Cell Biology

Quench Bio emerges with $50M to treat severe inflammatory disease – FierceBiotech

Most treatments for inflammatory disease have single targets, such as an inflammation-promoting cytokine or a protein complex called an inflammasome. Quench Bio is taking aim at a family of proteins involved in inflammatory cell deathand its picked up $50 million to do so.

Incubated at Atlas Venture since its inception in 2018, Quench's first target is gasdermin D, the best understood member of the gasdermin family of proteins. With its $50 million in series A cash, the company expects to fund three years worth of research, as well as come up with its first clinical candidate, CEO Samantha Truex told FierceBiotech. It also hopes to screen for drug candidates that inhibit other members of the gasdermin family.

Gasdermin D plays a role in multiple inflammatory cell death pathways; when those pathways are activated, the protein forms pores in the cell membrane.

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By forming pores, it does two things: one is it allows for the release of inflammatory signals. Those can be inflammatory cytokines, alarmins, or what we call DAMPs: danger-associated molecular patterns, Quench CEO Samantha Truex told FierceBiotech.

In addition, once enough of those pores form, the cell membrane loses its integrity and the cell literally explodes in an inflammatory way, she added.

One of those types of cell death is called pyroptosis, derived from pyroliterally firewhile another is NETosis, a type of cell death linked to white blood cells called neutrophils. The hope is that inhibiting gasdermin D will delay cell death, or lead cells to die by apoptosis, a quieter, calmer, noninflammatory form of cell death, Truex said.

Gasdermin could be a more complete way to treat inflammatory disease as it is downstream of inflammasome targets like NLRP3 and upstream of pro-inflammatory cytokines, like IL-1 beta, Truex said. For example, targeting NLRP3 could stop cells on their way to pyroptosis if NLRP3 is indeed the inflammasome that is triggered, she said. But the drug would be ineffective if the cell has another inflammasome triggered, such as NLRC4 or pyrin, she said.

And Quench believes that going upstream of the release of cytokines and heading off explosive cell death could be a better approach than aiming to block a cytokine that is already being released. Truex said.

Its almost like an hourglass, with inflammatory targets at the top, and at the bottom there are things leaking out of the cell. If we hit at the middle, we can have an impact on all of it, she said.

Quench spent most of 2019 coming up with its clinical game plan. As it looks to 2020, the company still has much to learn about its targets.

We assessed over 25 diseases in the autoimmune, autoinflammatory and severe inflammatory category and we have come to the conclusion that pyroptosis and NETosis are known to be associated with numerous inflammatory diseases, Truex said. Those include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and multiple sclerosis. The company isnt sharing yet which ones its going after first, but Truex noted that the company plans to work on treatments for diseases that have no treatments, or those that have many treatments, but still have unmet need.

We could start with rare diseases and subsets of patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis who appear specifically to have disease driven by gasdermin D. Our center of excellence in gasdermin biology will do more research in gasdermins role in those diseases in parallel with our efforts to discover inhibitors of gasdermin, she said.

Quench draws its series A funding from RA Capital Management and AbbVie Ventures, as well as Atlas Venture and Arix Bioscience.

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Quench Bio emerges with $50M to treat severe inflammatory disease - FierceBiotech

Cell Biology

A new study reveals a link between sleep and glowing skin – Times of India

If your skin has been looking dull and lifeless, then you need to look at your sleep pattern. A good night's sleep can actually be good for your skin, which is now backed by scientists. A new study by Nature Cell Biology shed light on how a good night rest can be good for your skin.The study was conducted on mice and their collagen. It was found out that the sleep phase can regulate the extracellular matrix, which provides structural support to cells in the form of connective tissue like bone, skin, cartilage, etc. Half of our body is made of matrix and half of it is collagen.The study discovered that collagen is made of two types of structure. One is a thicker form, which is fully formed by the age of 17. It remains the same for the rest of our lives and is permanent. The second type is the thinner structure, which breaks down under stress. The study found out that these structures can actually repair itself while we rest at night.The thinner fibres protect the permanent structures from the daily wear and tear on the skin cells."If you imagine the bricks in the walls of a room as the permanent part," says lead author Karl Kadler, B.Sc., Ph.D., "the paint on the walls could be seen as the sacrificial part which needs to be replenished every so often."Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It provides the glow and improves skin's elasticity and strength. Beauty sleep is pretty much real, as good rest can now actually help to boost collagen naturally.

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A new study reveals a link between sleep and glowing skin - Times of India

Cell Biology

Books in Brief: Lucky Caller by Emma Mills, From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks; Wild Honey From the Moon by Kenneth Kraegel – Buffalo News

YOUNG ADULT

Lucky Caller by Emma Mills; Henry Holt, 323 pages ($17.99) Ages 14 and up.

...

Emma Mills has a gift for creating appealing characters, believable family situations and funny dialogue, and "Lucky Caller" is a well-crafted gem of a teen romance.

