UNCW Center for Marine Science’s Post

Check out our new publication in STOTEN ! Hydra oligactis show widespread vulnerability to tumours! Link: https://lnkd.in/gP64BRSX In our lab, the CANECEV, we use freshwater hydras as a model to understand how tumour progression affects the ecology of species and ecosystem functioning. Until now, we only observed tumours in European hydras, leaving us uncertain whether this was a geographically specific phenomenon. Thus, we collected Hydra oligactis from Australia and raised them in the laboratory to see if they would develop tumours as well. After a few months in the lab, we found that Hydra oligactis from two separate Australian river networks developed tumours with similar cell proliferation and phenotypic alterations as those observed in Europe. Given the distinct differences between Australian and European ecosystems, this discovery opens up exciting possibilities for comparative analyses between the two continents. They are also particularly interesting because they develop vertically transmissible cancers!

Historic events have shaped our genome and as a result, can impact our disease risk. As an example, a series of four recent papers in Nature showed that ancient admixture from West Eurasians can explain the elevated risk of Multiple Sclerosis in Northern Europeans. I highly recommend reading the papers but if you are not ready for that level of commitment we've got you! Here is the News & Views piece that Lionel Pousaz and I wrote, summarising the main findings of these studies: https://lnkd.in/ekw_qQnK

Purple marsh crabs, the rototillers of the marsh! In a study out today in the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF)'s journal, Estuaries & Coasts, we apply some slick analyses of stable isotopes, molecular biomarkers and radionuclides to show that high density burrowing and grazing fronts formed by purple marsh crabs accelerate the decay of marsh vegetation-derived organic matter and prolong marsh tidal inundation. These findings highlight the need to better account for the effects of keystone grazers and sediment engineers, like purple marsh crabs, in estimates of the stability and size of blue C stores in coastal wetlands. Left image: the purple marsh crab (Sesarma reticulatum); Right image: crab grazing and burrowing fronts, delineated in black boxes, in a Georgia salt marsh where this study was conducted. https://lnkd.in/ek3J9nzM This study was led by Elise Morrison, Thomas Bianchi, William Kenney, Mark Brenner, Collin Ortals, PhD, Orlando Cordero, Sinead Crotty and myself and was funding by University of Florida seed funding. UF Center for Coastal Solutions

Found in a species with DNA not far from our own, Michay Diez from Stowers Institute for Medical Research uses fish to explore cures for human diseases. This image celebrates the chromosomes and genetic makeup of these model organisms and exemplifies the research of a group of human diseases known as ribosomopathies. Learn more about Michay’s piece, “Fish Chromosome”, the Science2Art initiative, and bid on your favorite piece here: https://lnkd.in/gcAd8R7C

Growing with Aeroponics, Aquaponics, and Hydroponics Chapter 7: Plant Growth and Development 7.1 Plant Physiology in Soilless Environments 7.2 Optimizing Growth Conditions 7.3 Managing Pests and Diseases (Visit Our Blog: https://lnkd.in/gtT8hkqG )

Scientists have made an intriguing discovery on Greenland's ice sheet: mysterious giant viruses! Previously found only in the ocean, these giant viruses might help slow down ice melting caused by algal blooms. The team from Aarhus University collected samples from various ice sheets and found DNA sequences matching known giant viruses. This groundbreaking research, published in the journal Microbiome, could offer new ways to combat ice melting. Stay tuned for more updates! 🌍 #GreenlandIceSheet #GiantViruses #AarhusUniversity #IceMelting #ScientificDiscovery #ResearchUpdate

🔬 Join #IUMS2024 for a crucial session on how microbes influence our planet's climate, public health, and viral immunopathogenesis. Discover groundbreaking research and engage with leading experts. Review the full program ➡️ https://bit.ly/4cR4Vw7 #Microbiology #Bacteriology

Olfactory Strategies in the Defensive Behaviour of Insects 📚included in the Special Issue "Recent Advances in Physiology of Insect Olfaction" 👉Access the paper: https://lnkd.in/eM6gmH7m #mdpiinsects #Olfaction

🚀 🍄 🔬 Weekly Research Spotlight 🚀🍄 🔬 Why aren't there commercial biological products to control rust fungal diseases? The answer lies in the limited characterization studies on their natural enemies. Without in-depth knowledge of these enemies—such as their species identity, diversity, geographic distribution, host-specificity, and mechanisms of action—we're far from harnessing them to combat rust diseases. In my recent research at Purdue University, I screened over 5,000 rust specimens for natural enemies. This extensive study was conducted using the world's most significant fungarium collection of rust fungi: The Arthur Fungarium. Each red dot on this world map represents a rust specimen I examined in search of potential biological control agents. 🧬 Join me as we delve deeper into this fascinating journey and explore how understanding natural enemies can revolutionize rust disease management! #BiologicalControl #RustFungi #Research #ScienceInnovation #PurdueUniversity

Our recent study linking ischemic stroke with oral microbiome dysbiosis is now published in #ISMECommunications. See here: https://lnkd.in/dcK9cJgq #Research #HealthScience #Microbiome #StrokeResearch #Research #IschemicStroke #Science #Health