SciPod

Cancer, in all its forms, is one of the major causes of death across the world and we are in urgent need of more effective interventions for this global killer. Drugs used to treat diseases like cancer can be either synthetic in origin, semi-synthetic derivatives of natural products, or unmodified natural products. Dr Patrick Still and his team at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), conduct research to identify and biologically screen anti-cancer compounds derived specifically from plant materials. Studies involving structure elucidation and biological testing of compounds from plants have provided undergraduate research experiences for students across chemical and biological sciences majors on the CSUDH campus.

The manufacturing industry has long been central to the livelihoods of people in rural Wisconsin. Increasingly, however, the speed of change and innovation that many of these businesses need to incorporate to stay competitive are profound. This change, known as ‘Industry 4.0’, is being applied to businesses both large and small. In Western Wisconsin, the Trempealeau Valley Cooperative 2.0, Western Technical College and Ashley Furniture Industries are collaborating to develop a new educational model that will equip a new generation of students with the necessary skills to retain a cutting-edge manufacturing industry in the region.

It is a widely-accepted scientific fact that the motions of molecules increase as their temperature rises. However, Dr Masahito Oh-e at the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan has recently made a counterintuitive discovery in an organic semiconductor called ‘CADN’. Within a thin film of this material, his team has found that the motion of one part of the CADN molecule increases, while another part becomes more ordered as the temperature increases and approaches the material’s phase transition. This research is scientifically intriguing, but also has profound implications for improving display technologies based on organic semiconductor materials.

It’s a long-held belief that a series of dams in the Snake River in Northwest USA constructed nearly 50 years ago has led to serious declines in Chinook salmon populations. However, new research by Dr David Welch and his team from Kintama Research Services Ltd shows that survival of Chinook salmon measured by a wide range of government agencies has fallen by 65% along the whole North American West Coast over this period. These results have significant implications for informing conservation strategies to protect and restore this important species.

The discovery that the brain can change and reorganise itself revolutionised our understanding of neuroscience. Termed neuroplasticity, the field has seen an explosion of interest. An exciting form of plasticity has now been identified, in which neurons change their chemical communicator in response to environmental stimuli. Dr Nicholas Spitzer of the University of California, San Diego and his colleagues are looking to understand what causes this, what the effects are, and whether we can harness this exciting new facet of neurobiology to develop novel therapeutics for neurologic and psychiatric disorders.

Climate change and environmental degradation are increasingly threatening our ability to feed a burgeoning human population. Switching to agricultural practices that support beneficial soil microbes, and thus healthy soils, may help farmers achieve the yields required for continued food security. Dr Zachary Senwo from the College of Agriculture, Life and Natural Sciences at Alabama A&M University has spent over two decades exploring how agricultural management practices impact soil health. In an extensive new project, his team is investigating soil nitrogen cycling and the role of microbes in soil health.

Genetically modified crops can offer a range of environmental and health benefits, such as reduced usage of chemical pesticides, improved farm efficiency and crop yields, and an enhanced nutritional profile. Despite this, fears surrounding genetic modification have led to a lack of acceptance of these foods by many consumers, regulators, and governmental organisations. Dr Richard Goodman from the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is helping to shift the narrative around genetically modified crops, through his extensive work evaluating their safety.

Comparative optimism is the belief that negative events are  more likely to happen to others than oneself. Dr Sasha Scambler  and Dr Koula Asimakopoulou from King’s College London and  their colleagues have recently conducted research exploring how  the perceived controllability of events relating to COVID-19 in a  large sample of UK-based participants impacts upon their health  expectations and potential behaviour during the pandemic.

Digital technology can open up interesting possibilities for research, by enabling new public engagement initiatives and allowing researchers to easily reach out to countless individuals worldwide. Dr Anna Khlusova at Kings College London recently carried out a study commissioned by the Arts and Humanities Research Institute, investigating the impact of digitalisation on public engagement in humanities research. As part of her study, she analysed data gathered during three online initiatives, which were designed to promote public participation in research.

The occupied Palestinian territory has faced specific challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic due to the existing political, economic and social instability. Dr Weeam Hammoudeh and Professor Rita Giacaman from Birzeit University, and Dr Hanna Kienzler and Ms Kristen Meagher from King’s College London, have recently examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this complex situation. They propose that the pandemic should now be taken as an opportunity to work towards securing justice and freedom for Palestinians.