Expanding the Antibiotic Arsenal: A New Drug of Last Resort
Prior to the discovery of antibiotics, bacterial infections were the leading cause of death worldwide. Now, treating infections is often a routine procedure – simply requiring a doctor’s visit and a prescribed antibiotic. However, this simple routine has become marred by the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics is fueling the rise of resistant bacteria. In response to antibiotic exposure, bacteria have evolved … Continue reading Expanding the Antibiotic Arsenal: A New Drug of Last Resort
Cancer Moonshot Musings II: Fusion oncoproteins in focus
by Steph Guerra figures by Shannon McArdel The Cancer Moonshot is an initiative that was launched by Joe Biden in 2016 with the goal of accelerating cancer research progress by bringing together world-class researchers and institutions in the battle against this disease. Armed with $300 million in startup funding, plus a total of $1.8 billion authorized over the next seven years, the Cancer Moonshot has … Continue reading Cancer Moonshot Musings II: Fusion oncoproteins in focus
Strength in Numbers: genetic sequencing of large populations is shaping the future of medicine
by Ryan L. Collins figures by Brad Wierbowski Thanks to modern genetics, “precision medicine” is slowly becoming a reality: doctors can perform genetic tests to determine your risk for dozens of diseases, like stroke or liver disease, and can prescribe treatments or therapies tailored to your individual genetic makeup. Yet before doctors can provide you with precision medicine in practice, they first need to understand … Continue reading Strength in Numbers: genetic sequencing of large populations is shaping the future of medicine
The right reasons for mistrusting science
by Samantha Wong figures by Daniel Utter “Global warming is based on faulty science and manipulated data which is proven by the emails that were leaked.” Alarming words from the most powerful man in the USA, don’t you think? Unfortunately, a Pew Research report revealed that the American public has increasingly echoed this sort of scientific mistrust over the last 5 years. Some part of … Continue reading The right reasons for mistrusting science
Metal On Mars
A recent NASA mission has discovered that the atmosphere on Mars has many similarities to that of Earth. Metal atoms, contained in dust particles, float down from the solar system and become trapped in the atmosphere of a planet. Energetic particles, for example from the Sun, can then rip electrons from the metal atoms, forming ions. Historically, we haven’t known what happens to these ions. Depending on the specifics of the planet in … Continue reading Metal On Mars
Genetically engineered viruses: a medicine of the future
A medical team at Johns Hopkins University genetically engineered a common cold virus to deposit a gene when injected into the human eye. This gene codes for a protein that binds to VEGF, another protein whose activity in old age contributes to vision loss (a disease called AMD or wet AMD). This small clinical study’s preliminary results show that just one small dose is potent enough to improve a patient’s vision loss. Continue reading Genetically engineered viruses: a medicine of the future
Radio Waves from Outer Space Continue to Baffle Astronomers
Something in outer space is shouting at us, but astronomers are still trying to figure out the source of this cosmic “noise.” A telescope in Australia recently detected a flood of radio waves, akin to the waves that allow you to listen to the radio in your car, coming from an otherwise unremarkable area of the sky. These millisecond-long pulses of electromagnetic radiation are called fast radio bursts … Continue reading Radio Waves from Outer Space Continue to Baffle Astronomers
Finding Life on Other Worlds
by Liam Kelley figures by Alexandra Was Are humans as special as we think we are? We certainly like to believe so, at least on this planet. However, the question remains as to whether humans, or our planet, are unique in the universe. Are there other planets teeming with life, and is that life intelligent? Given the vast distances involved and the question of what … Continue reading Finding Life on Other Worlds
One in a Million: The Battle Against Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is an important public health problem. In this lecture, we will learn about what antibiotic resistance is and how it arises. Ultimately, antibiotic resistance occurs through a process of natural selection and evolution. In complex organisms such as humans, evolution takes place in thousands to millions of years. However, bacteria grow very quickly, have relatively high mutation rates, and outnumber us by the … Continue reading One in a Million: The Battle Against Antibiotic Resistance
The Multitude of Technologies Needed for Electricity Storage
by Nicolas P. D. Sawaya figures by Brad Wierbowski More renewable energy means more electricity storage When the National Academy of Engineering ranked the twentieth century’s greatest engineering achievements, first on the list was “electrification,” beating out more obvious technologies like computers and spaceflight. If this choice seems banal, it is only because our electricity supply is so remarkably reliable that it never enters our … Continue reading The Multitude of Technologies Needed for Electricity Storage