Hoping for an easy and fun elective her senior year, 17-year-old Nina signs up for a radio broadcasting class where she is teamed up with a volleyball player, a wooden-voiced guy named Joydeep and Jamie, a childhood friend she has been trying to avoid since an awkward incident in 8th grade. Her parents are divorced, and her absentee father is actually a popular deejay in California, but Nina struggles to master the technical side of broadcasting, accidentally broadcasting remarks that weren't meant to be public. Her team's grade will depend on how many listeners they can get for their "Sounds of the '90s" music show.

But classmates find ingenious ways to sabotage each other's radio shows, and Nina finds herself in a pickle when she invites her dad to guest-host a broadcast and a rumor spreads that the frontman of an obscure '90s band is going to appear on the show. The drama at school unfolds while Nina's home life is undergoing a major change: her mother is getting remarried, to a dentist who has a popular YouTube show offering paint-by-numbers tutorials. An unlikely hero emerges to save the day, offering a perfect ending to this sweet story.

Even the setting for much of the action an old apartment building called the Eastman in Indianapolis where Nina and Jamie both live is charming. There's also an incidental STEM aspect to the book. Nina's mother works in science; the author finished her PhD in cell biology while writing "Lucky Caller."

CHILDREN'S

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks; Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, 286 pages ($16.99) Ages 8 to 12.

...

A 12-year-old girl works through conflicts with her mother and her best friend and turns her passion for baking into more than a hobby, all while fighting for justice for her imprisoned dad in this marvelous debut novel by Janae Marks for middle-grade readers.

Zoe lives with her mom and stepfather in the Boston area and knows very little about her biological dad, Marcus, who has been in prison since he was convicted of murder at the age of 19 before she was born. Then Zoe gets a birthday letter from Marcus, mailed from prison (he calls her "My Little Tomato"), and without telling her mother, she writes him back.

With each letter and song recommendation, she feels as though she's getting to know her real dad. He says he is innocent of the crime he was convicted of, but Zoe isn't sure whether to believe him. Why would an innocent person be in prison? Marks offers a compelling mystery as Zoe and her friend Trevor research the crime and then search for the alibi witness who was never called to testify at Marcus' trial.

Marks has managed to write a middle-grade novel that explores racial justice issues and addresses the routine bias Zoe faces (funny looks when she's out with her white stepfather, being tailed by clerks at stores while shopping with her mom) while also dealing with such coming-of-age issues as changing friendships with boys. She also offers a compelling portrait of a girl with a serious interest in pursuing her passion for baking, interning at a bakery where she experiments at inventing a new cupcake flavor that will wow the owner. The book also serves as a valuable introduction to The Innocence Project for its target audience.

PICTURE BOOK

Wild Honey From the Moon by Kenneth Kraegel; Candlewick Press ($17.99)

...

A mother shrew is willing to go to the moon and back to cure her sick young son in this whimsical, sweet story with delicate and distinctive illustrations by a self-taught artist. Young Hugo's "feet were hot, his head was cold, and he just slept and slept." According to "Dr. Ponteluma's Book of Medical Inquiry and Physiological Know-How," the only cure is "a teaspoon of wild honey from the moon." In lyrical and humorous style, Kraegel spins storyteller magic his appealing tale is divided into short chapters as mama shrew outwits a Great Horned Owl, falls into a raging stampede of "night mares," hitches a ride with a butterfly and braves swarms of angry bees to get what she came for.

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Books in Brief: Lucky Caller by Emma Mills, From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks; Wild Honey From the Moon by Kenneth Kraegel - Buffalo News

Immunology

Quench Bio Closes $50M Series A Financing to Advance First-in-Class Medicines Targeting Gasdermin to Treat Severe Inflammatory Diseases – BioSpace

Experienced team focused on inhibiting inflammatory cell death underlying a range of severe inflammatory diseases

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Quench Bio, a company leveraging new insights into gasdermin biology and innate immunology to develop medicines for severe inflammatory diseases, today announced the completion of a $50 million Series A financing led by RA Capital Management ("RA Capital"), with participation from new Investor Abbvie Ventures. Atlas Venture ("Atlas") and Arix Bioscience plc ("Arix", LSE: ARIX) who co-founded and seeded the company, also participated in the Series A. Quench Bio has incubated at Atlas since inception.

Led by a team of drug developers and scientists with deep experience in inflammation and small molecule drug discovery, Quench Bio's lead therapeutic approach centers on inhibiting Gasdermin D, which has been recently discovered as a key target at the core of multiple inflammatory cell death pathways, including pyroptosis and NETosis. When pyroptosis or NETosis pathways are activated, gasdermin is processed and forms lytic pores on the cell membrane, allowing release of inflammatory cytokines, alarmins, DNA and NETs. Pyroptosis and NETosis are associated with numerous inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), among others.

