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.

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...

Catching up with Xin Li

headshot of Xin Li
Xin Li is an assistant professor of cell and developmental biology and was recently named a Lincoln Excellence for Assistant Professors (LEAP) Scholar. The Department of CDB caught up with Xin Li for its annual newsletter.

Researchers investigate neuron differentiation in fruit fly brains

Alokananda Ray, a postdoctoral researcher in the Li lab (left) with Xin Li, an assistant professor of cell and developmental biology.
The brains of all higher order animals are filled with a diverse array of neuron types, with specific shapes and functions. Yet, when these brains form during embryonic development, there is initially only a small pool of cell types to work with. So how do neurons diversify over the embryo’s...