Health | Princeton Magazine

Cyclist Brings Her Own Family Peloton To Anchor House “Ride for Runaways”

PATTI’S PELOTON: Patti Maslanka will be joined this year on her fifth Anchor House Ride for Runaways by five of her children. From left, Mark, Patti, Jeff, Rebecca, Christopher, and Carolyn Maslanka. (Their dog Oliver will be staying home.) (Photo Courtesy of Christopher Maslanka)

By Donald Gilpin

Patti Maslanka is preparing to ride in her fifth consecutive annual Anchor House Ride for Runaways, setting out from Virginia on July 7 and riding 500 miles back to Trenton by July 14.

Maslanka won’t be alone at this 40th annual ride to raise money for Anchor House, which provides shelter, school, and outreach to youth ages 12 to 21 from Mercer County and throughout the state. She will be joined by five of her children, one as support and four as riders. It is the fourth year for one son, the third for another, the second for one daughter, and the first for another. more

Princeton Neuroscience Institute the Interdisciplinary PNI Takes a New Approach to Studying the Brain and Behavior

Princeton Neuroscience Institute (Photo by Michael Moran/OTTO)

By Wendy Greenberg

It may seem to some that the Princeton Neuroscience Institute has always been part of the Washington Road landscape, nestled between Roberts Stadium and South Drive. But there was a time, only about 10 years ago, when the site of the Princeton Neuroscience Institute (PNI) and Peretsman-Scully Hall, which houses the Princeton University Psychology Department, was a parking lot. more

Providing a Permanent Home Base For Grieving Kids and Families

HOME FOR GOOD: Cutting the ribbon when Good Grief first moved into its home on Mapleton Road in September 2015 were, from left: Plainsboro Deputy Mayor Neil J. Lewis, Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu, program participants Emma and Erin Legacki, and Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert. A major donation by the family of Margaret Anne Wilby on April 26, 2018, a decade after her death, makes the house a permanent home for the organization.

By Anne Levin

For children devastated by the death of a parent or sibling, Good Grief Princeton has provided comfort and support services since 2012. By 2015, the program had outgrown its rented space at Trinity Church and settled in to more spacious facilities at 5 Mapleton Road. more

Patrick Kennedy is at Home in New Jersey

By Taylor Smith

Photography by Tom Grimes

The youngest son of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy and Virginia Joan Kennedy, Patrick Kennedy has put down roots in Brigantine, New Jersey with his wife, Amy, and four children, Harper, Owen, Nora, and Nell. Amy is expecting their fifth child in May. A New Jersey native, Amy has more than 15 years’ experience working in New Jersey public schools and is the education director of The Kennedy Forum. Patrick lovingly refers to Amy as his “Jersey girl,” who grew up in a neighboring shore town. Located on the bayside of the Jersey Shore, a stone’s throw from Atlantic City, the Kennedy’s waterfront home is centered around family and the beauty of the natural setting. On the day of Princeton Magazine’s visit, seagulls were dive-bombing around Patrick’s boat and fine grains of sand blew across the roadway. more

The Princeton Baby Lab: Big Research From Small Subjects

By Wendy Greenberg // Photography by Fotobuddy Photography

Where in Princeton can parents take their babies and older siblings to play in a bright space with books, toys, and engaging staff?

Playgroup? Toddler gym? Wrong. Welcome to the Princeton Baby Lab, run by a research group in Princeton University’s psychology department. more

President Eisgruber Issues Annual ‘State of the University’ Letter to Community

Written by Princeton University’s Office of Communications

Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber sent his second annual “State of the University” letter to faculty, students and staff Wednesday, Feb. 7, recounting advances over the past year and focusing on priorities for the year ahead.

Eisgruber will summarize the letter and invite questions at open meetings this month: the annual Town Hall meeting of the Council of the Princeton University Community from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 in 101 Friend Center, and a town hall for University staff from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Feb. 20 at Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall. more

Fracking Impacts Infant Health, New Study Reveals

Photo Source: Princeton University

By Donald Gilpin

A recent study, co-authored by Princeton University Economics Professor Janet Currie, reveals significant increases of health risks for infants born to mothers living within two miles of a hydraulic fracturing (fracking) site.

“Given the growing evidence that pollution affects babies in utero, it should not be surprising that fracking, which is a heavy industrial activity, has negative effects on infants,” said Currie, who directs the Center for Health and Wellbeing at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. more

How to Keep Pets Healthy During the Holidays

Photo Credit: Hugo Juarez

The winter season poses many potential risks to animal companions, from frigid temperatures to road trips, food, and holiday decorations. We spoke with some well-known area veterinarians to get their advice on what families can do to protect their beloved pets.

By Taylor Smith

Dr. Christopher Garruba of Nassau Animal Hospital, located at 3440 US-1 in Princeton, said that owners should be aware of salted sidewalks and roadways. “Dogs can slip and fall on the ice just like people and collect ‘ice balls’ between their toes,” he said. “Their paw pads may also become irritated by salt on the roads. It’s important to carefully examine your dog’s paws and paw pads after each walk.” more

Genetic Testing For Breast Cancer Advances Bring New Challenges

By Anne Levin

With a mother and two paternal aunts who died of breast cancer, the two sisters knew it was important to get tested to see if they carried the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Should the test come back positive, their risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer would be higher than average. And preventive measures—most likely mastectomy and/or hysterectomy—could be in order. more

Incredibly Exciting, Beyond Fascinating – The Promise of “Living Drugs”

By Ellen Gilbert

Recent strides in the field of genetic engineering are generating tremendous excitement. Long in the works at university and company laboratories, the implications of this treatment are far-reaching.

