Category Archives: Biology

Biology

Biologists discover bees to be brew masters of the insect world: New … – Science Daily

Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have made a remarkable discovery about cellophane bees -- their microbiomes are some of the most fermentative known from the insect world. These bees, which are named for their use of cellophane-like materials to line their subterranean nests, are known for their fascinating behaviors and their important ecological roles as pollinators. Now, researchers have uncovered another aspect of their biology that makes them even more intriguing.

According to a study published in Frontiers in Microbiology, cellophane bees "brew" a liquid food for their offspring, held in chambers called brood cells. The microbiome of these brood cells is dominated by lactobacilli bacteria, which are known for their role in fermenting foods like yogurt, sauerkraut and sourdough bread. The researchers found that these bacteria are highly active in the food provisions of cellophane bees, where they likely play an important role as a source of nutrients for developing larvae.

"This discovery is quite remarkable," said Tobin Hammer, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and lead author. "We know that lactobacilli are important for fermentation of food, but finding wild bees that use them essentially the same way was really surprising. Most of the 20,000 species of bees get their nutrition from nectar and pollen, but for these cellophane bees, we suspect that lactobacilli are also really important. They have effectively evolved from herbivores into omnivores."

The study also found that the food provisions of cellophane bees have much higher bacterial biomass compared to other bee species, matching the unusually fermentative smell that emanates from their brood cells. These uniquely rich, lactobacilli-dominated microbreweries of cellophane bees could have important implications for the health of the bees, as well as for the ecology of the ecosystems in which they live.

"It was intriguing to find that cellophane bees use a strategy called 'spontaneous fermentation,' which is how certain fermented foods like sauerkraut are made. Rather than passing on starter cultures from generation to generation, they use wild strains of lactobacilli that are ubiquitous in flowers," said Hammer. "It suggests that fermentation-based symbioses like this one can evolve without domestication. What makes these bees special is that they've figured out how to create a favorable environment in which lactobacilli can grow really well."

This study highlights the importance of studying the microbiomes of insects, which are often overlooked in favor of more familiar animals like birds and mammals, despite playing an enormous role in ecosystems the world over. By understanding the complex interactions between microbes and their insect hosts, scientists can gain new insights into the biology of these important animals and the ecosystems that they inhabit.

This study was a collaboration between researchers at Cornell University, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, UC Riverside, Colorado State University and the University of Arizona. The National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Simons Foundation provided support.

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Biologists discover bees to be brew masters of the insect world: New ... - Science Daily

Biology

Cell and Molecular Biology Student Wins $50000 ‘Faculty for the … – University of Arkansas Newswire

Cassandra Thomas

Selom Ametepe

Selom Ametepe, an international doctoral student in the Cell and Molecular Biology Program in the Graduate School and International Education of the U of A, won a $50,000 Faculty for the Future Fellowship from the Schlumberger Foundation.

The fellowship program works to accelerate gender equity in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics by breaking down barriers women face in pursuing scientific careers, specifically in developing and emerging nations. Specifically, the fellowships are awarded to women who are preparing for Ph.D. or post-doctoral study in STEM disciplines to pursue advanced graduate study at top universities in their disciplines abroad.

The funds will help Ametepe, who is a native of Togo, focus on her research toward her goal of becoming a faculty member.

"I'm excited about resources to advance my research," Ametepe said. "I'm excited to meet other women working in other STEM fields and getting to know about their research. I want to thank my adviser, Dr. Timothy Evans, for his unconditional support of my academic endeavors which led to me getting this fellowship. I am very grateful to him for creating a positive working environment where he facilitates our learning opportunities."

"I'm proud of Selom's development as a scientist, and I'm delighted that her potential for leadership has been recognized by the Schlumberger Foundation," said Evans, who is an associate professor of biological sciences. "She's been an essential part of our lab for the last couple of years, and I look forward to seeing her continue to grow her scientific and leadership skills with the support of this fellowship."

Ametepe's research focuses on the nervous system in fruit flies in hopes of transferring knowledge to the human nervous system. She is interested in the mechanisms that guide neurons extensions, axons to form connections with other neural or non-neural cells. She focuses specifically on the gene Roundabout3, which is critical to the development of the nervous system. Using a sophisticated genetic engineering technique called CRISPR gene editing, Ametepe is cutting some portions of the gene to see what parts are crucial for the function of the protein.

