Interact, adapt, repeat: A summer studying coevolution To study coevolution, the responsibilities of Nova Meng and Linda Wu included caring for plants in the Penn greenhouse. (Image: From July 2021, when masks were not required) Interact, adapt, repeat: A summer studying coevolution Sophomores Linda Wu and Nova Meng spent the summer studying coevolution among plants, mutualistic bacteria, and parasitic nematodes in Corlett Wood’s biology lab.
Evolutionary ‘arms race’ may help keep cell division honest Evolutionary ‘arms race’ may help keep cell division honest Research from the lab of Michael Lampson in the School of Arts & Sciences suggests that certain proteins may have evolved to reduce the likelihood of chromosomes “cheating” to bias their chance of winding up in an egg during the cell-division process meiosis.
Prizewinning photo by Penn biologist called metaphor for ‘spiraling crisis’ in the ocean Penn In the News Philadelphia Inquirer Prizewinning photo by Penn biologist called metaphor for ‘spiraling crisis’ in the ocean Kristen Brown, a postdoc in the lab of Katie Barott at the School of Arts & Sciences, won a contest with a photo she took while researching coral reefs. Rewiring cell division to make eggs and sperm New findings reveal the varied roles of a key protein in cell division. When the protein Meikin is not properly cleaved before meiosis II, chromosomes do not align properly, causing problems in cell division (bottom image). Chromosomes are in blue and the cellular machinery that pulls them to opposite sides of the cell is in purple. (Image: Jun Ma) Rewiring cell division to make eggs and sperm Research by the School of Arts & Sciences’ Michael Lampson and Jun Ma, collaborating with Whitehead Institute researchers, reveals how a key protein enables the process of meiosis to unfold. High-ranking hyena mothers pass their social networks to their cubs Hyenas benefit from being born to high-ranking mothers, from whom they inherit their social networks, according to research led by biologists from Penn and Michigan State University. (Image: Kate Shaw Yoshida) High-ranking hyena mothers pass their social networks to their cubs Using 27 years of detailed data on hyena social interactions, a team led by Penn biologists nailed down a pattern of social network inheritance and its implications for social structure, rank, and survival. Hyenas inherit their moms’ social connections Penn In the News Psychology Today Hyenas inherit their moms’ social connections Erol Akçay of the School of Arts & Sciences and former postdoc Amiyaal Ilany discussed their research on hyena’s social networks. “We show that a simple process—social inheritance—is important to understanding network structure and dynamics,” said Akçay. Biologist Daniel Janzen illustrates how a cicada is like an oak tree Biologist Daniel Janzen illustrates how a cicada is like an oak tree Janzen, the DiMaura Professor in Biology, on why cicadas (and wildebeests, salmon, and oak trees) act the way they do. Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation People are more likely to cooperate if they think others are cooperating, too. New research by biologists in the School of Arts & Sciences shows that overstating the true level of cooperation in a society can increase cooperative behavior overall. Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move A School of Veterinary Medicine-led study shows how, despite having nearly identical amino acid sequences, two forms of the protein actin differ in function due their distinct nucleotide sequences. ’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health Penn In the News Quanta Magazine ’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health James Eberwine of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about how mitochondria interact, communicate, and mutate. “If we understand how the mitochondria are acting together, and we learn how to manipulate it,” he said, “we’re going to gain so much more insight into biology.” Load More
Rewiring cell division to make eggs and sperm New findings reveal the varied roles of a key protein in cell division. When the protein Meikin is not properly cleaved before meiosis II, chromosomes do not align properly, causing problems in cell division (bottom image). Chromosomes are in blue and the cellular machinery that pulls them to opposite sides of the cell is in purple. (Image: Jun Ma) Rewiring cell division to make eggs and sperm Research by the School of Arts & Sciences’ Michael Lampson and Jun Ma, collaborating with Whitehead Institute researchers, reveals how a key protein enables the process of meiosis to unfold.
High-ranking hyena mothers pass their social networks to their cubs Hyenas benefit from being born to high-ranking mothers, from whom they inherit their social networks, according to research led by biologists from Penn and Michigan State University. (Image: Kate Shaw Yoshida) High-ranking hyena mothers pass their social networks to their cubs Using 27 years of detailed data on hyena social interactions, a team led by Penn biologists nailed down a pattern of social network inheritance and its implications for social structure, rank, and survival.
Hyenas inherit their moms’ social connections Penn In the News Psychology Today Hyenas inherit their moms’ social connections Erol Akçay of the School of Arts & Sciences and former postdoc Amiyaal Ilany discussed their research on hyena’s social networks. “We show that a simple process—social inheritance—is important to understanding network structure and dynamics,” said Akçay. Biologist Daniel Janzen illustrates how a cicada is like an oak tree Biologist Daniel Janzen illustrates how a cicada is like an oak tree Janzen, the DiMaura Professor in Biology, on why cicadas (and wildebeests, salmon, and oak trees) act the way they do. Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation People are more likely to cooperate if they think others are cooperating, too. New research by biologists in the School of Arts & Sciences shows that overstating the true level of cooperation in a society can increase cooperative behavior overall. Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move A School of Veterinary Medicine-led study shows how, despite having nearly identical amino acid sequences, two forms of the protein actin differ in function due their distinct nucleotide sequences. ’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health Penn In the News Quanta Magazine ’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health James Eberwine of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about how mitochondria interact, communicate, and mutate. “If we understand how the mitochondria are acting together, and we learn how to manipulate it,” he said, “we’re going to gain so much more insight into biology.” Load More
Biologist Daniel Janzen illustrates how a cicada is like an oak tree Biologist Daniel Janzen illustrates how a cicada is like an oak tree Janzen, the DiMaura Professor in Biology, on why cicadas (and wildebeests, salmon, and oak trees) act the way they do.
Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation People are more likely to cooperate if they think others are cooperating, too. New research by biologists in the School of Arts & Sciences shows that overstating the true level of cooperation in a society can increase cooperative behavior overall.
Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move A School of Veterinary Medicine-led study shows how, despite having nearly identical amino acid sequences, two forms of the protein actin differ in function due their distinct nucleotide sequences.
’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health Penn In the News Quanta Magazine ’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health James Eberwine of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about how mitochondria interact, communicate, and mutate. “If we understand how the mitochondria are acting together, and we learn how to manipulate it,” he said, “we’re going to gain so much more insight into biology.”