By Zyara Morton, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

In 1980’s Britain, farmers across the country were reporting abnormal, concerning behaviors in their cattle. The cattle in question were exhibiting mood swings, lack of coordination, posture abnormalities, and sensory disturbances; such as sudden twitching. It was not long until this mysterious behavior was tied to a disease known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, more commonly known as, “Mad Cow” disease. The disease ravaged farms of cattle, and in 1996, the first human version of the disease, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (cCJD) turned out to be fatal. This tragedy plunged the public into a spiral. What diseases can be spread from humans to animals? How can we protect against this? The following blog will dive into the culprit behind Mad Cow disease, and its perplexing nature, even in modern day — prions.

By Vinchenzo Vassalotti, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

Much like a sponge, our experiences growing up, the people we meet, and the media we consume are all absorbed into our sense of self, values, and behavior. These values and how we express them, formally known as “attitudes”, are developed with and without intention. The intentional attitudes, those that we can outwardly express, are known as “explicit attitudes”. These attitudes are often expressed, via actions or verbal expressions, when one can give them thought and respond in a way that they perceive reflects their values or beliefs. “Implicit attitudes”, however, are buried deep within our unconscious. These attitudes are often expressed without thought and are spontaneous – formed in previous experiences and other uncontrollable influences.

By Zyara Morton, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Continue reading “The Magic of the Firefly: Why Do Fireflies Glow?”

By Erin Scheg, C2ST Intern, Loyola University

The Great Lakes provide water for more than 40 million people, generate jobs for more than 1.5 million people, and are home to more than 3,500 plant and animal species. In early July 2024, the governors of Illinois and Michigan signed an agreement to cosponsor the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. This landmark project aims to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species, especially Asian carp. Invasive species are defined as non-native species to the ecosystem whose presence causes economic, environmental, or human health. Asian carp are native to Eastern Asia and were introduced to North America in the 1970s to assist with pest control in aquaculture facilities. Aquaculture facilities are aquatic farms where fish are grown and harvested for sale. These carp escaped into the wild from the aquatic farms on the Mississippi River and have been heading north, which poses a major threat to the native Great Lakes ecosystems.

Continue reading “Invaders from the Mississippi River: Illinois and Michigan Unite to Protect the Great Lakes”

By Danielle Rodriguez, C2ST Intern, Waubonsee Community College

A few months back, I was in class when a nearby friend offered me a ZYN. They pulled out a small circular tin, opened it, and revealed 10-20 pillow-looking pouches. I politely declined, as I had no idea what these things were. After class, I did a little research. When I mention the topic of ZYNs to anyone above a college-age group, they often have not heard of this product. The recent increase in ZYN usage amongst my peers has inspired me to write this article and inform more people about what ZYNs are and the risks they pose.

Continue reading “ZYNs: How Nicotine is Infiltrating the New Generation”

By Ariane Tsai, C2ST Intern, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Institute for Genomic Biology

Hello fellow cells,

If you are reading this, you must be interested in learning about cancer! My name is Tumor Cell, and I am the President of this Cancer Cell Club. We had our first meeting last Monday where we introduced the executive board members. In case you missed the meeting, I have attached the slides introducing the members below. They are all hardworking cells like me who play a role in sustaining cancer in the human body! Now, if you are interested in contributing more (as a member or as an executive member), please do not hesitate to contact me. We are always looking for more enthusiastic members to join the club!

That’s all for now! I hope you all can make it to our next weekly meeting. As always, look out for the cells orchestrating the anti-cancer movement. Since the founding of this club, immune cells (T cells, B cells, macrophages, etc.) have officially declared war on us. So stay vigilant and safe out there!

Best,

Tumor Cell, President of the Cancer Cell Club