Science Talks

The field of public health has become even more critical in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health professionals must balance strategic thinking with compassionate thinking, and must truly be able to collaborate on the state, national, and global levels. Today, we are joined by physician and scientist Dr. Purnima Madhivanan. Dr. Madhivanan is an Associate Professor of Public Health, Medi...

With metabolic processes being a complicated aspect of biology, it takes specially trained scientists with a respect for the multidisciplinary approaches to tackle the science and the innovation related to this area. Today, we are joined by Dr. Ashley Snider , an Associate Professor of Nutritional Science and Cancer Biology at the University of Arizona. Having received her Ph. D. in Pharmacology a...

Epigenetics, or the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself, is a very important and complex research interest. Currently, we are just now starting to understand how and when epigenetic information is passed from generation to generation through work done at the Mosher lab . At the Mosher lab, plant sciences are util...

Neurological Diseases are disorders that affect the brain and the nervous system, and include Parkinson’s disease, Dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. As researchers work diligently, the goal of better understanding these diseases and appropriate treatment becomes paramount. Trained physician and scientist Dr. Lalitha Madhavan is an Associate Professor of Neurology , and also a member of the Evelyn...

Stress is a constant factor in the daily lives of many. BIO5 researchers are working to assess the risks affecting us when feeling overwhelmed and understand the connection between health and emotions. BIO5 member Dr. Esther Sternberg is a Professor of Medicine , Professor of Psychology , and the current Director of Research at the University of Arizona's center for integrative medicine . She is r...

Dr. Dongkyun Kang is an Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Kang is currently leading an NIH-sponsored research project for developing a smartphone confocal microscope and diagnosing Kaposi's sarcoma in Uganda. Through hard research and development, Dr. Kang's lab just might create the next big medical technology. Links: BIO5 Institute: https://bio5.org/ $1 Mil...

Infertility is the inability to get pregnant after one year of trying to conceive. It is estimated that 15% of couples will have trouble conceiving, and globally, nearly 50 million couples experience infertility every year. Many factors can contribute to female infertility, including exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC), which are highly present in many of our everyday products. Reprod...

Neuropsychiatric illnesses are mental disorders which include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. These illnesses are rooted in identifiable problems within the brain. They are complex conditions whose origins aren’t well-understood, and they are a leading cause of disability in the United States. Physician-scientist Dr. Amelia Gallitano is the Director of Women in Medi...

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death in developing countries and ignite grand challenges like pandemics. BIO5 researchers are working to develop better prevention, diagnostic, and treatment strategies to decrease the global burden of these diseases. BIO5 member Dr. Deepta Bhattacharya is a professor of immunobiology , and associate professor of surgery , genetics , and cancer biology...

Residents of the sunniest state – Arizona – are no strangers to ample sunshine. While sun exposure is beneficial to our wellbeing, it’s also a major cause of skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the U.S. At least 5 million people in our country are treated for skin cancer annually, resulting in more than $8 billion in medical expenses. Physician-scientist Dr. Clara Curiel-Lewandrowski is...

Some of science’s most difficult challenges like solving world hunger and curing disease involve more than just traditional science fields such as plant and cell biology. Data science brings together computational, statistical, and mathematical techniques to expand our knowledge from big datasets collected from the bench, field or computer. Handling these large datasets can pose a challenge, espec...

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both the U.S. and world. To lessen this large disease burden, researchers are actively investigating why and how people develop heart disease. Cardiovascular researcher Dr. Jared Churko takes a single-cell approach to studying the mechanisms of heart disease. Dr. Churko is an assistant professor of cellular and molecular medicine , physiological scien...

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability for individuals under age 44 with an estimated 1.7 million cases occurring in the U.S. every year, and concussion is dubbed a silent epidemic. TBI dismantles circuits in the brain, leading to short and long-term cognitive dysfunction. Dr. Kaveh Laksari utilizes biomechanics to study the underlying processes of TBI and model...

Breathing, sleeping, and good health go hand in hand. People with lung diseases and allergies often have problems getting a quality, healthy night’s sleep which in turn can lead to further health challenges. Physician-scientist Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy is a BIO5 member who works at the intersection of chronic illness and sleep. Dr. Parthasarathy is a professor of medicine and clinical translationa...

Sustainable agriculture is quickly becoming the wave of the future as we find ways to feed a world of 10 billion by 2050. Our BIO5 researchers are developing novel solutions that enable the production of more food with less use of resources. Using the framework of sustainable agriculture, Dr. Joel Cuello is looking up for answers in the form of vertical farming. Dr. Cuello is a professor of agricu...

Certain diseases like Alzheimer’s and high blood pressure are known to alter the link between brain activity and blood flow changes in the brain, leading to improper blood flow delivery to brain cells. This eventually leads to the death of brain cells and cognitive decline. Dr. Paulo Pires, assistant professor of physiology and surgery and BIO5 member, studies how blood flow to the brain changes b...

Treatment for patients with blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma may include a bone marrow transplant to replace unhealthy tissue to increase odds of recovery and survival. Transplants can be lifesaving but are complex and challenging, especially for children. Physician-scientist Dr. Emmanuel Katsanis not only performs transplantation, but also actively researches tumor and transplant immunolog...

From smart watches to pacemakers, technology is essential in helping us lead happy, healthier lives. Because this tech can be bulky and a little intimidating at times, creating inconspicuous devices that carry a big impact is at the forefront of tomorrow's life-changing innovations. Dr. Philipp Gutruf, assistant professor of biomedical engineering and BIO5 member, specializes in creating new kinds...

Biomarkers are measurable substances inside our bodies that give scientists and medical professionals a hint that we might have a certain disease, like cancer or Alzheimer’s, or have been exposed to a toxic chemical. Biomarkers are typically measured in blood samples or biopsies, which can range from a minimally invasive sample taken from the skin or a more invasive sample from within the body. Dr...

Description: Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, but only 27% of the STEM workforce. The University of Arizona and the BIO5 Institute are working to combat this gender inequity, and Dr. Betsy Cantwell, Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, and Dr. Jennifer Barton, BIO5's director, are leading the charge. Cantwell and Barton share tips for succeeding as a woman in STEM, pa...

About one-third of Americans aren't getting the right amount of shut-eye on a daily basis - but how many hours should you really be getting? Can you make up for poor sleep with a nap? How can you fall asleep - and stay asleep? Dr. Michael Grandner, Director of the UArizona Sleep and Health Research Program and Director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic at the Banner-University Medical Center...

Hormones like estrogen and progesterone typically get a bad rap, as they’re often blamed for heightened emotional expression during menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum. Dr. Alicia Allen is changing the way we think and talk about female reproductive hormones. The assistant professor of family and community medicine , clinical translational sciences , and public health shares how her epidemiolo...

The University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous Peoples, and today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O'odham and the Yaqui. There is a disproportionate burden of contaminant exposure in underserved populations like Native Americans, and because their culture and traditions are closely woven with the environment, special strateg...

One in every 13 Americans suffers from asthma. UArizona Regents’ Professor, Dr. Fernando Martinez , also a former director of the BIO5 Institute , describes how witnessing his mother’s asthma attack ignited his passion to research and treat patients with this condition. The Director of the  Asthma & Airway Disease Research Center  shares what the buzzwords “transdisciplinar...

Microbes such as bacteria, plants and fungi far outnumber the human population on Earth.  BIO5 member Dr. Paul Carini  shares how these microscopic organisms are essential to our health, as well as how they support life on Earth through their roles in the carbon cycle and beyond. Carini, an assistant professor of soil/subsurface  microbial ecology genetics  and  plant scie...