Category Archives: Biology

Biology

LabXchange: A Digital Tool for Success in AP Biology – The Education Trust

In 2021, more than 200,000 students worldwide completed the Advanced Placement (AP) Biology exam. AP Biology aims to prepare high school students for two semesters of college-level introductory biology and to cultivate laboratory skills through inquiry-based experimentation. Students can even receive college credits based on their overall score on the final exam. AP Biology and other advanced placement courses thus serve as onramps to college-level study and future career paths in STEM.

Yet, more than half a million students of color and students from low-income backgrounds are missing from AP participation, according to a 2013 report from The Education Trust, and by extension, from the valuable foundation these courses offer for success in academics and work. This is not because schools lack AP offerings fewer than 1 in 10 students attend schools that dont even offer AP courses. Instead, the majority of these missing students are not being equitably recruited for, enrolled in, and prepared for AP courses. According to a 2022 report by Ed Trust and Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS), only 3% of eligible Black and Latino students are enrolled in AP STEM classes.

To narrow the gap in AP participation, school and district leaders must challenge the biases that lead to the exclusion of students from low-income backgrounds and students of color, especially Black and Latino students. Ed Trust and EOS co-created a brief, 5 Questions to Ask District and School Leaders About Access to Advanced STEM Coursework in High School to help families, advocates, and communities call for more inclusive and equitable practices. But students, families, and teachers also need ongoing support after students enroll in advanced courses. LabXchange, an initiative of Harvards Vice Provost for Advances in Learning supported by the Amgen Foundation, aims to help students succeed in advanced STEM coursework through a suite of free resources aligned with the AP Biology curriculum.

LabXchange makes high-quality science education accessible, connects learning to careers, and gives everyone, everywhere, the opportunity to chart a path in science through a powerful digital platform for science education and an expansive library of world-class learning resources and. In addition to the 20,000 learning resources currently available, new AP Biology resources will be released starting in 2023 as clusters, or thematic groupings of resources, entitled Biochemistry, Cells & Energetics; Cell Communication, Heredity & Gene Expression; and Evolution & Ecology. As they navigate the clusters, educators and learners will engage with virtual lab simulations, videos, assessments, and other interactive digital content. In the meantime, educators may access additional resources such as the Core Concepts in Biology cluster.

Virtual tools, such as simulations, allow students to interact with complex lab topics in advance of hands-on experimentation, thus preparing all learners for success during class. This approach increases access to AP topics for a variety of learners who may otherwise struggle with the rigor and pace of a college-level course, says Stefana Dunn, LabXchange high school content lead.

All the learning resources in the three clusters can be saved, shared, or remixed with alternative educational content from the LabXchange library or educators own desktops. This allows educators to personalize online learning for a wide variety of teaching contexts, prepare students for laboratory experiences, and nurture a sense of belonging in STEM. Currently, AP Biology teachers are faced with deciphering lengthy standards. By setting a clear scope and sequence, our team is creating an easy-to-use suite of resources that align with the standards, and incorporating enrichment opportunities, says Dunn. Were also strategically scaffolding assets to ensure that teachers can help meet each student where they are, and make up for possible gaps in background knowledge and preparation.

With digital tools like LabXchange, opportunities for enrichment and engagement extend beyond the end of the school day and outside the confines of the classroom. According to Mary Liu, LabXchange high school teacher-in-residence and a science teacher at Weston High School in Weston, Massachusetts, Some of the main constraints that I face are highly limited time, resources, and budget for hands-on labs. By giving students experience before a hands-on lab or giving them a chance to review a virtual lab afterwards, I can better enable students with varying backgrounds to achieve at the AP level.

Finally, to further a sense of belonging, the LabXchange AP Biology clusters will incorporate career narratives showcasing a diverse range of scientists and roles in STEM. According to Ed Trust and EOS, when students see themselves reflected in the curriculum and in other students in the class, students are more likely to feel welcome in AP courses. AP teachers and students will also have access to forthcoming resources from the Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Science Education project, which aims to equip educators with inclusive teaching strategies.

