DURHAM, N.C. -- Health officials warn that drug resistance could wipe out recent progress against malaria, particularly in Africa and southeast Asia. Now, researchers looking for other ways to fight the mosquito-borne parasites that cause the disease have zeroed in on a potential new target: biological clocks. Most living things have internal clocks that govern fluctuations in everything from hunger and hormone levels to when genes are active throughout the day. In a study published June 6 in the journal Proceedings of… read more about Biological Clocks of People and Malaria Parasites Tick in Tune »
DURHAM, N.C. -- Researchers studying a group of widespread but often overlooked microbes have identified a climate feedback loop that could accelerate climate change. But it’s not all bad news: this one comes with an early warning signal. Using a computer simulation, a team of scientists from Duke University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, showed that most of the world’s ocean plankton and many other single-celled creatures in lakes, peatlands and other ecosystems could cross a threshold where instead of… read more about Little-Known Microbes Could Help Predict Climate Tipping Points »
The first day of the inaugural Duke Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows’ weeklong workshop series is wrapping up when Alex Glass assigns homework to the assembled faculty participants: “Before tomorrow, I challenge you to come up with a topic from your course that you think doesn’t relate to climate change at all. Tomorrow we’ll discuss ways it does.” The Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows Program may be new, but for its three faculty co-leads — Charlotte Clark, Associate Professor of the Practice of… read more about For the Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows, the Connections are Myriad »
Five members of the Class of 2024 have been named to the third class of Nakayama Scholars. The Nakayama Public Service Scholarship bolsters the university’s efforts to encourage students to use their Duke experience to engage with significant challenges facing communities around the world. The students represent multiple disciplines across Duke’s academic departments as well as a variety of future careers pursuits. Juniors Nhu Bui, Grace Endrud, Jacob Hervey, Chloe Nguyen and Ronit Sethi were chosen for their… read more about Duke Names Third Class of Nakayama Scholars »
DURHAM, N.C. -- Decades of research show that experiencing traumatic things as a child -- such as having an alcoholic parent or growing up in a tumultuous home -- puts you at risk for poorer health and survival later in life. But mounting evidence suggests that forging strong social relationships can help mitigate these effects. And not just for people, but for our primate cousins, too. Drawing on 36 years of data, a new study of nearly 200 baboons in southern Kenya finds that adversity early in life can take years off… read more about Adult Friendships Can Triumph Over Childhood Trauma, Even in Baboons »
DURHAM, N.C. -- What makes some cancer cells stay put while others break loose and spread through the body? A new study of C. elegans worms may hold some clues. Researchers at Duke University have put together what they say is the first complete “parts list” for a cell caught in the act of tunneling through the tissue barriers that normally keep cells in place. Understanding this process is important because it’s the first step in metastasis, when cancer becomes more deadly and difficult to treat, said senior… read more about Creating a ‘Parts List’ for Cancer’s Spread, With Help From a Worm »
The initial round of the Duke Climate Research Innovation Seed Program (CRISP) will fund 12 teams of Duke University scholars to accelerate research on sustainable, equitable solutions to climate change and its effects. The teams have collectively been awarded $643,000 to investigate wide-ranging topics such as lower-cost, higher-efficiency solar cells; subsidies for energy-saving home renovations; the environmental, health and justice impacts of mining critical raw materials; and pastoral care for climate change. During… read more about Twelve Research Teams Launching Projects to Advance Duke Climate Commitment Priorities »
The National Academy of Sciences on Tuesday announced the election of 120 new members and 23 international members in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Established by an Act of Congress signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, the NAS is charged with providing independent, objective advice to the nation on matters related to science and technology. Duke’s three new members join 31 other members of the National Academy of Sciences on the Duke faculty.… read more about Two Trinity Faculty Elected to National Academy of Sciences »
Each year, Duke Service-Learning recognizes students, faculty and community partners with the Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Awards. Betsy Alden was a pioneer in service-learning, beginning her work at Duke during the 1980s. Read more about the legacy of Betsy Alden HERE. Recipients are chosen because they represent an exceptional commitment to the ideals of service‐learning. Each winner receives $150 to further develop his/her community-building and leadership skills. They are also recognized at the… read more about 2023 Alden Award Winners Represent Exceptional Commitment to Service-Learning »
Biology and Theater Studies junior Emi Hegarty came to Duke with a plan to major only in Biology with a focus on genetics and genomics, but it was the course “Mechanisms of Animal Behavior” with Professor Stephen Nowicki that rekindled her interest in animal systems.“I love thinking about biology through more of an animal-focused lens,” she says.More specifically, her lens is focused on equine kinematics. With a love for horses that can be traced back to eighth grade, Hegarty worked at a barn during high school, helping to… read more about Biology Student Builds Communications Chops Thanks to Theater »
Hidden in an inconspicuous building behind French Family Science Center lie powerful weapons in our fight against climate change: plants. Not just any plants, though. Plants from the past, and plants from the future. The basement of this building houses a treasure trove of data in the form of carefully labelled and organized specimens. These desiccated plants, part of the Duke Herbarium, provide researchers with a snapshot of what species and ecosystems looked like before climate… read more about Climate Lessons from Plants, Past to Future »
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke Assistant Professor of Biology Jean-Philippe Gibert has been selected to receive an early career award for his work on tiny organisms that could have a big effect on carbon dioxide release worldwide. Found in virtually all environments on Earth, single-celled organisms called protists “likely play an important role in the global carbon cycle that ultimately fuels climate change,” Gibert says. That’s because of what protists like to eat. They gobble up bacteria, which release carbon dioxide… read more about Duke Biologist Who Studies Microbial Food Webs, Climate Change Receives Early Career Award »
After teaching about climate change for 18 years, Emily Bernhardt knows how difficult the subject is for students. “When you say, ‘let’s talk about climate change,’ they don’t feel great,” said Bernhardt, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Biology, last week at the Academic Council. “The topic overwhelms people. They end up feeling more sad in these discussions when you start with the science, saying ‘it’s a lot worse than you think.’” Duke’s Climate Commitment is beginning to change that, said Bernhardt and a… read more about Faculty Exchange Ideas on Duke’s Climate Commitment in Academic Council »