Category: Biology
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Emily Lescak, University of Alaska Anchorage – Evolutionary Timescales
How long does it take for a species to evolve? Emily Lescak, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alaska Anchorage, examines how one freshwater fish shows evolution can take place much faster than previously thought. Dr. Emily Lescak is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She uses threespine stickleback fish as a…
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Mads Daugaard, University of British Columbia – Malaria Vaccine and Cancer
Chemotherapy can save lives but also be debilitating. Mads Daugaard, senior research scientist and assistant professor in the department of urology at the University of British Columbia, explores how a sugar protein may be the answer to an easier method of treating cancer. Dr. Mads Daugaard is a molecular biologist specialized in tumour-associated stress signaling…
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Franco Pestilli, Indiana University – Re-discovering A Lost Part of the Brain
Did scientific rivalry delay an important discovery in brain research? Franco Pestilli, assistant professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University, examines how a once forgotten discovery may bring huge benefits to our health. Franco Pestilli is an assistant professor in the Indiana University Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences’ Department…
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Leo Fleishman, Union College – Anoles
How do you show off your colors in a dark environment? Leo Fleishman, professor in biology at Union College, discusses how one animal has found a way to let its colors shine in the shade of the forest. Leo Fleishman is a professor in the Biology Department at Union College, where he teaches courses in Introductory…
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Jackie Dudley, University of Texas at Austin – Gene Therapy
An accidental discovery could lead to big advances in treating viruses. Jackie Dudley, professor of molecular biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin, discusses this exciting finding. Jackie Dudley is a professor of molecular biosciences at The University of Texas at Austin whose research focuses on retroviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and…
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Phillip Sponenberg, VaTech – Geese & Turkeys
Dr. Phillip Sponenberg has become our resident zoology expert contributing previous pieces on domestic extinction, Choctaw hogs, and even adorable fainting goats. Today, this Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine professor of pathology will tell us all about geese and turkeys. Happy Thanksgiving! Dr. Phillip Sponenberg is a professor of pathology and genetics in the Department of…
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Blaine Pfeifer, University at Buffalo – E. Coli
Does E. Coli have a positive benefit to humans? Blaine Pfeifer, Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University at Buffalo, explores this question. Dr. Pfeifer’s work seeks to influence cellular, metabolic, and process events required to produce new therapeutic products. As an example, he is studying how to engineer E. coli to generate…
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Gregory Cunningham, St. John Fisher College – Penguin’s Sense of Smell
Birds don’t have a sense of smell. Gregory Cunningham, associate professor of biology at St. John Fisher College, explains his research that may change this belief. Dr. Gregory Cunningham is an Associate Professor of Biology at St. John Fisher College, a small liberal arts college in Rochester, New York. He received his Ph.D. in physiology…
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Gaberiel Bever featured on The Best of Our Knowledge
As always, host Bob Barrett selects an Academic Minute to air during The Best of Our Knowledge. Each week this program examines some of the issues unique to college campuses, looks at the latest research, and invites commentary from experts and administrators from all levels of education. For this week‘s edition (#1311), Bob has selected Gaberiel…
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George Uetz, University of Cincinnati – Purring Spiders
Do spiders sing for love? George Uetz, professor of biological sciences and head of the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Biological Sciences, explains how one spider makes sounds to attract a mate. George Uetz is a behavioral ecologist and is interested in questions about both the proximate and ultimate mechanisms involved in animal communication and social…