Cryolysed
This is a layer of epithelial cells that was subjected to sever freeze-thaw cycles before being imaged at 400x magnification, which caused the membranes to rupture and form these arrays of crystal-like structures. When frozen, the water inside the cells expands, breaking through the cell membrane. With the membrane integrity compromised, when the cells are thawed the water inside leaks out, the fragments of membrane form aggregates, … Continue reading Cryolysed
Re-Engineering Cures for the Big Data Age: Precision Medicine and Computational Drug Repositioning
by Jessica Sagers figures by Brad Wierbowski The only word Charles Chidsey could think of to describe his situation was hairy. “Moderate hypertrichosis has been observed in five of eight patients on chronic treatment,” he noted in a comment near the conclusion of his study. Chidsey, physician and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, was puzzled to note that routine administration … Continue reading Re-Engineering Cures for the Big Data Age: Precision Medicine and Computational Drug Repositioning
Coloring Nemo: Because now you can!
If you grew up watching Finding Nemo and treasuring little colourful fish in your home mini aquarium, I have very cool news for you. Scientists have now found a way to color small fish like organisms with thousands of fluorescent colors – one for each cell in the fish’s outer body. These creatures known as zebrafish, are unique organisms because their bodies are translucent. When … Continue reading Coloring Nemo: Because now you can!
Irresistible: Stopping bacteria from acquiring evil superpowers
The news is filled with stories of bacteria beating antibiotics – over time, bacteria can become resistant to drugs that are used to fight them. Unfortunately, this means that the “wonder drug” you thought could cure your infection may eventually be outsmarted by the bacteria it was designed to treat. In order to tackle bacterial resistance, scientists have devoted substantial effort to understanding how bacteria … Continue reading Irresistible: Stopping bacteria from acquiring evil superpowers
Sit’N Listen! Episode 6: (S&S Edition 1) Communicating Science
Written by: Vini Mani, Matthew Sample, Warren Hagist, Amy Gilson, and Elizabeth Jaensch Amy Hi everyone, this is Amy, Vini, Elizabeth, Matthew, and Warren from Science in the News’ Sit’N Listen. You’re hearing some new voices today and that’s because we we wanted to try something new. At the top of the show, we always say that “SITN aims to open lines of communication between … Continue reading Sit’N Listen! Episode 6: (S&S Edition 1) Communicating Science
Preventing Broken Hearts: The science behind cardiovascular disease
presented by Mary Gearing Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the world’s leading cause of death. This disease is often called “the silent killer” because it develops slowly over time without obvious symptoms. In this talk, I’ll explain how CVD develops and why it’s so dangerous. I’ll also discuss standard treatments as well as new and exciting research in the field. Lecture Continue reading Preventing Broken Hearts: The science behind cardiovascular disease
Not Your Average Coral Reef
Scientists recently discovered a coral reef in an unexpected place: where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic Ocean. The reef lives on the shallow seafloor off the coast of Brazil, which is host to six previously known large reefs, all rich in species. Why is the new finding surprising? That’s because the conditions where rivers outlet into the ocean are not known to support reefs. … Continue reading Not Your Average Coral Reef
Climate Change Makes the Earth Wobble
In the year 2000, the Earth’s spin axis made a sudden turn towards the east. While some shifts in the geographical pole occur regularly and are well understood, this sudden shift required a new explanation. According to teams from UT Austin and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), climate change is the driving force behind the north pole’s wayward path. In 2013, the team from … Continue reading Climate Change Makes the Earth Wobble
Awaken the force within: immunotherapy brings a new hope to cancer treatment
presented by Joy Jiao Cancer immunotherapy, the use of the immune system to fight cancer, has revolutionized treatment options for diseases such as advanced lung cancer and melanoma. Recently, cancer immunotherapy has obtained additional fame as former president Jimmy Carter is currently being treated with this cutting-edge therapy. In this talk, I will explain how cancer immunotherapy works, our current understanding of how cancer cells … Continue reading Awaken the force within: immunotherapy brings a new hope to cancer treatment
Streamlined 473-Gene Bacteria May Lead to Discoveries, Biochemical Production
Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute have created a fast-growing bacterial cell with a nearly-minimal number of genes necessary for survival – just 473 in total. These genes were entirely synthesized – not transplanted from a grown organism – and the creation of such a cell may allow big steps forward in gene function identification and efficient mass-production of biological molecules. Continue reading Streamlined 473-Gene Bacteria May Lead to Discoveries, Biochemical Production