Amy Barber was joined by Dr. Alexander Bucksch, a plant phenomicist and associate professor in the School of Plant Sciences at the University of Arizona. He has over 10 years of experience in developing and applying mathematical and computational methods to study plant morphology and physiology across scales and domains, from the organismal to the ecosystem level, and from above to below-ground.

His current research focuses on root phenomics, ranging from the population level to the molecular level. In doing so, he develops computational imaging and simulation techniques that can be applied in the lab and the field.

Amy Barber was joined by Dr. Pierce Longmire, a postdoctoral research assistant in the lab of BIO5 member Felicia Goodrum in the Department of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson. The overarching goal of the Goodrum lab is to understand how viruses can asymptomatically coexist within a human host. They study the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), using it as a model for defining and understanding interactions between viruses and their hosts that allow for the entry into and exit from latent states. Dr. Longmire works on HCMV interactions with the host DNA damage response. This research may lead to the creation of novel antiviral therapies for at-risk individuals, such as stem cell and organ transplant recipients. 

 Today we are joined by Dr.  Vanessa Buzzard, a senior research specialist at the University of Arizona School of Environmental and Natural Resources. Dr. Buzzard received her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona in 2017 where she focused on plant functional trait distribution, but has transitioned her studies from natural systems to urban environments. Today, she is a part of BIO5 member Laura Meredith’s lab where she questions the drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem function in relation to the effects of green infrastructure water management on soils in urban environments. Her research aims to quantify shifts in soil health in response to green stormwater infrastructure in Tucson. 

As we wrap up 2024, today’s special episode will be a reflection on the remarkable achievements of the University of Arizona researchers and the groundbreaking work at BIO5. Caroline Bartelme was joined by BIO5 Institute director Jennifer Barton to reflect on some highlights, exciting research updates, and what’s next on the horizon for this coming year. 

Amy Barber was joined by Ash Black, the director of AI & industry at the University of Arizona Institute for Computation & Data-Enabled Insight, to discuss his role coordinating AI outreach and building internships, jobs, and economic opportunities across Arizona. This institute provides training, education, collaboration, software licenses, and data to our researchers here at BIO5 and the U of A. Black works as a creative technologist and educator with an impressive record of innovation from the early internet to advanced technology, including AI and XR. As a specialist in student engagement, he uses experiential learning and pushes to use practical learning methods.

Identifying and understanding zoonotic diseases—infections that are spread between people and animals—can help predict future emergence risks, particularly in vulnerable populations. Combined with computational and data-based models, this research allows us to study potential diseases in the hopes of preventing outbreaks.

On this episode of Science Talks, Amy Barber is joined by Dr. Liliana Salvador, assistant professor of animal and comparative biomedical sciences, at the University of Arizona College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences. Dr. Salvador combines ecological, genomic, epidemiological, and movement data with computational and mathematical models to understand zoonotic diseases in wildlife, livestock, and humans. 

Students are an important part of the BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona and share in the success we achieve here. The different administrative departments within BIO5 look for ways to engage with students and train them on the business side of science. One of those departments is the Public Affairs department where students assist with communications and marketing projects, community and faculty events, and other special projects. One such project is our undergraduate internship program, the BIO5 Ambassadors.  

Amy Barber is joined on Science Talks by two of those BIO5 students(now University of Arizona alumni): Paulina Garza and Drew Seiser. They worked as Public Affairs student assistants and co-facilitated the BIO5 Ambassadors program. Garza graduated in May 2024 with a degree in management information systems and works in technology consulting. Seiser also graduated in May 2024 with her BS in cell and molecular biology and aims to pursue a PhD.  

Students are an important part of the BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona and share in the success we achieve here. The different administrative departments within BIO5 look for ways to engage with students as well as train them on the business side of science. One of those departments is the Public Affairs department where students assist with an array of communications and marketing projects, community and faculty events, and other special projects. One such project is our esteemed undergraduate internship program, the BIO5 Ambassadors. 

Today Amy Barber is joined by two of those very important BIO5 students (now University of Arizona alumni): Paulina Garza and Drew Seiser. They worked as Public Affairs student assistants and co-facilitated the BIO5 Ambassadors program. Garza graduated in May 2024 with a degree in management information systems and works in technology consulting. Seiser also graduated in May 2024 with her BS in cell and molecular biology and aims to pursue a PhD.

Air pollution, which has implications for human health particularly in urban areas, may be attributed to volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs in the atmosphere have various sources, but of rising concern are those originating from personal care items, cleaning products, and industrial solvents. 

Amy Barber and Caroline Bartelme were joined by Dr. Gemma Purser a 2024 BIO5 Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Laura Meredith’s lab in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences. Specializing in atmospheric and analytical chemistry, Dr. Purser works to further understand VOCs so we better understand how they impact urban green spaces and air quality. 

Dr. Gemma Purser left the University of Arizona at the end of June 2024. 

A chronic wound does not heal in an orderly set of stages or predictable amount of time. These wounds often remain in the inflammatory stage for too long, taking years to heal, or never healing at all. Biomedical research uses regenerative medicine, tissue repair, nanotechnology, and various biomaterials to target chronic injuries like this. It’s important for researchers to focus on targeting an anti-inflammatory response within molecules, using regenerative techniques to combat oxidative and inflammatory stressors that would otherwise exacerbate the healing process. 

For this episode of Science Talks, Amy Barber talks with Dr. Carlos Zgheib, an associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. Dr. Zgheib leads the Laboratory for Fetal and Regenerative Biology with Ken Liechty and is the surgeon-in-chief at Diamond Children's Medical Center at Banner’s Children.