[ ] For centuries, sugarcane has supplied human societies with alcohol, biofuel, building and weaving materials, and the world’s most relied-upon source of sugar. Now, researchers…
[ ] In Greek mythology, Zeus punishes the trickster Prometheus by chaining him to a rock and sending an eagle to eat a portion of his liver every day, in perpetuity. It was the right…
[ ] Science writer David Quammen will be at the University of Illinois to speak about his most recent book that features prominently the revolutionary work of microbiologist Carl R.…
[ ] Coral reefs have long faced problems like overfishing, global warming and pollution — but they’re also threatened by how slow they regenerate. To reproduce, coral release sperm…
[ ] Stiff microbial films often coat medical devices, household items and infrastructure such as the inside of water supply pipes, and can lead to dangerous infections. Researchers…
[ ] An Illinois Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the production of affordable, sustainable sources for market-…
[ ] Much like human society, microbial communities have a division of labor. In these complex groups of microorganisms, different microbes are responsible for different tasks, such as…
[ ] A geologist, a microscopist and a doctor walk into a lab and, with their colleagues from across the nation, make a discovery that overturns centuries of thought about the nature…
[ ] Bacteria are master engineers of small, biologically useful molecules. A new study in Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06083-7) has revealed one of the tricks of…
[ ] A workshop held at the IGB this summer set out to bridge the gap between research in animal development and research in animal behavior. The two-day workshop brought together…
[ ] It has been almost 20 years since the human genome was first sequenced, but researchers still know little about how the genome is folded up and organized within cells. In a new…
[ ] Ask Ruby Mendenhall about the scope of her activities, and you’re quickly overwhelmed. Ask her to illustrate how they all connect, and you’ll soon have a page full of circles,…
[ ] In a new study in cells, University of Illinois researchers have adapted CRISPR gene-editing technology to cause the cell’s internal machinery to skip over a small portion of a…
[ ] Researchers have developed a new method that aids in the process of making valuable compounds by using a unique combination of catalysts. A study published in Nature reported a…
[ ] The human genome is riddled with endogenous retroviruses – little pieces of degraded and generally harmless retrovirus DNA passed down through the generations, along with our own…
[ ] In 2009, Sandra Perry Sigman visited the University of Illinois campus with her husband David and son, Ryan. As an alumna of the School of Labor & Employment Relations…
[ ] For nearly 60 years, the red fox has been teaching scientists about animal behavior. In a long-term experiment, foxes at the Russian Institute of Cytology and Genetics have been…
[ ] This summer, a group of undergraduate students has teamed up with CABBI researchers to pursue an ambitious research project. Their work is in preparation for the International…
[ ] A new study reveals that all insects use specialized odorant receptors that enable them to detect and pursue mates, identify enemies, find food and – unfortunately for humans –…
[ ] After a primary tumor is treated, cancer stem cells may still lurk in the body, ready to metastasize and cause a recurrence of the cancer in a form that’s more aggressive and…