"Targeting gasdermin provides a unique therapeutic opportunity, as there are currently no marketed therapies inhibiting inflammatory cell death," said Samantha Truex, CEO of Quench Bio. "Unlike approaches that target individual inflammasomes or cytokines, by targeting gasdermin, we aim to simultaneously inhibit multiple inflammatory cell death pathways that drive severe inflammatory diseases."

"We are excited about Quench Bio's first-in-class approach to potentially enable effective treatments for important autoimmune diseases with significant unmet medical need and we look forward to supporting this exceptional team as they pioneer modulation of gasdermin biology, an important and promising novel target in inflammation," said Josh Resnick, M.D., Managing Director and co-head of Ventures at RA Capital, who will join the Quench Bio board as a new director alongside Adam Houghton, Head of AbbVie Ventures. Other board members include Samantha Truex as CEO, Bruce Booth of Atlas Venture, Jonathan Tobin of Arix Bioscience, Herbert Waldmann, Director at the Max Planck Institute and Jo Viney, President, CSO and Co-Founder of Pandion Therapeutics.

"Gasdermin inhibitors have the potential for impact across a broad range of indications, including severe inflammatory diseases with few current treatment options," said Bruce Booth, DPhil, Quench Bio board chairman and partner at Atlas Venture. "Having assembled a world-class team of leaders in drug discovery, inflammation and gasdermin biology, as well as a renowned board and advisory team, Quench Bio is well-positioned to harness this potential to discover new medicines for these patients."

Quench Bio was founded in 2018 by Atlas, Arix, Mark Tebbe, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, and Mike Nolan, Ph.D., Head of Biology, together with Arturo Zychlinsky and Herbert Waldmann, both Directors at The Max Planck Institute who collaborated with the Lead Discovery Center on inhibitors of NETosis and gasdermin.

About Quench Bio Quench Bio is a biotechnology company leveraging new insights into gasdermin biology and innate immunity to develop medicines for severe inflammatory diseases. Quench's lead compounds target and inhibit the pore-forming protein Gasdermin D, a central player in both pyroptosis and NETosis pathways that mediates the release of inflammatory cytokines, alarmins, DNA and NETs. Quench Bio launched in January 2020 with $50 million from leading life science investors including Atlas Venture, Arix Bioscience, RA Capital and AbbVie Ventures. To learn more, visit please visit http://www.quenchbio.com.

About Atlas VentureAtlas Venture is a leading biotech venture capital firm. With the goal of doing well by doing good, the company has been building breakthrough biotech startups for over 25 years. Atlas works side by side with exceptional scientists and entrepreneurs to translate high impact science into medicines for patients. Our seed-led venture creation strategy rigorously selects and focuses investment on the most compelling opportunities to build scalable businesses and realize value. For more information, please visit http://www.atlasventure.com.

About Arix Bioscience plcArix Bioscience plc is a global venture capital company focused on investing in and building breakthrough biotech companies around cutting edge advances in life sciences. Arix collaborates with exceptional entrepreneurs and provides the capital, expertise and global networks to help accelerate their ideas into important new treatments for patients. As a listed company, Arix is able to bring this exciting growth phase of our industry to a broader range of investors. For more information, please visit http://www.arixbioscience.com.

About RA CapitalRA Capital is a multi-stage investment manager dedicated to evidence-based investing in public and private healthcare and life science companies that are developing drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics. The flexibility of its strategy allows RA Capital to provide seed funding to startups and to lead private, IPO, and follow-on financings for its portfolio companies, both facilitating the crossover process and allowing management teams to drive value creation from inception through commercialization. For more information, please visit http://www.racap.com.

About AbbVie VenturesAbbVie Ventures is the corporate venture capital group of AbbVie. We are a strategic investor, investing exclusively in novel, potentially transformational science aligned with AbbVie's core R&D interests. We measure success primarily by the extent to which our investments foster innovation with potential to transform the lives of patients that AbbVie serves. AbbVie Ventures enables its portfolio companies with both funding as well as access to AbbVie's internal network of experts across all phases of drug development, from drug discovery through commercialization. For more information, please visit http://www.abbvie.com/ventures.

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SOURCE Quench Bio

Company Codes: LSE:ARIX

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Quench Bio Closes $50M Series A Financing to Advance First-in-Class Medicines Targeting Gasdermin to Treat Severe Inflammatory Diseases - BioSpace

Immunology

Should You Buy Allergan Before the AbbVie Acquisition Closes? – The Motley Fool

Allergan's (NYSE:AGN) days as a standalone company are numbered. We don't know exactly when AbbVie's (NYSE:ABBV) pending acquisition of Allergan will close, but it should happen sometime in the first quarter of 2020.

This deal certainly lit a fire beneath Allergan stock, with the drugmaker's shares soaring 45% since the transaction was first announced. But is Allergan still a stock to buy with the AbbVie acquisition likely to close so soon?

Image source: Getty Images.

It's first important to understand the terms of AbbVie's acquisition offer. Allergan shareholders stand to receive 0.866 AbbVie shares plus $120.30 in cash for each Allergan share that they own.

