Newest Posts
CRISPR Conundrum: Pursuing Consensus on Human Germline Editing
By Daniel Erenstein, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, ‘21 Author’s Note: In November 2018, a scientist in China became the first person to claim that they had edited the genes of human embryos carried to term. Two twins, named with the pseudonyms Lulu and Nana, were born from these very controversial experiments. This news rapidly propelled […]
The Role of Dendritic Spine Density in Neuropsychiatric and Learning Disorders
Photo originally by MethoxyRoxy on Wikimedia Commons. No changes. CC License BY-SA 2.5. By Neha Madugala, Cognitive Science, ‘21 Author’s Note: Last quarter I took Neurobiology (NPB100) with Karen Zito, a professor at UC Davis. I was interested in her research in dendritic spines and its correlation to my personal area of interest in research […]
Einstein’s Fifth Symphony
By Jessie Lau, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology ‘20 Author’s Note: Growing up, playing the piano was a major part of my life— weekdays were filled with hour-long practices while Saturdays were for lessons. My schedule was filled with preparations for board exams and recitals, and in the absence of the black and white keys, my […]
Cryogenic Electron Microscopy: A Leap Forward for UC Davis
Photo originally published in Structural Studies of the Giant Mimivirus. PLoS Biol 7(4): e1000092. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1000092. License: CC BY 2.5. By Nathan Levinzon, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior ‘23 Author’s Note: The purpose of this article is to inform the UC Davis community about the arrival and use of a groundbreaking technology to campus. I hope to have provided a […]
Ode to the Eye: Movement of Mitochondria in Retinal Ganglion Cells
By Nicholas Garaffo, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 20’ Author Note: I wrote this paper in an attempt to connect my research project to a non-science audience. While this topic is very scientific, I am attempting to translate the molecular biology of the eye to a language any reader could understand. With this paper, I hope more […]
The Roots of Chemistry: How the Ancient Tradition of Alchemy Influenced Modern Scientific Thought
By Reshma Kolala, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 22’ Author’s Note: A scientific education today often omits the origins of modern scientific thought. I was interested in understanding how early philosophers built the foundation of modern scientific disciplines such as chemistry and physics through the ancient tradition of alchemy alongside rational thought and reasoning. The ancestral […]
Taking the Driver’s Seat in your Diagnosis
By: Mari Hoffman, Genetics and Genomics 2021 Author’s Note: In this paper, I will be discussing reviews on patient activation level and health outcomes in chronic diseases. I wanted to analyze the effect patients can have on their own treatment plans and discuss how they can make a difference. I feel personally connected to this […]
Applications of Machine Learning in Precision Medicine
By Aditi Goyal, Statistics, Genetics and Genomics, ‘22 Author’s Note: I wrote about this topic after being introduced to the idea through a speaker series. I think the applications of modern day computer science, genetics and statistics creates a fascinating crossroads between these academic fields, and the applications are simply astounding. Next Generation Sequencing […]
Frontiers in Animal Behavior Research: Scientific Application of Krogh’s Principle
By Kaiming Tan, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, ‘16 Author’s Note: As a student who is engaged in biological sciences research, I often read research publications and perform experiments in laboratory classes and research projects. A common theme across these studies is that different labs use various model organisms. For instance, labs that research infectious human diseases […]
Cerebral Palsy: More Than a Neurological Condition
By Anjali Borad, Psychology ‘21 Author’s Note: This paper explores the dynamic relationship between a mother and her son and the complexity of a health condition that the son has. I will look at a specific case of cerebral palsy—my brother—and talk about how his condition came to be and the likely prognosis. I want […]