"My research will help us know specific ways that the gene controls development of the nervous system," she said.

Before coming to the U of A, Ametepe completed her undergraduate studies at the Universite de Lome, where she graduated with a bachelor's in biomedical sciences. She then worked for five years as a lab analyst at the National Institute of Health in Togo.

Her decision to undertake graduate studies was influenced by two people who she considers as role models: her father, who was a dedicated lab technician, and one of her professors, Dr. Satoguina, professor of immunoparasitology.

"Getting close to her and learning her work ethics gave me hopes and wings and reassured me that I could become a scientist as well," Ametepe said.

Faculty for the Future Fellows are expected to return to their home countries upon completion of their studies to contribute to the economic, social and technological advancement of their home regions by strengthening the STEM teaching and research faculties of their home institutions, as well as through their leadership in science-based entrepreneurship. They are also expected to contribute to the public sector ,where their newly acquired technical and scientific skills can help provide evidence-based support for STEM policy making, including topics of gender representation.

Since its launch in 2004, the program has awarded fellowships more than 800 women from 86 countries for Ph.D. and post-doctoralSTEM research programs. Faculty for the Future is the SLB Foundation's flagship program, a nonprofit organization that supports science and technology education.

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Cell and Molecular Biology Student Wins $50000 'Faculty for the ... - University of Arkansas Newswire

Biology

Faculty Collaboration Database Competition Winners Announced … – UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine

The Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation were the basic science and clinical departments with the most participation in new database.

The School of Medicine Office of Research created a faculty collaboration database where faculty can search research interests and affiliations to find new collaborators.

To encourage faculty to participate, the Office of Research offered to provide $300 awards to the departments with the highest percentage of faculty in the database. One award is for a clinical department and another for a basic science department to provide refreshment for a faculty meeting.

The Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation won the competition.

Faculty submissions are still welcome. The faculty collaboration database can be found online, and all faculty can be included in the database, including clinical faculty and colleagues at Novant Health.

Additional questions can be sent to Trisha Dant.

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Faculty Collaboration Database Competition Winners Announced ... - UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine

Biology

She wants to make things better. Biological sciences major heads to … – Rowan Today

Jaden Johnson was still in high school the first day she spent watching surgeries, including one involving the removal of a cancerous organ. She was a biological sciences undergrad in Rowan Universitys College of Science & Mathematics when she first dissected a human cadaver.

And though Johnson is not yet a doctor, one of her biggest cheerleaders says she already possesses the qualities that make for a great physician.

This summer, the Bridgeton, New Jersey, resident will move an hour north to Camden, where she will join the Class of 2027 at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU). An alumnus of the schools Premedical Urban Leaders Summer Enrichment program (PULSE), Johnson is among 112 first-year students selected from a pool of more than 4,500 applicants across the country.

The Camden schools commitment to community service and its student-run health clinic for uninsured patients sparked Johnsons interest in applying. The city and its socioeconomic condition reminded her of her hometown. Last year, she shadowed her own primary care provider, a longtime Bridgeton doctor who held evening office hours each week for uninsured migrant workers who needed medical care.

I want to make an impact wherever I live, said Johnson, who lives in the rural outskirts of Cumberland Countys seat. I want to be able to see the injustices and disparities that Ive felt and seenand work to fix them I just want to make things better.

The daughter of Rowan alumni, Terence Johnson M'04 and Danna Johnson '97, Johnson attended elementary school in Bridgeton, where her mother grew up and now helps students as a school social worker. She later attended Cumberland Regional, a majority white high school, where her father is the assistant principal.

To overcome any educational gaps, her parents gave her extra assignments over the summer and encouraged her to follow her interest in medicine.

I got the math-and-science gene, Johnson joked. They dont know where I got that from.

After graduating at the top of her high school class, she chose to study at her parents alma mater, a 40-minute commute from home. After her first year at Rowan, Johnson enrolled in PULSE, a rigorous, six-week summer program at CMSRU focused on supporting underrepresented and disadvantaged students interested in medicine.

More than 500 students have participated in the program since its founding in 2011 by Dr. Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams, the medical schools senior associate dean for medical education.

