News Archive
Using a multipronged approach to investigate the diet of ancient dogs
Ananya Sen
Coprolites, or fossilized dog feces, are often used to understand the dietary preferences of ancient civilizations. However, the samples are often contaminated, making the…
CABBI Challenges CRP Status Quo, Mitigates Fossil Fuels
Jenna Kurtzweil
Researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) found that transitioning land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to…
Direct cloning method CAPTUREs novel microbial natural products
Alisa King-Klemperer
Microorganisms possess natural product biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that may harbor unique bioactivities for use in drug development and agricultural applications. However…
3D microscopy clarifies understanding of body's immune response to obesity
Lois Yoksoulian
Researchers who focus on fat know that some adipose tissue is more prone to inflammation-related comorbidities than others, but the reasons why are not well understood. Thanks…
Bioenergy Researchers Accurately Measure Photosynthesis from Space
Jenna Kurtzweil
As most of us learned in school, plants use sunlight to synthesize carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into carbohydrates in a process called photosynthesis. But nature’s “factories…
Quantum leaps in understanding how living corals survive
Ananya Sen
Coral reefs have thrived for millions of years in their shallow ocean water environments due to their unique partnerships with the algae that live in their tissues. Corals…
New study reveals the deep impact of research in LAS
Samantha Boyle and Dave Evensen
Dozens of professors in the College of LAS, including many from the IGB, rank among the most-cited researchers in the world in a new, widely hailed analysis designed to provide…
Regeneron Science Talent Search scholar conducts at-home study on crop improvement
Alisa King-Klemperer
In a freshman biology class, a simple demonstration comprises a candle and a plant in an enclosed space. Through the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide emitted by the…
Genome-editing tool TALEN outperforms CRISPR-Cas9 in tightly packed DNA
Diana Yates
Researchers used single-molecule imaging to compare the genome-editing tools CRISPR-Cas9 and TALEN. Their experiments revealed that TALEN is up to five…
Global analysis suggests COVID-19 is seasonal
Lauren Quinn
With cities around the globe locking down yet again amid soaring COVID-19 numbers, could seasonality be partially to blame? New research from the University of Illinois says…
Gut bacteria help digest dietary fiber, release important antioxidant
Liz Ahlberg Touchstone
Dietary fiber found in grains is a large component of many diets, but little is understood about how we digest the fiber, as humans lack enzymes to break down the complex…
Lab team creates fast, cheap, and accessible COVID-19 antibody test
Lizzie Roehrs
As the numbers of those infected with COVID-19 has continued to climb, the desperate need for a vaccine was apparent. Even now with the invention and administration of several…