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Medical Detectives

Medical Detectives (University of Edinburgh). A series of public lectures which show that keen detective work is still essential for 21st Century doctors. Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the lectures highlight the University of Edinburgh's acclaimed medical research. Conan Doyle drew inspiration for his character Sherlock Holmes when he was a medical student at Edinburgh. He based Holmes on the Professor of Medicine Joseph Bell, who was known for his meticulous attention to detail. Today's medical sleuths, just like Holmes, must use powers of observation and deduction not only to make the right diagnosis but also to find new treatments.

Stress Hormones and Heart Disease: The Clue is in Mixed-up Colorist. By Professor Brian Walker. Great strides have been taken in preventing and treating heart disease, yet it remains one of the biggest serial killers and our understanding of its causes is incomplete. This lecture describes how clues from population databases, modern genetics, and detailed investigations in patients have implicated steroid stress hormones in heart disease and how this has led to the development of new drug treatments.

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