Category Archives: Biology

Evolving Education – Ohio Wesleyan University

Ohio Wesleyan Students Travel to Galapagos to Complete Semester-Long Study of Island Biology Brian Harrington '25 (lower left) observes a lava heron while surveying the coastline during Ohio Wesleyan's Island Biology Travel-Learning Course in the Galapagos.

Name: Brian Harrington '25Hometown: Columbus, Ohio High School: Dublin Scioto High School Major: General Zoology Minor: Music Performance (Trumpet)

Name: Shae Kline '25Hometown: Troy, Ohio High School: Troy High School Major: Biology

OWU Connection Experience: Island Biology Travel-Learning Course

Along with Harrington and Kline, students Brielle Decarolis '25 of Albrightsville, Pennsylvania; Brandon Edwards '24 of Milford, Ohio; Alyssa Head '24 of Houston, Texas; Sophia Holupka '24 of Hillsboro, Missouri; Katherine Korenge '24 of Lewis Center, Ohio; Ashley Krumlaw '24 of Mansfield, Ohio; Maya Moore '24 of Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania; Gabrielle Plunkett '25 of Cincinnati, Ohio; Zoie Pois '24 of Louisville, Kentucky; Zachary Ristau '25 of Stow, Ohio; and Jasmyn "Jazz" Zimmerman '25 of Vermilion, Ohio, traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos from May 13-25 to explore one of the most important locations in the history of biology and natural selection.

They traveled with OWU faculty members Ramon Carreno, Ph.D., and Danielle Hamill, Ph.D., both professors of Biological Sciences.

Carreno said the group's visit to multiple islands in the Galapagos enabled them to "discover firsthand the biodiversity, volcanic terrain, and geological history that make the island so compelling." In addition, the students explored the mainland to explore "one of the most biodiverse spots on the planet," the cloud forests of Ecuador.

Harrington: "I was told about this Travel-Learning Course on my first tour at OWU back in 2020, so I had known about this experience for a while. Biology students are frequently taught about the significance of the Galapagos Islands, so getting to actually visit them was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I was particularly interested in studying the fish and other marine organisms, as well as the marine ecosystem as a whole."

Kline: "When I first visited Ohio Wesleyan, my tour guide told me about the Travel-Learning Courses and specifically the Island Biology course. I was so shocked and excited to learn that I could have the chance to get into this course and visit such an amazing place. Especially having learned about evolution and Darwin's finches, to have the opportunity to see these things firsthand is the experience of a lifetime."

[O]ur whole class was jumping with excitement and pointing and shouting calling out all of the animals we had learned about in class. A lot of people were looking at us funny, but it really gives you a whole new level of appreciation when you've studied the flora and fauna for a whole semester and then it comes to life.

Harrington: "My favorite moment of this trip was definitely snorkeling at Pinnacle Rock. The water was absolutely beautiful, and I got to observe a multitude of different species including sea lions, sharks, and eagle rays. I even followed a Galapagos penguin as it hunted for fish along the seafloor."

Kline: "My favorite moment was when we first arrived at the port to get on our boat. We did not think we would be seeing so many animals so soon, and our whole class was jumping with excitement and pointing and shouting calling out all of the animals we had learned about in class. A lot of people were looking at us funny, but it really gives you a whole new level of appreciation when you've studied the flora and fauna for a whole semester and then it comes to life."

Harrington: "We spent the entire semester learning about the animals and plants that live on the islands and the evolutionary processes that allow them to survive, but actually getting to witness them firsthand solidified the knowledge I gained from this course. Experiences like these are important because they let students get out of the classroom and visit places they have never been while still learning and working toward their desired field of study."

Kline: "I learned so much from this experience. It was so fulfilling to learn about all of the plants and animals that inhabit the islands and then to actually see them in person. It really just came full circle for me. Not only did I learn about the plants and animals, but I learned a lot about the cultures, traditions, and people that live there. There are different social norms and expectations in Ecuador, and I tried to study up and be mindful of the differences in this new place.

"Experiences like this one are extremely important because not many students will have these travel opportunities after leaving OWU. The school helps tremendously making this more accessible to many students including myself. These experiences open your eyes to all of the different cultures, places, and opportunities that exist across the world. These trips really enrich your mind and broaden your horizons, and this can lead to new ideas and opportunities."

