From DNA to Life. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, William Crochot) Our DNA is like a secret code – 6 billion base pairs (per cell) but only 4 letters, repeated over and over in a seemingly random order. The structure appears relatively simple, but those nitrogenous bases of DNA store the secrets of life, death, evolution, and …
Extensive and irresponsible use of antimicrobial drugs is one of the leading causes of antimicrobial resistance. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, freestocks.org) Most of us never thought that our lives would intersect with a pandemic. Yet, COVID-19 may not be the only pandemic witnessed in the 21st century. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is standing in the wings, ready …
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An intricate view of the intertwined helices of DNA. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, KES47) The development of high-tech machinery within the field of biology has led to the development of remarkable technologies – from the first DNA sequencing machines to more modern innovations such as DNA sensors. DNA sensors – fragments of DNA capable of binding …
The diagram above displays the many potential uses of stem cells. To make the most use of stem cells’ versatility and life-saving capacity, researchers must develop a detailed understanding of where stem cells can be found and what roles they play in the body. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Mikael Häggström) The biology of stem cells, which …
The prominence of computational techniques in the field of research is rising rapidly. (Source:NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center via Flickr) COVID-19 seems to have instigated a significant transformation in scientific research methodologies, inaugurating a new age in research that is characterised by computational methods and mathematical models. While the prevalence of computational techniques in research …
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Cover Image: Melanoma in a skin biopsy with H&E stain.. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, KGH) Melanomas, like most cancers, result from genetic mutations that effect cell cycle proteins, causing uncontrollable cell replication. These mutations can occur as a cell is replicating and differentiating from pluripotent cell lineages into more specialized forms. In melanomas, the onset of a …
Cover Image: Blood sample of a patient infected by the Ebola virus. (Source: Public Domains Pictures, ChiccoDodiFC) Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often lethal infection caused by Ebola virus. Ebola victims present with symptoms such as an acute hemorrhagic fever, severe headache, weakness, and fatigue (Jacob et al., 2020). EVD epidemics typically start …
Figure: A fluorescent protein is expressed in human epithelial cells of the Henrietta Lacks (HeLa) strain. Scientists have long used reporter genes coding for fluorescent proteins to visualize the expression of genes of interest. Now, the development of acoustic reporter genes allows the same sort of local visualization to be achieved by sound. (Source: Wikimedia …
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Figure: Two cheetahs lie side by side. As the fastest land animal, the cheetah was of particular interest in a recent study that produced a mathematical model predicting the maximum running speed of any given animal. (Source: Wikimedia Commons, safaritravelplus) Cheetahs, sloths, humans — whatever the animal, a new study proposed a mathematical model to …
Figure: The image above, created by the National Institutes of Health, helps demonstrate how important a role junk DNA can play. The picture displays a stem cell culture, within which green dots represent viral envelope proteins resulting from the transcription and subsequent translation of junk DNA. When these proteins interact with certain immune cell proteins, …
Rethinking ‘Junk’ DNA: The Vital Role DNA Repeats Play in Cancer and Aging Read More »