Custom-Made Body Parts: Advances in Tissue Engineering
— Every organ in our bodies performs a specialized role. So what happens when one of these organs fails or is damaged? Some animals can re-grow or replace lost tissue – newts can regenerate entire lost limbs – but unfortunately human organ regeneration is limited mainly to the liver. For decades, the only solution has been organ transplantation, but the demand for organs far exceeds the number of donors, which causes the waitlists for most transplants to be quite long. Also, transplants are not always successful, and it can be difficult to find a “donor match” which will be compatible with the patient’s body. However, as technology and researchers’ understanding of the human body have advanced, the field of tissue engineering is making some serious breakthroughs, and with this progress comes the promise of custom-made organs that could not only keep pace with demand, but also avoid rejection since they could be made with a patient’s own cells. Continue reading Custom-Made Body Parts: Advances in Tissue Engineering
Born of My Flesh: Using Skin Cells to Generate Eggs
— One out of every ten women in the United States between the ages of 15 and 44 faces reproductive challenges, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [1]. These challenges have a number of causes, including ovulation disorders and blockage of fallopian tubes. Although in vitro fertilization might be a treatment option for these women, the procedure is invasive because eggs need to be surgically removed from the ovary. Moreover, if a woman is incapable of producing healthy eggs, then it is currently impossible for her to have genetically-related children [2]. Continue reading Born of My Flesh: Using Skin Cells to Generate Eggs
The Universe in a (Pretty Big) Box: From Cells to Galaxies Using Supercomputers
Presented by Diego Munoz, Michael Long, and Amanda Peters Randles Scientific evidence indicates that the laws of physics are the same in systems throughout the entire Universe – whether those systems be microscopic, or intergalactic. Thus, the same principles apply here on Earth as in distant galaxies. Our understanding of, for example, fluid dynamics or gravity can be applied across boundaries that otherwise make different … Continue reading The Universe in a (Pretty Big) Box: From Cells to Galaxies Using Supercomputers
Living Foods: The Microbiology of Food and Drink
Presented by Wesley Loo, Heather Olins, and Dipti Nayak Some scientists estimate that one third of the food we eat on a daily basis has been fermented. This seminar will explain what fermentation is, how it works, and why we should care about the uncountable numbers of tiny microbes that transform basic inputs into many of our favorite foods, from beer to chocolate to yogurt. … Continue reading Living Foods: The Microbiology of Food and Drink
The Immunology of Pregnancy
— Are you the oldest sibling? Take note – there may be a reason why your mother prefers your younger siblings to you… at least in one sense. Chances are, your mother’s later pregnancies were easier than her first one. This is supported by new research from the laboratory of Sing Sing Way at Cincinatti Children’s Hospital Medical Center, which adds to a growing body of work linking a decrease in pregnancy-associated complications to improved suppression of the maternal immune system during pregnancy. Continue reading The Immunology of Pregnancy
Biotechnology and the Emergence of New Therapeutics
Presented by Vini Mani, Ekaterina (Kat) Pak, and Dima Ter-Ovanesyan In 2011, the FDA approved 35 new drugs–one of the highest approval volumes in the past decade. Drug development is a long and costly undertaking that involves integrated efforts from academia, industry, hospitals, and government agencies. This seminar will explain the process of developing new drugs and will focus on the concepts behind novel drug … Continue reading Biotechnology and the Emergence of New Therapeutics
How Evolution Generates “Endless Forms, Most Beautiful”
Presented by Marc Presler, Peter Wang, and Elizabeth Brown Few biological concepts are as perennially captivating and contentious as the theory of evolution. Rather than reciting another litany of evidence in support of the idea, this seminar hopes to address the oft-asked but rarely discussed questions about how evolution actually works in nature. The first section of this lecture will cover important concepts that inform … Continue reading How Evolution Generates “Endless Forms, Most Beautiful”
Silk-Stabilized Vaccines and Antibiotics: Ending the “Cold Chain”
— Most of us have probably received vaccines and antibiotics at some point in our lives, and while they may have seemed to work like magic at the time, medical professionals’ precise understanding of the drugs’ mechanisms of action enables their use as the primary tools for fighting infection. Vaccines are made out of pieces of “dead” viruses or bacteria, and when administered, these particles train the body to recognize and attack similar foreign invaders.[] Medical personnel typically administer vaccines to patients in at-risk populations as preventive measures against viral infections, such as the measles, the mumps, and rubella (recall the dreaded MMR shot). Conversely, medical personnel turn to antibiotics to fight a bacterial infection once it has already begun. Antibiotics are typically composed of much smaller molecules than are vaccines.[] These small molecules directly attack bacteria, interfering with cellular processes the bacteria needs to grow and reproduce (and cause a nasty infection). Continue reading Silk-Stabilized Vaccines and Antibiotics: Ending the “Cold Chain”
The 99 Percent… of the Human Genome
— Of the trillions of cells that compose our body, from neurons that relay signals throughout the brain to immune cells that help defend our bodies from constant external assault, almost every one contains the same 3 billion DNA base pairs that make up the human genome – the entirety of our genetic material. It is remarkable that each of the over 200 cell types in the body interprets this identical information very differently in order to perform the functions necessary to keep us alive. This demonstrates that we need to look beyond the sequence of DNA itself in order to understand how an organism and its cells function. Continue reading The 99 Percent… of the Human Genome
Big Love: Monogamy and Promiscuity in the Animal Kingdom
Presented by Alexis Harrison, Emily Kay, and Emily Jacobs-Palmer The subject of promiscuity is rampant in the news. It appears in a social context – an affair can take down the campaign of a presidential candidate – and in a scientific one, as when theoreticians speculate on the evolutionary underpinnings of our relationship choices. As humans, we are the “monkey in the middle,” promiscuity-wise: our … Continue reading Big Love: Monogamy and Promiscuity in the Animal Kingdom