Harrington: "I am very active in music and Greek life. I am currently a member of the OWU Marching Bishops, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and the Park Avenue Jazz Ensemble. I am also the vice president of the Chi Phi fraternity. I am also a member of the OWU Esports program."

Kline: "I am the president of the OWtsiders A Cappella group on campus."

Harrington: "I was looking for a small school close to home that had a good Zoology program, and OWU fit that description perfectly! When I took my first tour here, I immediately knew this was the school for me. I was also very intrigued by the opportunities provided by the OWU Connection such as this one."

Kline: "I chose to attend OWU because it seemed like a good fit for me. I liked the atmosphere and the close-knit community feel of the campus. I wanted a small school that felt like a community, and OWU fulfilled that. I also received a lot of scholarships and tuition aid from OWU that has been really helpful."

Harrington: "I plan to go into animal care for at least a few years. I participated in an internship in the North American region at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium this past semester thanks to resume help from the Career Connection office. The students and faculty have also helped broaden my horizons, and I am considering graduate school and research further down the line."

Kline: "I plan to utilize my Biology degree in any way it may take me. I am hoping to do field sampling and research, or even laboratory work. I want to make contributions to the science community and work with other people who have a passion for science and its ever-growing and ever-changing nature. It is an extremely important and rewarding discipline, and I am excited to make more of an impact when I graduate."

Visit link:

Evolving Education - Ohio Wesleyan University

Biology Camp gives kids a jump start on science – Odessa American

Getting up close and personal with bacteria, fetal pigs and nature are just some of the things participants in University of Texas Permian Basins biology camp got to experience this week on campus.

Camp coordinator and biology lecturer Paula Gutierrez said there were 13 participants from 13 to 18 years old.

Laith Hilal, 13, is going into eighth grade at Nimitz Middle School and Miali Sanchez, 12, is going into eighth grade at STEM Academy. Both wanted to try something different for summer camp this year. On June 26, they were dissecting fetal pigs, something only college students usually get a chance to do.

Its pretty cool. I mean, anything anything that involves altering bacterial genes, dissecting pigs, and extracting DNA from bananas for some reason, its pretty cool, Hilal said.

Sanchez said shed never really done anything with biology before.

I just wanted to try something new because Ive never really done anything like dissecting, or really like doing much with bacteria, really much of anything about biology, she added.

Sanchez said its been really fun.

Even now, which Im kind of squirming about a little, she said.

Last year, Gutierrez, who was leading a section on anatomy June 26, said the kids chose to dissect a starfish, clam and an earthworm.

But this year, we thought lets really focus on the pig and that way we can focus on going through all the body organs with them, she said.

They are trying to make the camp more comprehensive this year.

Were trying to make sure that we keep it a really wide breadth of information, Gutierrez said.

She said June 26 that the camp had gone well so far.

We tried to keep all our topics very, very broad so that we can expose them to more things, so were trying to each day focus on one particular area of biology. Today would be anatomy. Yesterday was microbiology. They bioengineered bacteria to make it glow in the dark. The day before, thats genetics and so we extracted DNA from some bananas. Then tomorrow (June 27) will be field ecology. Well go outside, well take a little field trip pasture and well collect some measurements from out there, Gutierrez said.

She added that the camp gives the kids a head start on things theyll be learning later on in their educational careers.

These kids are doing some things that, like the pig, for example, college students dissect the pig. But the owl pellets, we dont do that here at UTPB. Thats something that our college students are really excited about. They want to try it out, Gutierrez said.

With the pigs, she said, you can see the organs very well. The kids had work sheets to see how many organs they could identify.

Jennifer Nutting is a UTPB student working with the biology camp.

I wish my kids were old enough to be here. It teaches them a lot about science I like it, Nutting said.

Like Loading...

Read the original post:

Biology Camp gives kids a jump start on science - Odessa American

Special Issue of Applied Biosafety focuses on synthetic genomics – EurekAlert

image:

Committed to promoting global biosafety awareness and best practices to prevent occupational exposures and adverse environmental impacts related to biohazardous releases.

Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

In its first special issue on Biosafety and Biosecurity Considerations of Synthetic Genomics, the first part of a two-part special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Applied Biosafety focuses on the growing availability of customizable nucleic acid sequences and genomes from commercial sources. The issue also describes the advancements in desktop synthesis devices that enable the creation of on-demand nucleic acids. Click here to read the special issue now.

The rapid technological advancements described in part one of this two-part special issue are raising concerns among biosecurity experts and policymakers. The manuscripts in this issue explore the challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned in managing the risks associated with synthetic genomics.

Included in the special issue is a Review Article titled Enhancing Gene Synthesis Security: An Updated Framework for Synthetic Nucleic Acid Screening and the Responsible Use of Synthetic Biological Materials, which reviews the U.S. governments 2023 revised dsDNA screening framework, which now includes all entities handling synthetic nucleic acids with pathogenic or toxic sequence.

The issue also includes the Review Article titled Developing a Common Global Baseline for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening, which introduces the Common Mechanism for DNA Synthesis Screening, which provides baseline capabilities to address screening challenges, facilitating broader international adoption.

Other Review Articles in the special issue include Safeguarding Mail-Order DNA Synthesis in the Age of Artificial Intelligence; Screening State of Play: The Biosecurity Practices of Synthetic DNA Providers; Biosecurity Risk Assessment for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Synthetic Biology; and A Methodology for the Assessment and Prioritization of Genetic Biocontainment Technologies for Engineered Microbes.

We are excited to present two Special Issues of Applied Biosafety focused on synthetic genomics, addressing the critical intersection of groundbreaking scientific advancements and the imperative for robust biosecurity measures," said David Gillum, Associate Editor. "These two issues offer essential insights and practical solutions to ensure that scientific innovations are both safe and secure, fostering a future where scientific progress and biosecurity go hand in hand.

About the Journal Applied Biosafety(APB)is a peer-reviewed, scientific journal committed to promoting global biosafety awareness and best practices to prevent occupational exposures and adverse environmental impacts related to biohazardous releases.APBprovides a forum for exchanging sound biosafety and biosecurity initiatives by publishing original articles, review articles, letters to the editors, commentaries, and brief reviews.APBinforms scientists, safety professionals, policymakers, engineers, architects, and governmental organizations.The Journal is committed to publishing on topics significant in well-resourced countries as well as information relevant to underserved regions, engaging and cultivating the development of biosafety professionals globally.

Applied Biosafetyis under the editorial leadership ofCoeditors-in-Chief Karen B. Byers, MS, CBSP(ABSA), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute andBarbara Johnson, PhD, Biosafety Biosecurity International, and other leading investigators.

About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.is a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services to advance the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, and public health and policy. For complete information, please visit the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.website.

About ABSA International ABSA International was founded in 1984 to become a global leader for providing professional and scientific expertise in the practice of biosafety and biosecurity. ABSAs core purpose is to promote and expand biosafety and biosecurity expertise through training, standards, publications, networking, resources, advocacy, annual biosafety/biosecurity conference, and professional credentials.

Applied Biosafety

Commentary/editorial

People

Introduction to Applied Biosafety's Special Issue on Synthetic Genomics: Part 1

26-Jun-2024

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Original post:

Special Issue of Applied Biosafety focuses on synthetic genomics - EurekAlert

Sandra Shumway Named Fellow of the Marine Biological Association – UConn Today – University of Connecticut

June 24, 2024 | Combined Reports - UConn Communications

The distinction is given to marine scientists who have made a significant contribution to the field.

Sandra Shumway, research professor emeritus of marine sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been named a Fellow of the Marine Biological Association.

The award is given to individuals who have made distinguished and long-term contributions to marine biology at the highest level, in areas that include research, policy, education, outreach, or professional and public service.

Over the course of a 50-year career, Shumway has conducted research on environmental physiology of marine invertebrates, the effects of harmful algae, and microplastics, much of it focused on shellfish and aquaculture.

Founded in 1884, the Marine Biological Association is one of the worlds oldest groups focused on promoting marine research. The organization provides a unified, clear, independent voice on behalf of the marine biological community with membership in over 40 countries.

