Biofuels could hold the key to greener, more environmentally sound energy, transportation, and product options. Scientists have already figured out how to engineer microbes’ metabolic pathways, turning them into tiny biofuel manufacturers. Now new research from Fuzhong Zhang, associate professor at the School of Engineering & Applied Science, further refines the process, joining together the […]
Multiple countries announced at the U.N. climate talks that they are committing to phase out coal as an energy source by 2030. But WashU Expert Pratim Biswas warns that a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t the most effective response to climate change. All U.N. countries need to take a holistic approach to energy choices, especially developing nations, […]
Sebastian Nasamu, an MD/PhD student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, battled successive bouts of malaria as a child growing up in Ghana. He survived – and has committed himself to eradicating the disease. Now Nasamu, Daniel Goldberg, MD, PhD, and colleagues have identified two crucial enzymes in the malarial parasite’s arsenal: […]
Malnutrition can be traced to poor-quality diets lacking in diversity, a recent phenomenon in evolutionary history, according to a new paper from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. The paper posits that a misalignment of modern diets and the genome has developed over time. They write that ultra-processed foods, particularly oils, flours, […]
In less than fifty years, global animal populations have declined by more than half. Extinction threatens one in five wild plant species, putting at risk supplies of food and medicines. Reversing this alarming trend will be critical to man’s survival. Washington University, the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Saint Louis Zoo are joining forces to […]
Washington University in St. Louis researchers have developed a test that uses nanotechnology to quickly detect the presence of the Zika virus in blood. Results are ready in minutes and test materials do not require refrigeration. Currently, testing for Zika requires that a blood sample be refrigerated and shipped to a medical center or laboratory, […]
Two Washington University researchers are furthering our understanding of plant biodiversity around the globe. The biodiversity gradient is the increase in species richness that occurs from the poles to the tropics. It is one of the most widely recognized patterns in ecology but no one is sure exactly why it exists. Because the phenomenon is […]
Exercise patience. Listen. Show interest. Make friends. Experts from across Washington University share tips on how to navigate interactions across cultures, backgrounds and experiences. “If we truly value other people’s opinions and believe that they have important ideas to offer, then we need to be patient enough to encourage them to participate.” – Edem Dzunu, […]
Three WashU 2017 grads share their vision for a world where the environment and the economy are healthy. Sustainability advocates Nick Annin, Elise Fabbro and Nicola Salzman all participated in the International Climate Negotiation Seminar, an advanced Environmental Studies course is for students who will represent Washington University at the United Nations COP (Conference of […]
A study conducted in Ecuador found that eating eggs significantly increased growth in young children and reduced stunting by 47 percent — a much greater effect than had been shown in previous studies. The study was co-authored by Lori Iannotti, a leading child-nutrition expert at the Brown School. It was published June 6, 2017 in […]