Category Archives: Biology

Technology Networks Cell Atlas Study Reveals New Insights into Human Biology ... Technology Networks The first analysis of the physical arrangement of proteins in cells has been published in Science, revealing that a large portion of human proteins can be found in ... New Cell Atlas Shows Subcellular Distribution of 12,000 Proteins ...Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (blog) all 2 news articles » Read the original post: Cell Atlas Study Reveals New Insights into Human Biology ... - Technology Networks … Continue reading →

Michael Botchan, interim dean of the Division of Biological Sciences in the College of Letters and Science at UC Berkeley, has been appointed to be permanent dean of the division. He has held the position on an interim basis since July 1, 2016. Michael Botchan In a message to the campus community, Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost and Chancellor-designate Carol Christ said Botchan will continue to have direct responsibility for the Department of Integrative Biology, the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, and the Physical Education Program, overseeing 123 regular faculty and total divisional expenditures of over $100 million. He will report directly to the executive vice chancellor and provost and will join the Council of Deans, serving as an important advocate for the biological sciences on campus. Dean Botchan received his Ph.D. from Berkeley in 1972, and in 1980 was recruited to become an associate professor in the Molecular Biology Department. His scholarly work at UC has included contributions to virology and to unraveling the mechanisms of DNA replication. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a fellow of the American Microbiology Society. At … Continue reading →

Editor: Travelling along any New Jersey highway, you're bound to pass at least a few pharmaceutical or biotechnology company buildings. Names like Johnson & Johnson, Novartis,BectonDickinson, Boehringer Ingelheim are strewn all across our state. As a result, biology majorshereare a coveted cohort, making upnearly100,000ofthe New Jersey workforce. Now in recent years, this number is exploding. What could be causing this sudden increase? Sign Up for E-News Occasionally over the past few years, you may have seen the acronym "CRISPR"pop upinmainstream news. Well, CRISPR is a new gene editing tool that is revolutionizing the biotechnology. It'sanalogous towhat 3D printing did for rapid prototyping. Suddenly, editing genesa process that holds many applications of its ownhas never been simpler. This new method offers an easily-accessible, cheaper, and more efficient way to editgenetic code than ever before. This and many other related technologies are pumping out new applications, discoveries, and potential treatments at an unheard-of rate. Likewise, New Jersey biotechs are following suit. CRISPR technology has invaded the labs of the Garden State, and with all this brouhaha,listings for biologyjobshaveincreased in number. Projected growth for molecular and environmentalbiologistpositions in particularisexpectedbea significant 15-19%by 2022,where New Jersey isamong thetop paying statesinthese fields. So if you are … Continue reading →

A University of Louisiana at Lafayette biology professor is spending his summer as the public face of an expedition exploring uncharted areas of the Pacific Ocean floor, narrating a live video feed for researchers on land. Scott France embarked on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Okeanos Explorer ship last month as the biology science lead in the three-week expedition that began off the coast of American Samoa and will end at the Hawaiian coast. In addition to narrating the videos, France also directs the daily dives aboard Okeanos. He is responsible for directing the remote submarine pilots and communicating with scientists on shore to make sure everyone can see what they need. Another way you can think of me is as a liaison between the operations and the science on shore and making sure that science is represented," France said. Kasey Cantwell, the NOAA expedition coordinator, described Frances position as a selfless one because the research is not solely focused on his area of expertise, which is deep-sea coral. Instead, the research is a wide-ranging exploration of the ocean floor. Cantwell said Frances engaged personality and quick wit truly encompass the goals of their mission. He has a brain … Continue reading →

PITTSBURG, Kan. Hannah Thomas said she discovered her true purpose helping others through plant biology while studying at Pittsburg State University. The 22-year-old from Ottawa was one of more than 1,200 PSU students to graduate this weekend, and shell soon be leaving for an Ivy League university, Cornell, located in Ithaca, New York, to pursue a doctorate degree in plant biology. Thomas wasnt always sure what career path to choose, and ended up changing her major halfway through college. Originally planning to major in pre-med, Thomas soon discovered her love for botany while taking required biology courses. Most people really rue the plant section and they hate it, but for me, it was my favorite part and I loved it, Thomas said. I thought botanical science just makes so much sense to me. It really clicked for my brain and I understood it very well. I had to leave all of my friends that I had been taking classes with for two years, Thomas said. I had a different course load, different teachers. My family was really supportive, so that was a big plus. Some people were like, Youre making a mistake. You need to go into medicine. I had … Continue reading →

