Category: discovery

2021-22, discovery

Reprogramming Cells May Reverse the Aging Process

Sooraj Shah ’24 Aging is a natural process by which cells are progressively unable to divide as efficiently as before, causing cell death and lysis as the functions of the cell slowly begin to decline. The main contributor to this are the telomeres at the end of our chromosomes. Telomeres get shorter as cells divide because replication cannot copy the “lagging end” of the chromosome. … Continue reading Reprogramming Cells May Reverse the Aging Process

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2021-22, Biology, discovery

Newly Discovered Functions of MAIT Cells Suggests a Possible Target for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Treatments

Sooraj Shah ’24 While much focus has been given to the COVID-19 pandemic, autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, also affect seven percent of the American population. Recent research suggests a potential link between mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and the two diseases, as both COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases trigger increased MAIT cell response. A study led by Dr. Charles Vorkas, a professor in the Department … Continue reading Newly Discovered Functions of MAIT Cells Suggests a Possible Target for Immunotherapy and Vaccine Treatments

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Water on Mars May Have Had a Shorter Lifespan than Previously Thought

Sooraj Shah ’24 The discussion of water on Earth’s twin planet Mars has become an intriguing topic in the past few years, largely due to its striking resemblance in size and location to Earth. It has been hypothesized that Mars was once a lively Earth-like planet that housed oceans and life, although present-day Mars tells a different story—until recently. Ari Koeppel, a Northern Arizona University … Continue reading Water on Mars May Have Had a Shorter Lifespan than Previously Thought

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New Approach to the Detection of Social Bot Activity

Sooraj Shah ’24 Oftentimes, people find themselves scrolling through social media, responding and interacting with accounts and commenting on their favorite posts. What some users do not know is that many of these accounts utilize social bots, agents created to autonomously communicate with social media users. These bots respond in a way that is indistinguishable from human mannerisms, which give bots the power to influence … Continue reading New Approach to the Detection of Social Bot Activity

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Formation of Night Clouds on Venus May Have Prevented Earth-like Conditions

Sooraj Shah ’24  Venus shares many similarities with Earth, including approximate size and mass. Venus’ surface temperature, however, is much hotter and contains a much thicker atmosphere consisting of carbon dioxide. For years, scientists have made estimates that Venus once was a thriving planet containing the resources for life like Earth. A research study led by astrophysicist Martin Turbet, in collaboration with the University of … Continue reading Formation of Night Clouds on Venus May Have Prevented Earth-like Conditions

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Discovery of Inflammation-Inducing Enzyme May Be Key to Reducing COVID-19 Severity

Sooraj Shah ’24 COVID-19, ravaging the world since November of 2019, is not slowing down anytime soon. With mutated variants of the disease now circulating, cases are rising at an alarming rate once again, and the world is desperate for answers. While the vaccine currently protects against the original strain of the virus, it may not be as protective against  mutated strains that consist of … Continue reading Discovery of Inflammation-Inducing Enzyme May Be Key to Reducing COVID-19 Severity

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