In short, Advanced Placement STEM courses offer many benefits, from the development of scientific thinking skills to actual college credits. Every student deserves to be recruited for, enrolled in, and supported in these rigorous, valuable experiences. With the online learning resources provided by LabXchange, and the advocacy tools offered by Ed Trust and EOS, including this brief, 5 Questions to Ask District and School Leaders About Access to Advanced STEM Coursework in High School, communities have the power to help all students thrive in AP courses, regardless of their race or income level.

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LabXchange: A Digital Tool for Success in AP Biology - The Education Trust

Biology

A pleiotropy map of cell biology covering 1,002 human traits – Nature.com

Publishers note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Barrio-Hernandez, I. et al. Network expansion of genetic associations defines a pleiotropy map of human cell biology. Nat. Genet. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-023-01327-9 (2023).

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A pleiotropy map of cell biology covering 1,002 human traits - Nature.com

Biology

Chemistry and biology programs boast several doctoral acceptances – Western Carolina University News

WCU Stories March 2, 2023

Connor Larmore (left) and Matteo Fratarcangeli

By Brooklyn Brown

Western Carolina Universitys chemistry and biology programs in the College of Arts and Sciences are tallying up doctoral acceptances at universities across the country, including Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Connor Larmore and Matteo Fratarcangeli are two of several students celebrating acceptance into doctoral programs. Both students were accepted at Duke.

Larmore is a biology masters student from Morganton. Larmore will soon be a double alumnus of WCU with his undergraduate degrees in chemistry and biology. Larmore was recently accepted to the biology PhD programs at the University of Georgia, Duke and the University of Virginia. Hes still deciding where his next chapter will be, but he said hes leaning heavily towards Duke.

Connor Larmore works in the laboratory on an experiment.

Larmore said the interview process for applying to PhD programs has been pretty easy, but he has worked hard to be prepared. My interviews with the schools I applied for have been very informal interviews. They werent like gotcha interviews, they just asked me about my research, Larmore said. If youre gonna do a PhD in chemistry or biology, it is essential that you have research experience. Prior research is a big component of your application and you should be able to explain your research experience well to the interviewers.

Associate professor Jamie Wallen, who is on Larmores thesis committee, reiterates the importance of research experience. Its really important to show that you have the experience. I think one of the things we do really well here at Western is we have great faculty that provide research to our students, says Wallen. One of the hardest parts of a PhD is getting the PhD through the research. They want to see that youve done research, that youve enjoyed it, and more importantly, that you can talk about it.

Larmore is studying two proteins in salmonella typhimurium, a bacterial pathogen that colonizes the intestinal wall of humans. If you get infected with salmonella you end up with gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, Larmore said.

Several years back, there were a couple of genes identified in this organism that are believed to encode proteins that function to produce a sugar called trehalose. There was a later study that found that if they knock those genes out, they can no longer grow the organism in the lab. Nobody has studied the proteins that are encoded by the genes. So, my work has been studying these proteins in this organism.

Larmore wants to continue researching microbial genetics in his PhD, but his long-term goal is to return to academia. I would like to become a professor somewhere where I can continue conducting research, but also teach, Larmore said. I have served as a graduate teaching assistant. Ive taught several genetics labs, a principles of biology 1 lab, and this semester Im teaching a couple of microbiology labs. Ive really enjoyed those experiences.

Larmore credited his research adviser Amanda Storm, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Biology, his undergraduate research adviser Scott Huffman, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics, and his thesis committee including Wallen and Heather Coan, associate professor of biology, for preparing him for this next stage.

The faculty have been really supportive. Dr. Storm read through my personal statement, looked at my CV, provided feedback and wrote recommendation letters. Positive recommendation letters are really important, Larmore said. When it comes time for applications, its definitely important that you have relationships with faculty who can write positive recommendation letters for you.

Matteo Fratarcangeli is preparing his thesis through computational chemistry.

Larmore also acknowledged the Department of Residential Living and the Office of New Student Orientation, where he worked as an RA, orientation counselor and coordinator. Those offices gave me the opportunity on campus to develop a professional skill set, said Larmore.

Fratarcangeli is a second semester chemistry graduate student earning his masters through the 4+1 program. He is originally from Ariccia, Italy. He graduated from Smoky Mountain High School as part of a foreign exchange program and then pursued his undergraduate and graduate degree at WCU.

My aunt is like me. She left Italy when she was 18 to come here. When she would come to visit, I always heard her stories from here, Fratarcangeli said. Since I was little, I was planning on coming here after I graduated from high school; it just so happened that I got here a little earlier than expected.

