Research Stories
Could Spiders Spin New Heart Tissue?
On average, one person dies from cardiovascular disease every thirty-six seconds in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite recent scientific advancements, there hasn’t been much improvement. This is mainly because the loss of cardiac muscle cells is irreversible. However, scientists have…
A Holistic Approach to HIV: Social Disparity and It’s Impact
Getting infected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) doesn’t only depend on one’s choices, like choosing to wear a condom while having sex or sharing needles during injection drug use. Instead, there are other societal factors to consider such as one’s income, access to education, and the availability…
Syrian Hamsters Lend a Paw to COVID-19 Research
It was early spring 2020 and things were looking bleak. COVID-19 cases were skyrocketing worldwide. Dr. Kyle Rosenke, a staff researcher at the National Institutes of Health, was uncertain whether his team would find the appropriate small animal model for timely coronavirus research. However, when Dr. Rosenke entered…
Squid Ink: A Periodontal Map Maker
Gourmet delicacies such as squid ink pasta, a recently rediscovered culinary specialty, are on the rise. Did you realize that such an epicurean meal could in fact benefit your oral hygiene? Imagine entering the dentist’s office with severe oral discomfort. You are strapped to the chair and subjected…
The Modeling Magic of Organoids
Have you been vaccinated from the coronavirus? If so, you can credit the efficacy of your immunization to countless researchers. They tested numerous treatments on cell models, a necessary step in vaccine development. The most common model is a cell line, a specialized group of cells cultured for…
Sniffing Out COVID-19
What’s not to love about dogs? From their playfulness to their protectiveness, dogs have shown that they truly are man’s best friend. During COVID-19, we may need dogs more than ever, and not only to keep us company. What people may not know is they can also detect…
How Lizards May Help Pave the Way for Wound Healing
Everyone gets hurt once in a while. Cuts, scrapes, painful falls -- these all leave telltale scars on our bodies. But what if we were able to heal our wounds completely so not even a scar remained? That’s what scientist Matthew Vickaryous, Ph.D., a researcher at Ontario Veterinary…
Necrotizing Fasciitis: What is it? Should You be Scared and What Should We Do About It?
When was the last time you had a scratch, cut, burn or bug bite? It’s hard to remember such trivial things, isn’t it? On the other hand, picture this: a hand like a zombie’s, with some parts swollen and rotten. That image is a lot harder to forget,…
Scientists Deep Dive into Depression Treatments
Major depressive disorder is a widespread mental illness. The National Institute for Mental Health reports an estimated 7.1% of Americans have experienced at least one major depressive episode. To better understand this malady, research on a commonly found aquarium species, zebrafish (Danio rerio), is now taking place to…
When It Comes to Treating Psoriasis, Venom May Fill the Void
When you think about celebrities, psoriasis - a disease with both physical and mental repercussions - is likely not the first thing that comes to mind. Psoriasis affects more than 125 million people worldwide, including stars like Kim Kardashian and Art Garfunkel. Because it’s so common, one would…