Fetal exposure to PCBs affects hearing health later in life

Photo of Dan Llano sitting in front of a microscope and computer.
Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology found that early exposure to an environmental chemical called polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, made it more difficult for mice to recover from sound-related trauma sustained later in life.

Beckman Institute announces 2023 fellowship, award recipients

Wide exterior shot of the Beckman Institute on a summer day.
Twelve students have been selected to receive 2023 Beckman Institute fellowships and awards. The awards, which fund interdisciplinary research that takes place over the summer, will be celebrated at a poster session on July 28, 2023.

Novel Compound May Block Certain Forms of Aggressive Cancer

Benita Katzenellenbogan and John Katzenellenbogen
University of Illinois scientists Benita Katzenellenbogen, Swanlund Professor of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, and John Katzenellenbogen, Swanlund Professor of Chemistry, have developed a new compound with efficacy in suppressing tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis of...

Illinois to co-lead new CZ Biohub in Chicago

Illustration of an instrumented tissue mimic
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has been chosen to lead the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago – a new biomedical hub – along with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. The three-university team was selected to lead the new biomedical hub as part of a competitive...

Research: Reading for pleasure can strengthen memory in older adults

Exterior of Beckman Institute at nighttime. Lights in the building are on and trees along path to the building are illuminated.
Researchers at the Beckman Institute, with help from the Champaign Public Library, investigated the potential benefits of reading in improving memory. They found that regular, engaged leisure reading can strengthen memory skills in older adults, laying the groundwork for better practices in...