Interview with Dr. Wise Young

This week I will be interviewing Dr. Wise Young, one of the leading scientists in spinal cord injury research. Dr. Young is a professor at Rutgers within the Cell Biology and Neuroscience department, and is also director of the W.M Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience. Dr. Young changed the way society viewed spinal cord injuries through his establishment of high-dose methylprednisolone as a form of treatment for neurotrauma. No longer would people think of spinal cord injuries as permanent. Dr. Young continues to research more methods of treatment of spinal cord injuries such as the use of lithium, as well as 4-aminopyridine. I am excited to meet with Dr. Young, as he is an extremely successful scientist, appearing on programs such as 20/20 with Barbara Walters, 48 Hours, Today, and CNN News. Dr. Young has one many awards for his research throughout the years, making him an extremely admirable scientist and professor here at Rutgers University.

Genetics Can Determine A Potential Alcohol

I recently read an article found in the Brookhaven Bits & Bytes blog, regarding a new discovery within the field of genetics. After various testing on mice, scientists have found that a lack in a certain receptor in the brain of mice, dopamine D2, can cause mice to be more susceptible to brain damage to due alcohol intake. MRI scans showed that exposure of the brain lacking the receptors to alcohol caused shrinkage of the cerebral cortex and thalamus. This is particularly interesting to me because as a college student, alcohol consumption is seen everywhere. I am curious as to how common of a condition this is. Scientists also say a lack of this receptor is more likely to cause alcoholism in those who choose to consume. The article reminds the scientific community that genetics play a huge role in not only how are bodies are constructed and work, but also how within one's lifetime, one's genetic composition can have an affect on different lifestyle choices people make such as alcohol consumption and the recreational use of drugs. This finding can lead to people receiving a genetic test to determine whether or not these receptors are present, so that people can make a more educated decision on whether or not they want to partake in frequent alcohol consumption. The article, written by Karen Walsh can be found within the Brookhaven Bits & Bytes blog.

Source Review of" The Double Helix"

            Everyone knows the feeling of when the last page of a book you’ve been reading turns and multiple emotions arise. A feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction are common, but also a slight sensation of disappointment that the book is over. Online source reviews of books have helped avid readers find material more fitting for what they are looking to read. The Double Helix, written by James D. Watson, is a classic scientific novel, which tells the story of how the structure of DNA was discovered. While most agree the story is an informative and classic novel, different reviews from online sources provide multiple perspectives on why take The Double Helix is considered a scientific masterpiece.

               The Guardian News is an online website, with a section dedicated to the reviews of Science books. The general public is allowed to comment on the book that has been reviewed, but ultimately, freelance journalist Tim Radford, creates the reviews of the selected novels. What is interesting about The Guardian’s review of The Double Helix is that it provides the prospective reader with information regarding when the book was published, and what was going on in the world around that time period. This helps the reader get a feel for how the world was when the discovery was made, for the sake of better clarity of the reading. “The book, from the start, was an event. It was published in 1968, a year marked by amazing and terrible happenings in Vietnam, Prague and Paris, by the assassinations of both Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy,” Radford comments, “Even amid all that, The Double Helix still seemed like an event: a provocation, a testament not to be forgotten.” The author explains the key figures in the book based on their personality, providing a more intimate relationship between the key people in the novel and the prospective reader. Overall, The Guardian is a unique book review source due to the fact that is does not give away too much of the plot, but instead, explains the setting and overall ambiance of the story in terms that the prospective reader can make an easy decision on whether or not it is worth the read.

The Guardian's Review