Adam Saunders

Biochemistry, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Developmental Biology, Biodiversity, Science education, Music education

[IU Biology @IUBiology]

IU's Drosophila Genomics Resource Center received a $2.6 million award reinforcing the significance of Drosophila research. Drosophila melanogaster, the humble fruit fly, offers unparalleled insights into fundamental biological processes. https://t.co/JSSK6Hp42b @IUCollege

[University of Oregon @uoregon]

Congratulations to Chris Doe, professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology, for being awarded the Conklin Medal from the Society for Developmental Biology (@SocDevBio) in recognition of outstanding research and mentorship.

[Syed, Mübarak Hussain @NeuroSeq]

Our first major story is online. We link stem cells to Olf. Nav circuit & behavior. Excellent work by @AishaHamid201 Hannah et al. & a fantastic collaboration with Kathy, who is an outstanding scientist & person. Thanks to all the authors 1/n https://t.co/YsAWANuUgq

[Dr. Sean Mullen @drseanmullen]

There’s a critical aspect of SARS-CoV-2 infection that many still don't grasp. This virus has a way of affecting us all differently, but one thing is increasingly clear: children are alarmingly MORE susceptible to airborne pathogens like TB, RSV, and pneumonia. The reason? Their school environment encapsulates and forces sharing of air filled with biologically hazardous pathogens, and their immune systems are still developing, making them more vulnerable to such infections.

Moreover, there's growing evidence of cognitive impairment in children post-COVID. This is deeply concerning, yet it's been completely overshadowed by nostalgia for normalcy and the dangerous idea that ‘learning loss’ from lost proximity to human bodies is more of a priority than ‘brain cells lost’ to infection. The assumption that a temporary switch to remote education was more harmful than exposing children to a virus that can impair their cognitive abilities was a tragic miscalculation.

Adults, on the other hand, while they may be more reluctant to admit it, are experiencing cognitive declines too. And they're facing different battles – vascular issues, endocrine irregularities, digestive problems, and potentially an increased susceptibility to fungal infections. These are not just abstract risks; they are the direct consequences of repeated COVID-19 infections.

What's frustrating is that these outcomes are preventable. Yet, there seems to be a lack of will to initiate change. The former Surgeon General @JeromeAdamsMD’s words resonate deeply here: We are indeed facing an 'immune deficit', not from a lack of exposure to various pathogens, but from an overwhelming exposure to one particular virus.

This virus is not just a fleeting illness; it has long-term implications that are now unfolding before us. The choices made, driven by certain groups and the desire for normalcy, have led us to this point. It's vital we understand this, not to dwell on the past, but to make informed choices for our future.

[Outbreak Updates @outbreakupdates]

SARS-CoV-2’s capacity to inflict neurological harm is not incidental.

It is a product of its neurotropic nature.

1/

[Diana Libuda @DianaLibuda]

Happy Halloween from the Libuda Lab! This year we dressed up as Mario Cart characters. #libuddies #meiosis4eva

[Diana Libuda @DianaLibuda]

For Halloween decor at our house, we’re breaking out the science pumpkins again this year. N-methyl-psi-modified (pseudouridine) mRNA pumpkin. ⁦@AdamMSaunders⁩ for the #sciart win!

[FASEB @FASEBorg]

FASEB Excellence in Science awardee Diana Libuda decided to pursue molecular biology when she learned how the four-letter code of DNA enables the incredible diversity of life and how we maintain its integrity. Read more: https://t.co/muUvvaf6sT @DianaLibuda

[Iowa Senate Democrats @IowaSenate]

Revealed: Iowa’s new private school voucher scheme is going to cost $4.3 million in administrative costs – all paid to a for-profit, out-of-state company.

Vouchers are a terrible deal for Iowans. https://t.co/f2VHiujgQ2

[Blue Note Records @bluenoterecords]

Acclaimed collective @ArtemisJazz returns May 5 with their 2nd Blue Note album "In Real Time" featuring a dynamic new band line-up! Pre-order the color vinyl, black vinyl, CD or digital on the Blue Note Store during our Jazz Appreciation Month Sale! https://t.co/lwPXJmkRPE

[Genetics Society of America @GeneticsGSA]

Huge congratulations to GSA member, @DianaLibuda, on being awarded the Excellence in Science Early-Career Investigator Award from FASEB: https://t.co/l8YGbeyb3T

[FASEB @FASEBorg]

FASEB announces the recipients of its 2023 Excellence in Science Awards. These awards highlight outstanding achievements by women in #biological science. Congratulations to the awardees! https://t.co/U3yW0pYiJk #WomenInScience

[Diana Libuda @DianaLibuda]

So honored and humbled to receive this award and be recognized among so many incredible scientists who've received this over the past 30 years.

[Stanford University @Stanford]

"If you've ever wanted to be a freaked-out ribosome, this is your chance!"

Decades before #danceyourthesis, @StanfordMed students recruited "at least 200 people w/ molecular acting ambitions" to choreographically render protein synthesis. Prof. Paul Berg delivered the intro"If you've ever wanted to be a freaked-out ribosome, this is your chance!"

Decades before #danceyourthesis, @StanfordMed students recruited "at least 200 people w/ molecular acting ambitions" to choreographically render protein synthesis. Prof. Paul Berg delivered the intro"If you've ever wanted to be a freaked-out ribosome, this is your chance!"

Decades before #danceyourthesis, @StanfordMed students recruited "at least 200 people w/ molecular acting ambitions" to choreographically render protein synthesis. Prof. Paul Berg delivered the intro.

[Iowa Senate Democrats @IowaSenate]

Senator @ZachWahls calls the voucher bill what it is: a scam that harms public education in Iowa.

Read Senate Democrats’ full statement on the passage of the school voucher bill: https://t.co/1jIwIpNuC5
#ialegis

[Deidre DeJear @DeidreDeJear]

While you were sleeping about half a million American children were stripped of their right to get a publicly funded education. Today, these Iowa children rolled out of bed with one less freedom.

[Diana Libuda @DianaLibuda]

Our latest preprint is on bioRxiv! PhD student @thelearningbush (his 1st first author paper!) used long & short read sequencing to analyze the accumulation of structural variations in the genome from propagation of the same wild type worm isolates in different labs 🧬🪱#celegans

[Adam Saunders @AdamMSaunders]

I am eternally grateful to have grown up in a place where the three schools within walking distance of my house provided every educational tool I would need. To give every student that same benefit is a modest, attainable goal with the utmost return on investment. #IAlegis #Iowa

[C&EN (Chemical & Engineering News) @cenmag]

Fish caught in rivers, streams, and lakes across the US contain high levels of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), according to a new study:  https://t.co/IR07sKShvX

[Iowa Senate Democrats @IowaSenate]

Private school vouchers are a bad deal for Iowa taxpayers. The voucher scheme proposed by Statehouse Republicans would cost $107 million in the first year alone. Once fully phased in, the taxpayer dollars shifted out of our public schools will be unknown and unlimited.
#ialegis