Losing a tail on human’s evolutionary branch may have been caused by a rare kind of mutation resulting from parasitic, self-replicating DNA. Continue reading Researchers discover a unique mutation involved in how humans lost their tails
by Emma Dolenfigures by Allie Elchert Imagine a dystopia where a person with diabetes needs to drive a few hours every day to get their insulin at a special insulin clinic. Let’s pretend that they only need insulin once a day. They set their alarm for bright and early and get in the car to travel to the clinic before it closes for the day … Continue reading Access Denied: Opioid Medication-Assisted Treatment and the Urgent Call for Change in Opioid Recovery
In a new study, researchers have narrowed in on the biological reason that women have higher rates of autoimmune disease than men: a certain molecule found only in cells with more than one X chromosome. Continue reading Researchers uncover possible cause for higher frequency of autoimmune diseases in women
By Mara Casebeer Just like a city has highways to transport goods and people from one area to another, your cells have their own set of highways to transport important components like proteins and genetic material. These cellular highways are called microtubules, and they are traversed not by trucks and cars, but by molecular motors – proteins that can carry cargo and step along microtubules … Continue reading How Molecular Motors Harness the Power of Thermodynamic Fluctuations
Scientists have discovered a new way to study Alzheimer’s disease in mice, revealing how brain cells die in AD. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments that slow or stop the disease. Continue reading Hope for New Alzheimer’s Treatments as Scientists Discover How Brain Cells Die
New research from Northwestern University found that, when predicting heart disease, including genetic information had a minimal improvement compared to a more common test. Continue reading Genetic risk prediction for heart disease underperforms in large research cohort
by Gizem Terzioglufigures by MJ Park Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, and despite years of research efforts, there is still no cure. However, recent studies have highlighted the crucial roles of microglia, the resident immune cells of our brain, in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. But the question remains: do microglia defend our brain against … Continue reading Are microglia the hero or the villain in Alzheimer’s disease?
by Ya’el Courtney In 2022, the majority of Americans (52%) followed a particular diet or eating pattern, primarily motivated by two things: a desire to protect long-term health and a desire to lose weight. According to data from the International Food Information Council, 23 million Americans chose to follow a ketogenic, or “keto”, diet last year to work towards these goals. This number has more … Continue reading Keto – It’s Probably Not Right for You
by Isabella Del Priorefigures by Carlos Morales We’ve all heard it before: high cholesterol is bad and can increase your risk for heart disease. Though there is a direct association between cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol, there exists controversy and confusion over treatment options. What counts as “high” cholesterol, do I really need to cut out eggs, and which one is the “bad” one again? … Continue reading My Doctor Told Me I Have High Cholesterol, Now What?
by Benyapa Khowpinitchaifigures with Carlos Morales When your medication becomes less effective, the first thought you may have is to increase the dosage. But what if there was a way to increase the efficacy of the drug without needing to increase the amount? What if you could simply change when you took the drug? Indeed, the answer may lie in your biological clock. Biological clock … Continue reading Leveraging Circadian Rhythm for Medical Advancement