When the deal was announced in June 2019, this translated to a total transaction value of around $63 billion. Based on AbbVie's share price at the time, the acquisition valued Allergan at $188.24 per share.

Today, though, AbbVie's shares are trading more than 10% higher than they were seven months ago. And Allergan's share price is now around $192, a little higher than its valuation when AbbVie's plan to buy the drugmaker was disclosed.

These transaction terms should be at the forefront of investors' minds when considering whether or not to buy Allergan stock. The reality is that AbbVie and Allergan are already joined at the hip even before the deal is finalized.

If you're hoping to make a quick profit, Allergan's share price will depend largely on whether AbbVie's shares go up. Even if Allergan announces wonderful news over the next few weeks, shareholders will still only receive $120.30 in cash for each Allergan share they own. But any significant good news for Allergan should push AbbVie's share price higher, which in turn will benefit Allergan shareholders when the transaction closes.

Long-term investors thinking about buying Allergan stock should focus even more on AbbVie's prospects. This isn't a merger of equals. AbbVie is a much bigger company than Allergan is. AbbVie's shareholders will own 83% of the combined entity.

It's important to remember the main reason why AbbVie is buying Allergan. Sales are declining for AbbVie's top-selling drug, Humira, in the face of competition from biosimilars in Europe. Biosimilars will enter the U.S. market in 2023 -- and that's when the pain will really intensify for AbbVie. The Allergan acquisition is being made to reduce AbbVie's dependence on Humira, but the immunology drug will still contribute close to 40% of the company's total revenue even after the Allergan transaction closes.

Basically, there are only three reasons to buy Allergan right now:

If the first reason is your primary motivation for buying Allergan, my view is that you're making a mistake. There's no guarantee that either AbbVie or Allergan stocks will pop over the next few weeks before the acquisition closes.

However, I think that the second reason listed to buy Allergan right now makes sense. Although Humira's best days are behind it, AbbVie has other drugs that should drive growth, especially including cancer drugs Imbruvica and Venclexta and new immunology drugs Rinvoq and Skyrizi. Allergan's Botox and antipsychotic drug Vraylar should also boost AbbVie's sales.

If you're an income-seeking investor, buying Allergan before the AbbVie acquisition closes seems like a pretty astute move. You'll get a lot of your cash back relatively quickly thanks to the cash portion of AbbVie's acquisition offer. You'll also own shares of one of the more attractive dividend stocks on the market, with AbbVie's dividend currently yielding nearly 5.4%.

All this, of course, assumes that AbbVie's acquisition of Allergan will wrap up as expected. Could something derail the deal? It's possible but very unlikely at this point. If you're considering buying Allergan, your fortunes are almost certainly linked to AbbVie, too.

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Should You Buy Allergan Before the AbbVie Acquisition Closes? - The Motley Fool

Immunology

Research Roundup: Astronauts and osteoporosis, fungi diversity and new cancer drug – The Stanford Daily

Each week, The Dailys Science & Tech section produces a roundup of the most exciting and influential research happening on campus or otherwise related to Stanford. Heres our digest for the week of Jan. 19 Jan. 25.

Martian astronauts likely to develop osteoporosis

Future astronauts headed to Mars will likely develop osteoporosis, or brittle bones, by the time astronauts reach Mars or return to Earth, a study published on Jan. 22 in Public Library of Science One predicts.

If you have a fracture on the surface of Mars, it will take at least a year to get back to Earth, Eneko Axpe, a materials science and engineering postdoctoral fellow, told Stanford Medicine blog SCOPE. It puts the astronauts lives and the mission at risk.

Experimental models suggest that for a round trip of 400 to 600 days between Earth and Mars, astronauts may lose 15 to 22% of their bone mineral density. An estimated two-thirds of returning astronauts would develop osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis.

A lot of people focus on the technological challenges of getting to Mars, or the psychological challenges of being in a spacecraft for 1,000 days, but not necessarily the fact that your bones decay, materials science and engineering assistant professor Eric Appel told Stanford Medicine blog SCOPE. Can people even make it, or will they be jello by the time they get there?

Fungi diversity predicted to decrease in the next 50 years

North American pine forests could stand to lose over a quarter of ectomycorrhizal fungi species by 2070 due to the effects of climate change, a study published on Jan. 21 in Journal of Biogeography found.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi have a symbiotic relationship with trees and plants in forested areas. The fungi envelop a host root system to provide a larger surface area for resource absorption.

These are critical organisms for the functioning and the health of forests, associate biology professor Kabir Peay told Stanford News. We have evidence to suggest that these fungi are as susceptible to climate change as other kinds of organisms and their response may be even more important.

The researchers collected 1,500 soil samples from 68 pine forests in North America, then compared geographical fungi against historical climate data. The findings suggested climate strongly predicted the fungi patterns in North America. The team then used the data and applied it to future climate projections to understand how future climate would affect fungi diversity.