By former Community Editor Steven Burgess Its like instant noodles just add water exclaims Dr. Keith Pardee, now an assistant professor at the University of Toronto. He is describing a small black object developed during his postdoc in the Collins lab. This unassuming device is one of the most advanced biosensors ever built it is able to detect the presence of the Zika virus. This is achieved by using an RNA toehold switch which provides the molecular precision required to identify and outbreaks and help guide efforts to combat virus spread. But things get really interesting when you look at the transformative technology behind the sensor. Rather than use the common approaches of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or a genetically modified bacteria to detect the virus, Keith decided to use a cell free system. The principle is simple: grow up bacteria, smash open the cells, and use the contents to perform reactions in a test tube or on paper (for a guide on how to make extracts see this JoVE article). This has a number of advantages over the alternatives: unlike PCR, the assay can be used in remote locations without the need for expensive lab equipment, thereby allowing instantaneous … Continue reading →

It seems like Dexter Hollandhas indeed gone far, kid. The Offspring frontmangraduated from the University of Southern California with a doctorate in molecular biology on Thursday. Holland commenced his studies a number of years ago, buthe put them on hold when The Offsprings touring ramped up. He returned to finish his research and write his dissertation a few years ago, focusing on HIV and immunodeficiency viruses. My research is not meant to be a cure or even an immediate step toward a cure, but I believe that by adding to the vast amount of information that weve learned about HIV in the last 30 years or so, well get there, he wrote in an emailed press release. Toward that end, Im going to continue to do research, and youll probably see some of my research papers get published here and there over the next few years. His 175-page thesis is titled Discovery of Mature MicroRNASequences within the Protein-Coding Regions of Global HIV-1 Genomes: Predictions of Novel Mechanisms for Viral Infection and Pathogenicity, andcan be foundhere. Holland isnt the only musician to hold a degree in a non-music related field. Weird Al Yankovic graduated from California Polytechnic State University in San … Continue reading →

Imagine going to the airport, but instead of walking through or waiting in long and tedious security lines, you could walk through a hallway that looks like a terrarium. No lines or waiting. Just a lush, indoor garden. But these plants arent something you can find in your neighbors yard their genes have been redesigned to act as sensors, and the plants will change color if someone walks past with explosives. The Genome Project Write (GP-write) got off to a rocky start last year when it held a secret meeting that prohibited journalists. News of the event leaked, and the press quickly turned to fears of designer babies and Frankenstein-like creations. This year, organizers of the meeting learned from the 2016 debacle. Not only did they invite journalists, but they also highlighted work by researchers like June Medford, whose plants research could lead to advancements like the security garden described above. Jef Boeke, one of the lead authors of the GP-write Grand Challenge, emphasized that this project was not just about writing the human genome. The notion that we could write a human genome is simultaneously thrilling to some and not so thrilling to others, Boeke told the group. We … Continue reading →

USA TODAY College The top 10 U.S. colleges for a major in biology USA TODAY College Biology is a popular major that provides students with a wide range of opportunities post-graduation. Students gain a broad understanding of life sciences along with the skills to perform research, which can lead to several advanced and specialized ... Read more here: The top 10 U.S. colleges for a major in biology - USA TODAY College … Continue reading →

The Herald Nation Ford has the top biology teacher in South Carolina. Her students reveal why. The Herald Students aren't the only ones to recognize it. Seastead recently learned she is the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award winner for South Carolina. The honor comes with a recognition in November at the National Association of Biology Teachers conference ... Continue reading here: Nation Ford has the top biology teacher in South Carolina. Her students reveal why. - The Herald … Continue reading →