Research Stories
From Critters to Kids: Finding a Cure for Childhood Cancer
I grew up loving the movie The Fault in our Stars, which is about a 16-year-old’s battle with thyroid cancer. I thought it was a heartfelt but rare story, and only recently understood the traumatic nature of pediatric cancer on kids and their families. Every year, around 400,000…
When Your Heart Turns Against You, Animals Are There to Help
You may know someone who takes blood thinners; over 3.2 million Americans have prescriptions. However, there are problems associated with these medications. Not only is a person who takes blood thinners unable to live life to the fullest, they must also be cautious about nearly all day-to-day physical…
Rhesus Monkey Models May be the Key to Unlocking Autism’s Puzzle
In less than 20 years, autism rates have tripled to the point where one in 44 children are diagnosed with the disease. And yet, the causes of autism remain largely unknown and no treatments or preventative methods exist. David Amaral, a professor of psychiatry and director of the…
Coming to a Lab Near You: Virtual Reality, Rats and the Future of Brain Research
In dark rooms, surrounded by illuminated screens, figures scuttle, duck, and navigate through twisting corridors and mazes. This isn’t the elaborate setup of a teen gaming lair; rather, it’s a high-end virtual reality system built for neuroscience’s favorite mammals: rodents. Tour a neuroscience lab fifteen years ago and…
Green Vaccines: Could Plants Help Us Combat Infectious Diseases?
As children, we were all prodded to “eat our fruits and vegetables.” But in the future, will we be injecting plant life as well? Based on several discoveries to date, this very well may happen. Plants can be used in medications, including vaccines. Although plants also have numerous…
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Teacher Named Curious Science Writers Inaugural Educator Fellow
Maitê Ghazaleh Bucher, Ph.D., a Biology Professor at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, has been awarded the Curious Science Writers Inaugural Educator Fellowship. Curious Science Writers (CSW) is an innovative science communications program for high school students hosted by Americans for Medical Progress (AMP), a…
Seafaring, Space, Symbiosis, and Squid
Imagine you are a seasoned astronaut floating through the mystical blue abyss that is space, documenting the thousands of bright white stars that buzz relentlessly above your head. Suddenly, a shape you don’t recognize appears close by. Is it a rock? An alien spacecraft? A piece of debris?…
A Monster Impact for Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Being a binge-watching Netflix enthusiast and having a poor diet, Brian suffers from type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease that affects some 30 million people in the United States. Despite his renewed efforts to initiate a lifestyle change by eating better and exercising more…
What Rats Can Tell Us About Memory
You’ve likely heard about the many benefits of sleep. But you probably haven’t heard the latest. Scientists are currently investigating how sleep helps us navigate the world around us. Past research has shown that memory plays a major role in helping us move through space. If you remember…
Sea Cucumbers: The Key to Organ Regeneration
Picture this: on your morning walk, a speeding car suddenly rams into you. Among other injuries, your liver is annihilated. You are rushed to the hospital, only for the doctors to say the damage is irreversible. That leaves one last option: replacing the organ entirely. The doctor breaks…