Have you ever been driving and been so lost in thought that you aren’t even consciously aware of what you are doing? For a well-practiced skill like driving (and especially for a well-practiced commute) you might even find yourself arriving at your destination with little recollection of all the steps you took to make it […]
January
10
A Look at CRISPR and the First Genetically-Modified Humans
posted by Nicholas A. Nelson
Cracking Pandora’s Box – New Tools and New Frontiers In November of 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui revealed to the world that he had orchestrated the genetic modification and birth of two twin girls in China[1]. Psuedonymed Nana and Lulu, these newborns are the first known human babies to be born following modification of their […]
January
03
NeuWriteSD celebrates “NeuYears”!
posted by neuwritesandiego
As we begin a new year for NeuWriteSD, we’d like to reflect on our progress in 2018, as well as some of our goals (or “NeuYears Resolutions”, if you will) for 2019! NeuWriteSD celebrates 5 years 2018 marked the 5-year anniversary of NeuWriteSD’s official founding by members of the UCSD Neurosciences Graduate Program back in […]
December
27
The Trouble with Drug Development
posted by James R. Howe VI
Open a new tab, load up a science media site you know. What do you first see across the front page? You will almost certainly find a headline blaring “NEW FINDINGS SHOW AUTISM’S DAYS ARE NUMBERED” or “UNIVERSITY RESEARCHER CURES PARKINSON’S DISEASE”. Open the page up next week, and you will almost certainly see some […]
December
20
A Pirate’s Life is NOT for Me: A Deep Dive into Motion Sickness
posted by megkirch
A few months ago, I spent three and a half anxious hours on a rickety motorboat on western Tanzania’s Lake Tanganyika. The cause of my anxiety was not the fact that we were floating over the second deepest freshwater lake in the world in a boat that had already begun to take in some water […]
December
13
Astrocytes, the Underrated Stars
posted by Elena Blanco-Suarez, Ph.D.
[En español] You usually hear the term “brain cell” referring to neurons, like they’re the only cell type present in the brain. But that’s far from the case. Neurons can be considered the main cellular unit in our nervous system, as they are the cells that transfer the information by means of electrical and chemical signals. […]
December
06
The Platypus: Sensing the Body Electric
posted by Catie Profaci
Patti was one of my favorite Beanie Babies. Her bright magenta body and yellow webbed feet exuded a certain sunny optimism, and her strange resemblance to a flattened duck endowed her with an undeniable silliness. I remember feeling a bit confused as to whether she was a real creature or more akin to Mystic the […]
November
29
What’s in an accent?
posted by cdorrier
I was born and raised in the South, but never would have described myself as having any sort of accent until I moved to Southern California. Suddenly people could figure out where I was from as soon as I opened my mouth (a fellow SoCal Southerner was correctly able to pinpoint my accent to the […]
November
22
What’s app: an insider’s perspective on how to optimize your application to grad school
posted by Ashley Juavinett
(Originally published 1/17/15) With 2018 grad school application deadlines right around the corner, we thought it would be useful to repost this guide for putting together a killer grad school app. We hope it helps! Best of luck, and happy Thanksgiving! – NeuWriteSD So you’ve decided to apply to graduate school in the sciences. You’ve […]
November
15
From symptoms to biology: shifting definitions of Alzheimer’s disease
posted by Barbara Spencer
As a neuroscientist studying Alzheimer’s, I’m reminded of its far-reaching impact each time a barista, cashier, or Lyft driver makes small talk by asking what I do for a living. Unfortunately, this devastating disease needs no introduction. Considering its ubiquity, it’s surprising that a debate broke out recently among leaders in the field over the […]
