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The process of publishing a scientific article begins when a group of scientists set out to answer an outstanding question in their field. They then design and conduct a set of experiments to answer this question. Once the scientists feel that their results answer their questions, one of them – Read More…
The Life Cycle of a Protein No protein is made to last forever. Just as DNA and RNA direct a coordinated process for protein creation, there is also a process for proteins to be broken down by the cell. We call this proteolysis or protein degradation. Proteins are broken down Read More…
What is statistical significance? Anyone interested in research, be it experiments testing the effects of new medications or studies of human behaviour, is bound to eventually encounter the term statistical significance. Despite being a fundamental feature of research, the concept of statistical significance is often a source of confusion beyond Read More…
Drug delivery into the body can be achieved in several ways, from applying a medicated cream on the skin, to swallowing a pill, to injecting into a muscle or vein. Each route of delivery should at least achieve one thing – getting the drug to the part of the body Read More…
What is the blood-brain barrier? Blood circulates throughout the body in tubes called blood vessels, delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to different organs. However, not all things that circulate through the body can get into the brain. The blood vessels of the brain are slightly different. Their walls have a Read More…
Polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, is a commonly used laboratory technique that was invented in the 1980s. The method has many applications in different fields, ranging from identifying individuals in forensic science, detecting pathogens in water supply, and genetic testing in medicine. PCR works by first obtaining a sample that Read More…
You may have heard that nerve cells (or neurons) in the brain use electrical activity to communicate with one another. The proteins responsible for creating these electrical signals are called ion channels. How do neurons use these electrical signals to communicate with one another in a meaningful way? A good Read More…
DNA repair is an important topic when talking about of neurodegenerative disorders. The amount of biochemical stress the brain experiences increases naturally as we age. Some connections have been made between the amount of stresses on the brain and the age people develop neurodegenerative disorders. Many of these natural stresses Read More…
What is DNA damage? As we go through life, our DNA undergoes a lot of stress, which can ultimately lead to DNA damage. The different stressors that can cause DNA damage are environmental factors such as UV light, radiation, and certain toxins. Additionally, DNA damage can be caused by metabolic Read More…
RNA-seq is a technology that has been used more and more in recent years to study both basic biology and disease. It’s a powerful tool has enabled scientific discovery at an unprecedented rate. But what exactly is RNA-seq? And, more importantly, what can it tell us? RNA-seq is short for Read More…
