The Future of Funding

After recent research I have done concerning the current problems with scientists receiving funding for equipment, trials, and other experimental costs, I believe there is a major problem worth the public's attention. Over the past few years, science funding has largely been riding on the help of the stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama in February of 2009. $10 billion dollars supplement was given to the National Institute of Health in order to continue funding breakthrough scientific research. Although it was only three years ago, within the next year and a half, this will have been used, leaving only a few hundred million left. This drastic change in money available for funding runs the risk of putting the United States in a position where we could no longer keep up with the scientific research of countries that receive better funding. Britain faces a situation similar to that of the United States. Due to cuts in science funding, a major brain drain may be in Britain's near future. Young, upcoming scientists are looking for work in other countries with better funding that can provide more prosperous and productive careers. Considered a major investor in the development of various science and technology research and training institutes, brain drains of countries like Britain threaten the advancement and progression of the scientific community. In order to uphold progression within the scientific community, funding is essential.

The Truth In Lie Detection

After changing my next read from The Big Thirst to The Lying Brain, I came across an article regarding lie detection technology and how valid it actually is. I was surprised of how doubtful I became of the technology, which before reading the article I believed was rather advanced and foolproof.

 Some of the major problems with lie detection technology lie in its validity due to countermeasures that interrogated suspects can take. For years, lie detection has consisted of questioning combined with observations of physiological responses. The problem with this form of lie detection is based on how easily physiological responses can be triggered. Subtle, unseen actions such as biting your tongue or pressing your toes into the ground can trigger a physiological response, making each question asked have the same affect on the interrogated individual. In this sense, there is no difference in response between any questions, making it impossible to tell if a person is lying.
         In addition to validity problems, the brain’s unique qualities that vary from person to person raise question as to how scientists can accurately tell what a lie exactly is. Brain altering problems such as depression, personality disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease cause people’s brains to function differently from one another. For scientists to pinpoint a response in the brain to a lie seems rather absurd, as every person’s brain functions slightly differently.

In the article Emerging Technologies for Lie Detection: Promises and Perils, other problems including these are further described. I would highly suggest reading the article, as it not only provides great insight as to what new technology has been developed in the field of neuroscience, but also, the article allows you to form your own opinion on whether or not these technologies should be integrated into our society. 

Interview with Dr. Young Complete

My interview with Dr. Young, neuroscientist at Rutgers University, was an extremely rewarding experience. I was fascinated to learn of his accomplishments throughout his career, as well as his perspective on science research. I would highly suggest anyone interested in the field of neuroscience or spinal cord injury to visit the W.M. Keck Center For Collaborative Neuroscience on Busch Campus. A conversation with Dr. Young or any of his students is sure to inspire any student interested in neuroscience. Below is a segment of the interview between Dr. Young and I.

When dealing with a major issue like spinal cord injury treatment, it is essential that all possible approaches to discovering a cure be considered. I was initially interested in learning about what motivated Dr. Young to pursue his research into finding a cure for people suffering from spinal cord injury, as well as his approach toward research. While Dr. Young was an intern at Bellevue Hospital in 1978, he took care of a seventeen-year-old wrestler who had broken his neck in a wrestling accident. Young, a former wrestler, found it hard to tell the young man’s parents there was nothing that could be done to treat him at the time. “ It always has been the people with spinal cord injury that has driven me to do this research,” Young explains. Considering himself a problem solver, Dr. Young believes instead of specializing in one particular facet of science, it is best to incorporate knowledge from all aspects of science and apply this knowledge toward a particular problem. Dr. Young reminisces of a saying his friend Andrew Blight, a fellow neuroscientist, once said, “ If the only tool you have is a hammer, the only problems you solve are nails. As you can see in our lab, we use microscopy, cell culture, engineering, molecular biology, surgery, etc. We use every technique available to us to solve the problem [of spinal cord injury].” As a teacher, Wise feels it is necessary to teach his students that every problem has multiple solutions, and it is fundamental to learn how to quickly come up with a variety of solutions in order to conduct the best science research. Comfort dealing with a wide variety of research tools allows scientists to apply all facets of science knowledge into formulating a possible solution. Young’s approach toward scientific research incorporates all parts of the spectrum, part of the reason he has been so successful within his field.

The Big Thirst

Water is such an essential part of life that most of us have just accepted the fact that it will always be available. While this is true, many do not know just how powerful of an element water is. Charles Fishman, author of The Big Thirst, explains how much our society depends on water. One of the first things scientists look for when determining whether life on other planets is possible is whether or not there is any indication of the presence of water. Most of us take for granted the ability to turn the faucet and have easy, constant access to clean water. For many people, water is not as accessible.  The importance of water is obvious, but if it is a renewable resource, what is the concern? In a time where pollution is a major problem, water is susceptible to many of these pollutants contributed from major companies. The Big Thirst addresses some of the methods companies are using in an attempt to not only conserve water but to avoid polluting it. I am very interested in reading this book because I would like to become more knowledgable of such a simple substance that our entire world depends on. Instead of assuming that I always have access to clean water, I would like to form a better appreciation for something so vital to each and everyone one of us.

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