Science & Research

Paxson research analyzes Katrina's impact

Tufts prof weighs in on DNA vs. free will debate

Assistant prof wins Department of Defense grant

Mark Zervas, assistant professor of molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry, won a $716,769 Department of Defense grant to study tuberous sclerosis, a developmental genetic disorder. Tuberous sclerosis occurs in approximately one in 6,000 live births and causes epilepsy, autism and cognitive ...

'Spliceman' app catches disruptive mutations

Spliceman is not a superhero, but it does have the power to accomplish superhuman feats. Developed by a team of University researchers, the web-based application to identify mutations in gene processing was described in the journal Bioinformatics last week.

Faculty receive one-year research grants

Fifteen faculty members and four faculty research groups were honored Wednesday afternoon as the recipients of the Seed Fund and the Richard B. Salomon Faculty Research Award. The University-sponsored awards, distributed by the Office of the Vice President for Research, were presented in a ceremony ...

Gene swapping can cause adaptation

A study published last week in the journal Current Biology illustrates plants' ability to swap genes with one another, not just pass them on from parent to offspring. Brown evolutionary biologists, along with researchers at other universities, demonstrated that Alloteropsis grasses held the ability ...

Research links nature with nurture

In the long-debated question of nature versus nurture, the emerging field of behavioral epigenetics may hold significant insight, suggesting that nature responds to the effects of nurture. 

Pollution may trigger strokes, research finds

Even at levels that comply with federal regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency, air pollution may increase the risk of stroke, according to research led by Gregory Wellenius, assistant professor of epidemiology. Wellenius' study was published last month in Archives of Internal Medicine. ...

Nicotine itself may threaten cardiovascular health

The link between cigarette smoke and cardiac disease is well-established, but research conducted by Professor of Medical Science Chi-Ming Hai found that nicotine alone has negative effects on vascular health. While nicotine replacement products such as patches or gums have long been considered safe ...

Prenatal test identifies chromosomal defects

Most people do not think of fetuses as tumors. But it was this idea that revolutionized how scientists approach prenatal tests.

Researchers study tin whiskers in electronics

Correction appended.

Study links urge to pee with impairment

"They made it to the bathroom, but it was a pretty ugly scene," said Peter Snyder, professor of neurology. "There was a bit of some pushing to get into the stalls."

Protein could be therapeutic, study finds

Lecture tackles global uranium trade

To understand the consequences of global uranium trade in Africa, the intricate interaction between political lobbying, government and human interests must be explored, said Gabrielle Hecht, professor of history at the University of Michigan, in a lecture hosted by the science and technology studies ...

Conference explores effects of early trauma

At a recent conference sponsored by Rhode Island's Family Court, James Greer, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior, and social worker Robert Hagberg, spoke about how trauma can affect the brains of young children.

Darwin Day embraced by skeptics and believers alike

Nobel Prize-winning physicist enthralls first-years

Mars rover to explore largest crater yet

Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover, is on the edge of a great endeavor, literally. The rover, launched in July 2003, is now positioned to begin exploring the 14-mile diameter Endeavour Crater as soon as Mars' winter ends, said John Callas ScM '83 PhD '87, project manager of the NASA Mars Exploration ...

Undergrad finds trend in climate rhetoric

Last summer, Graciela Kincaid '12 was digging around for White House budget statistics on climate finance policy as part of her Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award when she stumbled across something that caught her attention.

First-years discover viruses, analyze DNA

Correction appended.