The PULSE program was one of the best things that could have happened to me, Johnson said. She met high-achieving students interested in medicine like herself and met physicians of color who shared their own experiences in medicine.

PULSE is designed to address the lack of Black and Hispanic physicians in the United States, said Taruna Chugeria, assistant director in CMSRUs Office for Diversity and Community Affairs. The program provides students with advising, resources and training they might not be able to afford or access otherwise.

When we look at patient populations and the physicians serving them, theres a disparity, Chugeria said. It is important for us as a collective to work to diversify this health care workforce.

Johnson performed so well in the program that Chugeria invited her to teach biology and biochemistry in the programs preparation course for the MCAT, the medical school entrance exam.

Im not someone who is easy to please, Chugeria said. I have nothing but good things to say about Jaden. Shes one of those students who is confident and driven. Thats the kind of doctor I want. Shes a genuinely good person and Im proud of her for everything she has accomplished.

An active member in the Martinson Honors College, Johnson co-founded its Defining Diversity Honors BiPOC group, where she worked to educate her peers about the need for diversity and inclusivity in education, while learning to examine her own biases. Self-described as once very shy, Johnson said the experience strengthened her leadership and public speaking skills.

She also tutors students in organic and biochemistry and serves as a mentor in the Cumberland Bridge to Rowan program, where she provides assistance and advice to underrepresented students in STEM at Rowan College of South Jersey.

Before college, I didnt really have too many mentors in my field that I could relate to, Johnson said. Once I started at Rowan, I was able to start finding these mentors and realizing how many benefits that come with mentors that was something I wanted to give back to.

In April, Johnson received the Deans Outstanding Student Award for Biological & Biomedical Sciences. Jason Heindl, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department, was among her nominators.

She is super gifted intellectually, but also a great person, Heindl said. She clearly has the skills and mindset to become an excellent doctor.

Shelly Thomas, another faculty member who nominated Johnson for the award, praised the students optimism, dedication to excellence and maturity.

Shes just stellar, said Thomas, who referred students to Johnson for tutoring. Shes the kind of person whose leadership pulls others forward with her.

Every spring, Rowan University highlights one graduating senior from each school and college. Read more stories about this years featured graduates.

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She wants to make things better. Biological sciences major heads to ... - Rowan Today

Biology

Biology Without Darwin. Next, Physics Without Newton and Einstein? – The Wire

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has dropped the theory of evolution as propounded by Charles Darwin from the science syllabus for the tenth standard. This has been done as a part of the rationalisation exercise taken up during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to reduce the content load on students. The purging of the section on evolution on the pretext of the pandemic could not have been more ironical the novel coronavirus that caused the pandemic is indeed a result of the natural selection process that Darwin sought to explain and children ought to learn more about it. The theory of evolution is fundamental to understanding the basis of several sub-branches of modern biology like genetics, immunology and so on.

It is hard to believe that the change effected by NCERT, particularly relating to the chapter on evolution and heredity, has anything to the stated goal of reducing the burden on students in the wake of the pandemic. In 2018, minister of state for human resources development Satyapal Singh declared that Darwins theory of evolution was scientifically wrong because no one had ever seen a monkey turn into a human and that ever since man had come on the earth, he was a man. Singh later defended his comments and asserted that schools and colleges should stop teaching the evolution theory. Singh is no more in the education ministry but what he desired is being implemented.

Darwin has raised the hackles of obscurantist groups and different religions in many parts of the world including the US during the past several decades, but only a few have taken the extreme step of stopping teaching evolution to their children. Most of these countries are in the Middle East and Indias neighbourhood. Science textbooks in Pakistan, for instance, have been rubbishing the evolution theory for a long time. The theory has been banned completely in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Algeria and Morocco, and it is not taught in Lebanon. It is taught within the framework of religion in Jordan and is portrayed as an unproven hypothesis in textbooks in Egypt and Tunisia. Darwin is also a subject of many fatwas. In the US, a creationism lobby backed by some Catholic groups has been advocating the teaching of creationism as an alternative to the human evolution theory. Creationists believe that the world humans, natural life, the universe is a creation of the divine power or the god, and it did not evolve.