According to our models, climate change over the next 50 years could eliminate more than a quarter of ectomycorrhizal species inside 3.5 million square kilometers of North American pine forests, Brian Steidinger, a postdoctoral research fellow in biology, told Stanford News. Thats an area twice the size of Alaska.

One of the things thats kind of shocking and a little bit scary is that we predict there will be some pretty significant decreases in diversity in western North America, well known culturally for fungal diversity and for people who are interested in collecting edible mushrooms, Peay told Stanford News.

Newly developed cancer drug inspired by antiviral treatments

In developing treatments intended to fight viral diseases, collaborating researchers spanning different disciplines inadvertently developed a novel cancer drug class effective in mice, a study published on Jan. 22 in Science Translational Medicine reports.

Weve been working for many years on potent drugs that we had shown were important for viruses, Jeffrey Glenn, medicine, microbiology and immunology professor, told Stanford Medicine News. This is just an important target that hasnt really been appreciated in cancer, and we had the perfect drugs to get this started.

The cancer drug works by disrupting normal cellular functions that viruses and cancer cells utilize to grow and spread. The findings suggest the newly developed drug can shrink tumors and prevent spread in mice models.

I think thats the secret thing, having chemists physically in the lab with biologists, virologists and physician-scientists, Glenn told Stanford Medicine News. Weve leveraged the special enabling environment of Stanford to create a unique group that has never existed before here or in academia. Its allowed things to happen that just wouldnt have happened otherwise.

Contact Derek Chen at derekc8 at stanford.edu.

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Research Roundup: Astronauts and osteoporosis, fungi diversity and new cancer drug - The Stanford Daily

Immunology

Find out How the Growth of Cancer Immunology and Oncolytic Virology Market Research Report 2020-2027 – Briotainment

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Find out How the Growth of Cancer Immunology and Oncolytic Virology Market Research Report 2020-2027 - Briotainment

Genetics

Doing well in school is nothing to be proud of – Daily Nation

By BITANGE NDEMOMore by this Author

We recently celebrated those who passed their 2019 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).

For several days, newspaper headlines displayed names and pictures of those who scored As. Their performance promises them a place in top Universities in and outside the country.

At college graduations, the very few first-class students are celebrated while a majority limp on in frustration.

I recently read the article by Olivia Goldhill, Doing well in school is nothing to be proud of. The article, published in Quartz, argues that new research presents views contrary to our tradition. I thought it important to review this article.

The study had identified 1,271 genetic variants that are associated with how many years people spend in school. Their result follows on from several other academics papers and years of research identifying the genetic variants associated with educational achievements.

The authors reported that:

These studies do not support the idea that intelligence is all down to genetics: Even with full knowledge of all these variants, an analysis of any one individuals genes could not be used to make a meaningful prediction about whether theyre going to get a PhD or drop out of school. But they do show that genetics have an impact; while genetics do not definitively determine how someone will fare in school, they create certain predispositions. In total, all the genetic variants account for 11 percent of variation in educational attainment across the population.

High achievers feel validated when results correspond to their achievements. The study notes that most cultures in the modern times treat educational success as a sign of moral worth. Parents, communities and teachers celebrate kids who do well in school. They shouldnt.

Latest research findings from the work of Robert Plomin, professor of behavioural genetics at Kings College London also established that genetic data from 20,000 DNA variants across several genes collectively account for between two and nine percent of the differences in childrens educational achievement.

In his paper, Predicting Educational Achievement from DNA, Plomin argues that his findings could herald future widespread use of genetic risk score to predict genetic risk and resilience in the social and behavioural sciences.

These research findings from genes should never be ignored since they have been used before to promote the idea that there is such a thing as genetically-determined intelligence often used as a basis for superiority.

Indeed, as a student in the US, I registered for an advanced math course. In my first class, the professor advised me to change my registration to a similar course offered under Martin Luther (ML) program at the University.

Students widely felt that ML was basically a euphemism for inferior students from different minority groups. I refused to change my registration. After the first continuous test, in which I did well, the professor developed a weird invigilation tactic whenever we had an exam.

He would simply stand behind my back, perhaps trying to ensure that I was indeed the one taking the exam. Although it was a form of intimidation, I ignored it.

Only later did I realise that some of my classmates and the professor considered themselves a superior race.

Goldhills article suggests that, how you perform in the classroom is the result of many things ranging from environmental to biological factors, including but not limited to genetics. The familys socioeconomic status, the level of emphasis that the family places on education and accessibility to good teachers determine the performance of learners. There is also the element of luck where the students skill set conveniently matches exam requirements. Doing well, in school is, largely, a sign of good luck.

Parents in some cases are the greatest problem as it relates to educational performance. In some cases where perhaps one of the children performs poorly, their comments may reinforce failure, especially when they openly address them as weak in academics. The child could be suffering from dyslexia or autism but such comments destroy their confidence.

