Knowing how to launch and navigate a successful college career is challenging even for the most astute students. For students who enter academia with little knowledge of what to expect, college can feel like a quagmire. This is often the case for first-generation students – those who are the first in their immediate family to […]
Biochemistry and Microbiology
Max Häggblom Recognized with Federation of European Microbiological Societies Special Merit Award
Max Häggblom, Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, is one of two long-standing editors-in-chief honored with a Federation of European Microbiological Societies Special Merit Award for his extraordinary support of students and early-career researchers in addition to his ongoing efforts in growing the impact of the journal, FEMS Microbiology Ecology. This […]
Rutgers Researcher Invents Microbiota Formula to Help High-Risk Patients Fight COVID-19
Clinical trial approved by the FDA starting in February A Rutgers scientist has invented an early treatment for COVID-19 to prevent severe complications and hospitalizations in patients with prediabetes and diabetes by increasing beneficial bacteria in the gut and reducing organisms that cause coronavirus. The treatment – created by researcher Liping Zhao – was given […]
Rutgers Co-sponsors Global Microbiome Network First Latin American Symposium
The first Global Microbiome Network Symposium was launched by Rutgers University, Peruvian Universities Cayetano Heredia, and Universidad Catolica and the Microbiota Vault – a global non-profit initiative to conserve long-term health for humanity. The virtual symposium, held January 15-17, brought together local and foreign scientists that lead the fields of microbiology, anthropology, ethics, public health and bioinformatics, to teach, learn and discuss the importance of conservation efforts on […]
How to Identify Heat-Stressed Corals
“Coral hospital” tool could help safeguard reefs facing climate change Researchers have found a novel way to identify heat-stressed corals, which could help scientists pinpoint the coral species that need protection from warming ocean waters linked to climate change, according to a Rutgers-led study. “This is similar to a blood test to assess human health,” said […]
In Memoriam: William Ward, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology
William (Bill) Ward, associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology succumbed to pancreatic cancer on November 3. He had retired from a 42-year career as a professor of biochemistry at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in January 2020. Ward earned his doctorate in biochemistry from Johns Hopkins University and joined the faculty of Rutgers University in 1977. He had an early interest in characterizing […]
How Did Red Algae Survive in Extreme Environments?
Rutgers-led team will study algae from hot springs worldwide, including in Yellowstone National Park. Red algae have persisted in hot springs and surrounding rocks for about 1 billion years. Now, a Rutgers-led team will investigate why these single-celled extremists have thrived in harsh environments – research that could benefit environmental cleanups and the production of […]
SEBS Leads with Number of Undergraduate Students Enrolled in Face-to-Face Instruction During the Pandemic
The School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) prides itself on giving students an education beyond the classroom. Living labs such as the Cook Farm, where each type of animal has its own practicum course, and the more familiar-looking laboratories (think petri dishes and pipettes) offer experiential learning outside of a traditional lecture hall. During […]
Bhattacharya Lab Analyzes Genome Sequence of Paulinella, Shedding Light on the Origin of Photosynthesis
Paulinella chromatophora, described in 1895 by the German zoologist Robert Lauterborn, is considered to be one of the first documented cases of endosymbiosis, that is, a “plant-like” cell living inside an “animal-like” cell. Therefore, Paulinella occupies a pivotal position in the endosymbiosis field. However, because this is a rare and difficult to culture single-celled organism, […]
Surprising Coral Spawning Features Revealed
When stony corals have their renowned mass spawning events, in sync with the moon’s cycle, colonies simultaneously release an underwater “cloud” of sperm and eggs for fertilization. But how do the sperm and eggs survive several hours as plankton, given threats from predators, microbes and stresses such as warming waters? A Rutgers-led team has discovered […]