News Archive
Model suggests how ancient RNA may have gained self-cutting ability essential for life
Shelby Lawson
Scientists have long pondered the beginnings of life on Earth. One theory is that RNA, which is ubiquitous across all domains of life, played a central role in early life.…
Can genetic genealogy restore family narratives disrupted by the transatlantic slave trade?
Diana Yates
Some political figures seek to remove references to slavery from the study of American history, adding to the vast knowledge gaps that stem from the transatlantic…
Researchers discover a new natural product, a RiPP-fatty acid hybrid molecule
Shelby Lawson
Living organisms produce a diverse suite of natural products which can be harnessed for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Among these products, ribosomally synthesized and…
DayCent-CABBI: New Model Integrates Soil Microbes, Large Perennial Grasses
April Wendling, Anjali Yedavalli
Of all the carbon stored in ecosystems around the world, about half can be found in soils. Depending on climate, vegetation, and management, soils can be either a carbon source…
Darci Edmonson
Ananya Sen
The annual holiday party at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology is widely considered to be a must-attend event, and for good reason. All the floors of the main IGB…
July STEM Career Exploration and Symposium at Illinois
Lauren Quinn
Undergraduate research will take center stage on July 26, 2024, during the STEM Career Exploration and Symposium at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The free, full-…
Newborn piglets serve as a model for studying influenza
Ananya Sen
Although prevention and treatment strategies are available for influenza, they are not sufficient for vulnerable populations such as young children and newborns. In a new study…
Genomics for Faith explores potential and ethics of stem cell research
Shelby Lawson
Recently, the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology hosted the third installment of its Genomics for Faith workshop series — a part of the broader Genomics forTM program…
Study brings scientists a step closer to successfully growing plants in space
Lois Yoksoulian
New, highly stretchable sensors can monitor and transmit plant growth information without human intervention, report University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers in the…
Painting a molecular portrait of the brain with mass spectrometry and deep learning
Samantha Jones Toal
Jonathan Sweedler (BSD/CABBI/MMG), a professor of chemistry, and Fan Lam (GNDP), a professor of bioengineering, outlined how spatial omics technologies can reveal the molecular…
Illinois project creates first insulin-producing cow
Lauren Quinn
An unassuming brown bovine from the south of Brazil has made history as the first transgenic cow capable of producing human insulin in her milk. The advancement, led by…
Researchers identify key regulators underlying regeneration in Drosophila
Shelby Lawson
Some animals possess the remarkable ability to regenerate lost structures, exemplified by a lizard regrowing its tail. However, this regenerative process must be tightly…
