How Do You Study the Organ that Named Itself?

“We know surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, little about the brain. While we have developed countless techniques to study the organs of the body, the brain remains stubbornly opaque. Known for its complexity, it is also uniquely inaccessible, constantly changing, and responsible for the very act of studying itself.”

Mary Cundiff

Cloudy with a chance of microbes!
Ice-forming bacteria take to the skies

“… researchers sent a plane 10,000 feet into the sky, to discover unanticipatedly diverse microbial growth and viability, including the discovery of infectious microbes. It isn’t surprising then to learn that atmospheric climate processes are not solely governed by larger-scale atmospheric physics, but are also influenced by microbial life. There are certain specialized bacteria that have the ability to kickstart the formation of ice in clouds, one of the processes critical for precipitation. This seemingly small interaction could have profound implications for the water cycle.”

Nishant Panicker

Welcome to the Age of Programmable Medicine

“The team designed a bespoke guide RNA targeting the child’s specific mutation in the CPS1 gene and delivered the CRISPR components directly to the liver using lipid nanoparticles. The result: a corrected gene, a restored metabolic pathway, and a life saved. Voilà, gene therapy  CRISPR-style.”

Anonymous