By Julia Simpson Dr. Daniela Zarnescu, the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training here at Penn State College of Medicine, has artistic renderings of fruit flies pinned to a corkboard in her office, and a stuffed neuron – small, fuzzy, and blue – on her desk. Dr. Zarnescu finds herself pulled in a … Continue reading Using Fruit Flies to Fight Frontal-Temporal Dementia
No More Fish in the Sea: A Lonely Treefrog and the Ongoing Climate Crisis
By Laura Odom On a rainy summer day in 2005 in the forests near El Valle de Antón, Panama, herpetologists Edgardo Griffith and Heidi Ross went on a rescue mission. The goal of this ribbit-ing hunt was to collect specimens of endangered frog species and propagate their numbers in captivity, safe from a growing epidemic … Continue reading No More Fish in the Sea: A Lonely Treefrog and the Ongoing Climate Crisis
mTORnament of Healing: Unlocking the Secrets of Axolotl Limb Regeneration
By Ikram Mezghani A cute axolotl. Adapted image. Have you ever wondered why certain amphibians can regenerate entire amputated limbs while humans cannot? Well, you are not alone! Limb regeneration is a superpower that amphibians such as salamanders, newts, and axolotls possess throughout their lifetime. Even though the phenomenon has been observed by many people, … Continue reading mTORnament of Healing: Unlocking the Secrets of Axolotl Limb Regeneration
Mishaps in Mismatch Repair: Understanding Lynch Syndrome Etiology
By Abbey Rebok DNA, the complex code that defines our existence, is under constant assault by a slew of both exogenous (e.g. UV radiation, tobacco smoke) and endogenous (e.g. spontaneous chemical modifications) DNA-damaging agents. Limiting your exposure to exogeneous agents may decrease your overall DNA damage burden, but normal biological processes also generate DNA damage. … Continue reading Mishaps in Mismatch Repair: Understanding Lynch Syndrome Etiology
The Stars in Our Brains: The Role of Astrocytes in Alcohol Use
By Mariam Melkumyan What are those star-shaped cells doing in our brains? Astrocytes are rightly named for their stellate shape, and in my opinion, they are the star of the show when it comes to the functioning of the brain. Astrocytes are important for the blood-brain barrier, for giving support to neurons by supplying the … Continue reading The Stars in Our Brains: The Role of Astrocytes in Alcohol Use
The Hunt for an RSV Vaccine: Trials, Tribulations, and Eventual Successes of Vaccine Development
By Zoe Katz Over sixty years have passed since the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was first discovered, and after decades of failure, two vaccines have been approved for distribution in the United States. To individuals with a competent immune system, infection with RSV presents as nothing but a cold. For those who are immunocompromised – … Continue reading The Hunt for an RSV Vaccine: Trials, Tribulations, and Eventual Successes of Vaccine Development
I Fell Into a Burning Ring of Fire: The Story of Centralia, a Town on Fire
By Alex Evans If we did not start the fire – if it was already burning – then who set the infamous town Centralia ablaze? Centralia, Pennsylvania, is home to an underground coal mine fire that has been burning since 1962. The U.S. Department of the Interior estimates that thousands of active coal mine fires … Continue reading I Fell Into a Burning Ring of Fire: The Story of Centralia, a Town on Fire
Can Artificial Intelligence Outsmart Cancer?
By Jude B. Khatib Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of computer programming that aims to teach machines to perform basic human cognitive functions such as self-learning, problem-solving, and reasoning. Algorithms, which can be defined as a list of rules or procedures that the AI can follow to solve a problem, are the most essential … Continue reading Can Artificial Intelligence Outsmart Cancer?
Taking a Shot at Cancer: The Future of Cancer Vaccines
By Olivia Marx Most people know someone affected by cancer and are familiar with the toll the disease takes on a person’s life – from tangible impacts on their body to intangible ones on their close relationships. Since the early 1990s, clinical and research advancements have supported a 31% decline in the overall cancer death … Continue reading Taking a Shot at Cancer: The Future of Cancer Vaccines
Moving Science Fur-ward: The Work of Lab Animal Veterinarians
By Joshua Place, DVM Scientists, though experts on their specific area of study, may not be familiar with the quirks of the animals they use as their models. Understanding reproduction, complex medical treatments, and providing the appropriate environmental enrichment of an animal model in a way that minimally impacts study results is a crucial part … Continue reading Moving Science Fur-ward: The Work of Lab Animal Veterinarians
Lions Talk Science 