Karen Weintraub

Contributor, CommonHealth

Karen Weintraub spent 20 years in newsrooms before becoming a freelance writer in January 2010. She is a contributor for WBUR's CommonHealth.

Recently published

Harvard researcher Doug Melton holds a vial of insulin-producing cells made in his lab. (Karen Weintraub)

The Quest To Cure Diabetes: From Insulin To The Body's Own Cells

“I thought by now I would have cured the disease,” says Harvard University's Doug Melton, one of the leading diabetes researchers in the U.S. “It's taken much longer than I...

Local Coverage

05:13Jun 27, 2019

CVS pharmacist Lucy Charlene Wafo reviews Joanne Rhoton's insurance coverage for the prescription order she just picked up. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

This Mass. Woman Has 2 Insurance Plans. She's Still Struggling To Pay For Prescriptions

“When you're up backed up against a wall, I mean you have to do something,” says Everett resident Joanne Rhoton. “And I'm sure that I'm not the only person that...

Local Coverage

05:27Jun 24, 2019

Dan slices an avocado in his kitchen. He's been on the ketogenic diet for three years now, and says it's improved his mental health and overall well-being. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Prescription: More Broccoli, Fewer Carbs. How Some Doctors Are Looking To Food To Treat Illness

A McLean Hospital doctor asks patients with obesity and mental illness to try the ketogenic diet. It's part of a growing trend of doctors prescribing certain foods -- or telling...

Local Coverage

05:52Jun 4, 2019

Brunel Etienne receives a blood transfusion at the Kraft Blood Donor Center in Boston. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

New Gene Therapy Shows Promise For Patients With Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease affects an estimated 100,000 Americans and millions more worldwide. A new gene therapy could help fight it.

Local Coverage

05:16Mar 8, 2019

To manage her seizures, 9-year-old Gloria Johnson uses the ketogenic diet, which she says includes "lots of avocados." (Matthew Mead/AP)

The Power And Pitfalls Of The Popular Ketogenic Diet For Patients

Long before it became one of the hottest diets in America, the ketogenic diet was used for patients with epilepsy, and it often works -- but it's extraordinarily challenging to...

Local Coverage

05:16Sep 7, 2018

(Courtesy Lauren Solomon/Broad Institute)

A New Genetic Test For Heart Attacks Could Help People Avoid Unpleasant Medical Surprises

Looking at data from 6.6 million spots in the genome, Boston area researchers have found ways to identify genetic risk for heart attack and other health issues.

Local Coverage

Aug 13, 2018

An example of a slide used for testing DNA. (AP)

CommonHealth: Uncovering Hidden Genetic Risk Factors

Scientists have found a way to determine whether an individual has an increased genetic risk for heart disease and other serious illnesses.

Radio Boston

07:31Aug 13, 2018

Aviv Regev, a core member of the Broad Institute, is leading the international Human Cell Atlas Consortium. (Courtesy of Casey Atkins)

Legos Of Life: Atlas Maps Human Body One Cell Type At A Time

The "Human Cell Atlas" aims to account for and better understand every cell type in the human body, and how they interact.

Local Coverage

04:15Aug 3, 2018

Doctor checklist (Courtesy rawpixel via Unsplash)

'Slips, Lapses, Fumbles': Medical Mistakes Kill, And A Solution Is Seen In Education

Medical negligence kills more than 250,000 people every year. "Most errors are made by good doctors," says Aubrey Milunsky.

Local Coverage

Jul 18, 2018

Contruction is rampant all over Kendall Square. The 19-story, 453,768-square-foot office tower at 145 Broadway will be the new home of Akamai Technologies. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Next Chapter For Biotech? Many Say 'Convergence' With Data Science

Artificial intelligence, big data analytics and deep learning are converging on health care in a big way, experts insist.

Local Coverage

06:10Jun 8, 2018