Mind Over Allergies
‘Anti-oxidants’, ‘super-foods’, ‘immune-health’ are all labels that you are likely to find plastered on anything these days from avocados to juice smoothies. What these labels actually mean for promoting a … Continue Reading →
The Deep End: BAASICS 3
I have a long standing interest in neuropsychiatric illness, a term that includes a diverse set of mental disorders including depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, autism, personality disorders, Down’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s, and … Continue Reading →
Young Dubliners
They say that St. Paddy’s day brings out the Irish in all of us…well, I’m here to inform you that at the Young Dubliners concert, everyone is Irish, too. For … Continue Reading →
Naked Soul
When it comes to music, it becomes difficult for me to know where exactly to start. Some of my favorite more mainstream artists that I always insist people check out … Continue Reading →
Mind-Bending Parasite Permanently Quells Cat Fear in Mice
Brain Parasites! National Geographic science writer Ed Yong reports on my newest research.
Low-virulence Strains of Toxoplasma gondii
My graduate studies at University of California Berkeley have revealed that the brain parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, has an unexpected ability to cause a permanent loss of fear of cat urine … Continue Reading →
Nicaragua HEROs 2013
In January 2013, a group of doctors, nurses, veterinarians, dental specialists, firefighters, carpenters, and other volunteers traveled to Jiquillio, Nicaragua. Based out of Monty’s Beach Lodge, we spent 10 days … Continue Reading →
Brazil – Biology of Parasitism
In November 2012, the University of Sao Paulo and the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole funded a week long intensive Biology of Parasitism course in Juquehy, Sao Paulo Brazil. … Continue Reading →
Reduced Levels of Serotonin 2A Receptors
Studying the Schizophrenia mouse-model, Egr3 deficient mice, we discovered that serotonin receptors may play a role in the biological differences between drug reactions in wild-type versus mutant mice.
Evolutionary Bridges
We continued studying the ‘chameleon sequence’ and with a breakthrough were able to extend the sequence to cover the entire C-terminal, structurally divergent domain of the Cro proteins.