Fratarcangeli has been accepted to chemistry PhD programs at Duke, UNC Chapel Hill and Purdue University. Like Larmore, Fratarcangeli said he is leaning toward Duke.

Fratarcangeli has also performed extensive prior research to prepare for his PhD. My thesis is on europium complexes. Specifically, we have two projects: one is a computational project so everything is done on the computer studying how molecule structures affect europium, says Fratarcangeli. The other is in the lab where we study europium nanoparticles to hopefully one day image cancer cells.

He has conducted nearly three years of research with Channa de Silva, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics. De Silva said Fratarcangelis ability to present research is a key component leading to his PhD acceptances. Matteo has done a lot of scholarship in chemistry research. He has presented at two national American Chemical Society meetings and several Southeastern Regional ACS meetings, de Silva said. He also presented at an undergraduate conference at Harvard University, consistently doing research and presenting at graduate level competitive conferences.

Along with de Silva, Fratarcangeli also said Scott Huffmans chemometrics course and associate professor Carmen Huffmans seminars have prepared him to successfully present research.

A PhD is five years of research and if for some reason you end up not liking it, youre gonna be miserable. Start doing research before then to see if you really like it, Fratarcangeli said.

Like Larmore, Fratarcangeli is interested in returning to academia after working for a company. I really like the freedom of research that academia gives you and I would like to train the next chemists, he said.

Wallen wants Fratarcangeli and Larmore to be an example to other students of the limitless possibilities with a degree from WCU. Our students can do whatever they want. They can go to medical school, graduate school, dental school, whatever they want to pursue, Wallen said. If you come to Western and you get an education here, the sky's the limit.

De Silva agreed. We can confidently say that we shape students so that they are ready for that competitive level of education, de Silva said. We have the infrastructure and the potential for students to choose whatever they want to do. They have a lot of options here, and we work one-on-one with students. We do it well and we are serious about it.

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Chemistry and biology programs boast several doctoral acceptances - Western Carolina University News

Biology

Science Spotlight: Biology JEDI Committee – Georgetown University The Hoya

Since its foundation in 2020, the Georgetown University Biology Departments Committee on Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) has served as a catalyst for breaking class, race and gender barriers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at Georgetown.

The committee was created amid nationwide conversations about race and equality, with the goal of bringing these discussions to the attention of the university. The committees mission is to address obstacles that limit the full participation of underrepresented groups in the biology department, and to foster spaces where all voices are heard.

JEDI is the only department committee at Georgetown that features undergraduate students, graduate students, research faculty, non-tenure-line teaching faculty and tenure-line faculty. This wide age range allows for issues of equity and inclusion to be examined at all department levels.

JEDIs biweekly meetings are split up by project, some of which are led by both undergraduates and graduates. Current projects include initiatives for equity in pre-professional opportunities and admissions and creating support systems for underrepresented biology students.

Giselle Rasquinha (CAS 25), one of the first two undergraduate members of the committee, is currently working on a project to make research opportunities more equitable to undergraduate students.

A lot of the extracurriculars, like research, that are seen as necessary for getting into med school or being a STEM major are class-based, Rasquinha told The Hoya.

Full Disclosure: Rasquinha is a Science writer at The Hoya.

The application-based nature of many STEM clubs at Georgetown, as well as a general lack of awareness about research opportunities, also limits inclusivity, not to mention their often unpaid nature, according to Rasquinha.

In response to these barriers, Rasquinha and other undergraduate students on the committee are working on restructuring Foundations in Biology I, a required class for all biology majors at Georgetown. Their additions would include teaching students the hidden curriculum, or what often goes unsaid regarding navigating and gaining experience in the field of biology.

The committees proposed curriculum would also provide students with a toolkit for securing professional development opportunities in science. For instance, JEDI is working on a project to increase funding for the Regents STEM Scholars Program, which supports first-generation and low-income underrepresented minority students in the natural and quantitative sciences.

Graduate students on the JEDI committee are spearheading similar efforts.

Meghan Bullard, a Ph.D. student in Dr. Haiyan Hes lab, an assistant professor in neuroscience, is working on a project to make graduate student recruitment more equitable.

