What does Fragile X teach us about autism?

Cardiac surgery research drives recent grad

Cardiac surgery research is something recent Hopkins alumnus Tom Zhang has always wanted to do. Thanks to the Hibino Lab at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, his dreams of helping cardiac patients are being realized so soon after graduation.

iPhone 7 release draws controversy

On Sept. 7, Apple held a showcase for the new iPhone 7. However, the presentation was met with controversy. Much of this controversy revolves around the removal of the headphone jack and the functions of the home button.

Antidepressants may increase suicide risk

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a “black box” warning , the most serious type of warning, in Oct. 2004, alerting clinicians about the increased risk of suicidal ideation or suicidal behavior in children and adolescents treated with antidepressants.

Hopkins and Salk to screen bipolar drugs

Bipolar disorder affects approximately five million Americans, and researchers are continuing to seek out its genetic and molecular source. In order to advance the treatment options available to those suffering from bipolar and other similar disorders, scientists must first uncover more about the disease’s development and cause.

Dogs may be able to understand human speech

Your dogs may understand more than you give them credit for. A study conducted by researchers from Hungary has found that dogs can understand the meaning and intonation of words using brain regions similar to those that humans use.

Obesity threatens American lifespans

Recent studies have shown that Americans are living longer. However, this increased life expectancy may come hand in hand with an increase in years spent living with disability.

Researchers use ultrasound to help patient recover from coma

Neuromodulation techniques, as opposed to standard pharmacological methods, have enabled the direct and localized revitalization of malfunctioning neuronal circuits. Treatment via neuromodulation has been applied to various conditions including neurological disorders, chronic pain and, as of most recently, in disorders of consciousness.

Newly discovered planet may contain water

Proxima Centauri is the closest star to our planet (apart from the sun). It is located a little over four light years from our solar system. Proxima Centauri is invisible to the naked eye as it is not only further but also fainter than the Sun. This red dwarf sits near the Alpha Centauri AB, a binary pair of much brighter stars.

BrainWave’s golden rule for science

Uber tests self-driving cars in Pittsburgh

Imagine calling for an Uber only to find that a car pulls up with no driver at the wheel. While such an event may only seem possible in science fiction movies, the project is already underway in Pittsburgh, home of the hotbed for robotics, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), where Uber has been testing its self-driving technology.

Four Hopkins undergraduates receive grants

Four Hopkins students are taking major strides in the crusade to cure cancer. Each of the four students was awarded $5,000 and spent eight weeks this summer working on various research projects in the field of pediatric oncology.

Scientists create edible food packaging

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have recently been investigating forms of food packaging other than traditional plastic wrap. One alternative they have taken particular interest in is edible, biodegradable packaging made out of casein, a milk protein. Not only is this material insensitive to light, it is up to 500 times better than plastic at keeping oxygen out of the product, according to the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Hopkins researchers test Zika therapies

Although the first case of Zika was recorded in 1947, the virus only developed public and scientific interest many years later in 2015 when a pandemic outbreak began in South America. The outbreak spread to multiple regions worldwide. The disease is primarily spread through travelers who have been bitten by mosquitoes contamined by the virus and sexual contact between infected and uninfected people.

Vertical gardens appear in supermarket aisles

While it is a commonly known fact that maintaining a diet rich in vegetables is in our best interest, what is less well known are the energy and environmental costs of growing and transporting vegetables from the farm to our local supermarkets.

LSD found to change neuronal connectivity

It has recently been found that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) can have an influence on the brain’s connectivity between regions. LSD is a banned psychedelic drug that is derived from a poisonous ergot fungus. The drug can cause severe mood changes and altered states of awareness.

Three new mouse lemur species named

In the past 20 years the list of known mouse lemur species has grown from a measly two recognized species to 24. In fact, in the past year, three species were added to the list.

How to treat nervous system disorders

EEG imaging provides new method of personal identification

Recently a team of researchers from Binghamton University have discovered that humans have unique “brainprints,” which can be measured by using an electroencephalogram (EEG) to visualize the unique brain activity that occurs when different individuals are exposed to the same images. The researchers believe that their discovery could replace current security and identification methods such as fingerprint identification, retinal scans and DNA fingerprinting.