News Archive

[ 2020-03 ] As we all adjust to new health recommendations and wellness practices we may be finding ourselves at home much more than ever before. Here at the IGB we want to connect with…

[ 2020-04 ] Cells will ramp up gene expression in response to physical forces alone, a new study finds. Gene activation, the first step of protein production, starts less than one millisecond…

[ 2020-03 ] Researchers have developed a triad of innovative tools to engineer low-pH-tolerant yeast Issatchenkia orientalis for production of valuable bioproducts from renewable biomass. A…

[ 2020-03 ] Researchers have developed the first computational model of a human cell and simulated its behavior for 15 minutes – the longest time achieved for a biological system of this…

[ 2020-03 ] A bacterial protein fragment instigates lung tissue death in pulmonary fibrosis, a mysterious disease affecting millions of people worldwide, according to a new study from…

[ 2020-03 ] Updated March 24, 2020 Upon review of the current state of affairs and the shelter-in-place order from Governor Pritzker, as well as considering decisions made in other academic…

[ 2020-03 ] Like many industries, big data is driving innovations in agriculture. Scientists seek to analyze thousands of plants to pinpoint genetic tweaks that can boost crop production—…

[ 2020-03 ] The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has awarded grants to support the work of fifteen scientists as part of the Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative investigator program.…

[ 2020-03 ] Over the years, the democratization of synthetic biology for the production of food has led to products like the Impossible burger, a burger impostor that uses plant tissues…

[ 2020-03 ] Influenza, SARS and COVID-19 are all zoonotic diseases, readily transmitted from animals to humans. The viruses that cause these diseases also share traits that allow them to…

[ 2020-03 ] Rice is a direct source of calories for more people than any other crop and serves as the main staple for 560 million chronically hungry people in Asia. With over 120,000…

[ 2020-03 ] Please note due to travel restrictions, our Distinguished Public Lecture has been postponed. We will reschedule and announce the new date when it is available. Do fruit flies…

[ 2020-03 ] Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis affect millions of people worldwide and yet, there exist no known cures. Multiple…

[ 2020-02 ] Roughly 80% of people with myotonic dystrophy – a common form of muscular dystrophy – experience dangerous heart ailments, and heart rhythm defects are the second-leading cause of…

[ 2020-02 ] With a new CRISPR gene-editing methodology, scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign inactivated one of the genes responsible for an inherited form of…

[ 2020-02 ] Komorebi is a Japanese word that describes how light filters through leaves—creating shifting, dappled “sunflecks” that illustrate plants’ ever-changing light environment. Crops…

[ 2020-02 ] As part of a campus-wide initiative to increase diversity, a collaboration with Fisk University was recently approved for an additional five years of continued financial support…

[ 2020-02 ] For Martha Loustaunau, the University of Illinois will always be known as a stop on her walk of life where she met late husband Joaquin Loustaunau, with whom she later shared an…

[ 2020-02 ] Five years ago, a team of computer scientists, biomedical researchers, and bioinformaticians set out to bring the power of collective knowledge to genomic research. Their new…

[ 2020-01 ] University of Illinois Provost Andreas C. Cangellaris held the investiture of Stephen P. Long as the Stanley O. Ikenberry Chair Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences on Jan…