Instead of directly asking about research experience, we are asking more general questions that gauge other characteristics that indicate success in grad school, Bullard told The Hoya.

This initiative will aim to change application questions to be broader, instead of focusing on experiences that often have class barriers like research, according to Bullard.

The committee also aims to have an adaptive, far-reaching influence on the biology department as a whole.

JEDIs work should not be something that only people on the committee work on. It should be central to everything we do in the department, Professor Mun Chun (MC) Chan, assistant teaching professor of biology and one of the committees founding professors, told The Hoya.

JEDIs committee members serve on graduate admissions, undergraduate admissions and hiring committees, which helps to further the organizations goals. Additionally, faculty members on the committee are replaced every three years in order to make sure the group adapts. Last year, the committee was made a standing committee via a unanimous vote by department administrators.

Kimberly Nguyen (CAS 23), one of the first undergraduates on the committee who is now pursuing a masters in Global Infectious Disease at Georgetown, said that the biology department adequately respects and resources the committee.

Whenever we need funding, the bio department is very receptive, Nguyen said. This was echoed by other committee members, Bullard noted that there is a lot of desire expressed by department professors to be more diverse and inclusive.

The committee still faces challenges in securing assistance from the university as a whole despite department support. Nguyen said that there is a desire for the committee to be made an official club.

Recognition as an official club would allow the committee to reserve spaces to meet in person and receive more funding.

Professor Chan said he hopes the university ultimately brings together committees from different departments in order to enact cross-disciplinary initiatives.

We should consider issues of equity and inclusion every time we make a change, whether we are hiring, trying to decide which speakers to bring to the university, or testing the abilities of students, Chan said.

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Science Spotlight: Biology JEDI Committee - Georgetown University The Hoya

Biology

Everything You Need To Know About Godzilla – TheGamer

A titan of terror, a god of destruction, Godzilla is an iconic colossal Kaiju that's both an unstoppable force of nature's wrath and the Earth's most powerful defense against other giant monsters, aliens, and more.

RELATED: Games To Play If You Like Dawn Of The Monsters

Created by Toho Studios of Japan back in 1954, Godzilla, Gojira, Monster Zero-One, Big-G, or however youd like to call them is a creature that dominated eastern and then western cinema for decades and rightly so. A supposed man-made creation of radioactive origin, there's a lot to learn about what makes this big lizard tick. So here's everything you need to know about Godzilla's biology.

For first-timers new to the massive monster scene, here's a Kaiju crash course. From what we've gathered from Monarch's files on the creature, and reported yet redacted encounters by the JSDF, Godzilla is estimated to be thousands, if not millions of years old (depending on the canon). And is a creature of such a physical and destructive scale that merely having it appear on a city's shoreline is enough to start mass panic throughout an entire country.

Taller than a skyscraper and with thighs wider than a city block, this towering reptile has scales that can stop missiles and atomic fuelled fire breath that can reduce entire neighborhoods into molten irradiated slag. Buildings crumble with its passing and there's yet to be a giant beast, alien, mechanized weapon, or battle droid capable of putting it down permanently. Though Oxygen bombs have proved a potent deterrent to this overgrown dinosaur, it always returned in one form or another.

Truly unkillable, humanity's best option for surviving alongside Godzilla is to just evacuate major population centers, stay out of the way, and invest in home insurance.

If you were to take a cathedral-sized Scalpel to Godzilla and start to dig around inside, you'd find something interesting. For a start, the creature's carapace is composed of an ultra-dense material formed into a reptilian scale shape that deflects, dissipates, and defends against any and all attacks. Though it seems weak to high temperatures and extreme voltages, perhaps due to conductivity between the scales.

The bones of this beast are equally massive and made of a mineral composition that renders them seemingly unbreakable. This makes sense considering the sheer amount of tonnage in weight they would need to support. The organs of the beast are also capable of breaking down all sorts of material, both organic and inorganic to seemingly sustain Godzilla. They're also able to withstand extreme temperatures into the Kelvins or Super Negatives, whilst also exuding extremely high amounts of radiation.

So much radioactive material is released by Godzilla. In fact, the areas it passed through often endure elevated radiation levels for several weeks. Also, if Godzilla releases its fire breath, the immediate area will be rendered unlivable for years almost instantly. Standard decontamination protocol after exposure is recommended, but not always successful.