Read this article:

Sandra Shumway Named Fellow of the Marine Biological Association - UConn Today - University of Connecticut

Hendrix biology professor publishes research paper | News | thecabin.net – Log Cabin Democrat

State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code

Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe

Excerpt from:

Hendrix biology professor publishes research paper | News | thecabin.net - Log Cabin Democrat

Conagen: Deep dive into synthetic biology processes and innovation for beauty with Casey Lippmeier – Personal Care Insights

Cyrielle Houdin, advanced beauty marketing manager at Microphyt, talks toPersonal Care Insights about its two launches: DunaPure, an active ingredient that uses Arctic microalgae to help create flawless skin, and Luteana for the scalp, the first integrative solution to rebalance and soothe sensitive skin.

The rest is here:

Conagen: Deep dive into synthetic biology processes and innovation for beauty with Casey Lippmeier - Personal Care Insights

Seeking refuge in science – ASBMB Today

My parents and my fathers sister left Vietnam in late 1981, while my mother was in her second trimester carrying me. The U.S. war in Vietnam ended with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. Over the next two decades, more than 1.2 million Vietnamese people fled the country. Of those, 700,000 left in fishing boats to escape the tumultuous political climate.

To escape Vietnam on a fishing boat meant risking ones life for an unforgiving journey three to five days in the open ocean with only the food you could carry, and the fear of being attacked by pirates or caught and imprisoned by the Viet Cong.

Courtesy of Minh Bui

Minh Bui is a senior research biologist researching centromere biology at the National Cancer Institute.

The open water journey took my parents to an Indonesian refugee camp. The fishing boats had to maneuver around Singapores waters, where a military blockade was formed to prevent refugees from entering its borders. They landed on one of two remote Indonesian islands (each housing about 15,000 refugees), one dedicated to resettling Cambodians fleeing the Khmer Rouge and the second for the Vietnamese. After I was born, we lived in the refugee camp for a year. My father describes the camp as a place no one wanted to live, filthy and chaotic. My mother does not speak of it.

Because of an agreement between the U.S. and the Vietnamese men who fought alongside Americans against the Viet Cong, my father, mother and I were selected to immigrate to the U.S., while my aunt went to Australia. We resettled just north of Washington, D.C. in the Maryland suburbs. For the first few years, we relied on the kindness of relatives who immigrated before us and assistance from our church. My mother had a middle school education and my father had attended high school. Throughout my childhood, they incessantly emphasized the importance of education for my sister and me.

My upbringing instilled in me a strong will. My parents each worked two to four jobs, 12 to 16 hours a day, for most of my childhood. When my friends parents were making dinner and helping them with their homework, I was making dinner and helping my sister with her homework. Failure wasnt an option.

After completing high school in 1999, I received a full academic scholarship to Montgomery College, a local community college, and a scholarship to attend a summer semester at Cambridge University, allthrough the Montgomery Scholars program.. That same year, I began my internship training at a local proteomics biotech company.

I transferred to the University of Maryland, College Park, and completed my bachelors degree in 2003, continuing my scientific training under the supervision of Marco Colombini and Leah Siskind in membrane biophysics. In 2005, I rotated to Zhongchi Lius lab where I trained in plant genetics and graduated with my Ph.D. in 2009.

In 2017, I had the rare opportunity to go back to the refugee camp where I was born. It is now a museum and memorial honoring the lives of those who did not complete that three to five-day ocean journey. I saw the 1,500-square-foot hospital where I was born, the replica models of the shacks that temporarily housed the families, and images of children and grandparents being lowered into the ocean because they did not survive the journey. No one had ever told me the story of what the Vietnamese boat people endured, and seeing it in documented detail was humbling and emotional. I felt fortunate and grateful that I was too young to remember.

Refugee children often feel a need to make our parents proud after they risked everything to give us the opportunities their country of origin could not afford them. In 2009, I was the first, and am still the only, member in my immediate and extended family to earn a doctoral degree. That same year, I was recruited to the National Institutes of Health under the direction of Yamini Dalal, where I now conduct research in centromere biology using genetic, biochemical, biophysical and cell biology approaches.

