By Stephanie Baringer, Ph.D. The following is a synopsis of my Ph.D. thesis that I defended on July 17, 2023, titled Regulation of Brain Iron Acquisition and Misappropriation in Alzheimer's Disease. Thank you to LTS for the years of opportunity to write about my deep-dive interests and now for the chance to share this summary … Continue reading Ironing Out the Details at the Blood-Brain Barrier: A Summary of My Dissertation
biology
SYK Might Make You Sick: New Discovery Could Lead to Better Therapies for Diabetes Patients
By Esma Yerlikaya Diabetes is a pandemic affecting over 500 million people globally1. By its simplest definition, diabetes is a condition that disrupts the utilization of sugar in the bloodstream. Due to its inability to enter the cells, sugar accumulates in the blood. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are two distinct forms of diabetes. … Continue reading SYK Might Make You Sick: New Discovery Could Lead to Better Therapies for Diabetes Patients
Pain – an itch you just can’t scratch?
By Victoria Vernail I was sitting on the couch, watching Season 8, episode 14 of ABC’s ‘Bachelor in Paradise’, when an important scientific question was raised. Contestant Aaron commented to his girlfriend Genevieve that he thinks pain and itch are fundamentally the same – to which Genevieve disagreed – and a fight ensued (Figure 1). … Continue reading Pain – an itch you just can’t scratch?
The War Against the Spotted Lanternfly
By Coryn Hoffman The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a planthopper that is native to China, India, and Vietnam (Figure 1). These insects have become invasive in northeast America over the past decade, causing significant environmental damage. The first sighting of spotted lanternflies in the United States was in Berks County, Pennsylvania in 2014. These … Continue reading The War Against the Spotted Lanternfly
Finding the missing piece of the puzzle: the discovery of the DNA double helix
By Carli King Seventy years ago, the discovery of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) double helix rocked the scientific world and is still, to this day, considered one of history’s greatest scientific achievements. Twenty years ago, The Human Genome Project was completed, marking the first generation of the human genome sequence, further propelling scientific research. These … Continue reading Finding the missing piece of the puzzle: the discovery of the DNA double helix
How Weevil Our Crops Recover?: The history of how Alabama farmers went (pea)nuts over an invasive pest
By Laura Odom It’s a tale as old as time: the farming of a crop supports the economy of a region until importation, human travel, or climate change introduces an invasive pest species that likes to snack on the aforementioned crop. Invasive species are often advantaged in new habitats, as they typically have no natural … Continue reading How Weevil Our Crops Recover?: The history of how Alabama farmers went (pea)nuts over an invasive pest
The science that your cat can teach you
By Olivia Marx If you have ever lived with a domestic, or house cat, you’re probably aware of some distinctly feline habits, such as sleeping most of the day, chasing bugs and toys around, staring out the window, and meowing in a way that you just can’t ignore. Cats are a delightful addition to any … Continue reading The science that your cat can teach you
Drink to Your Health: The Gin and Tonic Story
By Greg Kincheloe Nearly everyone that enjoys cocktails has a go-to default drink. These drinks vary widely according to everyone’s personal taste, but often share two qualities: 1) they are widely known, implying that any self-respecting bartender should know how to make them, and 2) they are almost impossible to mess up, making them a … Continue reading Drink to Your Health: The Gin and Tonic Story
Breaking Barriers: 10 women that have changed the face of science
By: Carli King Women have been historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) fields. Currently, women account for nearly half of the United States workforce; however, they represent only 27% of STEM employees1. While gains have undoubtedly been made – from 8% of STEM workers in 1970 being women – there is still … Continue reading Breaking Barriers: 10 women that have changed the face of science
Can nature work to nurture our brains?
By Alexandra Evans Most Americans are guilty of it, but how much time do we spend staring at our screens throughout the day? A Nielson Total Audience Report published in 2017 determined that a majority of Americans spend approximately 10 hours a day staring at a screen, whether that be a computer, laptop, smartphone, or … Continue reading Can nature work to nurture our brains?
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