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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membranous nanoparticles secreted by all types of cells and can be found in numerous bodily fluids, including blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and more. For years, scientists believed that it functioned more as a waste disposal system for cells, carrying unwanted molecules and metabolites out of the cell and into circulation to be cleared out. But it turns out that one cell’s trash could be another cell’s treasure.

Repairing DNA damage is an essential capability for humans and other multicellular organisms. Inability to repair DNA damage can lead to cells dividing randomly and the development of both benign and malignant tumors. The David Lab at UC Davis is working on understanding the molecular mechanisms of DNA repair as a first step in developing targeted therapies to prevent common cancers.

This blog is the first in a three-part series on biological applications of microfluidic devices. This Part 1 blog will cover the history, physics, and popular fabrication methods of microfluidic devices. Part 2 will cover the application of microfluidic devices in low resource and point-of-care applications, while Part 3 will discuss the role of microfluidic devices in cutting edge technologies.

This is the second entry of a two-part blog.

This is the first entry of a two-part blog.

As PhD students, reading is part of our life. There are so many new papers coming out every day, so many research blogs to follow, so many books to read. But, how would you find them and organize them? Certainly, I’ve seen people downloading everything to their desktop and piling up 100 pdfs with no labeling or grouping. To be honest, that was me at one point. When you start to write a report or research paper, it can become a nightmare to organize the reference list.

If you are a PS4 player, you might have heard of a game called, “Detroit: Become Human”. The story is set in the city of Detroit during the year 2036; the city has been revitalized by the invention and introduction of Androids (Robot) into everyday life. These Androids are very intelligent and can behave just like humans. The story is about the humanity of the robots and the conflict between humans and artificial intelligence. There are now many novels and games discussing artificial intelligence and philosophies related to how it will change society.

The public perception of fungi is typically focused on the beautiful, and occasionally delicious, fruiting bodies of a relatively limited range of fungal species. But the human applications of fungi and the compounds they produce go well beyond our dinner plate or photo album. Fungi, many of which gain energy from decaying plant matter, are known to produce a wide suite of enzymes specializing in the degradation of biomass components. Of particular interest is their capacity to break down lignocellulose, a complex and abundant constituent of plant tissue that forms secondary cell walls.

On a typical morning, I usually grab an orange and get a cinnamon bagel from coffee shop for breakfast. Around 11 am, I have an apple as a snack. I normally get the steamed broccoli in the dining hall for lunch. In the evening on my way back home, sometimes I can smell cannabis on the highway — everything I just mentioned contains terpene. Citrus fruits usually have a large amount of limonene. Cinnamon, broccoli, and some other spices possess β-caryophyllene, which has anti-diabetic potential.

by Chidera Alim

For good context and background, be sure to go through the first part of the series, Moments That Make the Beat Go On: Part 1.