Category: Biology
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Rolf Vinebrook, UAlberta – Ecological Surprises
Human behavior is impacting climate change. Rolf Vinebrook, biologist at the University of Alberta, discusses his research focusing on inland lakes. Rolf Vinebrook‘s early research examines the impacts of acidification on the stability of boreal lake communities. He then shifted his focus during his PhD towards stratospheric ozone depletion and the effects of ultraviolet radiation on…
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Elizabeth Skippington, Indiana University – Mistletoe’s Secret
The seasonal usage of mistletoe is better known than anything about the plant itself. Elizabeth Skippington, a post-doc in Indiana University’s biology department, explores the darker side of the iconic holiday decoration. Since 2013, Dr. Elizabeth Skippington has been a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Biology at Indiana University. She is the lead author…
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Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan, University of Cape Town – Fossilized Clues
Professor Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan is a palaeobiologist and a global expert on the microscopic structure of the bones of extinct and extant vertebrates. Today, on The Academic Minute, Dr. Chinsamy-Turan explores her research into dinosaur fossils. Her work has been recognized by several highly acclaimed awards: for example, in 1995 she received a National Research Foundation…
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Gayathri Devi, Duke University – Breast Cancer Treatments
Can medication used to treat alcoholism be repurposed for other medical conditions? Gayathri Devi, associate professor of pathology and surgery at Duke University, is exploring this possibility. Gayathri Devi is Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Sciences and in the Department of Pathology at Duke University School of Medicine. She is…
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Matthew Xu-Friedman, University at Buffalo – Processing Noise
How are nerve cells and the connections between them affected by activity? Matthew Xu-Friedman, associate professor at the University at Buffalo, is studying this question as it relates to the auditory system. Dr. Xu-Friedman has been trying to understand how nerve cells function for many years. He started out at Cornell University with Dr. Carl…
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Oksana Chkrebtii, Ohio State – Earthworm Invasion
Are we about to be overrun by earthworms? Oksana Chkrebtii, a statistician at The Ohio State University, offers an interesting analysis. Oksana Chkrebtii is an assistant professor in the Department of Statistics at The Ohio State University. Her research interests include uncertainty quantification and statistical inverse problems. Earthworm Invasion Earthworms seem pretty normal, right? But…
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Philipp Ruprecht, Columbia University – Volcanology Studies
It’s pretty busy inside of a volcano! Philipp Ruprecht, professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, is figuring out how they function. Philipp Ruprecht is an assistant research professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington, where he studied magma mixing, both by observing natural systems…
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Phillip Sponenberg, VaTech – Choctaw Hogs
A close look at a specific type of animal provides insight into the evolution of livestock management. Phillip Sponenberg, a professor of pathology and genetics at Virginia Tech, profiles Choctaw hogs. Dr. Phillip Sponenberg is a professor of pathology and genetics in the Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary…
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Chris Pires, Mizzou – Evolving Together
Sometimes the evolution of two organisms occurs in tandem. Chris Pires, associate professor in the division of biological sciences at the University of Missouri, is studying this type of evolution – commonly called co-evolution. Dr. Chris Pires studies the evolution of plants. He does this by comparing the genetic material of plants that are known…
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Scott McGraw, OSU – Bitter Side of Cocoa
Is the production of chocolate having a negative impact? Scott McGraw, an anthropologist at The Ohio State University, is studying the dark side of cocoa farming. W. Scott McGraw is a professor in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at The Ohio State University. There, he is an evolutionary anatomist and primate behavioralist with primary research…