Instead, the parents should be looking at such children as a category that thinks differently while investigating.

The advent of artificial intelligence has brought adaptive learning, an educational system that adjusts the presentation of learning material in response to student performance.

On the other hand, students who consistently perform well are not without a problem. A single failure could lead to depression. Perhaps the increasing incidences in mental health may be attributable to young people who hitherto have performed well but have recently encountered failure to a point where they feel they are no longer worth anything.

Some research shows that high achievers in some cases feel entitled and less willing to ask for help even when they need it, while others think they are imposters referred to as imposter syndrome.

In the KCSE results where, only 125,746 out of 660,240, or 20 percent of candidates, qualified to go to university, there are thousands who missed university entry requirements but are perhaps as good as those who qualified.

They may never know that it wasnt entirely their fault. Our system of education is unforgiving and often ignores these many reasons for failing to perform well in the exam.

While genetics could be used to explain good performance in education, there is evidence that good performance is, to a large extent, a function of good luck.

Yes, there is a need to acknowledge those who perform well but it must be in moderation. It is equally important to encourage those who have not excelled.

In as much as there are consequences for those who fail, there are also similar consequences for those who pass.

The writer is a professor of entrepreneurship at University of Nairobis School of Business.

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Doing well in school is nothing to be proud of - Daily Nation

Genetics

A guide to picking the right life science program for you – Varsity

Students in fields from fundamental genetics to bioinformatics and computational biology discussed their fields of study with attendees. COURTESY OF GLOBAL SOCIETY FOR GENETICS AND GENOME BIOLOGY

As second semester rolls in and spring approaches, many first-year life sciences students are starting to consider which program of study they will pursue next year. This is often a time of stress and confusion for students who may not know exactly what they want to study, or even how to start their search.

Fortunately, some University of Toronto student groups are offering their time and wisdom to help first years navigate the multiple programs offered in the life sciences.

The Global Society for Genetics and Genome Biology (GSGGB) hosted a How to choose a life science [program of study] event at New College on January 13. Members of the GSGGB offered their guidance and support to keen first-year students representing the programs of molecular genetics and microbiology, fundamental genetics, bioinformatics and computational biology, ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB), and more.

Students had the opportunity to discuss programs, enrollment requirements, and even research opportunities with the upper-year students, who were eager to share their experiences in their respective programs.

Whats the difference between type 1, 2, and 3 programs?

The Faculty of Arts & Science offers 21 specialist programs, 20 majors, and six minors in the life sciences. Most specialist programs, alongside some majors, such as molecular genetics and microbiology, are known for their competitiveness. These are type 3 programs, which have limited spots available, require minimum grades in certain prerequisite first-year courses, and supplemental information such as a personal statement or audition.

Type 2 programs also require minimum grades in prerequisite courses, but typically have more available spots and lower grade requirements. The neuroscience major is an example one popular type 2 program.

However, many students dont realize that a lot of life science majors and minors are type 1 programs, which do not require any specific courses or grades for enrollment. Common type 1 majors include as global health, EEB, and fundamental genetics, in addition to some lesser-known majors such as animal physiology, or environment and health. As long as a student is on course to obtaining four full-course equivalents by the end of this school year, they will be admitted to any type 1 program.

Where can students learn more about programs of study?

To learn more about programs of study, first-year students are encouraged to visit the program toolkit section of Sidney Smith Commons website. There, they will find a comprehensive list of all programs offered by the Faculty of Arts & Science, how to apply to each, and important dates. This year, enrollment begins on March 1.

Students should also consider meeting with their colleges academic advisors, who can provide guidance regarding program enrollment and degree planning.

Student groups like the GSGGB are also a useful resource for first-year students, who may at times be daunted by the prospect of approaching professors or older students for advice.

Events like How to choose a life science [program of study] provide students with the opportunity to chat in a casual, stress-free environment, while receiving advice from people who were once in their same position.

GSGGB Affairs Leader Aisha Faruqui wrote to The Varsity that there are plenty of life sci clubs like GSGGB that would love to help out puzzled first-year students, and that students should feel free to reach out.

Weve all had moments in undergrad where we have felt lost or uncertain about our future, she noted, so students should never feel alone in their experiences.

U of T offers its students plenty of resources when it comes to academic planning and discovery. Students will have many opportunities to explore interesting fields in the life sciences and to shape their career paths.

Faruqui reflected, Dont stress out about choosing your program, and dont worry about not getting into your desired program after first year!

You can make it work out in the end.

Tags: Careers, education, life sciences, program of study, Science

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A guide to picking the right life science program for you - Varsity

Neuroscience

It’s OK to talk to yourself – The Happiness Connection – Castanet.net

Reen Rose -Jan 26, 2020 / 11:00 am | Story:275523

Photo: Stefania Stani/flickr

Do you talk to yourself? I do.

Let me clarify. I dont have conversations where I ask questions and then answer them. I verbally process my thoughts.

