Tricks of the Light: How nanoscale materials shape the world we see
Presented by Andy Greenspon, Christine Zgrabik, and Rob Devlin We have attempted to understand and control how light interacts with different materials since the days of ancient Greece, but it was only in the past century that scientists and engineers have been able to study this interaction at the nanoscopic scale (10-9 meters). We take our inspiration in this endeavor from nature, so Andy will … Continue reading Tricks of the Light: How nanoscale materials shape the world we see
A Reanalysis: Paxil Declared Unsafe for Teens
In 2001, a famous clinical trial, Study 329, declared that the antidepressant Paxil was safe for adolescents. After a great deal of controversy, criticism, and numerous lawsuits, patient level data was finally made available by GlaxoSmithKlein for reanalysis. The original study found that adolescents on Paxil fared no better than those given a placebo on the study’s standard depression questionnaire, but did improve according to … Continue reading A Reanalysis: Paxil Declared Unsafe for Teens
Natural Gas Leaks Increase Climate Risk of Energy Source
by Jordan Wilkerson figures by Brad Wierbowski The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a new wave of regulations, and they focus on one thing: methane. Due to the EPA’s recent proposal, we have been inundated with stories about methane, its connection to the fossil fuel industry, and its comparison to carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas [1,2]. However, the authors often leave out a … Continue reading Natural Gas Leaks Increase Climate Risk of Energy Source
The highs and lows of medical marijuana: marijuana’s effects on physiology, health, and society
Presented by Nick Jikomes, John Hatch, and Kayla Davis Marijuana is a psychoactive substance widely used for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Medical marijuana is currently being used to treat a number of chronic conditions and diseases, despite its variable legal status in the U.S. This lecture will explore the potential therapeutic effects of cannabinoids as well as the social, political, and medical consequences of … Continue reading The highs and lows of medical marijuana: marijuana’s effects on physiology, health, and society
The literal tree of life is useful, updatable and already needs updates
If asked what animal is genetically closest to a hippo, you might point at any number of four legged, land-roving mammals with hooves, such as a pig or a very fat cow, because we have a natural tendency to think that animals that look similar will also be genetically related. In this case, however, the right answer is whales… obviously. An animal’s morphology can hide … Continue reading The literal tree of life is useful, updatable and already needs updates
Organ Transplant Drugs Provide Insight into Development of Male Birth Control Pill
Researchers in Japan have made a breakthrough in the search for a birth control pill for men after discovering that two commonly used immunosuppressants cause reversible infertility in mice. Cyclosporin A (CsA) and Tacrolimus (FK506) are often given to organ transplant patients to prevent rejection of their new organ. Miyata et al.discovered that the target of these two drugs, an enzyme called calcineurin, is critical … Continue reading Organ Transplant Drugs Provide Insight into Development of Male Birth Control Pill
Natural and Added Sugars: Two Sides of the Same Coin
by Mary E. Gearing figures by Shanon McArdel It’s hard to find a more controversial topic than sugar, which is never far from the media’s attention. From the recent hype surrounding That Sugar Film to the continued demonizing of high fructose corn syrup, we can’t stop talking about sugar and how we’re likely eating too much of it. In an effort to decrease sugar consumption, … Continue reading Natural and Added Sugars: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Friend or Foe? Getting the body to make peace with bioengineered drug delivery systems
Recent drug discoveries promise new treatments and cures for many diseases. However, getting a drug to work, not only in experiments with cells in the lab, but also in the human body, is difficult. One challenge? Getting past the body’s line of defense, the immune system, which fights foreign invaders that make it into the body. In September, a news article reported that scientists have … Continue reading Friend or Foe? Getting the body to make peace with bioengineered drug delivery systems
Cytoskeleton Four Ways
This Bovine Pulmonary Artery Endothelial (BPAE) cell is stained to show two components of the cytoskeleton – microtubules in green, and actin filaments in red (in the top right panel). The cell is a crowded place, so one of the functions of the cytoskeleton is to act as a highway along which cellular components can be moved to the proper part of the cell. This … Continue reading Cytoskeleton Four Ways
Engineering life: How synthetic biology is improving the world around us
Presented by Dan Tarjan, Justin Feng, and Jianghong “John” Min Biology is a new science. It was only about 200 years ago that Charles Darwin formulated the principles of Evolution by natural selection, and Gregor Mendel described the first clues that living organisms have Genes. These and other recent discoveries form the basic building blocks of our understanding of life. Synthetic Biology is a new … Continue reading Engineering life: How synthetic biology is improving the world around us