr. Irene Tamí-Maury is a health disparity researcher and behavioral epidemiologist, currently appointed as a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. She has a particular interest in designing and implementing technology-based interventions to modify risk factors for chronic conditions among vulnerable populations (e.g., sexual and gender minority groups, people with HIV, ethnic/racial minorities, immigrants, adolescents and young adults, etc.), particularly in the field of tobacco use and nicotine addiction. Some of her research projects involve better understanding the dyad patient-provider considering cultural and contextual factors to implementing digitally-based, culturally sensitive and sustainable strategies for overcoming the challenges of the provider-patient relationship, with the ultimate goal of improving provider models for delivering effective care and more importantly, patient health outcomes. Learn more about Dr. Tamí-Maury here.
Academic writing can pose several challenges, in Dr. Tamí-Maury’s view, and for an ESL (English as a Second Language)-manuscript writer, these difficulties may be amplified. Crafting a manuscript in a non-native language demands additional effort and time investment. Adhering to journal word limits can be particularly challenging, requiring careful editing and condensation. Furthermore, the protracted review process by some journals can be frustrating, leading to delays in disseminating research findings. Additionally, costs associated with publication can also be a concern, especially for investigators with limited funding but aspiring to reach a broad audience.
Additionally, according to Dr. Tamí-Maury, transparency in disclosing Conflict of Interest (COI) is an essential ethical practice in academic and scientific publishing. The importance of COI disclosure lies in maintaining the integrity and credibility of the research. Readers, reviewers, and the scientific community at large rely on the objectivity and impartiality of research findings. Knowing about any potential conflicts allows readers to assess the research in the context of the authors' affiliations and financial interests. COIs could potentially impact study design, data interpretation, and/or the reporting of results.
(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)
Urs-Vito Albrecht
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. PH Urs-Vito Albrecht is Head of the Department of Digital Medicine at the Medical University OWL at Bielefeld University. He researches the framework conditions for implementing and evaluating demand- and needs-oriented products and translational processes of "digital medicine" and develops methods and tools for knowledge transfer in medical education, training, and continuing education. He is dedicated to space health and is involved in developing, implementing and evaluating seismocardiography as a method for continuous health monitoring of astronauts on long-distance/long-term missions. Last year, his team completed an experiment on the International Space Station (ISS). Recent projects are now aimed at more distant destinations. Learn more about Prof. Albrecht here.
From Prof. Albrecht’s perspective, a good paper addresses the right questions about an interesting issue (which does not necessarily have to be mainstream), presents concise methods and results, and does not shy away from critically examining possible limitations. He adds, “We all learn from our mistakes and should share our experiences with others so that science as a whole can move forward.”
Science advances rapidly day by day. Prof. Albrecht admits that it is indeed very challenging to keep track of all current scientific endeavors. One aspect that makes it difficult is that big events create their own gravity and take up almost all of the attention of the scientific community. His observation, however, is that the creative and solid research that helps him to gain deeper insights tends to be found on the margins. The key to identifying is to be persistent and critical, but at the same time, be open to unorthodox or new ideas and be aware of one’s own biases.
“I am fascinated by academic works that seem to live and, like a good book, provide me with answers to my questions at various stages of my research. Joseph Weizenbaum's work, for example, is a constant companion on my journey through the as-yet-undiscovered areas of computer science,” says Prof. Albrecht.
(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)
Namita Bhardwaj
Namita Bhardwaj completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her undergraduate coursework in biology. She went on to attend Ross University to complete her medical education and earn her MD. After completing her residency in family medicine, she completed a fellowship in primary care sports medicine. As an early career physician, she realized the importance of informatics in health care and went on to pursue a dual-degree master’s in public health informatics. Her publication with mHealth “Text messaging intervention for Pap smear uptake: A single institution study” was her master’s capstone project. She is currently an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. As a primary care sports medicine physician informaticist, her research interests focus on improving care outcomes for student-athletes and occupational workers. Connect with Dr. Bhardwaj on Twitter (X) @NamitaMD.
In Dr. Bhardwaj’s view, academic writing is important in advancing science. In order to help others learn and grow from the knowledge one has discovered, it must be shared via academic writing. However, it is important to avoid biases in one’s writing. In view of this, she recommends having other people with different perspectives read your work. Sometimes, getting the harshest critic to review your paper will help make sure the paper is less biased. Therefore, she believes it is also important to be receptive to feedback, as that will facilitate one’s personal growth.
“Never give up! A mentor of mine encouraged me to make a list of my projects that I never saw to publication. He encouraged me to move those projects forward as they all had important knowledge to share. The knowledge was not making an impact on science because it was not published. I am now able to say that the majority of those projects have now been shared with the scientific community. I promise it may seem daunting at first, but the writing process does become easier with time,” says Dr. Bhardwaj.
(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)
Vahagn Aldzhyan
Vahagn Aldzhyan is a first-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Biomedical Research. Upon graduating, he received his Master’s in Science in Biomedical Sciences from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, his research focused on cancer health disparities and the use of novel metformin analogues for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. At UCLA, he is part of the Charles R. Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program which aims to train physician leaders dedicated to advancing healthcare in underserved communities. Currently, his research interests include artificial intelligence, cancer health disparities, and gastrointestinal diseases. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
In Vahagn’s opinion, a strong academic paper begins with the development of a focused hypothesis. This hypothesis should be well-defined and aim to address an important question in a particular field. Strong methodological approaches need to be in place upon the development of a hypothesis to ensure that the study can generate reproducible, transparent, and conclusive results. Lastly, the paper must adhere to ethical principles and should be widely accessible to all researchers. Equitable access to scholarly works will allow for further contributions and advancements in academia.
To stay afloat with rapid scientific advancements, Vahagn strives to network with colleagues and mentors, attends research conferences, and follows journals on social media platforms such as X and LinkedIn. He explains, “We live in a digital era, and social media can provide us with brief summaries of the latest research topics within seconds!”
Lastly, Vahagn would like to say a few words to his companions who are also devoted to advancing scientific progress, “Always strive to be the best and ensure you love what you do. Making meaningful contributions to the scientific field can be difficult and is a continuum; therefore, having passion and desire for what you do is essential. Additionally, don’t be afraid of failure. Use failure as an avenue for growth and improvement. Lastly, don’t limit yourself to only reading papers in your respective field(s). Exposing yourself to research in other fields could potentially allow you to garner new ideas for your current and future studies.”
(by Brad Li, Alisa Lu)