Metal Transport Unlocks Routes to New Antibiotics – Dr Albert Guskov, University of Groningen
Metals have been improving our lives since the bronze age, but they also play a key role in keeping us healthy. We rely on numerous metals, such as cobalt, zinc and magnesium (among others), to perform essential roles in our bodies. Many bacteria also require these...
Determining the Link Between Ageing and Cardiovascular Disease – Drs Yu Wang, Bo Bai and Andy Man, The University of Hong Kong
Ageing is the most significant risk factor for a range of prevalent cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, such as hypertension and obesity. Accordingly, new interventions are needed for delaying or preventing these disorders. Dr Yu Wang is a pioneering researcher at...
From Surviving to Thriving Boosting the Oral Feeding Performance of Premature Babies – CHANTAL LAU, PHD BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
The survival rates of premature babies are increasing all the time, but many struggle to develop proper oral feeding skills. This can result in longer hospital stays due to delayed development of important skills, such as swallowing and proper coordination of swallow...
Tackling Trauma: A Revolutionary Approach to Emergency Medical Care – Dr Kayvan Najarian, University of Michigan
The multiple injuries sustained in a traumatic accident put victims’ lives at risk and can be difficult to diagnose accurately in fast paced emergency room settings. Dr Kayvan Najarian and his team of researchers at the University of Michigan are designing advanced...
An Absorbing Tale of the Intestine Unfolds – Andrew M. Freddo, Dr Katherine D. Walton, Professor Deborah L. Gumucio
Understanding the mechanisms behind the development of the small intestine will help aid discovery of new therapies targeting intestinal disorders. Andrew Freddo and his colleagues at the University of Michigan Medical School are working to understand these...
The Dynamics of Dynamin and Cancer Evolution – Professor Sandra Schmid, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
All cells need to transport vital biomolecules across membranes by packaging them into small membrane-bound containers called vesicles. Integral to this process is the large protein dynamin. In her insightful and pioneering research, Professor Sandra Schmid has begun...
Cellular Polka and Immune Cell Signalling – Professor Brian C. Schaefer, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Immunology remains an important branch of medical and biological sciences, providing us with protection against infection and disease. Professor Brian Schaefer of the Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, has dedicated his research to elucidating the molecular...
A Three-Dimensional Model of Lung Cancer – Dr Samantha Meenach, University of Rhode Island
New and successful drug development for the treatment of lung cancer requires imaginative and creative thinking by scientists and doctors alike. Dr Samantha Meenach and her colleagues at the University of Rhode Island have developed an innovative approach for testing...
Roadmap for Success: Increasing Diversity in the Biological Sciences – Dr Fern Tsien, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Historically, there has been a disparity between the demographics found in the broader population and in academia. Women and many minority groups are underrepresented in science careers. Dr Fern Tsien at Louisiana State University is directing educational programs in...
The Brain and the Gut, a Meeting of Two Minds – Professor Terry L. Powley, Purdue University
Until now, the brain and the neural network of the gastrointestinal tract have been considered largely independent organs. Recent experiments conducted by Professor Terry Powley of Purdue University and his colleagues have fundamentally challenged this belief. Their...
TICAL Aims for Paradigm Shift in PET Imaging – Professor Paul Lecoq, CERN
In an ongoing effort to increase the accuracy and sensitivity of current PET (positron emission tomography) scanners, Prof Paul Lecoq and his team at CERN research various elements of this particular imaging technique. Inspired by particle physics detectors, the team...
Influenza – New Strategies for Defeating an Old Enemy – Peter Palese, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Influenza continues to be one of the most common respiratory diseases in humans and represents a significant public health burden, due to its associated morbidity and mortality. Dr. Peter Palese and his colleagues at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New...
Monitoring and Controlling the Delivery of Single Molecules through Nanopores – Drs Daniel Burden and Lisa Burden, Wheaton College
Monitoring and controlling molecules as they are transported in and out of nanometre-sized compartments is no easy task. Dr Lisa Burden, Dr Daniel Burden and their colleagues at Wheaton College have made significant contributions to understanding these processes by...
Sphingolipids Fats that Protect the Heart – Dr Annarita Di Lorenzo, Cornell University
Despite current therapies, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, suggesting that alternative drug targets are urgently needed to preserve cardiovascular health. Sphingolipids – a class of biologically active molecules and components of cell...
Count Down to the Future – Meg Cheng-Campbell, Ryan T. Scott, Samantha Torres, Matthew Murray, Eric Moyer – NASA Ames Research Center
At the NASA Ames Research Center in California, the next generation of space biologists are working to understand the effects of long duration space flight on model organisms, and are developing ways to protect the health of future astronauts. [lbg_audio2_html5...
The Social Gradient in Musculoskeletal Health – Dr Sharon Lee Brennan-Olsen, The University of Melbourne
Disease is as much a social and economic phenomenon as a biological one. Dr Sharon Brennan-Olsen and her team at the University of Melbourne, and the Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), are investigating musculoskeletal disorders as a...
Cleaning Up a Catastrophe – Professor Peter H. Santschi, Texas A&M University
Professor Peter Santschi and his team at Texas A&M University are dedicated to investigating the consequences of the release of radioactive substances into the environment. Incorrect storage of nuclear waste or power plant accidents can cause radioactive material...
Disarming Bacterial Virulence – Professor Roy Michael Robins-Browne
With antibiotic resistance rapidly emerging among many important bacterial pathogens, it is imperative that new classes of antimicrobials are developed. Professor Roy Robins-Browne and his team at The University of Melbourne are taking a novel approach to...
Mechanobiology – Exploring the Mechanics of Cell Behaviour – Professor Taher Saif and Dr Andrew W. Holle
Understanding how cells interact with the physical world around them is at the core of mechanobiology, a growing subfield connecting the arenas of cell biology and bioengineering. Two leading researchers, Professor Taher Saif and Dr Andrew Holle, with the support of...
The Audible Human Project Hearing What the Body Has to Say – Thomas Royston
Professor Tom Royston is applying his expertise in the fields of acoustics and engineering to diagnostic medicine by developing the Audible Human Project, which aims to use sound to detect disease and injury within the body, particularly in the complex structure of...