The origins of Godzilla have varied over the years. With different sources pointing to everything from a genetic deviancy brought about through Nuclear Testing, or the Hollow-Earth school of thought that says it emerged from a subterranean realm. Or its a prehistoric creature that crawled out of a chasm after being asleep for millennia. Whichever one matters, they share a common thread: Nuclear bombs or testing is involved, the big lizard appears from somewhere, and things get smashed.

Godzilla was first sighted off the shores of Japan in the 50s. Since then, the creature has continued to bounce between periods of destructive activity and extended periods of dormancy. Though it's noted these active apocalyptic occurrences are often due to external negative stimuli. (e.g. the appearance of another Super Predator, the creation of something that would negatively impact the earth's environment, or because of alien control.)

The destructive capabilities of Godzilla can be best categorized as cataclysmic. Not only does the sheer weight it can throw around alone mean it can casually walk through a busy city without those pesky buildings slowing it down. But the power put behind its claw makes it capable of tearing bridges and reinforced heavy weaponry apart like tissue paper.

Then there's the fire breath.

Depending on where you're standing in the canon, Godzilla's Atomic Fire Breath has varied in strength over the years. Scaling upwards in scale from high-temperature flames to radiation-tinged lines of plasma then finally highly radioactive laser beams that blast in a seemingly infinite direction from its mouth, spinal fins, and tail.

The other fusion-powered trick in its arsenal is to stockpile radiation within itself until a moment of critical mass is achieved and a colossal nuclear-fuelled explosion occurs or is surged outwards in damaging pulses. Finally, Godzilla is shown to be able to exert a strong magnetic field (Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla) to both attract and repel objects as large as power pylons and combat droids.

RELATED: Godzilla: Best And Worst Kaiju Games, Ranked

Though this piece started as a fictional "Field Report," there is a need to clarify that Godzilla is in fact not real. It was first created as a metaphor for the destructive power of atomic energy in a post World War 2 Japan, and it was Toho Studios' way of putting out their version of an anti-nuclear protest. There's a little more to it than that, but that's an apt way to keep it brief.

Godzilla first appeared on the silver screen back in 1954 and was a big success. The classic Kaiju would go on from there to star in countless sequels and spin-offs that are still carried on to this day. It impacted the cultural zeitgeist over the years so much in fact that there are endless parodies, references, and direct inspirations in pop culture that you can directly point to because of it.

Godzilla's gender is something that's been up for debate for years. Through the different eras of Toho Studios, they played a little fast and loose with that rule. Either altering it slightly or not really addressing it outright. In some versions, they've always been male, other's there are hints of it being between genders, but either way, it's often referred to as an "it". Where the confusion lies is that Godzilla is capable of self-procreation, which makes it difficult to pin down where they fall.

For example, in the '98 movie, they were shown laying eggs asexually. Plus, in older examples like Son Of Godzilla, Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II, or the animated show, a hatchling was shown to be born. Usually named Godsuke, Minilla, or Baby Godzilla. Theres also the example of Godzilla Vs Destroyah where a new Godzilla was formed out of the destroyed remains of the old one. The same applies in the Netflix adaptation Planet of the Monsters where a smaller version just randomly appeared, whilst the original much larger one slept. In general, Godzilla is referred to as a "he" or an "it".

This is one topic that unfortunately falls into the relationship category of "it's complicated" as the big Lizard's connection with the afterlife is tenuous at best. Like how Kratos can casually walk out of the Underworld again and again, so too does Godzilla shake off death like it's a minor inconvenience. But this is not to say the creature is truly unkillable; it's just very, very resistant to dying.

Over the years, Godzilla has "died" a few times but due to resets in the canon, it keeps coming back. Whether through energy transference from Mothra, recuperating at a site of radioactive and geothermal activity, or unsubtly detonating a Nuclear Bomb in its face. There have also been examples of Godzilla producing a smaller, equally strong copy of itself as a contingency plan which then grows in size. Should the original die, this new creature assumes the role of its deceased parent, and the cycle continues. But no matter where in the canon you look, Godzilla keeps coming back.

Except the 1998 one, that one stayed dead for all the right reasons.

