The Cancer Microbiome

In 2016, a group of scientists publishing in PLOS Biology estimated that our bodies contain not the commonly accepted 10 human cells for every one microorganism, but something closer to a 1-to-1 ratio — with these tiny counterparts collectively weighing 4 or 5 pounds. This “other half” of us plays a vital role in human…

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Who owns cells & DNA? Property rights get messy in biology

Originally posted by MiSciWriters. Header image by Sierra Nishizaki.  Scattered around your house or apartment, lightly coating the surface of your coffee table and lurking in the nooks and crannies of each room, discarded layers of yourself can be found in the form of skin and hair cells. Regardless of how much of clean-freak you are, it’s unlikely…

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The Power of One: Single-cell analysis

Originally posted by the Life Science Institue.  Robert Hooke published the first known observation of cells in the mid-1600s, describing a cork tree sample as “perforated and porous, much like a Honey-comb.” Since this observation, this smallest unit of life has been extensively studied, from its role in metabolism to mental activity, having a fundamental…

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Gene Mutations Involved in Ovarian Cancer

Cancer is one of the biggest threats to a long and healthy life, accounting for approximately one in four American deaths. It is a disease that is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth leading to tumors and shutting down of biological processes. These issues arise from mutations in the genome that accumulate over time and can…

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