With their unique structures and breathtaking colors, coral reefs are one of the world’s most inspiring and appreciated natural wonders. They’re also greatly threatened by environmental stressors associated with climate change, including sea temperature rise and ocean acidification. Some coral species are less sensitive to these climate shifts than others, and scientists have been trying to pinpoint the causes of their resilience in hopes of better managing reefs in the future. Naturally, most research in this field is happening in coastal regions. But Andrea Grottoli, professor at The Ohio State University School of Earth Sciences, is conducting some of the world’s leading research on coral resilience — right here in Ohio. Traditionally,…
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Efforts continue to suppress antibiotic-resistant salmonella in Ethiopia
In the diverse sub-Saharan ecosystems of Ethiopia, interaction between humans and animals is part of daily life. This reality is likely a key player in the spread of infectious bacteria like salmonella, which is capable of interspecies transmission. And when frequent human-animal interaction is combined with mal/under-nutrition, subpar sanitation, an HIV/AIDS epidemic and the misuse of antibiotic drugs, the progression of salmonellosis (salmonella infection) in Ethiopia becomes an issue of global significance. Dr. Wondwossen Gebreyes, professor and director of Global Health Programs at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, has led a research initiative addressing infectious disease in Ethiopia since 2011. One of the initiative’s goals is to…
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Nearing vaccine for virus behind most foodborne-illness outbreaks in U.S.
Human norovirus is contracted by 21 million people per year in the U.S., and is responsible for more than 60 percent of annual foodborne-illness cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of norovirus infection include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and dehydration that can last up to several weeks. The virus is resistant to commonly used disinfectants and easily transmitted through food, water or close contact. Since its discovery in 1968, regular outbreaks have occurred in crowded spaces such as schools, restaurants and cruise ships. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for norovirus, and several factors prevent it from being extensively studied. Since the virus doesn’t…
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Working toward a cure for HIV
There are 36.9 million people worldwide living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, more than ever, a cure for HIV is in sight, thanks to researchers like Dr. Sanggu Kim, assistant professor of veterinary biosciences at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Kim obtained a PhD in biomedical engineering in 2007, and became an Ohio State faculty member in January. He has been studying HIV infection for 14 years, and was recently awarded a three-year, $747,000 grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institution to continue his research on the virus. Today, the standard treatment for HIV is antiretroviral…
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Hearts of infant mice have self-healing abilities, researchers look closer
Did you know that some amphibians and fish have hearts that regenerate muscular tissue cells following injury? This healing mechanism, called cardiac regeneration, is sustained throughout the creatures’ lives. But for humans and other mammals, the heart’s reparative ability is confined to a small window of time during infancy. For mice, studies have shown that this window of time is about seven days. The heart of an infant mouse will self-repair in response to damage during this period, after which the capacity for cardiac regeneration is lost. Sylvie Cohen, second-year student at Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine closely examined cardiac regeneration processes in one-day-old mice this summer at the…
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Studying effects of Toxoplasma gondii on mice
An estimated 30 percent of the world is infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, including 60 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mary Carter, second-year student at Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, spent her summer at Stanford University studying the molecular underpinning of the parasite and its infectious processes in mice. “T. gondii is a very complex and successful parasite,” Carter said. “We’re still trying to figure out how it infects such a broad range of hosts while simultaneously altering the host’s immune response to avoid detection.” The parasite causes a condition called Toxoplasmosis, which can cause a range of issues…
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Health & Habitat analysis of endangered Ohio rattlesnakes
This summer, second-year student at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Katie Backus completed a comprehensive health analysis of massasauga rattlesnakes in partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The data will be studied along with land use and habitat condition. Eastern massasauga rattlesnakes dwell in northeastern regions of the U.S., including Ohio. The species has been a candidate for the Federal Endangered Species Act since 1999, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The decline of massasauga rattlesnake populations is mostly due to human and agricultural activity as well as habitat loss or destruction. The snakes typically inhabit wetland areas. The research team tracked and…
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Acute Lung Injury in influenza patients
Patients with severe cases of influenza sometimes develop Acute Lung Injury (ALI), a highly damaging condition that can be fatal. Treatment options are limited. MicroRNA (miR) are non-coding RNA molecules that take part in the regulation of gene expression, and they’ve been observed to act abnormally in inflammatory diseases, some forms of cancer and more. Last summer, third-year veterinary student at The Ohio State University Leon Schermerhorn studied the molecular structure of influenza-induced ALI lung cells and, with his team, was able to conclude that a single miR, miR-155, may play a direct role in the progression of the disease. The team, led by associate professor in Ohio State’s Department…