NEXT: The Best Board Games For Monsters And Kaiju Fans

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Everything You Need To Know About Godzilla - TheGamer

Biology

Technology only a means, not a solution to healthcare, says biology … – Arab News

ABU DHABI: Healthcare is still in an era of imprecision contrary to popular belief, Dr. Gianvito Martino, a professor of experimental biology, told Investopia 2023 on Friday.

Speaking during a session on innovations in precision healthcare, he said doctors and researchers must first understand the molecular mechanisms underlying disorders.

We are understanding that nature has already solved a lot of mysteries because we are evolving as living organisms for 3.5 billion years, said Martino.

What we understood in the past years is that we have to copy what nature is already doing.

Participating in the session was Dr. Michael Severino, CEO of Tessera Therapeutics, who claimed that one modern game-changer was the ability to study human disease in people rather than animals for better insight.

The necessary technologies did not exist in the past, which made it difficult to examine human subjects, he added.

Severino, who joined Tessera in 2022, brought more than two decades of biopharmaceutical leadership to the company.

He said studying human diseases coupled with expanding the notion of what therapeutics is necessary to keep advancing in the field.

Its not just a small molecule, or a therapeutic monoclonal antibody, we have genetic therapies that correct inborn errors in metabolism that can deliver new instructions to cells to keep building abilities we never had before, explained Severino.

Elaborating on the topic, Martino said the world was entering a natural medicine era with its current approaches.

We are using this cutting and paste system, just looking into this, learning how this was done and trying to force the copy, he said.

This is what we are doing, and this is what the revolution of the 21st century, (its) called the century of biology for this reason.

Severino said that methodologies have changed, and the healthcare sector is witnessing an urgent need for intelligence, imagination, and creativity in order to come up with revolutionary breakthroughs.

It takes courage to venture out into such projects because the path is never straightforward, he added.

Tessera Therapeutics focuses on advancing gene writing technology and envisions a future where diseases can be treated at their source through an optimal gene-writing system, which deliverers therapeutic instructions to the necessary tissue.

The companys aim is to alter the human genome and develop precise, durable therapeutic change to cure even the most challenging genetic diseases.

Though there have been evident technological advancements in the healthcare sector, Martino believes that machines are not the solution.

Technology should be a mean, its not the end and its not the goal, he said.

Taking the conversation further, the experimental biology professor said successful advancement in the field requires a combination of academia, a government force, and investors.

Martino has co-authored more than 250 original articles and book chapters.

His scientific interests range from the elucidation of the pathogenic mechanisms of immune-mediated central nervous system disorders to the development of gene and stem cell-based therapies for the treatment of these disorders.

Investopia 2023, which ran from March 2-3, was held in Abu Dhabi, and addressed various topics affecting the global economy today.

The two-day event allowed experts from around the world to exchange knowledge, participate in seminars, and sign memorandums of understanding with local businesses and investors.

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Technology only a means, not a solution to healthcare, says biology ... - Arab News

Biology

Cloning in the Third Dimension: Breakthroughs in 3D Biology – Technology Networks

Traditional organoid culture can present challenges for the downstream analysis of single organoids. In this webinar, Dr. Allysa Stern will discuss a unique workflow that enables clonal organoid development, monitoring of iPSC differentiation over time and automated isolation of single organoids.

Dr. Scott Magness will then present a case related to his groups work investigating tumor cell heterogeneity through clonal organoid morphology and transcriptomics. He will discuss new approaches using single organoid transcriptomics to evaluate organoids derived from single cells from gastric dysplastic tissues and how this approach might reveal new ways to investigate tumor cell heterogeneity and evasion of some cells from cancer treatments.

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Cloning in the Third Dimension: Breakthroughs in 3D Biology - Technology Networks

Biology

Biologists discover how to awaken and reactivate neural stem cells – News-Medical.Net

Some areas of the adult brain contain quiescent, or dormant, neural stem cells that can potentially be reactivated to form new neurons. However, the transition from quiescence to proliferation is still poorly understood. A team led by scientists from the Universities of Geneva (UNIGE) and Lausanne (UNIL) has discovered the importance of cell metabolism in this process and identified how to wake up these neural stem cells and reactivate them. Biologists succeeded in increasing the number of new neurons in the brain of adult and even elderly mice. These results, promising for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, are to be discovered in the journal Science Advances.