Throughout my years as a researcher, Ive seen a great diversity of people in labs diversity in skills, expertise and way of thinking. Sometimes a trained geneticist encounters a problem, but it takes a biochemist to find a solution. Be it our racial background, upbringing or gender, diversity helps advance science by filling in gaps; each person alone is not equipped to address every question. Immigrants make up 25% of the STEM workforce in the U.S., adding our unique approach to questions from angles others may not have thought of.

After 15 years at NIH and 25 years as an experimentalist, I can confidently say that, as a refugee-born immigrant, my scientific education and training have been rigorous, my underrepresented views and strong-willed approaches are valuable, and my passion and love for science remain persistent.

Originally posted here:

Seeking refuge in science - ASBMB Today

UNF biology professor discovers northernmost mangroves ever recorded – UNF Spinnaker

University of North Florida biology professor Scott Jones recently found mangrove trees in southern Georgia. He said these are the northernmost trees ever recorded.

Back in January, Jones headed north in search of the coastal tree with William Vervaeke, a coastal ecologist for the National Park Service, and Ilka Feller, an ecologist for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

They started at an area near the south side of Amelia Island and discovered more mangroves than expected. The team continued north until they reached the marshes near Cumberland Island, where they found the northernmost mangrove trees.

Mangroves are tropical plants that typically die when temperatures are below freezing. They are more common in warmer coastal regions like Florida, but due to climate change, mangroves have recently been documented in more northern areas.

Jones said many other factors besides global warming contribute to the northward spread and that mangroves will keep moving up on the map long term.

Climate change is a big driver of the expansion, but there are a lot of other factors involved, including the timing of storm events that bring mangroves up the coast, he said.

Jones explained that while mangroves have a different structure than other saltwater marshes in southern Georgia, the trees spread may benefit its host environment differently. Mangroves have a more hearty, woody root structure that could prevent erosion.

[For example], breaking waves as they come in from storms; mangroves do that in a different way than marshes. And they might be better at that, actually. Thats under investigation, Jones said.

The team used one of UNFs shallow draft boats to access the marshs winding channels for their discovery. Jones said the timing was key during their fieldwork.

You have to go by boat, and it has to be a small enough boat to get up in the marsh, he said. The channel edges where the mangroves areat low tide, its a mud flat; theres no water. At high tide, you can get in and access.

Jones is continuing his fieldwork with mangroves and says he and his colleagues are still in the discovery phase to understand how they can benefit surrounding ecosystems. The Georgia discovery team is writing a paper about their findings.

__

For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact [emailprotected].

Originally posted here:

UNF biology professor discovers northernmost mangroves ever recorded - UNF Spinnaker

EvolutionaryScale Raises $142 Million To Transform Biology With AI – Finimize

Whats going on here?

EvolutionaryScale, an AI startup revolutionizing biology, just raised an impressive $142 million in seed funding.

What does this mean?

The funding round, led by industry stalwarts Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, and Lux Capital, also secured significant backing from AWS and NVIDIAs venture arm. Josh Wolfe from Lux described this milestone as a 'ChatGPT moment for biology.' EvolutionaryScale's groundbreaking large language model, ESM3, aims to transform drug discovery and environmental engineering. Some models will be open-sourced for non-commercial research, while AWS and NVIDIA will support commercial use. EvolutionaryScale's innovative AI has already engineered a novel fluorescent protein, achieving evolutionary advancements that would have taken nature 500 million years.

Why should I care?

For markets: Pioneering the future of biotech.

This substantial investment signals strong confidence in AI's potential to revolutionize biotech. With major players like AWS and NVIDIA backing EvolutionaryScale, investors should watch how these technologies might drive significant growth in the biotech sector.

The bigger picture: AI, biology, and the next frontier.

AI's integration into biology is not just advancing drug discovery but also poised to address environmental challenges, like engineering microbes to break down plastic. However, this progress comes with caution, as generative AI's dual-use potential raises concerns about the creation of bioweapons.

