The Sci-Files on Impact 89FM

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Nick Ivanov. Information technology is ubiquitous, but it is not equally available to everyone - this phenomenon is known as the technological divide. One aspect of the technological divide is the ability to have a quality Internet connection in certain regions. Specifically, billions of people on Earth have no access to a reliable Internet connection or do not have access to any Internet connection at all. Unfortunately, most Internet Service Providers are lacking the incentive to cover sparsely populated and/or low-income regions - it is too costly and barely profitable for them. To address this problem, Nick and his team create a global decentralized wireless community network based on the novel blockchain technology. Their network allows small businesses and individuals to become Internet providers to deliver Internet to their communities. Moreover, their network uses a single account to connect to any provider participating in the network. Powered by blockchain technology, their Internet access network is the only network of this kind that is 100% decentralized, which means that no one owns it (including its creators). Moreover, they do not charge any fees for using this network, and no one, including Nick and his team, is able to shut it down. This allows to provide a fair community solution to the Internet access inequality, and thus help bridge the global technological divide.
If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube! 

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Moh Alhaj and Nicole Mancina.
Led by Dr. Ramani Narayan, the Biobased Materials Research Group (BMRG) design and engineer new biobased and biodegradable, compostable polymer materials and bioprocesses using agricultural crops and residues (i.e.: soybean, corn), lignocellulosic biomass, and algae. Bioplastics developed from these processes find commercial applications in films for plastic bags, thermoformed products, protective and insulation packaging, and biomedical applications. For the past three years, both Nicole and Moh have worked on developing value-added products from a biobased, biodegradable polymer called polylactide (PLA). As a potential alternative for petroleum-based plastics (i.e.: polyethylene, polystyrene), PLA can potentially reduce fossil fuels by ~3.50 million barrels a day, while also lowering energy demand and carbon emissions. In order to compete with today's market of commercial plastics, PLA's material properties must be enhanced depending on the commercial application. Using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, Nicole and Moh have developed pilot-scale techniques to mass-produce value-added products of PLA with varying material properties. The goal is to first test the feasibility of the material by developing it via lab scale, then scaling it up to a pilot-scale setup for mass production. Once the PLA product is developed, the group then characterizes its material properties using a variety of techniques. Thermal properties such as the melting temperature and crystallinity are characterized via differential scanning calorimetry, while mechanical properties such as the stiffness and elongation at break are characterized via tensile testing. Using a variety of materials characterization techniques, one can understand how the material behavior of PLA varies depending on its processing conditions. Based on this understanding, we can target specific applications for our PLA products.
If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube! 

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Avery Tilley from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Avery's interest in conservation medicine, wildlife disease, and public health spurred him to investigate if white-tailed deer could be used to predict West Nile virus risk to humans. With recent studies discussing how certain species can act as a warning or monitoring system for various diseases, Avery's research is investigating if white-tailed deer might be able to serve as one such monitoring species for West Nile virus. By utilizing a GPS collared deer, the deer's blood serum, and some various computer software, Avery can determine where infected deer spend more time, lending insights into what habitats and locations might have a higher risk for West Nile virus in the coming seasons. Make sure to listen in order to better understand how Avery is using the white-tailed deer to predict West Nile virus risk to humans and what this might mean for the future of disease monitoring.
If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube!

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Gia Haddock. Gia is a senior Fisheries and Wildlife student at MSU. Having an interest in disease, amphibians, and sociology, Gia combined the three with their undergraduate research. They study the current behaviors, knowledge, and opinions of those involved in the amphibian pet trade through the lens of disease spread. Currently, we are in a sixth mass extinction, with amphibians one of the most imperiled groups. One of these reasons is the human movement of lethal amphibian-targeting fungi, Bsal and Bd. There have been previous bans on amphibian and exotic species imports that have been overturned, but a new ban is being discussed now. This has been met with much disdain from the pet trade community. 

Gia has spent two years developing interview protocol, creating relationships with the pet trade, and conducting interviews. There is a trend in legislation and management decision-making to make choices without recognizing the voices of those that their decisions will affect. Gia aims to use their research to inform decision-making in regards to limiting the spread of disease in the pet trade. They hope their work will contribute to creating better representation, trust, collaboration, and transparency in the pet trade world.
If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube! 