Implications

The removal of Darwin from the school syllabus is not an innocuous change. Seen in the context of revivalism and a return to the so-called ancient science, it is a retrograde step for the teaching of science and an onslaught on rational thinking and scientific temper. It can adversely impact the quality of higher education in science, scientific research and Indias position as a formidable science and technology power in the world community.

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Also read: Weaponising History: The Hindutva Communal Project

The concept of evolution is fundamental to all branches of biology and research in this field is going to help the world fight against some of the biggest challenges facing humanity be it climate change or antibiotic resistance or future pandemics emanating from the increased animal-human-environment interface. As it is, the teaching of science in Indian schools is a matter of concern. With the new changes in the school curriculum and perhaps more in the future in line with the drive to reinforce traditional values and mythology the teaching of science at the school and college levels could suffer more. Just imagine the state of Indian science in future if our schools start teaching Dashavatara as an alternative to the evolution theory. The dashavatara theory was propagated by Andhra University Vice Chancellor G. Nageshwar Rao at the Indian Science Congress session in 2019. Papers were also presented debunking theories of Newton and Einstein at this meeting.

The school curriculum change has serious implications for scientific research in the country. In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of pseudoscience activities in research institutions and universities in the name of research on ancient knowledge and to provide a scientific basis to myths. Funding agencies like the Department of Science and Technology and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have also been forced to support research on some topics concerning ancient science cow urine, cow dung, spiritual farming, medical astrology etc. With a state agency (NCERT) discarding the theory of evolution, funding agencies may soon have to deal with proposals to study alternatives to the evolution theory and to find a scientific basis for ancient ideas. All such trends dont augur well for the future of Indian science.

Response from scientific community

When Satyapal Singh rubbished the theory of evolution in 2018, the scientific community condemned it strongly. In a rare move, three academies Indian National Science Academy (INSA), the Indian Academy of Science (IASc) and the National Academy of Sciences-India (NASI) issued a joint statement. They categorically stated that Evolutionary theory, to which Darwin made seminal contributions, is well established. There is no scientific dispute about the basic facts of evolution. This is a scientific theory, and one that has made many predictions that have been repeatedly confirmed by experiments and observation.

Referring to Singhs statement that the theory should be removed from the syllabus, the academies said: It would be a retrograde step to remove the teaching of the theory of evolution from school and college curricula or to dilute this by offering non-scientific explanations or myths. Evolutionary biologists presented their arguments and requested the minister to retract his statement. Now that what Singh said then is being implemented by NCERT, the academies should reiterate their stand and use their collective clout to reverse the decision. Science academies the world over have been fighting anti-science and pseudoscience tendencies, and proactively trying to promote public understanding of science. Indian science academies should be no exception.

Also read: The Orwellian Revision of Textbooks

An independent group of scientists and educators, Breakthrough Science Society, has written an open letter criticising NCERT. It said an understanding of the process of evolution is also crucial in building a scientific temper and a rational worldview. The way Darwins painstaking observations and his keen insights led him to the theory of natural selection educates students about the process of science and the importance of critical thinking. Deprivingstudents, who do not go on to study biology after the 10th standard, of any exposure to this vitally important field, is a travesty of education.

The voices of rationality need to become stronger because the onslaught against science is not going to stop at Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution, if the developments leading to this decision are any indication. It should not be seen as just a matter of science education or science academies but as something that concerns society and the country as a whole.

Dr Dinesh C. Sharma is a New Delhi-based journalist and author. His latest book is Indian Innovation, Not Jugaad: 100 Ideas That Transformed India(Roli Books, 2022).

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Biology Without Darwin. Next, Physics Without Newton and Einstein? - The Wire

Biology

Retired Gov. Mifflin biology teacher reflects on 53 years of Earth Days – Reading Eagle

Donald Burger was active in the first Earth Days over 50 years ago as a science teacher in the Gov. Mifflin School District. He now enjoys Earth Day by watching the birds in his Cumru Township backyard feeding station. (BILL UHRICH - READING EAGLE)

Donald Burger relaxes in the sunroom of his Cumru Township home with his wife of 63 years Jean Ann, keeping a list of birds that visit his extensive feeding station outside for the Great Backyard Bird Count sponsored by Cornell University.

A bluebird flies up to a suet log and pecks away at the fat. Burger relates how one day recently he was looking up through the skylight and saw a bald eagle pass over their home.

Those two sights are rather commonplace now, but back during the first Earth Day in 1970, those two birds would not have been so easily found in Berks County, if at all.

Those were heady days for the environmental movement back in the spring of 1970, essentially because there was so much work that needed to be done.

And Burger, a biology teacher who started at Gov. Mifflin High School in 1956, was more than willing to pitch in.

U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin Democrat, founded the first Earth Day to raise awareness of impending legislation that would become the Clean Air Act.

Over 20 million Americans took part in activities in schools and colleges to highlight the environment.

Back then, there was bipartisan consensus on the importance of environmental protection, and under the administration of Republican President Richard M. Nixon, environmental legislation cascaded through Congress and to his desk for passage:

The Clean Air Act was passed a few months after the first Earth Day.

The Environmental Protection Agency was established in December 1970.

The EPA banned DDT in June 1972, which led to the comeback of the bald eagle, the osprey and the peregrine falcon, all birds that were almost wiped out due to eggshell thinning caused by the pesticide.

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 was amended in 1972 to include all hawks and owls, blue jays and crows, providing federal protection to all native bird species in the U.S.

And the Endangered Species Act was passed in December 1973.

Those were teachable moments.

And Burger and his students embraced them all with a particular emphasis on recycling.

There is no away, Burger said, recalling the impetus that became the Gov. Mifflin Ecology Bus, a mobile recycling center that he and over 200 students ran for 11 years.

You throw away things, but they dont go anyplace, he said. Theyre still here.

Ill bet we collected enough material that would have completely filled the gymnasium.

Burger had been particularly concerned about the ubiquitous use of plastics since they persist in the environment. Microplastics have been recently found in the human body with yet unknown health effects.

The plastics dont break down, he said. There hasnt been any evolution of a bacteria that would digest plastic. So it stays in the landfill.

A more recent concern is climate change brought about by global warming.

When you think of deforestation in the Amazon, with the rise of carbon dioxide and of course the warming of the oceans, the North Atlantic, off in Maine, the waters of the Gulf of Maine have warmed, he said. Theres less phytoplankton, and it affects the food web along with excessive fertilization with the runoff into the streams that causes algae blooms.

Burger can see through something as simple as an individual bird how global warming is having an effect on the environment.

We have a little bird, a Carolina wren, I first saw them when we lived in Shillington around 1968, he said.

The bird was at its northern limits in Berks and often died off in severe winters but now is a year-round resident.

In my humble opinion, thats an example of the effect of global warming, he said. A southern bird has come north, and we have it here every day.

Burger can trace his interest in conservation to the inspiration of his own teachers in the Reading School District, with one in particular.

I ended up teaching at Gov. Mifflin for 37 years, he said. I wanted to become Sam Gundy.

Gundy was perhaps the most complete Berks County naturalist of the 20th century. He was mentored by Reading Public Museum founder Levi Mengel, taught biology in the Reading School District before becoming director of the museum, and finally closed out his career as a biology professor at Kutztown University. Gundy died in 2010 at age 92.

Gundy introduced Burger to Hawk Mountain and its curator Maurice Broun, and Burger followed up with taking his students to Hawk Mountain over the years.

Gundy also introduced Burger to the local Baird Ornithological Club, and in 1952 Burger became the youngest president of the organization at age 20.

Now, he said with a smile, Im the oldest former president.

Burger will celebrate his 91st birthday a little over a week after an Earth Day that will include watching the birds at his feeders.

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Retired Gov. Mifflin biology teacher reflects on 53 years of Earth Days - Reading Eagle

Biology

Lecturer in Bioinformatics, School of Biology job with UNIVERSITY … – Times Higher Education

Applications are invited for a permanent post of a Lecturer in Bioinformatics within UCD School of Biology & Environmental Biology.

UCD School of Biology & Environmental Science invites applications for a full-time, permanent Lecturer/Assistant Professor (above the bar) in Bioinformatics with particular interest in next generation sequencing pipelines and analysis for applications in areas such as personalized medicine, health and disease, drug discovery, etc.