Stem cells have the unique ability to continuously produce copies of themselves and give rise to differentiated cells with more specialized functions. Neural stem cells (NSCs) are responsible for building the brain during embryonic development, generating all the cells of the central nervous system, including neurons.

Surprisingly, NSCs persist in certain brain regions even after the brain is fully formed and can make new neurons throughout life. This biological phenomenon, called adult neurogenesis, is important for specific functions such as learning and memory processes. However, in the adult brain, these stem cells become more silent or ''dormant'' and reduce their capacity for renewal and differentiation. As a result, neurogenesis decreases significantly with age.The laboratories of Jean-Claude Martinou, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the UNIGE Faculty of Science, and Marlen Knobloch, Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the UNIL Faculty of Biology and Medicine, have uncovered a metabolic mechanism by which adult NSCs can emerge from their dormant state and become active.

''We found that mitochondria, the energy-producing organelles within cells, are involved in regulating the level of activation of adult NSCs,'' explains Francesco Petrelli, research fellow at UNIL and co-first author of the study with Valentina Scandella. The mitochondrial pyruvate transporter (MPC), a protein complex discovered eleven years ago in Professor Martinou's group, plays a particular role in this regulation. Its activity influences the metabolic options a cell can use. By knowing the metabolic pathways that distinguish active cells from dormant cells, scientists can wake up dormant cells by modifying their mitochondrial metabolism.

Biologists have blocked MPC activity by using chemical inhibitors or by generating mutant mice for the Mpc1gene. Using these pharmacological and genetic approaches, the scientists were able to activate dormant NSCs and thus generate new neurons in the brains of adult and even aged mice.

'With this work, we show that redirection of metabolic pathways can directly influence the activity state of adult NSCs and consequently the number of new neurons generated.''

Professor Marlen Knobloch, co-lead author of the study

''These results shed new light on the role of cell metabolism in the regulation of neurogenesis. In the long term, these results could lead to potential treatments for conditions such as depression or neurodegenerative diseases'', concludes Jean-Claude Martinou, co-lead author of the study.

Source:

Journal reference:

Petrelli, F., et al. (2023) Mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism regulates the activation of quiescent adult neural stem cells. Science Advances. doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.add5220.

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Biologists discover how to awaken and reactivate neural stem cells - News-Medical.Net

Biology

UNM biologists part of groundbreaking whale study published in … – UNM Newsroom

A new study released in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), makes a significant discovery about the feeding habits of the Southern Right Whale in the Southern Ocean that could have profound impacts on the protection of the species and the ecosystems they rely on.

In the article titled Long-term stability in the circumpolar foraging range of a Southern Ocean predator between the eras of whaling and rapid climate change,Seth Newsome, a professor of Biology and associate director of the Center for Stable Isotopes (CSI), Geraldine Busquets-Vass, a postdoctoral scientist working at CSI and the Department of Biology, along with collaborators from 14 countries conducted a truly unique study on the foraging habits of this species.

A partial view of equipment in UNM's Center for Stable Isotopes.

Traditionally, the southern right whale was thought to forage on copepods and krill at high-latitude polar feeding grounds in the Summer. More than 95% of the global population of Southern Right Whales was killed due to commercial whaling and this, combined with the effects of global climate change, spurred the team to look at how this was affecting the habitats that they rely on for food.

The study used commercial and scientific datasets that spanned decades, an approach that Newsome says,shows how comparison of modern and historical datasets can provide insights into how species have responded to different stressors over the past several centuries.

Using stable isotope analysis, which allows researchers to identify foraging habitats, the team analyzed 1,002 Southern Right Whale skin samples collected from seven different wintering grounds across six genetically distinct populations across the Southern Hemisphere. The samples spread across three decades, providing a significant timeline for researchers to compare current data to.

In addition to the samples, records from American whaling vessels between the years of 1792 and 1912, along with Soviet whaling vessel records between the years of 1961 and 1968 were also compiled.

This impressive dataset represents a collaboration among many researchers from all over the world that were willing to share data to produce this range wide examination of southern right whale ecology," said Newsome.

Another unique aspect of the study included the development of a model that produced a map of the isotope composition of phytoplankton across the entire Southern Ocean. By comparing this map to the right whale isotope data, researchers were able to identify which regions of the ocean are critical foraging areas, and how this has changed over the past several decades.

