.jpg)
Causes or Cures
For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots
Curious about health? So is Dr. Eeks.
Causes or Cures is an independent health podcast hosted by Dr. Eeks (ErinKate Stair, MD, MPH). It is an offbeat, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a genuine love of making complicated health topics easier to understand. Science is fascinating. It does not have to sound corporate to be credible.
Dr. Eeks is a public health professional specializing in applied epidemiology and health communication. By day, she works on complex national public health issues. By choice, she spends her free time asking scientists, physicians, researchers, authors, clinicians, and other fascinating people questions she hopes everyone else is wondering too.
The goal is simple. Make good science understandable without watering it down.
Along the way, the podcast has wandered into everything from memory and longevity to self medicating animals, migraines, gene drive mosquitoes, public health history, the spiritual realm, and the occasional existential detour. If it has something to teach us about health or what it means to be human, it is probably fair game.
Recurring segments include Public Health is Weird, which uncovers strange but true stories from public health history, WTF Health News, where Dr. Eeks breaks down bizarre or buzzworthy health headlines, and Eeks Speakeasy, a more personal corner of the podcast where curiosity occasionally spills over into life, philosophy, and whatever else deserves a drink and a discussion.
A few housekeeping notes...
This podcast is for information, curiosity, and conversation. It is not medical advice.
Although Dr. Eeks has an MD, she does not practice medicine. She is a full time public health nerd and will never tell you what to do with your own health. If you have a medical question, your healthcare provider knows you far better than a podcast ever could.
Guests are invited because they have something interesting to contribute, not because Dr. Eeks agrees with every opinion they hold. Likewise, she does not endorse miracle supplements, mysterious oils, magic socks, potions, or anything that promises to solve all of life's problems.
If an episode is sponsored or underwritten by a company she genuinely enjoys working with, she will always tell you.
Causes or Cures is also not a news site. It is a place for thoughtful conversations. Dr. Eeks believes people can disagree respectfully, ask difficult questions, change their minds, and occasionally laugh at themselves along the way. Some of the best conversations she has ever had happened in hole in the walls, on sidewalks, and in places where nobody was trying to win an argument.
Sometimes Barnaby, her dog and unofficial executive producer, contributes his thoughts as well. Fortunately, he is a pretty smart dog.
Above all, Dr. Eeks hopes this podcast encourages people to stay curious, compassionate, honest, open minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful, delightfully messy thing, and one worth protecting.
The views expressed on this podcast are Dr. Eeks' own and do not reflect the views of any organization she contracts with or consults for.
Want to help keep Causes or Cures independent and ad free? Click the Support button at the top of the page.
Want to work together or say hello? Visit bloomingwellness.com.
Want more weird science, public health oddities, and behind the scenes thoughts? Sign up for the Eeks Weekly newsletter.
Causes or Cures
What's Causing the Boom in Autism & the Role of Brain Donations, with Dr. David Amaral & Kathy Stein
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. David Amaral and Kathy Stein about the powerful impact of brain donations through Autism BrainNet in advancing our understanding of autism. Dr. Amaral offers a comprehensive overview of autism, exploring what science currently knows about its risk factors and potential causes. He discusses the rising rate of autism and explains how brain donations provide researchers with a rare and invaluable opportunity to study autism at the neurological level—offering insights that can’t be uncovered any other way. He also shares key discoveries that have already emerged through Autism BrainNet’s efforts.
Kathy Stein joins the conversation to share a deeply personal story: that of her brother Ed, who lived with autism and viewed it as "a different way of seeing the world." After Ed’s passing, Kathy donated his brain to Autism BrainNet, a decision she describes as a gift to science, one that reflects her commitment to supporting research that might bring answers to families in the future. Together, Dr. Amaral and Kathy explain how the brain donation process works, what it means for scientific discovery, and why it's an act of profound generosity.
Dr. David Amaral is a distinguished professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UC Davis. He serves as the scientific director of Autism BrainNet and was the founding research director of the renowned MIND Institute, a center for autism research founded in collaboration with parents of children on the spectrum. He is also a past president of the International Society for Autism Research and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of its journal, Autism Research.
Kathy’s brother Ed called Concord, New Hampshire home for 25 years. A beloved community member, Ed worked at the Concord Monitor, operating the advertisement insert machine until his retirement. A familiar and friendly face at the Concord Public Library, Ed had a wide range of passions—including steam trains, photography, travel, and musicals. He lived with warmth, curiosity, and an enduring grace that left an impression on all who knew him.
You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.
Follow Eeks on Instagram here.
Or Facebook here.
Or X.
On Youtube.
Or TikTok.
SUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here.