It isnt a behaviour I developed consciously. It wasnt until my siblings teased me about it that I became aware of its existence. It tends to happen when I am frustrated, annoyed, or trying to work through a problem.

I have been teased for decades that this is the first sign of madness, and for many years, I tried to hide this habit from others.

When I was at university in Victoria, I found a mirror that said, You can talk to me now. No ones looking.

I bought it and proudly hung it in my room for all to see. It provided me with a huge sense of relief.

Whether the creator intended to mock rather than console didnt matter. To me, the mirror unveiled the possibility that other people talked to themselves, too. I wasnt alone.

Ive become more comfortable over the years about owning who I am. I dont try to hide my personal conversations the way I once did. It helps that anyone who passes me in the car probably assumes I am talking on the phone, not to myself.

Despite this increase in self-acceptance, I felt comforted when I stumbled on an article called, The Neuroscience of Everybodys Favourite Topic. (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-neuroscience-of-everybody-favorite-topic-themselves/)

What is your favourite topic to talk about? You!

According to the research outlined in this article, when you are having a conversation, about 60 percent of what you say will be about you.

That statistic rises to 80 percent if you are communicating on social medial.

The researchers from the Harvard University Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab wanted to see what parts of the brain became active when subjects talked about themselves rather than about other people.

They discovered that talking about yourself activates the same areas of the brain as sex, cocaine, and good food.

You talk about yourself because it feels good.

They took these findings one step further. Does someone need to be listening to you when you talk about yourself, for it to be a pleasurable experience?

As a self-proclaimed self-talker, this caught my attention. Do I get subconscious pleasure from my verbal processing even though no one is listening to me? Im certain my topic is almost always me.

The same process as before was repeated with one difference. This time some of the responses would be shared and some would be kept private.

Each participant brought a friend or relative with them. These companions were put in an adjoining room.

Before subjects were asked questions about themselves or others, they were told whether their response would be live broadcast to the person they brought with them, or kept private, even from the research team.

The results showed that both talking about yourself and sharing your response brings pleasure. It also uncovered that these are additive. The greatest enjoyment comes from talking to other people about yourself; the least from talking privately about others.

Although it isnt as high, talking privately about yourself still comes with a strong hit of pleasure. That means that private self-reflection like writing in a journal or talking to yourself are feel-good activities.

Remember that next time you need a mood boost. Get out a photo album and write, think, or talk about your memories.

Im not sure what happened to my mirror from university, but this year I bought some wall art that gave me a similar level of comfort.

Of course, I talk to myself. Sometimes I need expert advice.

Reen Rose -Jan 19, 2020 / 11:00 am | Story:274977

Photo: Can Pac Swire/Flickr

If you read my column regularly, you may have been wondering what happened to me last weekend. For only the second time in three years, I didnt manage to submit an article.

As I was walking my dog last Friday, I slipped on some ice and broke my ankle. After an ambulance ride and multiple hours in emergency, I was sent home with a set of crutches and the expectation of surgery.

I had a lot of time to think while I was there. The battery on my phone died while I was in the ambulance, so I didnt even have that to help distract me.

My thoughts kept returning to the crutches. They made me think about Toastmasters where unnecessary words and sounds are called crutches. They hold space while your brain decides what it wants to say next.

That may sound like a good thing, but it isnt. These words can be very distracting. A good speaker shouldnt be afraid to be silent while they are gathering their thoughts. There is no need to insert ah or like. Just pause.

There is an ah-counter who keeps track of how many crutch words you use during each meeting. In our club, you pay a penalty for these infractions.

As a result, Ive tended to view the word crutch negatively. Before I had even tried to use them, I was suspicious of the silver sticks they were sending me home with.

Why are some crutches considered good and others arent?

This is where my mind went while I sat in emergency, waiting for my turn to be sedated.

Crutches are supports. Whats wrong with being supported?

The answer may seem obvious to you, or you may not care one way or the other. Welcome to my brain. It self-entertains by pondering things like this.

Are crutches of any sort good if they are only temporary?

I dont believe anyone would want to stay dependent on physical crutches if they had a choice. They are cumbersome and slow most people down.

Mental crutches are less visible and possibly more comfortable. If youve come to rely on having a couple of drinks before going to a social event to settle your anxiety, what incentive do you have to stop?

You may not even see your behaviour as a crutch.

Awareness is the first step towards transformation. You cant change something until you recognize that it exists.

New Toastmasters often dont believe the ah-counter when they report the number of times they said ah or whatever word they rely on to buy their brain some time. Once it is drawn to their attention, it is like a curtain has been lifted. They notice each crutch word as they utter it.

It isnt until you achieve awareness that you can make changes.

The same goes with crutch behaviors. They may have crept in so quietly and so long ago, that you arent consciously aware of them.

Whether you should try to eliminate the crutches in your life or not, is not my call.

I want to encourage you to become aware of them, so you can make that decision for yourself. Are they helping, or hindering you? Be honest.