Excerpt from:

EvolutionaryScale Raises $142 Million To Transform Biology With AI - Finimize

Guiding humanity beyond the moon: OHIO researchers push to revolutionize human space biology – Ohio University

What actually happens to the human body in space? While scientists and researchers have heavily researched how various factors impact the human body here on Earth, the amount of information available about changes that occur in the body in space is not as well-known. Scientists, including OHIOs Nate Szewczyk and several of his trainees, have been studying for years how the body, specifically on the molecular side, changes in space. Recently, a new package of papers has been published in Nature journals depicting how the modern tools of molecular biology and precision medicine can help guide humanity into more challenging missions beyond where weve already been.

The package of papers, titled Space Omics and Medical Atlas across orbits, includes manuscripts, data, protocols, and code, representing the largest-ever compendium of data for aerospace medicine and space biology. Over 100 institutions from more than 25 countries worked together to coordinate the release of this molecular, cellular, physiological, phenotypic, and spaceflight data.

Szewczyk, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and a principle investigator in the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurologic Institute, coauthored seven different articles including: Spaceflight induces changes in gene expression profiles linked to insulin and estrogen, Astronaut omics and the impact of space on the human body at scale, Understanding how space travel affects the female reproductive system, Transcriptomics analysis reveals molecular alterations underpinning spaceflight dermatology, Aging and putative frailty biomarkers are altered by spaceflight, and Ethical considerations for the age of non-governmental space exploration.

In addition to coauthoring several papers, Szewczyk also involved his trainees on six of the papers. The trainees include OHIO medical studentsAnthony Carano and Caroline Coffey; Alexia Tasoula, a Ph.D. student in the translational biomedical sciences program; post-doctoral research Craig Willis, an OHIO alum and current assistant professor at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom; as well as Dr. Henry Cope, researcher with the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.

Their articles highlight research from how spaceflight induced changes in insulin and estrogen signaling in rodents and humans, to ethical considerations for commercial spaceflight, and known and potential impacts of spaceflight on reproduction.

Weve studied worms for years but now have the ability to study people, Szewczyk said. We are at a place, particularly with NASA and the commercial sector, where we can focus on using more modern omics techniques to try and better understand changes in astronauts themselves, which can revolutionize their health.

Szewczyk, known for his work researching worms in space, highlights the significance of these creatures as the first multicellular animals to have their genome sequenced. Leveraging genomics tools and techniques developed through worm studies, researchers have been able to delve into the molecular changes experienced by organisms in space. He notes that for over two decades, worms have been sent into space to observe gene expression alterations, paving the way for these similar studies in humans.

But as space flight becomes more commercialized and more people outside of just NASAs astronauts pursue orbit, the need to understand the molecular level of humans in space becomes more important in ensuring their health and safety.

According to Szewczyk, the U.S. is growing in its space-based economy and as a result of that, there is now increased interest in commercial space flight. In Ohio, there is a new space park in Columbus set up by the commercial company Voyager Space.

The more commercial space flight grows, the more important understanding peoples omics is, Szewczyk explained. Space medicine is evolving from something that really only NASA was responsible for since they were the only organization sending people into space, to something more common as commercial space flight grows. We are seeing an increase in this type of flight from SpaceX and other companies and it is crucial that those entering space are prepared. Flight providers must provide medical coverage for their participants. When people go to the International Space Station (ISS), it is governed by certain rules and regulations, whereas with commercial space flight, these same guidelines dont necessarily apply. There is interest to grow space medicine and advance techniques for looking at health in space, especially as more people are able to go into orbit.

Szewczyk's impact extends far beyond the laboratory as he actively advocates for open science and international collaboration, particularly in the field of space research. As co-chair of the NASA GeneLab Animal Analysis Working Group, he promotes the sharing of scientific knowledge among international space agencies, exemplified by initiatives like integrating the European Space Agency and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) into NASA working groups. Moreover, his involvement in a JAXA Flagship Project includes leading efforts to harmonize ethical concerns and research methodologies for precision health in astronauts across multiple space agencies, including NASA, ESA, and JAXA.

Humans are humans regardless of where they are from or currently live and the way space impacts them is ultimately the same, Szewczyk said. So the more we can all work together to compare how astronauts and those visiting space react in space, the better we can work to ensure safety and determine what guidelines need put in place for their health while in space and returning.

See more here:

Guiding humanity beyond the moon: OHIO researchers push to revolutionize human space biology - Ohio University