Year: 2017

Development of Novel Flow Cytometry Technique to Study Yellow Fever Virus

Development of Novel Flow Cytometry Technique to Study Yellow Fever Virus

By Devorah Saffern Researchers in the Ploss lab of the Molecular Biology department at Princeton University have utilized a new technology to analyze the pathogenesis of the yellow fever virus (YFV), which can be applied to other viruses and lead to significant progress in understanding […]

Combating Blood Shortage: In vitro Red Blood Cells

Combating Blood Shortage: In vitro Red Blood Cells

By Sharon Washio At any given time, or more exactly every 2 seconds, blood transfusions are needed for complicated surgeries, treatments, accident victims, sickle patients, pregnancy complications, severely anemic children, and more. While blood can be donated even concurrently with the use of medications like […]

Emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis holds unsettling consequences

Emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis holds unsettling consequences

By Ava Torjani A recent study found that a rare form of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), called extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB), has been spreading across regions of South Africa and currently has no effective treatment for or prevention against it. Although in much […]

American Heart Month

American Heart Month

By Nicholas Persaud February is the month dedicated to the heart in more ways than one. Most people know about Valentine’s day but they probably don’t know that the month of February is American Heart Month. Heart health is an extremely important issue worldwide. According […]

The Links between Gut Microbes and Human Disease

The Links between Gut Microbes and Human Disease

By Devorah Saffern Our guts are composed of thousands of bacterial species, many of which are essential for physiological processes like digestion and fighting disease. Recent findings suggest that these microbes – the types of which are specific to each individual – are linked to […]

Blood-based prion detection: a breakthrough?

Blood-based prion detection: a breakthrough?

By Yusha Sun Prion diseases are a group of infectious, mostly fatal neurological diseases that affect all animals, including humans. Prion diseases are caused by prions, infectious agents made from a conformationally altered form of the natural PrP protein. They are especially dangerous due to […]

MicroRNAs: The Future of Cancer Treatments

MicroRNAs: The Future of Cancer Treatments

By Sharon Washio Existing treatments for cancer have varying levels of success depending on the type, location, stage of cancer, and more. Such options include chemotherapy, radiation, drugs, or surgery, but those afflicted must often keep an eye out for relapse even when the cancer […]

The Impact of Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy on Tuberculosis and Death in HIV-Infected Children

The Impact of Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy on Tuberculosis and Death in HIV-Infected Children

By Aleesha Ye Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease that is mainly an infection of the lungs. It is caused by a bacterial microorganism called the tubercle bacillus or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The problem with this disease is that scientists have never come close to wiping […]