Why study whiskers in mice? Humans don’t have whiskers

Sometimes an exciting research finding is quickly attacked by the internet because it was done #InMice. But some of the most exciting discoveries have resulted from studies  #InMice. And some things #InMice, like their lungs, hearts, livers, and bladders, are surprisingly more similar to humans than we may assume. It’s also just fun to learn … Continue reading Why study whiskers in mice? Humans don’t have whiskers

A recent uptick in the number of mRNA vaccines being tested in humans

After decades of heavy investment by our government and society in genetic research, we now sit at the precipice of a genetic revolution—fully eclipsing the current digital revolution. Surprisingly, the majority of mRNA therapies in human trials are targeting cancer.

Octopuses can teach us a lot

This past fall I found myself walking along the beach in the Gulf of Mexico searching for sea-shells and stumbled on an octopus at the edge of the tide. It was the first time I had ever seen the fascinating creature outside of the aquarium, and I almost instantly felt a rush of excitement. I … Continue reading Octopuses can teach us a lot

A virus is killing elephants, scientists are testing vaccines to help

February 17th 2022 Across the globe, an elephant specific virus called “elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus,” or EEHV, a herpesvirus that has killed more than 70 elephants in zoos across Europe and North America and groups of wild elephants. The virus was first documented in 1995 by a group of scientists and veterinarians at the Smithsonian’s National … Continue reading A virus is killing elephants, scientists are testing vaccines to help

Human mRNA vaccine trials in the 2010s? A history lesson in animal research

The recent mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 are the first of their kind, but they weren’t created overnight. RNA itself was discovered in the 1960s. Then, basic research in the 1970s paved the way for vaccine development in the 90s, optimization in the 2000s, clinical trials for influenza and rabies in the late 2010s