SciPod

For many years, Dr Matthew Boisen, Director of Diagnostics Development at Zalgen Labs, has focussed on trying to understand Lassa fever. Part of the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium, his group’s objectives are threefold: first, to develop fast and accurate diagnostics for Lassa fever; second, to design new therapeutic approaches; and third, to create an effective vaccine providing long-term protection against this condition.

Research into animal fear typically utilises laboratory techniques based on Pavlovian fear conditioning, but these approaches are limited. Professor Jeansok Kim, from the Department of Psychology, University of Washington (USA) has developed a much more realistic way to study fear that closely mimics risky conditions in the wild. New discoveries by Professor Kim and his team are challenging existing paradigms and providing exciting insights into the underlying brain mechanisms of fear in both animals and humans.

To accomplish even a simple goal, our brain must coordinate thousands of pieces of information, remember which parts are relevant, and ignore anything that is extraneous. Professor Mark D’Esposito of the University of California, Berkeley, studies how different parts of the brain work together to create working memory, the cognitive system that temporarily and actively holds information in mind allowing us to complete complex tasks.

The brain is the most mysterious organ in the human body – despite decades of research, we have just begun to scratch the surface in understanding how the brain works and how we can help it to heal following an injury. Professor Mark D’Esposito of the University of California, Berkeley, uses advanced imaging technology to illuminate how the connections in our brain function in order to find new ways to aid brain healing after injury.

The US dairy industry has undergone major restructuring over the past couple of decades, with growing herd sizes and an increased reliance on labour from outside the family. These changes have brought about new challenges to prevent infectious diseases among cattle. To address these challenges, a team led by Professor Ronald Erskine of Michigan State University created a ‘hands on’ farm evaluation and an education program for dairy veterinarians.

  Our nervous system has such an important function in our body that neurons have their own bodyguards. Known as glial cells, they protect brain cells against injury and prevent damage. Dr Mary Logan and Dr Sean Speese, both based at the Jungers Center for Neuroscience Research, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, USA, want to understand how these glial cells sense and respond to neuronal stress and damage in the adult brain.

Dr Oliver Opel of the West-Coast University of Applied Sciences in Germany reports on how Leuphana University was transformed into a climate-neutral and environmentally sustainable campus. In the face of accelerating climate change, this exemplary case study provides guidance to other universities and institutions that also wish to become leaders in climate action. 

Global market demands for forest-risk commodities such as soy, palm oil, beef, rubber, metals, minerals, gemstones and fossil fuels from Central and South America, Africa and Asia have increased significantly over the past 20 years, representing over four trillion US dollars in 2016 alone. Driven by the over-consumption of a small number of consumer nations, this global trade is responsible for the permanent conversion of native forests into monocultures and pastures, leading to polluted, fragmented and degraded habitats that are unsuitable for wildlife. 

Water heating and cooling systems have become incredibly efficient in recent years, but unfortunately, their pipes and components provide ideal environments for corrosion. Dr Oliver Opel at the West Coast University of Applied Sciences in Germany explores the reasons why this corrosion problem appears to be growing. His team’s work could soon provide engineers with updated techniques to tackle corrosion in modern heating and cooling systems, which could prove critical in ensuring that new, energy-efficient buildings continue to operate smoothly. 

Cannabis is a plant that remains largely stigmatised, along with people who consume or condone it. However, Dr Andrea Holmes and her colleagues at Precision Plant Molecules are revealing the numerous hidden benefits of cannabis, when processed with precision. This Colorado-based company is using advanced chemical and analytical techniques to isolate naturally produced medicinal compounds and tailor effective medicines for its global consumer base.