The rapidly emerging immunotherapy approach is called adoptive cell transfer (ACT); it collects and uses patients’ own immune cells to treat their cancer. There are several types of ACT, but the star of the show right now is CAR T-cell therapy, which made medical history this last August when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first genetic therapy for widespread use. Called Kymriah, it is being marketed by Novartis, a global healthcare company based in Switzerland. more

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen – Providing the Ingredients for Building Better Lives

By Wendy Greenberg

Escher Street in Trenton, 10am on a weekday: The line forms to the right of the double doors at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK). Some of Trenton’s neediest individuals arrive by foot or by bicycle. A few push strollers, a few carry a bag of belongings. On rainy days, they huddle under a small awning. more

A Thirst For Change – WorldWater & Solar Technologies of Princeton

One thousand gallons of water a minute rise up 300 feet to irrigate this farm in San Diego, powered by solar energy alone.

By William Uhl

Walking with Quentin Kelly, founder and CEO of WorldWater & Solar Technologies, Inc., you can tell he is enthusiastic about what he does. The walls of his office in Princeton are decorated with maps of third-world countries like the Philippines, with red dots for each solar-powered water pump and purifier installed. Low-rise cubicles have pictures of flowing water and green crops in Haiti, Afghanistan, Darfur, and other places. And the boardroom has a row of photos of solar-powered farms in San Diego and the San Joaquin Valley. But WorldWater didn’t come into existence to fuel agriculture. more

Where Does It Hurt? Let Princeton Orthopaedic Associates, P.A. Help

By Taylor Smith

Princeton Orthopaedic Associates’ flagship office is located at 325 Princeton Avenue. The 25,000-square-foot space houses 17 orthopaedic surgeons and five physiatrists (physical medicine physicians), along with three podiatrists who handle comprehensive foot and ankle care for all patients. In addition to the Princeton Avenue location, Princeton Orthopaedic maintains four additional offices at 727 State Road in Princeton; 11 Centre Drive in Monroe; 340 Scotch Road in Ewing; and 5 Plainsboro Road, Suite 490 in Plainsboro. These offices serve greater Mercer County, Middlesex County, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. more

Dr. Eugenie Brunner Offers An Artist’s Touch in Facial Plastic Surgery

By Taylor Smith

Located in the heart of Princeton, at 256 Bunn Drive, Suite 4, Dr. Eugenie Brunner specializes in cosmetic facial plastic surgery and much more.

Double board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology, Dr. Brunner received her education and training at Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School – The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New York University Medical Center, and the University of Toronto. Affiliated with The University Medical Center at Princeton at Plainsboro, Dr. Brunner has served as an attending physician in the Department of Surgery since 1997, when her practice was first established in Princeton. more

Treating the Whole Family at Hamilton Dental Associates

By Taylor Smith

Hamilton Dental Associates, located at 2929 Klockner Road in Hamilton Square, employs the latest dental technology in the treatment of patients of all ages. Pediatric dentistry, adult dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, and endodontics are all offered at the Hamilton Square location. As a result, no referrals are needed. more

Q&A with Dr. Jennifer Montes of Hunterdon Healthcare Breast Care Program

By Taylor Smith

What do you specialize in and what is your educational background?

I am board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery specializing in malignant and benign diseases of the breast. I am a current and active member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. I received my undergraduate education at Cornell University and earned a master of public health from Columbia University prior to graduating from Temple University School of Medicine. I then proceeded to complete my general surgery residency at New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital, followed by a fellowship in breast surgical oncology at NYU Langone Medical Center. more

Premier Eye Care at Princeton Eye Group

The Princeton Eye Group partners include, back row from left, Dr Michael Y. Wong, Dr. Samuel M. Liu, Dr. R. David Reynolds, Dr. John A. Epstein, Dr. Stephen M. Felton, and Dr. Richard H. Wong. In the front row, from left, are Dr. Sarah D. Kuchar, Dr. Anita I. Miedziak, and Dr. Suzanne K. Jadico.

By Laurie Pellichero

With fully-staffed locations in Princeton, Monroe, and Somerset, Princeton Eye Group has long been known as one of New Jersey’s premier eye care practices. Each office integrates ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians so that comprehensive care can be delivered at each location. more

Trenton-based Nonprofit Isles to Celebrate Mill One Social Profit Center With Fall Fest

OLD MILL, NEW LOOK: A view of the interior of Isles’ Mill One facility, a historic mill in the final stages of renovation, that will serve as the home of the organization’s Social Profit Center. (Photo courtesy of Isles, Inc.)

By Doug Wallack

On Saturday, October 21, Trenton-based nonprofit Isles will hold its first ever Fall Fest fundraiser in the new Social Profit Center at Mill One in Hamilton. The event will feature food and drink from local restaurants and vendors, along with performances and works from area musicians and artists. The Fall Fest is meant to showcase the greater Trenton community and to celebrate the renovation of Mill One — the historic mill building on the Hamilton-Trenton border that Isles purchased in 2006. more

Princeton Insider: Cyclist

Photo Credit: Trek Bikes

Plan your next biking adventure!

PCDI teacher Melissa Edwards and Ginny.

A spectrum of challenges and hopeful possibilities

By Donald Gilpin

Autism now affects one in 68 children and one in 42 boys in the United States. New Jersey, with one in 48 children and one in 28 boys, has the highest rate of autism in the country. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined, and the cost of supporting an individual with autism during his or her lifespan can be upwards of $2.4 million.