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Patenting our genes, killing our startups.

Interest in entrepreneurship and start-up culture seem to be at an all-time high, especially when it comes to the tech industry. But why do so many of the best young graduates choose to work on the next sexting app rather than on an app-based algorithm…

Lessons learned from sharing poop: gut microbiota matter

Poop sharing has gotten a lot of (medical) attention in the past few years. Fecal microbiota (or stool) transplants are emerging as the most promising treatment for Clostridium difficile infections, a bacteria that causes large intestine inflammation and…

Progress, but no breakthrough for Circadian Rhythms

From Drawing of neurons from the cerebellum. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuron#mediaviewer/File:PurkinjeCell.jpg The ability to reset the circadian clock, which controls when animals are awake or asleep, could help people suffering from a variety…

The Human Microbiome and Media Confusion

Science journalism is an essential medium for keeping the general public well informed about ground breaking and exciting science. But in the process of translating complex research into attractive material for general consumption important details and…

What the heck do you do with a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences?

I am currently a fifth year graduate student well on my way to earning my Ph.D. in biological and biomedical sciences (knock on wood). Every year around the holidays I’m bombarded with the same question from friends and family: what exactly are you…

Are genetically-modified organisms now safer?

Scanning electron micrograph of Escherichia coli, grown in culture and adhered to a cover slip. Credit: Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIHGenetically modified organisms (GMOs) have amazing potential for improving lives, from providing nutrients to…

HIV Prevention Drug Shows Promise

As HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, continues to spread globally, there is increased demand for a drug that can effectively prevent HIV infection. Even more appealing is a drug that could guard against HIV over the long term, and not require a daily…

Chikungunya Virus on the Move

Chikungunya virus is a serious global threat for both the sheer number of individuals it infects, as well as the intensity and duration of the suffering it causes in each patient. The small virus is transmitted to humans by the simple bite of a mosquito,…

Plagues of the Past

Many diseases have affected the outcomes of battles or the political leanings of a country, but few have had consequences on society that continue to be felt in the present age. The plague is one such disease and its most famous pandemic – the Black…