By: Paige Bond Movement requires communication between both muscles and nerves. At the neuromuscular junction (Figure 1), nerves release a chemical messenger, acetylcholine, which binds to specific receptors on muscle cells to trigger muscle contraction. Disrupting the activity of the acetylcholine receptors can lead to muscle weakness or the inability to voluntarily contract muscles at … Continue reading Moving beyond COVID: mRNA Steps into CAR T cell therapy for Myasthenia Gravis
wellness
Following the Pattern: How a Protein Interaction Keeps Your Hair (and Your Development) Aligned
By: Sarah G Latario, Ph.D. The following is a synopsis of my PhD dissertation titled Preserving the Pattern: The Role of Celsr1 Cis-Dimerization and the Septin Cytoskeleton in Maintaining Planar Cell Polarity in the Developing Epidermis. I defended this dissertation on June 17th, 2026, at Penn State College of Medicine. Thank you to Lions Talk … Continue reading Following the Pattern: How a Protein Interaction Keeps Your Hair (and Your Development) Aligned
Alice Ball: The Black Woman Who Found the First Treatment for Leprosy
By: Jay Kang We all like to think that incredible people are acknowledged based on merit, but unfortunately, we do not have the power to choose how we’re remembered after death, if at all. Alice Ball was a young, Black American woman who died from her work in creating the first treatment for leprosy, a … Continue reading Alice Ball: The Black Woman Who Found the First Treatment for Leprosy
Reprogramming your defenses— autoimmune disease and a “small” potential therapy
By Niesha Savory Think for a moment and see if you recognize any of the disorders listed here: type 1 diabetes, lupus (SLE), Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Crohn’s Disease. Perhaps you heard of them through classes, readings, or a drug commercial as the jolliest people ever dance behind the catalog of brutal side … Continue reading Reprogramming your defenses— autoimmune disease and a “small” potential therapy
“Legally Blind”: What it Actually Means, and What Researchers Are Doing About It
By Allison Krebs “I’m legally blind without my glasses.” Although often used hyperbolically to describe poor eyesight, this phrase is usually inaccurate. Legal blindness is a specific clinical and legal classification with precise criteria defined not by inconvenience, dependency on glasses, or difficulty spotting road signs at night. Rather, it is based on standardized measurements … Continue reading “Legally Blind”: What it Actually Means, and What Researchers Are Doing About It
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS): An Unexpected Consequence of Long COVID
By Emily Haar Six years have passed since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the initial COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, and daily life came to a screeching halt across the globe. Despite the return to normalcy in more recent years, many individuals are still living with long-term consequences of this disease, especially those who have … Continue reading Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS): An Unexpected Consequence of Long COVID
Not a Death Wish – An Immune Response: How Ants Fight Disease
By: Habiba Abdelhalim In many animal societies – including humans! – illness can affect more than just the individual that becomes sick. Diseases can spread rapidly amongst members of a group, especially when animals live closely together. Humans regularly implement strategies to mitigate this spread: we stay home when contagious, avoid sick people, and sometimes … Continue reading Not a Death Wish – An Immune Response: How Ants Fight Disease
Rotavirus vaccine is safe for infants exposed to Crohn’s disease medications in utero
By Christina McAninch Figure 1. The orally administered Rotavirus vaccine. Source: Rotarix Rotavirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It is a leading cause of severe diarrhea and dehydration in infants and young children. Before there was a vaccine (Figure 1), almost all children would get … Continue reading Rotavirus vaccine is safe for infants exposed to Crohn’s disease medications in utero
The Search for a Universal Snake Antivenom
By Arrienne Butic In 2001, avid snake collector Tim Friede embarked on a mission that was equal parts bold and dangerous – in a bid to obtain immunological protection from his venomous reptilian charges, he began dosing himself with snake venom. Over a 17-year period, Friede injected himself with venom more than 850 times and … Continue reading The Search for a Universal Snake Antivenom
Friends, Food, and Fighters: How Biotics Shape Your Microbiome
By: Jenny Lausch As humans, we are composed of more bacterial cells than human cells.1 These bacteria take up residency in our mouth, skin, and intestines from the day a person is born and establish a cooperative relationship with their human host that allows them to persist over time. These co-evolved strains make up the … Continue reading Friends, Food, and Fighters: How Biotics Shape Your Microbiome
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