Let me first introduce myself and tell you why I started to write about fellow scientists at UC San Diego. Choosing a profession isn’t an easy decision for most people. Some people, however, have an early calling. I knew when I was twelve that I was going to study Biology. I was fascinated by all […]
August
20
Meet Marta Pratelli – A Researcher Exploring the Roadmap of the Brain
posted by Ariane Pessentheiner
August
13
Diffusion MRI: Mapping the structural highways of the brain
posted by Seraphina Solders
Some of my favorite scientific images to look at come from scanning the human brain with a tool called diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (or diffusion MRI). These images depict the long fibers that connect one part of the brain to another in a color-coded fashion, with a beautiful result: a colorful map of the brain’s […]
August
06
Racism and Birth Inequities, From Biology to Society
posted by Laura Beebe
Image Credit: UNICEF Black mothers in the US are 3-4x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white mothers (NPR/ProPublica). In addition, 40.6% of Black births are preterm, compared to 33.1% of white births (CDC). Compounding evidence suggests that the lived experience of racism in the US, rather than genetics, health behaviors (e.g. smoking), […]
July
30
What’s happening in the brain with COVID-19?
posted by Emily Baltz
[En español] What are the neurological symptoms of COVID-19? At this point, most of us are familiar with the common symptoms of COVID-19: fever, cough, sore throat, muscle ache, diarrhea, and fatigue. We also know that the worst complications can be pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Acute respiratory distress syndrome can lead to hypoxia […]
July
23
Postictal Blues
posted by Donovan Cronkhite
Intro On the morning of January 12th, 2020, I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating. It was my mom because it was her birthday and I had told her to call me the night before. I had the perfect plan: at approximately 2 a.m. that morning, I snuck into the house (I […]
July
16
Perks of Being a Trichromat
posted by egeyalcinbas
As a youngster, many excursions with my grandmother would end with her pointing out the breathtaking combination of hues that graces the sky during golden hour. She would be sure to mention the weather predictions that stem from our folklore: Warm mixtures of pink and lavender, she would tell me, means that tomorrow will be […]
July
09
How much does your brain pay attention while you’re asleep?
posted by Susan Lubejko
*Tick, tick, tick* I glance over into the dusty corner of the dimly lit room, and to my horror, I see what looks like some sort of explosive device fitted with a clock, inevitably ticking down to my demise. *Tick, tick, tick* I freeze in fear, unsure of how to resolve this situation. The ticking […]
July
02
The Intersex Brain
posted by Catie Profaci
It is evident that male and female sex characteristics exist on a spectrum, and treating them as fully binary categories invalidates the bodies and experiences of those who express a range of biological sex characteristics. […] But… what about the brain? Are there differences between the male brain and the female brain?
June
25
Embracing The Challenge Of Change
posted by Joey Lattarulo
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be an attack, but instead a learning opportunity largely pulled from my experiences and acknowledgement of my privilege. The Black Lives Matter protests happening all over the world are forcing attention to systemic racism that has too long been overlooked by those with the privilege to do so. […]
June
18
Left over right: Communicative auditory processing from mice to men
posted by megkirch
The terms “left” and “right”, if not used to give directions, are often evoked to describe a preference. You might prefer to kick with your right leg, or throw with your right arm, or lead with your right foot on your skateboard or surfboard. Political convictions often lean left or right. And then there’s handedness, […]