The School offers a diverse portfolio of programmes, including BSc degrees in Cell & Molecular Biology, Plant Biology, Zoology and Environmental Biology as well as taught graduate (MSc) degrees in Biological & Biomolecular Science (by negotiated learning), Applied Environmental Science, Environmental Sustainability, Plant Biology & Biotechnology. The School also has a strong international research profile across 3 main themes: "Environmental Change & Sustainability: Informing Policy & Practice", "Genetics and Evolution: From Genome to Biome" and "Cellular and Molecular Biology: From Genes to Biotechnology"

The MSc in Biological & Biomolecular Science (by negotiated learning) currently has specialisation streams in areas including cell biology and genetics and the School wishes to develop an additional stream focussing on bioinformatics. The appointee will be expected to work with the current programme team to develop a bioinformatic specialisation stream in the MSc in Biological & Biomolecular Science (by negotiated learning) in addition to teaching bioinformatics to undergraduate and MSc classes. The appointee will also develop their own research programme in an area that complements existing research programmes within the School

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate who has demonstrated aptitude, commitment and passion for teaching, with research expertise in bioinformatics. Candidates must have a PhD in an appropriate discipline, a demonstrated capacity to carry out research, excellent organisational, interpersonal and communication skills, and teaching experience.

IMP. NOTE: When submitting an application, applicants should include a current curriculum vitae, as well as a portfolio of teaching/supervision duties performed to date and a 4-year relevant research plan detailing possible funding opportunities (both Irish and international).

95 Lecturer / Assistant Professor (above the bar) Salary Scale: 59,370 - 94,015 per annum

Appointment will be made on scale and in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines

Closing date: 17:00hrs (local Irish time) on 22nd May 2023.

Applications must be submitted by the closing date and time specified. Any applications which are still in progress at the closing time of 17:00hrs (Local Irish Time) on the specified closing date will be cancelled automatically by the system.

UCD are unable to accept late applications.

UCD do not require assistance from Recruitment Agencies. Any CV's submitted by Recruitment Agencies will be returned.

Note: Hours of work for academic staff are those as prescribed under Public Service Agreements. For further information please follow link below: https://www.ucd.ie/hr/t4media/Academic%20Contract.pdf

Prior to application, further information (including application procedure) should be obtained from the Work at UCD website: https://www.ucd.ie/workatucd/jobs/

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Lecturer in Bioinformatics, School of Biology job with UNIVERSITY ... - Times Higher Education

Biology

Searching for solutions to the impacts of climate change on human … – UChicago Medicine

The links between climate change and human health are becoming increasingly obvious: Pollution. Extreme weather events. Food scarcity. Pathogen spread.

Meet the University of Chicago Medicine researchers who are tackling this monumental issue, one challenge at a time.

In 2021, He and collaborators published a groundbreaking study showing that by inserting the FTO gene, which affects RNA modification, into rice, the plants grew three times more rice in the lab and 50% more rice in the field. The rice plants also grew longer roots, were better able to withstand stress from drought, and photosynthesized more efficiently. Additional experiments in potato plants yielded similar results.

Now He is the director of the Pritzker Plant Biology Center, a new space to expand his RNA modification work and the research of other scientists searching for innovative ways to promote plant growth and resilience and increase crop yield.

Were considering many layers of pathways for modulating plant growth, he said. RNA modification is one aspect, but were also looking at temperature sensing, because agriculture may have to move north as the climate warms, but northern regions will still be hit by extreme cold fronts, so well need to develop plants that can resist the cold and grow fast. We also need crop plants that can better withstand warm weather. We could even modulate photosynthesis to increase biomass and yield.

In the last several decades weve seen a huge amount of resources being put into human biology and health, and rightfully so, He said. But until now we have not paid enough attention to plant biology, and with climate change, this type of research is just as important.

She studies health disparities caused by social inequity, and wonders how they can be exacerbated by the pressures of climate change. We know that people with lower income, who are experiencing racism or violence, have much higher allostatic load than those who are not facing the same stressors, she said. That chronic activation of stress responses can increase stress hormones like cortisol, and over time that can directly impact health. Chronic stress contributes to a host of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, which is the largest contributor to the racial mortality gap.

