Appalachian Feminists, Precision Medicine

How Women Drove Activism in Appalachia Guest: Jessica Wilkerson, Professor of History and Southern Studies, University of Mississippi, Author of “To Live Here, You Have to Fight” Two years ago, the Women’s March became the largest single-day protest in US history. At least three and a half million people marched in Washington and other cities around the country the day after President Trump’s inauguration. It was not unusual to see women organizing and marching in large numbers. It was unusual to see women getting full credit for their role. While women have been key players in every major social movement in America, their stories aren’t often the ones remembered by historians.  The Future of Medicine is Personal Guest: Fran Smith, Medical Journalist, Author of “How Personalized Medicine is Transforming Your Healthcare,” National Geographic When someone is diagnosed with an illness today –whether it’s strep throat or cancer –the treatment they receive is based on what has generally worked for lots of other people who’ve had that same illness. A doctor may say, “This drug I’m prescribing worked well in 60 percent of patients with your condition. About 10 percent of people had bad side effects when they took it, so let’s hope it works for you.” But increasingly, scientists are figuring out how to flip that approach on its head. Rather than use blanket treatments that work for some people but not others, doctors will be able to look at your DNA profile and unique biochemical makeup and then tailor treatment for you.