Biology

Calling All CARs: Redesigning CAR-T Cancer Immunotherapy

2021, Biology, Medicine • April 26, 2021

Figure 1: This image displays microtubules – green fibre-like structures of the cell’s cytoskeleton – in human breast cancer tissue. Immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that induces the immune system to fight back against tumors. Although it has been a successful form of therapy, there are still several challenges that limit the effectiveness …

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Inactivation of Type I Interferon Necessary for Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells

2021, Biology, Medicine • April 21, 2021

Figure 1: IFNγ (purple, bottom) is one kind of interferon, which are proteins that are key in activating cells vital to the immune response. Upon inhibition of its pathway, by mechanisms like those to be described, activation of those cells fails and immunosuppressive conditions result Source: Wikimedia Commons Interferons are a class of molecules involved …

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The Brain and Sign Language — Evidence of a Universal Language Center?

2021, Biology, Neuroscience • April 21, 2021

Figure 1: The English alphabet and numbers 1-9 as signed in American Sign Language (ASL) Source: Wikimedia Commons Most think of the spoken, verbal communication between people when considering language. However, they would really only be considering one aspect of language, as language is much more than just an auditory phenomenon. Aside from so-called “non-verbal …

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Beginning stages of CRISPR detection in athletes

2021, Biology, Medicine • April 17, 2021

Figure 1: This image outlines CRISPR and its delivery mechanism. It has become a popular tool to combat diseases and improve crops, but it has also become a topic in ethical discussions. Such ethical discussions include the idea that athletes could soon have the ability to modify their genes to improve athleticism and gain an unfair …

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METMAP: Mapping metastatic progression

2021, Biology, Medicine • April 6, 2021

Figure 1: The start of metastasis – the movement of tumor cells from the initial site of tumor growth to other regions of the body Source: Wikimedia Commons Metastasis is an outcome that often turns treatable cancer into a fatal disease. It occurs when circulating tumor cells acquire the ability to penetrate the walls of lymphatic or blood vessels; …

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A woman studying wildlife to identify different species. Originally shot as part of a promotion for the citizen science event “Loodusvaatluste maraton” where citizens focus on recognizing and identifying wildlife species in pre-designated areas

Beyond the White Coat Worker: An Overview of Citizen Science

2021, Biology, Environment, Medicine, Social Science • March 27, 2021

By: Olivia Brado1, Luz Mariana Cumpa Gomez1, Shirin Dadina1, Katrina Miciek1, Priscilla Rubio1, and Elizabeth Schoemer1 1Trinity College, 2/14/21 Figure 1: A woman studying wildlife to identify different species. Originally shot as part of a promotion for the citizen science event “Loodusvaatluste maraton” where citizens focus on recognizing and identifying wildlife species in pre-designated areas …

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Factors in the Onset of Obesity – An American Public Health Crisis

2021, Biology, Medicine • March 27, 2021

Figure 1: Obesity is typically diagnosed based on BMI. The different levels of obesity are shown here Source: Wikimedia Commons Introduction: Obesity is one of America’s greatest public health concerns. For both children and adults, rates of obesity have generally been on the rise since 1980 (Hales et al., 2018). In 1980, 4.8% of men …

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Anti-SLAMF7 Treatment for Multiple Myeloma by the Elimination of Immunosuppressive T Cells

2021, Biology, Medicine • March 25, 2021

Figure 1: Smear preparation of bone marrow from a patient with multiple myeloma, the cancer of plasma cells Source: Wikimedia Commons Activated B lymphocytes, or plasma cells, are the only cells capable of secreting antibodies and thus play a critical role in mediating immune response to pathogens (D’Souza & Bhattacharya, 2019). The production of an …

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CellChat Enables Biologists to Understand Cellular Communication

2021, Biology, Neuroscience • March 25, 2021

Figure 1: CellChat, an open-source R package, provides researchers with the tools to understand how cells communicate Source: Pixabay The human body is an extremely complex structure and only recently have researchers begun to unravel its many mysteries. The function of the large organs such as the heart, lungs, and liver are widely known. However, …

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Regulating Regulatory T Cells to Fight Cancer

2021, Biology, Medicine • March 24, 2021

Figure 1: The different ways a tumor can provide protection for itself through Treg (seen as circular, pink cells above) recruitment Source: Wikimedia Commons Researchers have discovered a potential new immunotherapy for certain tumors that involves downregulating a type of immune cell called Regulatory T Cells (or Tregs) in and around the target tumor. Tregs …

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