Controversial genome editing research is actually in line with previous cautions

Genome editing, or using biological tools to edit the hereditary information of a cell, has been a controversial subject since the age of gene therapy. It’s proponents tout the potential to rid an organism of genes that could lead to incurable, nasty diseases. However, skeptics urge that gene editing in humans could have unforeseen negative consequences. The genome editing technology du jour is known as … Continue reading Controversial genome editing research is actually in line with previous cautions

Addiction, OCD, and riding a bike: how opiates control your brain

Presented by Shay Neufeld Opiates, the class of molecules that includes morphine, heroin, and codeine, are arguably the most addicting drugs known to exist. This class of drugs has single-handedly started wars, forced international laws, and to this day is responsible for more drug-overdose deaths in the USA than every other drug of abuse combined. How do opiates do this? To exercise their profound influence … Continue reading Addiction, OCD, and riding a bike: how opiates control your brain

Addiction, OCD, and Riding a Bike: how opiates control your brain

Today’s image comes from this week’s Spring Seminar speaker, Shay Neufeld. This is a part of the brain called the striatum – a nucleus important for the learning and execution of coordinated, voluntary behaviors. Labelled in green are neurons that produce ‘enkephalin’. Labelled in red are the receptors that enkephalin binds to – the mu-opioid receptors. Mu-opioid receptors are also what drugs like morphine, heroin, and … Continue reading Addiction, OCD, and Riding a Bike: how opiates control your brain

A View inside the LHC

Giant Particle Smasher Returns

Two weeks ago, the world’s largest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider, returned after two years of extensive upgrades. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is part of particle physics, a branch that examines the tiny particles that constitute everything in the universe. Two years ago, the LHC provided evidence for the existence of the Higgs Boson. After such a monumental achievement, what do particle physicists hope to discover with the upgraded LHC? Continue reading Giant Particle Smasher Returns

Neurons

Inhibiting Immune Cells: A New Strategy for Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

Recent findings from Duke University have implicated overactive immune cells as a potential cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).  The authors of this new study propose that AD can develop when immune cells in the brain overconsume an essential nutrient called arginine.  Previous research in this field has primarily studied amyloid, the protein that composes the characteristic plaques found in the brains of AD patients.  Focusing … Continue reading Inhibiting Immune Cells: A New Strategy for Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

Repurposing virus proteins for a positive role in the placenta

by Joseph Timpona We often think of viruses as foreign invaders– microscopic agents intent on making us sick before spreading to the next victim.  However, some viruses become enduring guests by hitchhiking a permanent ride in our genomes. In fact, scientists think that these special types of viruses, known as retroviruses, may have inadvertently allowed for the development of placental mammals including humans. Retroviruses Retroviruses … Continue reading Repurposing virus proteins for a positive role in the placenta

Inception Helps Mice Navigate

by Grigori Guitchounts figures by Brian Chow For decades, we have known that specialized neurons in the hippocampus of rodents called place cells reflect the animals’ location in space. Meanwhile, studies have also implicated the hippocampus in supporting memory formation. Could there be a link between the two seemingly detached functions? Yes! says the latest neurobiology research, showing that place cells not only encode an … Continue reading Inception Helps Mice Navigate

Discovery of Anti-aging in Mammary Gland

A study shows that when a certain protein called Timp is lacking, there is an increase in the number of stem cells of the mammary gland (an organ in the breast), which prevents it from aging, thus reducing one of the risk factors of breast cancer. The study shows great insights into stem cell regulation. However, it has lead to overblown ‘fountain of youth’ claims. … Continue reading Discovery of Anti-aging in Mammary Gland

Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble: A medieval drug raises cautious hope in the fight against MRSA

A 1000-year-old Anglo-Saxon recipe for eye stys in Bald’s Leechbook directs the reader to take the ingredients and “pound them well together” before letting them stew for nine days. A group from Nottingham University followed Bald’s recipe and their close attention to the medieval text paid off when they saw that the garlicky slime produced by their efforts killed 90% of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) on … Continue reading Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble: A medieval drug raises cautious hope in the fight against MRSA

Algae: Applications in Removing Arsenic and Beyond

Scientists at Zhejiang University have recently published an improved method for removing arsenic from drinking water, which relies on chemically modifying the shells of a type of algae, called diatoms, to make the shells efficient “sponges” for soaking up arsenic. Modified diatom shells are unique in that they can be widely manipulated for applications in fields as diverse as medicine and materials science. Despite their … Continue reading Algae: Applications in Removing Arsenic and Beyond