Algae Consumption: An Unexpected Boost to Video Game Performance

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Image depicting various marine algae species, namely Chorda filum and Cladophora glomerata. Video games have always been considered by many as just a trivial hobby. Yet, in recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of video game streaming, especially in competitive settings. Consequently, in such competitions, players need to prioritize factors like attentiveness and … Continue reading Algae Consumption: An Unexpected Boost to Video Game Performance

Utilizing the Principle of Pro-Cancer Properties of Antioxidants to Treat Prostate Cancer

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Depiction of various foods that are commonly associated with having antioxidant properties.Prostate cancer (PC) has become a growing concern for men as its rate of incidence has been steadily increasing by more than 3% per year for the past decade. As a result, many have been searching for various treatments and interventions during PC progression to help … Continue reading Utilizing the Principle of Pro-Cancer Properties of Antioxidants to Treat Prostate Cancer

Duty Calls: Video Games as an Outlet for Reflection and Fulfilling Desires

Author: Ishmam Khan, Class of 2025 Figure 1: Social media is a common outsource for video game discussion; Reddit is the most popular source for these discussion topicsCall of Duty is an iconic first-person shooter video game published by Activision Studios. The game is known for its dynamic gunplay, innovative realistic graphics, and its gritty portrayal of war. However, Call of Duty has a contentious … Continue reading Duty Calls: Video Games as an Outlet for Reflection and Fulfilling Desires

Innovations in our Understanding of Glaucoma

Author: Ishmam Khan, Class of 2025 Figure 1: Research into glaucoma yields promising insights into the future of optics and disease at Stony Brook University Glaucoma, a condition characterized by optic nerve degeneration and the cell death of retinal ganglion neurons, is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The retina’s health is critical for vision, and understanding the blood flow (BF) of many regions … Continue reading Innovations in our Understanding of Glaucoma

EEG Research in Maternal Health – Implications and Resolutions of Racial Disparities

Author: Luis Caseñas, Class of 2026 Figure 1: EEG cap and electrodes placed on the head of a participant; the blunt nature of these electrodes works better with hair types from a white population rather than black. Maternal health refers to mothers’ physical and mental well-being during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. In the study of maternal health, electroencephalography (EEG), which generates event-related potentials (ERPs), is … Continue reading EEG Research in Maternal Health – Implications and Resolutions of Racial Disparities

Telemedicine Visits: Alternative Approach to Healthcare?

Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Figure 1: Doctor and patient using telemedicine. Telemedicine has become increasingly popular because of its ability to increase savings for patients and providers, reduce hospital readmissions, and enhance patient quality of care. The COVID-19 pandemic saw an 80% decline in in-person health visits and a 683% increase in telemedicine visits between March 2 and April 14, 2020 (1). Teleophthalmology, … Continue reading Telemedicine Visits: Alternative Approach to Healthcare?

Harnessing the Attention-Grabbing Power of Video Games for Scientific Progress

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Oil painting visualization of a video game player. Citizen science is a common strategy employed by researchers across many specializations to harness the input of the public to further scientific research. The billions of video game players worldwide posed an opportunity for scientists using citizen science and, from there, emerged Citizen Science Games (CSGs). However, converting scientific … Continue reading Harnessing the Attention-Grabbing Power of Video Games for Scientific Progress

Understanding the Mechanisms of the Leading Cause of Death in Cancer Patients

Author: Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Figure 1. Animated representation of the release of cytokines in the extracellular environment. Cancer is a disease that wreaks devastation on the bodies of the patients it afflicts. Cancerous tumor cells lead to the sickness observed in cancer patients in a variety of ways, but one of the primary causes of cancer-related sickness and death is referred to as … Continue reading Understanding the Mechanisms of the Leading Cause of Death in Cancer Patients

Skill Issue: The Effect of FPS Games on Cortical Activity

Author: Ishmam Khan, Class of 2025 Figure 1: The FPS genre of gaming has widespread connections around the world, demonstrating its popularity The FPS, or first-person shooter, genre of gaming has a controversial history. In the 1990s, there was a scare regarding the impact such games would have on children. Some worries included, but were not limited to: increased levels of aggression, poor emotional and … Continue reading Skill Issue: The Effect of FPS Games on Cortical Activity

What do Machines Know of Depression? Explaining Past Failures of Clinical Algorithms About MDD

Author: Ishmam Khan, Class of 2025 Figure 1: MDD is a devastating, extremely common, and fast-growing disease in terms of suffering, mortality, and cost to society. Since COVID-19, the rates of mental health disorders have increased significantly. One such disorder is Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), a serious disorder affecting more than 8% of the US population. As of 2024, the remission rates, or rate of … Continue reading What do Machines Know of Depression? Explaining Past Failures of Clinical Algorithms About MDD

Penguin Nesting Behavior: Effects of Tourism at Port Lockroy

By: Kimberly Johnston, Class of 2026 Figure 1:  Gentoo penguin with chicks at Port Lockroy, Antarctica. Antarctic tourism has raised concerns about the effects of human disturbance on gentoo penguins during their breeding season, which coincides with peak tourist activity. For example, the movement of zodiacs used to transport tourists ashore can disrupt the penguins’ normal routes and foraging areas. However, quantifying the effects of … Continue reading Penguin Nesting Behavior: Effects of Tourism at Port Lockroy

Mature Oligodendrocytes Demonstrate Delayed Cell Death by Alternate Mechanism

By Vignesh Subramanian, Class of 2024 Figure 1: A myelinating oligodendrocyte in a murine brain.  Oligodendrocytes are specialized glial cells in the central nervous system primarily responsible for myelination, the process of ensheathing the axons of neurons in a lipid-rich membrane known as myelin, which insulates the nerve fibers and speeds up the transmission of the action potentials they conduct. Oligodendrocytes are the products of … Continue reading Mature Oligodendrocytes Demonstrate Delayed Cell Death by Alternate Mechanism