Who is doing all those COVID-19 tests? Why you should care about medical laboratory professionals

The pandemic is placing strain not just on doctors and nurses but the medical laboratory professionals who conduct the billions of medical tests behind the scenes.

Rodney E. Rohde, Professor of Clinical Laboratory Science, Texas State University • conversation
Dec. 14, 2020 • ~10 min

We scanned the DNA of 8,000 people to see how facial features are controlled by genes

Like it or not, the facial feature most influenced by your genes is your nose. Researchers investigate which genes are involved in sculpting the face.

John R. Shaffer, Assistant Professor of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Dec. 7, 2020 • ~9 min

Genetic engineering transformed stem cells into working mini-livers that extended the life of mice with liver disease

New strategy helps build synthetic organs from scratch. This enabled the researchers to grow functioning liver tissue in the lab that could be transplanted into mice with liver disease.

Mo Ebrahimkhani, Associate Professor of Pathology and Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Dec. 7, 2020 • ~8 min

Rural hospitals are under siege from COVID-19 – here's what doctors are facing, in their own words

Hospitals are losing staff to quarantines as rural case numbers rise, and administrators fear flu season will make make it worse. And then there's the politics.

Lauren Hughes, Physician, Associate Professor of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus • conversation
Nov. 20, 2020 • ~9 min

Cigarette smoke can reprogram cells in your airways, causing COPD to hang on after smoking ends

A new discovery offers hope for ways to treat a debilitating disease that has become a leading cause of death in the US..

Bradley Richmond, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Vanderbilt University • conversation
Oct. 28, 2020 • ~8 min

The spooky and dangerous side of black licorice

Who knew that black licorice had a dark side? A scientist explains when this treat becomes a threat.

Bill Sullivan, Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology; author of Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are, Indiana University • conversation
Oct. 26, 2020 • ~8 min

Why males may have a worse response to COVID-19

A new study is the first to identify sex differences in inflammation and immune cell activation in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes COVID-19.

Meghan E. Rebuli, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • conversation
Oct. 12, 2020 • ~7 min

What is COVAX and why does it matter for getting vaccines to developing nations?

The Trump administration wants to go it alone when it comes to vaccine development and distribution. What does this mean for the U.S. and the world?

Nicole Hassoun, Professor of Philosophy, Binghamton University, State University of New York • conversation
Oct. 2, 2020 • ~8 min

One small part of a human antibody has the potential to work as a drug for both prevention and therapy of COVID-19

Antibodies are great for neutralizing viruses. But they are big and bulky. Antibody engineers are now creating smaller synthetic antibody-like molecules that may be better for fighting COVID-19.

Dimiter Stanchev Dimitrov, Professor of Medicine and Director, Center for Antibody Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Oct. 1, 2020 • ~9 min

How the airline industry recovers from COVID-19 could determine who gets organ transplants

As policymakers weigh financial aid for the airline industry, they have an opportunity to help make the US organ transplantation system more equitable at the same time.

Ronghuo Zheng, Assistant Professor of Accounting, University of Texas at Austin • conversation
Sept. 28, 2020 • ~7 min

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