Self-awareness is an important part of conscious living. Support is necessary sometimes. Dont be afraid to ask for it. But be aware of your crutches so you know when the time is right to let them go.

Reen Rose -Jan 5, 2020 / 11:13 am | Story:273884

Photo: Pixabay

Would life be easier in January if we didnt celebrate Christmas on Dec. 25?

There is so much happening during the holiday period that it is easy to let regular life slide. January can seem overwhelming with catching up on the old and getting started on the new.

Being busy has been a topic of discussion in the work and personal development worlds for some time. Unplugging from technology and taking time for yourself are commonly advised.

I cooked, cleaned, and changed the sheets on the bed numerous times as different people arrived to stay with me over the holiday period. I played more board games than Ive done in the past several decades and basked in the love and enjoyment of family and friends.

But the experts are right. Being ultra-busy comes at a cost.

I spent much of December hiding things in desk drawers and promising myself I would deal with them in the new year. Well, the new year is here.

They are out of sight and I have lots to do without adding them to my plate.

Its time to choose. Do I pretend my slate is clean and jump into the new year, or do I open the drawers?

Most years, I let these things stay hidden for months. Im too full of enthusiasm for new projects and building a spectacular new year to give them more than a passing thought.

This approach has never ended well. At the most inopportune time, the ghost of the year past rises.

Income tax deadlines wait for no woman. Suddenly, it doesnt matter what Im in the middle of, I have to give up days of my life to sort out the mess of paperwork and receipts that I chose to ignore in January.

But not this year.

Ive decided Im going to get on top of everything from 2019 before I embrace the excitement of my new years resolutions.

Its almost like I need to put my enthusiasm for what lies ahead in a drawer instead of the paperwork that is currently there.

This goes against all my January instincts. I want to look ahead and start new projects, not look back, or in my case look into my stuffed desk drawers.

To appease my desire to embrace the new, I am giving myself a hard deadline.

Even if it means staying up all night, I will not go to bed at the end of the weekend until my accounts are up to date, the Christmas decorations are packed away into my crawl space, and I have completed the paperwork that is clogging up my desk.

I may even take time in the coming week to create some better systems and task dates to stay on top of things this year. If the experience ahead of me is bad enough, I may feel sufficiently motivated to make that happen.

It doesnt matter whether you are more disciplined than me and go into every new year with the old stuff done. This is a great time to not only set intentions for the future, but to take time to put a bow on the past.

Ive been thinking how nice it would be if Christmas was at another time of the year, but perhaps the answer is to move the new year back a week or two.

In Reens world, the beginning of January is going to be a transition period. Im going to take time to tidy up the old before jumping into the new.

At least thats my intention. Ill let you know how I make out.

Rae Stewart -Dec 29, 2019 / 11:00 am | Story:273501

Photo: Contributed

Even if you arent a fan of new years resolutions, there is a good chance that you are thinking about what you want 2020 to be like.

January seems to come with an innate desire for a fresh start.

Whether you call them goals or resolutions, setting an intention for the year ahead is helpful for all sorts of reasons, including mindfulness.

You may be a fan of the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely) goal principle. If you want to lose weight, state how much, by when, and choose an amount that you believe is doable.

There are many situations when this is the perfect strategy to use, especially in business. But let me give you an alternative approach as you enter the new year.

Rather than choosing very specific goals for 2020, try selecting a theme word.

Instead of saying you want to lose 20 pounds, decide to be guided by the word health.

I like this alternative method for setting an intention for the year because you arent attaching success to a specific outcome.

What if your regular fitness regime and healthy eating dont result in a downward trend on your scales? Does that mean your resolution failed even though your clothes fit better?

How about if your decision to learn French gets thrown aside because you elect to get your masters degree, or become a certified yoga instructor?

Your specific outcome didnt happen, but you still took on a major new learning experience.

What if you had chosen the word learning instead of setting a specific goal?

I find this system more successful because it allows you to course correct throughout the year without stubbornly holding onto something that isnt working, or getting discouraged and stopping completely.

Of course, just like SMART goals, choosing a word only works if you commit yourself to doing what it takes to turn your intention into reality.

For those of you who are interested, let me talk you through the steps.

Brainstorm some of the things you want to do, have, or accomplish in 2020.

Dont stop to judge or evaluate them. Consider all aspects of your life, not just one. Your work, home, and personal lives intertwine and overlap to an extent that you will never be able to separate them completely.

Dont rush this step. Take a few days to complete it if you need to.

Judge and evaluate the items on your list.

Choose two or three that are most important to you for the year ahead. You may find some of the things you wrote down can be combined.

Look for a central theme among your choices. Ideally, you will find one word that applies to all of them in some way.

For example, lose weight, get a new job, and take more time for yourself may fit under the umbrella theme of self-care, opportunities, or upgrade.

You want something that resonates with what you hope 2020 will hold for you.

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It's OK to talk to yourself - The Happiness Connection - Castanet.net