Dr. Joel J Bechtel M.D.

No, they are not names of mythical characters from a fantasy novel. Far from it, really! As charming as their names sound, "pink puffer" is not the furry little pink creature that you are tempted to imagine nor is the "blue bloater" a big and friendly blue giant. What do these terms mean exactly?To...

Cystic fibrosis is considered incurable, and is a daily struggle for all of those who have it. Constant research is being poured into finding better treatment, and potentially even a cure, but Rowan's Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is putting their own spin (literally) on...

In 1999, Charles Dunlop founded Ambry Genetics because he wanted to work for an organization dedicated to restoring the balance between open science and commercial interests. An organization driven by scientists, genetic counselors, and physicians whose mission would be to put an end to disease and...

IntroductionOur lungs are one of the hardest working organs in the body. Each minute, our lungs expand and contract up to 20 times. This is done to exchange carbon dioxide with oxygen. An obstruction in this process is called as bibasilar atelectasis, which is a life-threatening condition. It...

For those with cystic fibrosis (CF), lung infections are the greatest contributor to death. Lung inflammation, destruction, and chronic infection occurs due to the thick sticky mucus associated with CF.This over-proliferation of mucus occurs due to the mutated gene CFTR which is responsible for the...

What is pleurisy?Pleurisy, also called as pleuritis, is the inflammation of the pleural membranes lining your lungs. These double-membraned pleura are important because they protect and lubricate your lungs as you breathe in and out. The small amount of fluid in the pleural cavity helps the two...