2025-03-03
- Cholesterol is an essential lipid that plays a critical role in hormone production, digestion, and immune function. The ability to maintain a balanced level of cholesterol — known as cholesterol homeostasis — can influence tumor growth, progression, and immune response. High cholesterol levels have been associated with poor cancer prognosis.A new review paper from the lab of...
2025-03-02 - Shaped by a lifelong curiosity about the brain and a drive to make a tangible impact in medicine, Dr. Haneui Bae investigates the mechanisms and implications of liver dysfunctions in myotonic dystrophy. Recently, she received a two-year fellowship from the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation to support her research. Dr. Bae’s passion for neuroscience first emerged in high school after reading In...
2025-02-25 - Seven alumni of the University of Illinois College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, including two from the Department of Biochemistry, will be celebrated in April at the college’s 2025 alumni awards celebration.Congratulations to Michelle Craig Barton and Keith Westcott!Michelle...
2025-02-19 - Researchers from the University of Illinois have identified an RNA binding protein called MOV10 as a critical factor in memory formation and learning. Their findings, published this month in BMC Biology, will enhance scientists’ understanding of brain development and fear memory.The hippocampus is a small...
2025-02-18 - Biochemistry PhD candidate ‘Fola Adesanya has been awarded a 2025 predoctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association to support his research into the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of heart defects seen in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Adesanya studies how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the...
2025-02-07 - A new club at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign aims to bring together RNA researchers from across campus to share ideas, expertise, and cultivate collaborations. The RNA club is open to all, including faculty, research scientists, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduates. Anyone who has an interest in RNA...
2025-02-07 - Dr. Stephanie Ceman, Professor of Cell & Developmental Biology, has been honored with a College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. "We are honored and...
2025-02-06 - Dr. Lori Raetzman is a professor of molecular and integrative physiology whose research program focuses on understanding the role of cell-cell signaling during pituitary development. She is also the Associate Director for the School of MCB PhD Programs. She spoke with graduate...
2025-01-31 - Pallob Barai, a Cell & Developmental Biology PhD student in Dr. Jie Chen’s lab, is the 2024 recipient of the Tom and Cynthia Cycyota Research Fellowship. The School of MCB spoke with him for a feature in the 2024 Department of Cell & Developmental Biology...
2025-01-30 - Researchers from the University of Illinois have identified a key process coordinating liver maturation and polyploidization, a state in which cells carry more than two sets of chromosomes. Their findings, published in Genes and Development, provide insight into hepatocyte specialization that will aid efforts in regenerative medicine.The...
2025-01-30 - Johnny Plonsker, an MCB major and member of Dr. Xin Li's lab, is this year's recipient of the Tom and Cynthia Cycyota Research Fellowship. Communications intern and MCB Honors student Vani Sharma spoke with him for the Cell & Developmental Biology newsletter about his time at Illinois so far and plans for the future....
2025-01-23 - Dr. Sayeepriyadarshini “Sayee” Anakk is newly promoted professor of molecular and integrative physiology whose research program focuses on understanding liver metabolism in normal and diseased states. MIP graduate student Haichao Wang spoke with her for a feature in the 2024 Molecular &...
2024-12-12 - The human body is a stressful place for bacteria to live. They must defend against many chemical and physical stressors, in addition to the immune system. One major physical stressor is fluid flow, which constantly circulates in the bloodstream, urinary tract, and lungs. Research has traditionally ignored the impact of flow on bacteria because it is challenging to model in laboratory...
2024-12-09 - The School of Molecular & Cellular Biology celebrated the achievements of its community during this year’s annual holiday celebration. On Dec. 4, 2024, Milan Bagchi, Deborah Paul Endowed Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Director of the School of MCB, honored several faculty, staff, and graduate students with awards recognizing their contributions. Congratulations to this year'...
2024-12-09 - Researchers from the University of Illinois have reported complementary discoveries that will improve scientists’ understanding of immune systems in bacteria and equip clinicians with more effective options for treating antibiotic-resistant infections.Antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as superbugs are dangerous because they are difficult to treat and lead to increased mortality from otherwise...