New research out of the University of Minnesota identifies significant risk factors for suicidal behavior in youth being bullied, but also identifies protective factors for the same group of children.

The article, “Suicidal Thinking and Behavior Among Youth Involved in Verbal and Social Bullying: Risk and Protective Factors” is being published in a special supplemental issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. The supplement identifies bullying as a clear public health issue, calling for more preventative research and action.

In November 2012, as part of Diabetes Awareness Month, Health Talk discussed several diabetes studies taking place at the University of Minnesota to better understand and treat the disease. One of the studies focused on diabetes’ effects in the Somali community.

The study, “Understanding diabetes in Somali children in the Twin Cities, Minnesota,” is led by Muna Sunni, M.B.B.Ch., a University of Minnesota pediatric endocrinology fellow, and Antoinette Moran, M.D., a professor of pediatrics in the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Here’s a quick recap of the study:

Sunday is Father’s Day so Happy Father’s Day from everyone at Health Talk!

With a new baby, almost every father has gone through some form of sleep deprivation, especially in the first few months. So what can you do to help your baby sleep better so you can get a good night’s sleep?

With fathers in mind, Health Talk sat down with University of Minnesota Physicians sleep expert and father of three, Michael Howell, M.D., for his sleep tips for both dad and baby.

This week, Sesame Workshop announced its newest initiative: Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration, which will provide educational resources for caregivers and children impacted by parental incarceration.

As I’ve talked to colleagues and friends about this project and its upcoming release, I’ve been surprised by the reactions. Their responses have ranged from, “Wow, how great that Sesame Street is tackling this issue!” to “Is that really what our world has come to, the Muppets’ parents are now in jail?”

Combined, these reactions summarize important points about this issue. Parental incarceration is a large and growing problem in our country, but it’s a topic that has not garnered much attention from either scientific or media communities, and many people’s initial reactions to the topic are generally negative.

A new Sesame Workshop initiative will get big backing from a University of Minnesota researcher. Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration supports families with young children who have an incarcerated parent, through the use of interactive and age-appropriate resources. Minnesota is one of just 10 pilot states involved with the effort.

The program was highlighted at the White House in Washington, D.C.  Rebecca Shlafer, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Pediatrics, took part in the event.  Shlafer was joined by other experts in this field from across the country in an effort to call attention to the importance of this serious issue.

A research team led by pediatric blood and marrow transplantation experts Mark Osborn, Ph.D. and Jakub Tolar, M.D., Ph.D. from the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, have discovered a remarkable new way to repair genetic defects in the skin cells of patients with the skin disease epidermolysis bullosa.

The findings, published today in the journal Molecular Therapy and highlighted in the most recent issue of Nature, represent the first time researchers been able to correct a disease-causing gene in its natural location in the human genome using engineered transcription activator-like effector nucleases.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a skin disease caused by genetic mutations. Patients suffering from EB – primarily children – lack the proteins that hold the epidermis and dermis together, which leads to painful blistering and sores. The condition is often deadly. The University of Minnesota is an international leader in the treatment of EB and the research that has led to new treatment approaches.