As fears of the deadly outbreak of influenza A H1N1 have diminished with Mexico City returning to “normalcy,” and fewer US schools closings, this “swine flu” is still around and may be spreading less aggressively than some seasonal virus strains. However, in the southern hemisphere where the weather is getting colder and their traditional flu season is about to start, […]
April 23, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Researchers led by James J. Collins, professor of bioengineering, have found a more systematic way, using computer modeling, to construct biological “circuits” which are easier to predict how they will behave before they are synthesized. Their approach eliminates the current trial and error frustrations that can take months and years of tweaking. The technique used genetic timer circuit in yeast […]
April 15, 2009 at 1:57 pm
From New Hampshire to Virginia, Thomas Kunz, biology professor and long-time expert on bats, searches for answers about White Nose Syndrome, the mysterious white fungus that continues to kill tens of thousands of bats. Like the disappearing honeybees and frogs, bats play a critical role in the balance of nature, consuming 50 to 100 percent […]
March 24, 2009 at 1:34 pm
In today’s tough economic times, perhaps the biggest fear is depression. So people work harder, head home to help with the chores and rest before starting the cycle anew. What’s really missing from this rigidity and high stress is play — the time for sports, enjoying friends, even going back to childhood activities. Not sure […]
March 18, 2009 at 6:22 pm
A team of researchers led by Boston University chemistry professor Thomas D. Tullius, graduate student Stephen Parker and a team at the National Institutes of Health, developed a new method of uncovering functional areas of the human genome by studying DNA’s structure instead of the more familiar analysis of the sequence of the DNA bases. Their study […]
School of Social Work Assistant Professor Sunny Hyuckson Shin led a research team that studied the effects of childhood victimization — neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse — on adolescent binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks in a row at least 2-3 times per months). The study, in Addictive Behaviors, showed childhood maltreatment […]
February 24, 2009 at 10:45 am
Waistlines are expanding as worries about the economy worsen, according to doctors, dietians and trainers in a Forbes.com story last week. Caroline Apovian, M.D., director of the Center for Nutrition and Weight Management and director of clinical research for the Obesity Center, both at Boston Medical Center, has seen the eating habits of her patients worsen. […]
November 20, 2008 at 7:07 pm
For the first time, the Department of Defense has chosen a School of Social Work to develop a four-year program to help returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their young families, particularly those with children under five years old who are in the critical stage of […]
November 20, 2008 at 6:51 pm
A $750,000 NSF ADVANCE grant will focus helping women faculty strengthen their professional networks beyond their own science and engineering departments to enhance their career success. “Analyzing the impact of social networks on improving the career success and satisfaction of women faculty is truly innovative,” said psychology professor Deborah Belle, who will serve as principal […]
