Scientists at the University of British Columbia have discovered a gene that could be an important cause of obesity. The gene, which encodes a protein called 14-3-3zeta, is found in every cell of the body. But when scientists silenced the gene in mice, it resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in the amount of a specific kind of unhealthy…
Men’s and women’s ideas of the perfect mate differ significantly due to evolutionary pressures, according to a cross-cultural study on multiple mate preferences by psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin. The study of 4,764 men and 5,389 women in 33 countries and 37 cultures showed that sex differences in mate preferences are much larger than previously appreciated and…
Congratulations to Professor Soraya de Chadarevian, who was awarded an NSF grant for her book project, “Heredity under the Microscope: A History of Human Chromosomes.” This award, from the Science, Technology and Society section at NSF, will allow Dr. Chadarevian time to pursue work on her historical investigation of chromosomes in twentieth century life science.
An analysis of data on stomach acidity and diet in birds and mammals suggests that high levels of stomach acidity developed not to help animals break down food, but to defend animals against food poisoning. The work raises interesting questions about the evolution of stomach acidity in humans, and how modern life may be affecting both our stomach acidity and…
Congratulations to Assistant Professor Patrick Allard, who has received a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Innovation in Regulatory Science Award. This extremely competitive five-year award supports academic investigators who are addressing research questions that will lead to innovation in regulatory science, with ultimate translation of those results into improving the regulatory process. Read the full article here.
Those who are born to parents from diverse genetic backgrounds tend to be faster-thinking and taller than others, a new study led by Dr Peter Joshi of the University of Edinburgh has found. Dr Joshi and co-authors analyzed health and genetic information from more than 100 studies carried out around the world. These included details on more than 350,000 people from…