Genetics began in the garden — Mendel’s pea experiments revolutionized and developed the field and principles we know and study today. Similarly, my scientific journey began with plants. In college, I studied the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which is unique in its ability to thrive in total darkness, whereas most plants rely on photosynthesis. My(...)
neurology
Hypnosis: Trick or Treatment?
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchA couple of weeks ago I indulged in a morsel of nostalgia along with my fellow millennials and went to see Incredibles 2. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that the villain uses hypnosis as a weapon. When I exited the theater and stepped out into the musky night, I was in a post-movie(...)
Recent Study Reveals How the Brain Learns from Others’ Mistakes
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchLast month, my friend came back from Mount Kosciuszko with stunning photos and a seriously painful-looking sunburn. As I prepared to undertake the same hike based upon his enthusiastic recommendation, I decided to pack some SPF 50 and planned to reapply every 30 minutes. Without experiencing a sunburn firsthand, I knew to stay sun-safe, thanks(...)
Wrapping Axons – an Ongoing Mission Throughout Your Lifespan
Posted by | Recently PublishedYou are driving on a road and see a pedestrian approaching the crosswalk. You brake to give way. Even such a simple action as this requires multiple levels of processing in our brains — recognizing the shapes and curves that resemble a human being, observing the speed at which they move, pressing the brake with(...)
The Voices in Our Head – How Can We Tell They’re Ours?
Posted by | Recently PublishedAs you read this sentence you probably hear the words articulated in your mind. You likely hear that same voice as you decide what to order at Chipotle or silently play out a future social interaction. This phenomenon is known as inner speech and it is estimated that we spend about a quarter of our(...)
A Brighter Image: Peeking Into the Macaque Brain
Posted by | Recently PublishedEach Tuesday, I read the New York Times science section over a cup of coffee and a protein bar. Last week’s article, “Hunched over his microscope, he sketched the secrets of how the brain worked,” exhibits the father of neuroscience, Ramon y Cajal’s, 19th century drawings and elucidations of the neuronal interconnectivity that wires our(...)