Author: rmhull

It’s in the Blood- Or Rather, the Genes: A Review of The Gene: An Intimate History

Posted rmhullPosted in Book Review

By Gita Mallya, Plant Biology, ‘19   Author’s note: I wrote this piece for my UWP 104E class with Brenda Rinard during Fall Quarter 2017. The assignment was to read a classic book based in science and then to write a review on it. I chose this book because I have always been fascinated by genetics and the study of genes even catalyzed my decision to study biology. Although the review was a class assignment, it gave me the opportunity to explore and think critically about a subject I feel passionately about. I would like the reader to come away with the notion that scientific study is not always as cut and dry as it may seem, and that The Gene is […]

Aggie Transcript Interview: Dr. Janine LaSalle

Posted rmhullPosted in Campus News and Reports, Genetics

By Mari Hoffman, Genetics and Genomics ‘21 Author’s Note: I chose to interview Dr.LaSalle because of my interest in epigenetics and the relationship that our genes have with environmental interactions. Dr. LaSalle’s lab focuses on the role of epigenetics in the human autism-spectrum and many other neurodegenerative disorders. Her research group looks at the pathogenesis of the disorders by focusing on heritable changes that are not encoded in the DNA, such as DNA methylation and imprinted genes. It was an honor to get to talk to Dr. LaSalle about her research, as she is extremely passionate about this very complex and exciting topic.

As Hot as a Davis Summer: A Review and Analysis of Ecstasy-Induced Hyperthermia

Posted rmhullPosted in Health and Medicine, News

By Ruby Nguyen, Music and Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, ‘19 Author’s note: I wrote this literature review for UWP104F, Writing for Health Professions. The assignment was to write a literature review on a health-related topic of our choosing. I decided to write this literature review on ecstasy-induced hyperthermia, the primary cause of death in ecstasy overdoses. I want to inform researchers on potential drug options or treatments that could be further explored for use in treating ecstasy-using patients. I also want to reveal areas for further consideration. My hope is that this literature review will spark greater interest on the topic and guide future research into exploring new treatment options for ecstasy-induced hyperthermia.

RoboBees: The Future of Food and Society?

Posted rmhullPosted in Environment, News

By Tannavee Kumar, Genetics & Genomics, ’20 Author’s Note Going into my research on fully automated and autonomous bee swarms, I was aware that there was much controversy on how we as a society should address and work to solve the problem of the drastically declining honeybee population. Upon coming across the large initiative that a team at Harvard University is spearheading, I was interested whether robotic bees are the future of agriculture and moreover part of the tidal wave of automation.

The Relationship Between Genetic Diversity and Disturbance in the Eelgrass Species Zostera marina

Posted rmhullPosted in Environment, Genetics

By Ryan Green   Author’s note: This piece was written for my upper division university writing class, Writing in the Sciences. We were required to write a review article on a topic of our choice, and I chose the relationship between genetic diversity and disturbance of Zostera marina. I decided to pursue this topic because I was concurrently working in a molecular ecology eelgrass lab on campus, and I believed to get the most out of this lab experience I should have a good grasp of the current research that is already published and what still needs to be published within the subject. I hope this review gives readers a better understanding of where we now stand in eelgrass molecular […]

Polylactic Acid as a Biodegradable Composite: A Review

Posted rmhullPosted in Environment

By Madison Dougherty, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ‘18 Author’s Note: I wrote this paper for my UWP 104E class. I have always been interested in sustainability, and this paper provided me with an excellent outlet for researching methods related to environmentally friendly packaging options. In recent years, I have become increasingly aware of the harshness of plastics and other synthetic polymers on the planet. This paper serves to educate others about ways to improve the overall sustainability of the plastic industry.

Skin-dwelling Staphylococcus epidermidis Defends Against Tumor Growth

Posted rmhullPosted in Health and Medicine

By Cathy Guo, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, ‘18   Author’s Note: After taking Introduction to Microbiology (MIC 102), I became interested in microbes, living organisms that surround us but are largely invisible to the naked eye. One area of research that particularly fascinates me involves the use of microbes that naturally inhabit the human body to treat infections and diseases. I wanted to share the findings of a research study focused on one such microbe, Staphylococcus epidermidis, because of the significant implications and potential for further development demonstrated by the research findings.

Could a DNA Sample Reconstruct a Face?

Posted rmhullPosted in Genetics

By Anna Kirillova, Cell Biology, ’19 Author’s Note: I came across facial genetics in one of my classes and immediately decided to write a review about it. To my surprise, the field was not as developed as I’ve expected it to be, but with the rise of facial recognition technologies, this area of research will be growing in the near future. In this review, I explained basic concepts and recent advancements in the field of human facial genetics.

Addressing Eutrophication: Algae as Wastewater Treatment and Potential Biofuel Source

Posted rmhullPosted in Environment

By Sara Ludwick, Environmental Science & Management, ’19 Author’s note: In my Global Environmental Interactions class, we learned a lot about nitrogen and phosphorous as essential elements, but also as sources of eutrophication which threatens life in the ocean by disrupting food chains and causing anoxia. I decided to write a paper about the potential for microalgae to be cultivated as a way to remove those nutrient inputs from the water before it reaches the ocean, changing their role from the source of eutrophication to a possible solution.