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Alex J. Roy. Alex is a dual-enrolled BS/MS student in Lyman Briggs and the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics. He works in the Neubig Lab in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology.
Alex studies the mechanisms of an ultra-rare genetic disorder called GNAO1 Encephalopathy. Patients, of which there about 200 known, begin showing combinations of developmental delay, movement disorders, and epilepsy in early childhood. They have mutations in the gene GNAO1, which codes for a subunit of the G-protein Go. It is the most expressed membrane protein in the central nervous system.
The problem is that Go is barely understood compared to other G-proteins like Gs and Gi. At the same time, it is known to affect neurotransmission in many ways: development, excitability, and neurotransmitter release. Thus, untangling why certain patient mutations lead only to movement disorders or epilepsy while others cause both is very difficult.
The Neubig lab has pioneered the development of mouse models of GNAO1 disorders, invaluable tools for solving this puzzle. Alex is probing their neuroanatomy to look for defects that might help explain-- or even suggest a cure for--  these burdensome disorders.
If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube! 

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Stavros Vakalis. Stavros' research is about advancing millimeter-wave imaging. Millimeter-wave imaging is used in many applications that require "see-through" capabilities. The most famous example is the airport security screening, which cannot take place using a traditional camera. Millimeter-waves can easily pass through clothing and detect weapons and contraband. However, current millimeter-wave imaging systems are quite expensive and require long scanning times that for example cause the long lines in the airport screening process. This research aims to overcome these inefficiencies and build a high-speed millimeter-wave camera. If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube! 

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Thilani Jayakody and Jacob Jensen. Thilani is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology program working on applications of genome editing for crop improvement in cultivated potato in Dr. Dave Douches’ Potato Breeding and Genetics Program. Jacob is a recent graduate of the Genomics and Molecular Genetics BS program and has assisted with research in the potato breeding program for over two years.
Genome editing has emerged as a powerful technology to enable sequence-specific alterations and has revolutionized our ability to easily and efficiently stack desirable traits in plants. Since the advent of CRISPR/Cas9, the field of genome editing is rapidly evolving, with goals of creating genome editing tools with new applications and increased specificity. Specificity is an important quality to consider when selecting a tool, as the potential of off-target mutations can have deleterious effects. In addition, the regulatory trigger in the United States for genetically engineered crops is based on whether it can be deemed substantially equivalent to one that was conventionally bred. Therefore, it is important to test newly developed tools for their genome-wide effects in order to create informed decisions before pursuing the regulatory process. To address this, the project aims to compare the frequency, location, and impact of off-target mutations from emerging genome editing tools in cultivated potatoes.
If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube! 

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Erika Buhk. Due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic, many Americans are wearing masks in public to slow the spread. Many people question whether the masks actually do anything. Erika researched how the fabric of disposable masks breaks down with use by placing them under a high-level microscope (scanning electron microscope). She used the pictures taken on the microscope and research on how face masks work to show how important it is to be taking care of masks properly in order to prevent getting, or spreading, illnesses like COVID-19. If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube!

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Geeta Kumari. Geeta is a joint doctoral program student in the department of chemical engineering and materials science. Her research focuses on metals and a mixture of metals (alloy). She is working on a particular type of alloy called superalloy, which comprises eighteen different elements together. “Superman is fiction, but superalloy is for real,” she says. Superalloy can survive an extreme environment such as high temperature and stress without losing its strength. The primary application can be in flight engines and nuclear reactors. She is working to improve its strength further so that it can withstand higher temperatures. The improved strength will increase the flight engine’s efficiency and reduce the overall cost of flying. To achieve this, she heats her alloy in the laboratory furnace to change its internal structure, resulting in a strength change. It is similar to cooking or baking in the kitchen, like how you come up with a perfect dish or cake recipe. She is looking for her recipe to have a stronger superalloy. To observe the internal changes after heating, she uses sophisticated instruments to look at a highly magnified scale.  If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube! 

On this week’s The Sci-Files, your hosts Chelsie and Danny interview Varshini Perumal. Varshini is a 2nd-year undergraduate student studying neuroscience at the College of Natural Science. She has been doing Alzheimer's research at the Department of Translational Neuroscience in the MSU College of Human Medicine for around 1.5 years, assisting Dr. Gordon's research.
For the past year, Varshini Perumal has been working to investigate the presence of specific proteins present in the brain of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease contributing to cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is a phenomenon characterized by a cell’s inability to progress through the cell cycle.  Senescent cells secrete inflammatory mediators and could contribute to aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of her experiment was to investigate whether cellular senescence occurs in the brain during aging and if cellular senescence is associated with neurofibrillary tangles caused by the protein TAU’s presence. The lab has previously demonstrated that these mice develop an age-dependent accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles. In order to do so, she used transgenic mice that over-express the Alzheimer’s disease-associated protein TAU. This experiment suggests that Alzheimer’s patients expressing more TAU would show more cellular senescence, leading to increased neurodegeneration in the brain.
If you’re interested in talking about your MSU research on the radio or nominating a student, please email Chelsie and Danny at [email protected]. Check The Sci-Files out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube!