James E. Bowman: Making history in science and society

Tian Lu is a graduate student in the Harvard Biological and Biomedical Sciences. He uses fluorescent microscopy to study spatial-multiomics. Xiaomeng Han is a graduate student in the Harvard Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience. She uses electron microscopy to study neuronal connectivity. Cover image, by H. Alexander Talbot via Wikimedia Commons, is licensed under CC BY 2.0  This biography is part of our “Picture a Scientist” … Continue reading James E. Bowman: Making history in science and society

James E. Bowman: Making history in science and society

by Tian Lu James Edward Bowman was born in Washington, D.C. on February 5, 1923. He grew up in a segregated environment which he described saying “there was complete segregation. … One could only go to theaters, movies, restaurants in the black neighborhood.” He graduated with honors from Dunbar High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Howard University in 1943. Inspired by … Continue reading James E. Bowman: Making history in science and society

Dr. Hildrus Poindexter — Making a difference through science and inspiration

Mahaa M. Ahmed is an Environmental Health MS student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Jovana Andrejevic is a fifth-year Applied Physics Ph.D. student in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. Cover Image by Emphyrio from Pixabay. This biography is part of our “Picture a Scientist” initiative. To learn more about the amazing men and women who paved … Continue reading Dr. Hildrus Poindexter — Making a difference through science and inspiration

Dr. Hildrus Poindexter — Making a difference through science and inspiration

by Mahaa Ahmed Dr. Hildrus Poindexter, a specialist in tropical diseases, epidemiology, and public health, was the first African American to receive both an MD and PhD. He earned his MD from Harvard Medical School in 1929 and his PhD in immunology and microbiology from Columbia University in 1932. Eager to begin his career, Dr. Poindexter applied for a job at a U.S. laboratory in … Continue reading Dr. Hildrus Poindexter — Making a difference through science and inspiration

Youyou Tu — An Exceptional Nobel Laureate

Xiaomeng Han is a graduate student in the Harvard Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience. She uses electron microscopy to study neuronal connectivity. Cover image by Angelo Rosa from Pixabay This biography is part of our “Picture a Scientist” initiative. To learn more about the amazing men and women who paved the way for modern scientific discovery, check out our homepage. Continue reading Youyou Tu — An Exceptional Nobel Laureate

Youyou Tu — An Exceptional Nobel Laureate

by Xiaomeng Han Malaria has been a life-threatening infectious disease since ancient times. It is transmitted through the bite of mosquitos, making it widespread in tropical and subtropical areas of our planet. The world saw countless deaths caused by malaria until a Chinese pharmaceutical scientist, Youyou Tu, discovered a very effective drug called Qinghaosu (aka artemisinin) from the plant Qinghao (aka artemisia). Youyou’s work won … Continue reading Youyou Tu — An Exceptional Nobel Laureate

Force for a Cure: How sensing pressure could protect you against malaria

by Tess Whitwam figures by Daniel Utter Imagine for a moment that you’re at a concert, standing close to a large loudspeaker—you can feel the vibrations from the loud music coursing through your body. Then, your friend behind you taps your shoulder, so you turn around, just as someone walks by and steps on your foot, causing you to jump back in pain. All the while, … Continue reading Force for a Cure: How sensing pressure could protect you against malaria

New Drug May Prevent Mosquitoes From Wanting to Bite You

While you are likely familiar with the annoying experience of being a mosquito’s ‘meal of the day’, more is going on behind the scenes of that insect bite than meets the eye.  Mosquitoes, which are drawn to human scent and breath, require proteins from the blood of their victims to develop their eggs and reproduce. This sounds harmless enough, but mosquitoes also excel at picking … Continue reading New Drug May Prevent Mosquitoes From Wanting to Bite You

Vaccines for World’s Most Deadly Infectious Diseases Unlikely

Infectious diseases — including HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria — are a leading cause of death worldwide, particularly in low income countries and among young children. A new study found that the vaccines aimed to prevent many of the world’s most deadly diseases may not be developed any time soon. The study, funded by the Gates Foundation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, focused on 538 … Continue reading Vaccines for World’s Most Deadly Infectious Diseases Unlikely