The Sisyphean Struggle for a HIV Vaccine
In Canada, we are inundated with immunizations from the minute we enter the world – measles, mumps, tetanus, chickenpox and meningitis C, to name just a few. It can be...
Paleo-Immunology: Looking back to the future of our immune system
In 1856, a curiously shaped early human skull with cranial features morphologically distinct from modern humans was discovered in Germany. Homo neanderthalensis, commonly known as the Neanderthal, thus became the...
Bringing Science to the Sea
[caption id="attachment_1295" align="alignright" width="400"] Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidy. Image credit: Michael Bentley (flickr: donhomer)[/caption] The tabletop centrifuge slowly hums to a stop. Tubes are opened and closed, the pipettor moves efficiently...
What Makes Men Resistant to HIV: Circumcision, Foreskin & HESN men
In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended male circumcision as an effective means of reducing heterosexual HIV transmission in HIV endemic regions. This led multiple African countries to establish...
Finding Treasure in the Comb Jelly Genome
Recently, Nature published the genome sequence of the marine invertebrate ctenophore Pleurobrachia bachei1. Ctenophores, better known as “comb jellies”, are delicate creatures that superficially resemble jellyfish, yet occupy a distinct...
Catching Up with Our Alumni: An Interview with Jyothi Kumaran
In our ongoing effort to catch up with our alumni, we had the chance to interview Jyothi Kumaran. Since graduating with her PhD in 2005, Jyothi has been a post-doctoral...
Ego, Politics, and the Scientific Zeitgeist
All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. Shakespeare’s adage is as true in science as in life. There will always be antagonists and protagonists...
Maybe, Baby
Couples today are facing some difficult choices when it comes to to career and family planning. Although there is pressure on both partners, women are biologically and historically assigned the...
Give ‘Em Their Best Shot
In our last issue, we talked about the ravages of cancer and the slow but steady progress being made on the immunological front to combat this multi-faceted disease. Since 2006,...