These distributions were compared with historical whaling records to show that their predisposition to foraging at mid-latitudes has not changed over the past several centuries. This not only suggests that their migratory memory did not affect their foraging patterns but might also serve as a buffer for the species from climate change if polar habitats continue to change faster than temperate ones.

This discovery will inform a number of useful global assessments in regards to protecting the species. Knowing where they feed will allow for continued study of those areas in order to monitor the effects of climate change on the species as well as the ecosystems they rely on for survival.

Newsomes research interests focus on studying the ecology and eco-physiology of animals, specifically what resources (food and water) they require to be successful. He also studies this topic across time by examining species in modern and ancient ecosystems to better understand animal behavioral and ecological flexibility, which may inform how they will respond to ongoing environmental change

PNAS is a prestigious peer-reviewed journal for the multidisciplinary sciences and was established in 1912. It publishes over 3,500 research papers annually.

Originally posted here:

UNM biologists part of groundbreaking whale study published in ... - UNM Newsroom

Biology

Global Synthetic Biology Market Is Projected To Grow At A 23% Rate Through The Forecast Period – EIN News

Synthetic Biology Global Market Report 2023 Market Size, Trends, And Market Forecast 2023-2032

The Business Research Companys Synthetic Biology Global Market Report 2023 Market Size, Trends, And Market Forecast 2023-2032

The Business Research Company

The Business Research Companys Synthetic Biology Global Market Report 2023 is a comprehensive source of information that covers every facet of the synthetic biology market. As per TBRCs synthetic biology market forecast, the global synthetic biology market is expected to grow to $39.12 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 23.0%.

The growth in the synthetic biology market is due to the availability of the DNA sequencing technique at low cost. North America region is expected to hold the largest synthetic biology market share. Major players in the synthetic biology market include Thermo Fischer Scientific, Genscript, Integrated DNA Technologies, Amyris, Twist Bioscience Corporation.

Learn More On The Synthetic Biology Market By Requesting A Free Sample (Includes Graphs And Tables): https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=2508&type=smp

Trending Synthetic Biology Market Trend The new technological advances in the field of DNA sequencing has enabled the researchers to use DNA to store non-genetic information. With the rise in the demand to store quantum of data, DNA data storage offers a solution where one DNA strand can store about 455 Exabyte of data (455 billion gigabytes). Thus, the concept has received huge investments from the entities in the market. The binary data (data coded in 0O and 1) is converted into DNA strings of four potential base units of unique sequences of A, G, C, T (DNA is made up of four base components: Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine (known as AGCT)). The information coded in DNA lasts for thousands of years when compared to the data in traditional hard drives which gets corrupted or damaged within 30 years.

Synthetic Biology Market Segments By Technology: Nucleotide Synthesis And Sequencing, Bioinformatics, Microfluidics, Genetic Engineering By Application: Pharmaceuticals And Diagnostics, Chemicals, Biofuels, Bioplastics, Other Applications By Product Type: Oligonucleotides, Enzymes, Cloning and Assembly Kits, Xeno-nucleic Acids (XNA), Chassis Organism By Geography: The global synthetic biology market is segmented into North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Read more on the global synthetic biology market report at: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/synthetic-biology-global-market-report

Synthetic biology is a field of biological science that involve engineering principles to redesign organisms to give them new abilities. It is possible to think of synthetic biology as the culmination or the prescriptive, deliberate stage of biology.

Synthetic Biology Global Market Report 2023 from TBRC covers the following information: Market size date for the forecast period: Historical and Future Market analysis by region: Asia-Pacific, China, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, USA, South America, Middle East and Africa. Market analysis by countries: Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

Trends, opportunities, strategies and so much more.

The Synthetic Biology Global Market Report 2023 by The Business Research Company is the most comprehensive report that provides insights on synthetic biology global market size, drivers and synthetic biology global market trends, synthetic biology industry major players, synthetic biology market share and competitors' revenues, market positioning, and synthetic biology market growth across geographies. The synthetic biology global market report helps you gain in-depth insights on opportunities and strategies. Companies can leverage the data in the report and tap into segments with the highest growth potential.

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Global Synthetic Biology Market Is Projected To Grow At A 23% Rate Through The Forecast Period - EIN News