Human Biology

by Mary E. Gearing figures by Kristen Seim Summary: In addition to providing energy in the form of calories, our food also supplies us with essential vitamins and other nutrients to keep us healthy. Vitamin, or “micronutrient”, malnutrition is a…

by Megan L. Norris Summary: As the prevalence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) continues to rise, there has been an increasing public interest for information concerning the safety of these products. Concerns generally focus on how the GMO may…

by Charles Xu figures by Krissy Lyon Summary: People are concerned about the potential of GMO food to cause allergies. However, the technology used for making GMO crops does not necessarily make us more vulnerable than conventional breeding.…

by Jennifer Hsaio figures by Krissy Lyon Summary: Pesticides are ubiquitous. Because they are used in agriculture and food production, pesticides are present at low levels in many of our diets.  Less obvious is the fact that many people use pesticides…

by Gabriel Rangel figures by Anna Maurer Summary: To date, scientists have engineered bacteria that produce medication-grade drugs, crops with built-in pesticides, and beagles that glow in the dark. While these are all relatively recent advances in…

by Caitlin Nichols Worldwide, approximately 289,000 women die every year due to pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications, with 99% of these deaths occurring in developing nations. What can be done to address this pressing world health issue?…

by Mary E. Gearing figures by Kristen Seim Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States [1]. Today, patients with a family history of heart disease or risk factors such as elevated “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL…

Ice cream cravings while you are anxiously preparing for a presentation or exam may be triggered by your brain’s desire for relief from stress. (Credits: Austin Kirk, flickr.com) In America, uncontrolled sugar consumption is a concern because of its…

by Alexis Hubaud figures by Anna Maurer Vaccination is key to preventing disease and has been a major advance in public health to eradicate epidemics like smallpox or polio. Vaccines work by mimicking an infectious agent, and by doing so, train our…

Presented by Shay Neufeld Opiates, the class of molecules that includes morphine, heroin, and codeine, are arguably the most addicting drugs known to exist. This class of drugs has single-handedly started wars, forced international laws, and to this day…