The field of clinical laboratory science holds vital importance to the development of general science, but particularly to the healthcare industry and to research relating to illnesses. Even though a large portion of people have never heard of the field, it still holds serious importance for our everyday lives, because, without clinical laboratory science, there […]
What Is The Zika Virus? All Your Questions Answered
As the days go on, it appears that the Zika virus is becoming a much more serious threat. Global health officials are quickly trying to gain a better understand of the virus, which began in Brazil last year and has since spread to many other countries throughout the Americas. As the virus continues to spread, […]
Experiment On Chickens Reverses Evolution
Brazilian researcher Joâo Botelho has successfully achieved an experimental reversal to produce a dinosaur-like trait in birds. The scientist inhibited a maturation gene in a chicken, causing it to develop with leg bones that resemble those of its prehistoric ancestors. This experimental achievement is reminiscent of paleontologist Jack Horner’s TED talk, “Building a Dinosaur From […]
The Path To Becoming A Forensic Scientist
If you are looking to get into an incredibly challenging, progressive, and rewarding career, then look no further than the field of forensic science. Forensic science offers the opportunity to contribute to society in a very meaningful way. A degree in forensic science will train you to use scientific principles to discover the truth behind […]
How Does Bacteria Kill Their Competitors?
Bacteria kill their competitors by using antibiotics, toxic proteins that can kill other microorganisms. These microorganisms can be of the same or different species. Bacteria known as Bacillus subtilis produce proteins that kill sister cells. This behavior occurs when the bacteria are grown on a medium void of nutrients. Sporulating cells release toxic proteins into […]
Helminthic Therapy
I read an article about the potential use of helminthic parasites as a cure for autoimmune disease. The idea of using parasites to cure ailments, originated from the “hygiene hypothesis”, that an increase in hygiene has led to an increase in allergies. As a result of a loss of microbes that the immune system can […]
Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines
Therapeutic cancer vaccines can slow or stop cancer growth, shrink tumors, prevent cancer from returning, and even kill cancer cells that cannot be killed by other means. In order for a therapeutic cancer vaccine to work, it needs to stimulate a targeted and specific immune response, and recognize cancer cells that are being evasive. Cancer […]
New Blood Test Detects Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is usually difficult to predict until it spreads to the other parts of the body. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, however, have recently figured out a way to diagnose ovarian cancer when it is in its early stage. This recent breakthrough in the field of cancer diagnosis will help pave the […]
High-tech methods study bacteria on the International Space Station
This article is about a recent study that evaluated the contents of the International Space Station’s (ISS) HEPA filters and compared it to NASA’s clean rooms on earth. The study showed that Actinobacteria, such as Corynebacterium and Propionibacterium was found in the ISS. The ISS (which uses filtered recycled air) had more of these two […]
Microbes In The News: Legionnaire’s Disease
This year, a total of six veterans who were at the Veteran’s Administration hospital in Pittsburg were diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease. Now, the Legionella pneumophila bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s disease has been found on three water fixtures in the same hospital. The first three cases that occurred earlier this year were not the same strain […]
