Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Wildlife Conservation
Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a tool that can be leveraged to identify effective solutions for the current biodiversity crisis. As ecosystems are increasingly harmed by humanity, researchers are looking for ways in which AI can be used to create multimodal models that analyze ecological data to improve biodiversity loss predictions, track patterns in wildlife trade, and develop … Continue reading Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Wildlife Conservation
Augmenting Ultrasounds with Artificial Intelligence to Advance Wound Healing
Author: Amal Bilal, Class of 2028 Chronic wounds, or wounds that demonstrate abnormal repair due to a deficient healing process, pose major healthcare challenges worldwide. These wounds can lead to pain, infection, hospitalization, surgery, and, in the worst cases, amputation. Therefore, early identification of whether a wound is healing properly is crucial for adjusting treatment plans, reducing side effects and costs, and ultimately improving patient … Continue reading Augmenting Ultrasounds with Artificial Intelligence to Advance Wound Healing
How dietary choices affect our psychological well-being, behaviors, and crime levels
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 The food you eat influences not only your physical health but also your mental health, mood, cognition, and behavior, especially when you are undernourished. Food can also play a significant social and emotional role when tied to cultural and religious practices or serving as a coping mechanism. While food plays an important role in emotional and physical wellbeing, researchers questioned … Continue reading How dietary choices affect our psychological well-being, behaviors, and crime levels
Food Insecurity and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: Fighting The Cause
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Amid a growing mental health crisis, suicide is a leading cause of death in adolescents. It particularly affects those from a lower socio-economic status due to limited access to sufficient and nutritious food. Food insecurity can impact cognitive-affective states, and adolescents facing it often report social isolation and feelings of shame, sadness, and family strain. Dr. Steare and his colleagues … Continue reading Food Insecurity and Adolescent Suicidal Behavior: Fighting The Cause
Adolescent Substance Use and Changes in Dopamine in The Brain
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Dopamine, central in the brain’s reward system, plays a key role in addiction and reward processing. Studies have shown that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) show reduced dopamine release and fewer receptors, even after prolonged periods of abstinence from their drug of choice. Neuromelanin-sensitivity magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) visualizes and quantifies the concentration of Neuromelanin (NM) in brain tissues. … Continue reading Adolescent Substance Use and Changes in Dopamine in The Brain
The Balance Between Candy and Vegetables on Your Dinner Plate
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Many studies show how different perceptual features (color, texture, or packaging) influence food preferences, but few show how quantity influences people’s perceptions. Researchers from Tel-Aviv and Potsdam University investigated how the perception of the quantity of food differed based on food preference. Their research hypothesized that people would perceive portions of food they liked as smaller and portions they disliked … Continue reading The Balance Between Candy and Vegetables on Your Dinner Plate
Science and GAC: How Scientific Inaccuracies Have Been Used to Shape Policy
Laura Ladekarl. Class of 2025 Gender-affirming care (GAC) has been increasingly accepted all over the world, including social transition support, puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries. At the same time, there has been a rise in legal restrictions on the same care for minors. Dr. Wuest from Mount Holyoke College and Dr. Last from Stony Brook University argue that these bans are deliberately produced using … Continue reading Science and GAC: How Scientific Inaccuracies Have Been Used to Shape Policy
The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Gaming Behavior
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON MENTAL HEALTH AND GAMINGAs we got locked out of the world and got stuck inside, our computers became our escape. The impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was more than just shutdowns and quarantines, it impacted our behaviors and mental health. Specifically, there was an increase in depression, anxiety, and loneliness, along with an upswing … Continue reading The Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Gaming Behavior
THE BALANCE BETWEEN CANDY AND VEGETABLES ON YOURDINNER PLATE
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Many studies show how different perceptual features (color, texture, or packaging) influence food preferences, but few show how quantity influences people’s perceptions. Researchers from Tel-Aviv and Potsdam University investigated how the perception of the quantity of food differed based on food preference. Their research hypothesized that people would perceive portions of food they liked as smaller and portions they disliked … Continue reading THE BALANCE BETWEEN CANDY AND VEGETABLES ON YOURDINNER PLATE
ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE AND DOPAMINE IN THE BRAIN
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Dopamine, central in the brain’s reward system, plays a key role in addiction and reward processing. Studies have shown that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) show reduced dopamine release and fewer receptors, even after prolonged periods of abstinence from their drug of choice. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) visualizes and quantifies the concentration of neuromelanin (NM) in brain tissues. … Continue reading ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE AND DOPAMINE IN THE BRAIN
SCIENCE AND GAC: HOW SCIENTIFIC INACCURACIES HAVEBEEN USED TO SHAPE POLICY
Laura Ladekarl, Class of 2025 Gender-affirming care (GAC) has been increasingly accepted all over the world, including social transition support, puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries. At the same time, there has been a rise in legal restrictions on the same care for minors. Dr. Wuest from Mount Holyoke College and Dr. Last from Stony Brook University argue that these bans are deliberately produced using … Continue reading SCIENCE AND GAC: HOW SCIENTIFIC INACCURACIES HAVEBEEN USED TO SHAPE POLICY
Novel Implications of the Neuroimmune System in Major Depressive Disorder
Sean Krivitsky, Class of 2026 Every year, three million people in the United States alone are diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). MDD is a serious form of mental illness that impacts countless facets of people’s lives, characterized by a persistently low mood and general impairment of daily routines. Interestingly, glial cells, generally known for their roles in regulation and support of neuronal networks in … Continue reading Novel Implications of the Neuroimmune System in Major Depressive Disorder
Young Investigators Review 