As people weary of being cooped up during a pandemic winter look forward to a summer outside, residents across the northeastern United States are once again confronted with a familiar virulent pathogen lurking in the woods and fields. Unlike coronavirus, however, this dangerous microorganism doesn’t float through the air it enters the body through the bite of a tick.
Lyme disease has been a constant scourge since it was identified five decades ago on the Connecticut coastline, before spreading across the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. Caused by the bacterium
Borrelia burgdorferi (and its cousin
Borrelia mayonii), the disease has long baffled scientists with its strangely stealthy manifestations.
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IMAGE: From left, Andy McMahon, Lisa Rutledge, Helena Bugacov and Alex Guo hold an impromptu lab meeting. view more
Credit: Christina Gandolfo
Kidney development is a balancing act between the self-renewal of stem and progenitor cells to maintain and expand their numbers, and the differentiation of these cells into more specialized cell types. In a new study in the journal
eLife from Andy McMahon s laboratory in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, former graduate student Alex Quiyu Guo and a team of scientists demonstrate the importance of a molecule called β-catenin in striking this balance.
Commentary: Science, tech work a boon for Mainers
By refocusing resources, creating new learning paths and integrating educational systems with private-sector partners, Maine can produce a skilled, resilient STEM workforce.
By Ben Gilman and Rachel KerestesSpecial to the Press Herald
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If there has been a silver lining in the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the heightened attention paid to science. At the same time, we are reminded of the financial burdens faced by so many who lost jobs and income. If we have learned anything from the events of 2020, it’s that Maine’s workforce must be prepared for the unexpected and adapt when it happens.
“People are crying. They are anxious,” said Sigsbee, a member of the Cape Cod Medical Reserve Corps.
When will I get my vaccine?
The No. 1 question of tens of thousands of callers to the help line is, “When will I get my vaccine?” she said.
A limited number of vaccines going to Barnstable County’s elderly residents, combined with a state registration system known for booting people off the site as soon as they think they are closing in on an appointment, has filled help line callers with fear and frustration.
They want to know, “Will I be left behind?” Sigsbee said.