Newest Posts
Potential Methods of Life Detection on Ocean Worlds
By Ana Menchaca, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ‘20 Author’s Note: As a biochemistry major who is interested in pursuing astrobiology research, I initially wrote this literature review for an assignment in my Writing in Biology course. Methods of life detection and what we know about life is a field in which we still have much […]
The Scientific Cost of Progression: CAR-T Cell Therapy
By Picasso Vasquez, Genetics and Genomics ‘20 Author’s Note: One of the main goals for my upper division UWP class was to write about a recent scientific discovery. I decided to write about CAR-T cell therapy because this summer I interned at a pharmaceutical company and worked on a project that involved using machine learning […]
The Similarity of Human’s Microbiomes with Dogs
By Mangurleen Kaur, Biological Science, 23’ Author’s Note: In one of my classes of basic biology, I got to learn about microbes. That class discussed some relationships between microbes and between human beings. One of the points that stuck in my mind was the relationship of microbes between humans and one of our favorite pets, […]
Use of Transgenic Fish and Morpholinos for Analysis of the Development of the Hematopoietic System
By Colleen Mcvay, Biotechnology, 2021 Author’s Note: I wrote this essay to review the methods of utilizing Zebrafish as a model for understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of blood (hematopoietic) stem cells, for my Molecular Genetics Class. I would love for readers to better understand how the use of transgenic zebrafish and morpholinos have […]
The Wood Wide Web: Underground Fungi-Plant Communication Network
By Annie Chen, Environmental Science and Management ’19 Author’s note: When people think of ecosystems, trees and animals usually come to mind. However, most often we neglect an important part of the ecosystem — Fungi. Without us noticing, the fungi stealthily connects the organisms underground, creating a communication network that helps organisms interact with one another. […]
The History and Politics of Marijuana in the United States
By Vishwanath Prathikanti, Political Science, 23’ Author’s note: Marijuana today is a very controversial topic, with some arguing for a complete criminalization of it, others advocating for complete decriminalization of it, and many more in between. To understand marijuana today, and what it does to your body, we need to unravel its complex history and […]
Not All Heroes Wear Capes: How Algae Could Help Us Fight Climate Change
By Robert Polon, Biological Sciences Major, ’21 Author’s Note: In my UWP 102B class, we were assigned the task of constructing a literary review on any biology-related topic of our choice. A year ago, in my EVE 101 class, my professor briefly mentioned the idea that algae could be used to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide in […]
Environmental Effects of Habitable Worlds on Protein Stability
By Ana Menchaca, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ‘20 Author’s Note: As a biochemistry major hoping to further pursue an academic career in astrobiological research, this paper jumped out at me when finding a topic for a class assignment. It goes to show just how many paths there are to take in investigating life elsewhere in […]
Where the Bison Roam and the Dung Beetles Roll: How American Bison, Dung Beetles, and Prescribed Fires are Bringing Grasslands Back
By John Liu, Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology ‘21 Author’s Note: In this article, I will explore the overwhelming impact that the teeny tiny dung beetles have on American grasslands. Dung beetles, along with reintroduced bison and prescribed fires, are stomping, rolling, and burning through the landscape; all in efforts to revive destroyed grassland habitats. […]
Pharmacogenomics in Personalized Medicine: How Medicine Can Be Tailored To Your Genes
By: Anushka Gupta, Genetics and Genomics, ‘20 Author’s Note: Modern medicine relies on technologies that have barely changed over the past 50 years, despite all of the research that has been conducted on new drugs and therapies. Although medications save millions of lives every year, any one of these might not work for one person […]