Climate change is yet another source of inequity; those with the fewest resources and who are the most vulnerable are disproportionately affected by it, in everything from the rising cost of food to a lack of secure shelter from extreme weather events to increased risk of exposure to pollution and infectious disease.

An area of particular focus for Tung is the intersection between violence and health inequity. Violence is an outcome of inequity, she said. More than medical and mental healthcare, patients who are affected by violent injury will often say they need access to economic and legal resources. For example, eviction can be equally or more toxic to a person than not being able to fully rehab an injured leg. The chronicity of stress related to housing instability has major downstream effects on peoples lives and wellbeing. Add to that the effects of climate change on housing, which have already exacerbated the affordable housing crisis and increased housing damage due to flooding and other natural disasters.

These climate challenges will not only exacerbate existing health inequities, but will increase the strain on an already struggling healthcare system, making it ever more difficult for those most burdened by the effects of climate change to access the resources they need to survive it. The question isnt so much whether these issues will get worse in the future, but rather, how to address it.

Theres a big movement in the health sciences to place a greater emphasis on the social determinants of health, but this is an existential issue, said Tung. Most of the solutions currently available to us rely on addressing the specific needs of an individual person or patient, but they dont provide opportunities for systemic change. If wealth inequality continues to worsen, it will become even more difficult to sustain the services that we are able to offer. Its a never-ending cycle.

It constantly made me think about how different environments can lead to differences in our health, even when were working with a very similar genome, she said. It made me wonder how the biology works when were exposed to certain chemicals or radiation or even biological factors, like a virus. These things can put an imprint on our bodies, but we dont always know what the long-term effects will be.

Her current research focus is on understanding how exposure to UVB radiation and arsenic affect the role of RNA methylation in cancer development. She studies epitranscriptomics the modifications made to RNA that affect how and which proteins are produced within our cells.

She sees a connection between her work and climate change because it all comes back to one thing: human decisions. Climate change and pollution are deeply connected, He said. The chemicals we make and release into the atmosphere are a huge contributor to climate change. Humans are very innovative. However, we humans also create these unexpected and unintended consequences, but because it takes years for the toxic response to appear, we dont realize it right away.

Perhaps the most obvious connection between her work and climate change is one that has been mostly successfully addressed by policy change. Those who grew up in the 1990s likely remember learning about the hole in the ozone layer, caused by human use of chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons. Ozone layer depletion allows more UVB rays to reach the planets surface, affecting everything from agriculture to marine ecosystems to cancer rates in humans. Thanks to international agreements reducing the use of chlorofluorocarbons in the 1980s, the ozone hole is slowly shrinking; but in the meantime, its effects still remain.

One of the challenges He faces is determining which RNA changes are significant. Weve seen RNA modifications in response to UV stress a few times, but we dont really know what the implication of that is, she said. There are classical responses, such as DNA damage, but epitranscriptomics is still in its infantry. We are probably one of the few groups looking at the unique connection between epitranscriptomics and the environment, which is helping us understand how dysfunction in the machinery caused by environmental exposures contributes to diseases.

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Searching for solutions to the impacts of climate change on human ... - UChicago Medicine

Biology

The intersection of art and biology occurs in a new exhibit at a Valley … – KJZZ

Tyler Murdock

Illustration of a mole cricket.

A new scientific art exhibit titled, The Things We Did Not Measure: Art Inspired By Biological Research opens Friday in the Valley.

Its the brainchild of Arizona State University graduate students Tyler Murdock and Meredith Johnson who are part of the same insect research group on campus.

Murdock studies chemical communication in ants and said the intersection of art and science is natural because curiosity inspires science and beauty inspires curiosity. The aesthetic appeal of nature emulates both the urge to do it justice in the form of art or to try and convey that emotional appeal, but it also stimulates scientific research. So, I think science and art are really closely connected," Murdock said.

He said the interactive show is perfect for families and features paintings, illustrations, photography and sculpture.

It also appeals to those interested in the bizarre and the demeanor of insects, or people who might enjoy the Alien movie franchise and modern TV shows, for instance.

We even have a photo of a carpenter ant, which is a group of ants I study, thats been parasitized by the cordyceps fungus which was the inspiration for the show The Last of Us [starring Pedro Pascal, aka 'The Mandalorian'] and has become popular in the last few months, said Murdock.

