By: Andrew Huhn, 4th year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program Americans are abusing prescription painkillers at an alarming rate. In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioid analgesics – that’s enough for every adult in the U.S. to have their own bottle of pills, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Opioid analgesics are a class … Continue reading Hooked on Pills? There’s a Pill for That…
When it Comes to Vision, Men and Women Really Aren’t Seeing Eye to Eye
By: Sadie Steffens, 4th year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program The paint color in our master bathroom has been a source of debate since we bought our house. While I am certain that the color is firmly in the purple part of the spectrum, my husband insists that the paint is blue. Period. Visiting … Continue reading When it Comes to Vision, Men and Women Really Aren’t Seeing Eye to Eye
Why Penn State College of Medicine Students Chose Graduate School
Everybody in this post has something in common. After 12 years of primary and secondary school and 4 years of undergraduate education, we all decided that we weren't done yet. But why? As it turns out, the graduate students of Penn State College of Medicine have very diverse, inspirational reasons for choosing to continue their education … Continue reading Why Penn State College of Medicine Students Chose Graduate School
This is Why There are So Many Defibrillators in Casinos
By: Jordan Gaines Lewis, 4th year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program My brief experience in a casino was pretty typical, I’d say. Flashing lights. The faint smell of booze. Not much chatter among patrons. The sounds of dice rolling, machines buzzing, and coins clanking. The same butts inhabiting the same stools for hours on end. … Continue reading This is Why There are So Many Defibrillators in Casinos
Humans are Wired for Prejudice, but That Doesn’t Have to be the End of the Story
By: Caitlin Millett, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program Humans are highly social creatures. Our brains have evolved to allow us to survive and thrive in complex social environments. Accordingly, the behaviors and emotions that help us navigate our social sphere are entrenched in networks of neurons within our brains. Social motivations, such as … Continue reading Humans are Wired for Prejudice, but That Doesn’t Have to be the End of the Story
Paying Attention: Why You Want to Have a Filter
By: Daniel Hass, 2nd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program At any given moment, we are constantly bombarded by signals from at least four of the five senses. The visual system is constantly processing our surroundings. The auditory system is stimulated by all of the many miniscule sounds that compose our environment. We’re taking in … Continue reading Paying Attention: Why You Want to Have a Filter
War on Cancer: The Future of Cancer Treatment
By: Ross Keller, 4th year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program In this fifth and final post of the War on Cancer series, I will discuss the future of cancer treatment. I will also tie in my previous posts of the series, which include: How Can We Win the War on Cancer? Targeted Therapy … Continue reading War on Cancer: The Future of Cancer Treatment
The Scientific Conference Survival Guide
By: Amanda White, Research Technologist in the Department of Psychiatry Scientific conferences are an important way to learn about the latest developments in your field and to meet people who can help you advance your career. They are annual meetings organized by professional societies that include poster presentations, oral presentations, and social events. Conferences often … Continue reading The Scientific Conference Survival Guide
How Fancy Labels Fool Us: The Neuroscience Behind Bias
By: Caitlin Millett, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program The holiday season is fast approaching, and that means it’s time for gift buying. With each passing season, finding the perfect gift for loved ones seems to become more and more difficult—a phenomenon not unrelated to the seemingly exponential growth in buying options each year. So … Continue reading How Fancy Labels Fool Us: The Neuroscience Behind Bias
Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder: People who get SAD in the Summer
By: Lina Jamis, 2nd year student in the Anatomy Graduate Program Snow-lovers rejoice—winter is coming! And no, this isn’t an allusion to Game of Thrones. With the end of Daylight Savings, the days are becoming darker earlier, which for some can mean the onset of the winter blues. The medical term for this is Seasonal Affective Disorder … Continue reading Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder: People who get SAD in the Summer
Lions Talk Science 