By: Ross Keller, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program A question was submitted to our blog asking: “How does animal research advance medicine?” It is an important question, and I will do my best to answer it. The average human life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past 100 years. In … Continue reading How Does Animal Research Advance Medicine?
Alcohol, Sleep, and Why You Might Re-think that Nightcap
By: Jordan Gaines Lewis, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Program "Alcohol makes you sleepy." We've all heard it. Many of us have experienced it. A few of us even swear by it—enough to ceremonially partake in a glass or two of wine before crawling into bed. A nightcap. In fact, a little booze … Continue reading Alcohol, Sleep, and Why You Might Re-think that Nightcap
Goodbye Sun; Hello SAD
By: Caitlin Millett, 2nd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Program It’s that time of year again- the end of daylight savings and the beginning of the dark season. As is ominously stated in Game of Thrones: Winter. Is. Coming. While the majority of us look forward to seasonal festivities, millions can also expect feelings … Continue reading Goodbye Sun; Hello SAD
The War on Cancer: Targeted Therapy
By: Ross Keller, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program In an earlier post, I outlined a potential roadmap for the War on Cancer. I stated that in order to win, we need to define the genetic components of a specific cancer and design treatments based on that component. This is called … Continue reading The War on Cancer: Targeted Therapy
Optogenetics and the Future of Brain Mapping
By: Andrew Huhn, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Program Optogenetics is one of the most significant advances in neuroscience in the last decade. The very concept of optogenetics appears to come straight from a science fiction novel: we can control the brain with a laser! Okay, so that’s a bit of an overstatement, but not … Continue reading Optogenetics and the Future of Brain Mapping
Sleep Cycle Apps: Precise, or Placebo?
By: Jordan Gaines Lewis, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Program Thanks to the Internet, it's the age of self-diagnosis. People like to learn about (and treat) themselves through technology. Especially when pretty graphs are involved (see fancy screenshot at left). As a sleep researcher, I was interested in my friends' use of sleep-tracking … Continue reading Sleep Cycle Apps: Precise, or Placebo?
Our Emotional Gut
By: Alli Fries, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Chances are you have heard it from others and felt it yourself! One might experience that fluttery or squirmy feeling in their stomach in situations that trigger nervousness or fear, such as public speaking or climbing the first hill of an enormous roller coaster. … Continue reading Our Emotional Gut
You Can Get Involved!
Hey, readers! We want to hear from you! In our new segment, "Ask a Scientist," we'd like to answer your burning questions: don't understand a scientific concept? Curious about life as a graduate student in the biomedical sciences? Simply leave a comment on this post, or e-mail your question to lions-talk-science@psu.edu. A graduate student will address … Continue reading You Can Get Involved!
Food for Thought: Obesity as a Disease?
By: Andrew Huhn, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Program It’s no secret that America is getting bigger, and not for the better. The American Heart Association estimates that there are about 157 million overweight or obese adults in the United States. Over the last few decades, eating trends include larger portions and larger … Continue reading Food for Thought: Obesity as a Disease?
The Brain in Your Gut
By: Alli Fries, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Generally, when people think about neuroscience, the image that comes to mind is the human brain. The brain—an oblong-shaped bulb with grooves and textures, which is reminiscent of a bowl of spaghetti. More ambitious folks might make it past the brain, moving as … Continue reading The Brain in Your Gut
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