“Mutation” is a word that often has a negative connotation, but by definition a mutation is neither good nor bad. Here is a wonderful article on heart disease from the New York Times that illustrates this point. NYT - Heart Disease
Congratulations to all of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2017 Grand Award Winners! Intel ISEF 2017
Aging is the greatest risk factor for the development of disease, but the conventional wisdom has been that the aging process is an indomitable and inevitable deterioration that would forever remain shrouded in mystery. Recent research, however, has revealed that aging is similar to every other biological process in that it’s pace is highly regulated [...]
Even very aggressive types of cancer can usually be treated successfully if detected early enough. For example, melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is extremely aggressive yet reasonably easy to treat because it is often detected early by visual exam. In contrast, tumors that arise in the internal organs are often detected at [...]
The volume of biomedical information that is available – from published research papers to raw DNA/RNA sequencing data – is already overwhelming and new information is being added at an exponential rate. This vast quantity of data has already led to the founding of a new scientific field (bioinformatics), and a logical next step is [...]
One of the enduring mysteries of medicine are the reasons for the annual peak of cold and flu season during the winter months. (Note that the Southern Hemisphere has an equivalent but opposite cold/flu season corresponding to their winter from June to September.) One explanation for this seasonality is our lack of sunlight exposure during [...]
There are still a couple spots available in our Medical and Translational Bioinformatics workshop held in Berkeley, CA, 12/27-12/29. A description of the class in on the curriculum page. Please inquire if interested.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological illness that causes deterioration in the control of movement. Here is a nice summary of some fascinating research demonstrating that the bacteria living in our gut may be responsible for Parkinson's Disease. http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/parkinson-s-disease-and-gut-microbiome-linked/81253492