The free exhibit is housed at Modified Arts gallery in Phoenix.

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The intersection of art and biology occurs in a new exhibit at a Valley ... - KJZZ

Biology

Trans definitions make the best case for protecting biological women – Leader & Times

L&T Publisher Earl Watt

Twenty-one states have voted to protect biological women in sports so far including Kansas. However, in the U.S. House of Representatives, the issue became partisan when a similar vote passed with all 219 Republicans voting for it while all 203 Democrats voted against it.

The bill wont likely pass the Senate unless Kirsten Sinema and Joe Manchin are willing to switch, and even if they do, Joe Biden has committed to vetoing the measure.

Much like the pandemic, it seems that partisan participation overrides common sense.

Why is it that only Republicans question the origin of COVID? Why is it that only Republicans are looking to protect biological women in sports?

According to an NPR/Ipsos poll, which is not a conservative poll, 63 percent of Americans do not want trans athletes competing against women.

Sounds reasonable. The work done for Title IX in the late 1960s and 70s was to make sure girls had equal opportunity in sports.

Women have not always been given a fair shot, and society has tried to make sure that women are receiving equal pay for equal work, equal opportunity in academic achievement and the ability to compete to be the best in sports.

It seems that biological women, those who are born female, who experience female puberty, who experience that monthly visitor, who get pregnant, who develop as a unique human being with female traits are somehow worth even less because a biological man can choose to occupy their space on the ecological niche.

Before the common opposers believe this is transphobic, that is simply not true. In a free society, men have the option to be men or displace women as choosing to be a woman as their gender choice. Knock yourself out.

But the difference here is how hard women worked to be recognized as a born female who achieved in business or in community service only to see a biological male take home the Female of the Year award.

Or win a swim meet. Or a track race. The list goes on.

This was an option biological women did not have in being a woman, and beyond that, it is a fact of nature that females are born female and males are born male.

In order to make you forget about the biological facts, you have to be stripped of your handle on the language.

Biology no longer matters, or so we are told. You are also told that gender identity begins in the womb, regardless of what biology says.

You are also informed that children in kindergarten need to be told to explore their sexuality so they can decide whether or not they are a boy or a girl.

Biology has already answered that question in virtually every case. There is the occasional moment when a child is born with genitalia of both male and female, but this according to Intersex HumanRights Australia, is only in 0.016 percent of the population.

What was once called gender dysphoria, where a person feels as if they do not identify with their biological sex, is now being rewritten.

Why?

Because of feelings rather than science.

We dont want anyone to feel bad, so we redefine the language.

Different trends are used for a person to stick out in a crowd, to be an individual. Hippies grew their hair long, goths chose to wear all black and black make-up, people enjoy a tattoo, and some even choose piercings in a variety of places. Weve also seen hair colors of all varieties.

Weve gone so far in people standing out, that there really is nothing that a person can really do to be unique.

But what about transitioning? The numbers are starting to increase in this trend.

Is it an effort to really identify, or could it be a way to stand out.

Also, since more biological males make the partial transition, is it a way for that biological male to feel they would stand out more if they were female?

Lets also explore the truth that these are not full-on transitions, or sex changes. Trans-women, for all intents and purposes, are full male from the waist down, even if they have taken hormone therapy to produce breasts and other emotions typically experienced by women.

The ultimate question is if a trans woman met a trans man, would either be satisfied with that pairing?

The answer is possibly, because according to pro-trans web site stonewall.org.uk, the gender you identify with has nothing to do with who you are attracted to.

Caitlyn Jenner, who was once Bruce Jenner, claims to be heterosexual, which means (s)he prefers to be with women even though (s)he chooses to live as a woman.

Jenner has also been a strong proponent of protecting biological women in sports.

This is why supporting biological women in sports is neither transphobic nor limiting the rights of others. It is highly likely that a trans woman (born male) is still attracted to women. If that is the case, why are they being allowed in locker rooms with other women?

If trans has nothing to do with attraction, as defined by the trans community, it is further evidence that biological women need their private spaces protected. Its not because I believe it to be so, but because their own definition demands it.

Continue reading here:

Trans definitions make the best case for protecting biological women - Leader & Times