By Alex Pham Introduction You may have heard that astronauts in space age slower than people on earth. But how is that possible? This phenomenon can be explained by time dilation, a theory in physics that has gained traction in pop culture due to the Academy Award winning science fiction movie, Interstellar (note: the idea … Continue reading Space Travel: The Newest Anti-Aging Trend! Or Is It??
Health
What Happened to Grandpa’s Hair: An Explanation of Male Pattern Hair Loss
By Sarah G Latario Have you ever wondered why men bald differently than women? While hair loss does not exclusively affect people with an X and Y chromosome, male pattern baldness, also known as androgenetic alopecia (AA), affects over 50% of men by age 50. The characteristic pattern of hair loss associated with AA begins … Continue reading What Happened to Grandpa’s Hair: An Explanation of Male Pattern Hair Loss
Sense and Sensitivity: How the Nervous System Transforms the Environment into Experience
By Zekiel Factor Setting the agenda Sensation is the bridge between the internal and external world. Examining the elements of processing that our senses have in common allows us to understand how the nervous system gives rise to sensory perception, which is a fundamental component of conscious experience. But what does it mean to go … Continue reading Sense and Sensitivity: How the Nervous System Transforms the Environment into Experience
Using Fruit Flies to Fight Frontal-Temporal Dementia
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
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
What is Radon? and how does it impact health?
By Ross Keller, PhD candidate in Biomedical Sciences You have probably heard vague notions about the health impacts of radon, but what is it exactly? And how does it impact health? Currently, radon is believed to be the second leading cause of environmentally caused lung cancer, following smoking. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 15,000-22,000 … Continue reading What is Radon? and how does it impact health?
Why is Tanning Dangerous?
By: Ross Keller, 4th year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program Summer will be here soon, and after being stuck inside all winter, it will be welcomed with open arms. But as we plan trips to beaches and lakes around the country, a lot of us (including myself) will look at our pale arms and … Continue reading Why is Tanning Dangerous?
Why Do We Need Fats, Carbohydrates, and Proteins in our Diet?
By: Patrick Brown, 3rd year PhD candidate in the Biomedical Sciences Program There are an endless number of diet plans available today that purport to be the answer to all of our weight loss needs. Most of them are based on calorie restriction or minimizing intake of one of the major macromolecules found in food – fats, … Continue reading Why Do We Need Fats, Carbohydrates, and Proteins in our Diet?
How Does Animal Research Advance Medicine?
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?
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
Lions Talk Science 