ASU School of Life Sciences

Are you interested in biology? Media or pop culture? Come check out BioBanter with the School of Life Sciences community! BioBanter meetings are monthly conversations about biology in popular media such as movies, TV shows, video games and more.

BioBanter is open to all students, regardless of your area of study. Stop by the Life Sciences C-wing, room 202 for the first meeting of the semester on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 at 11am for snacks, refreshments and discussion about Aliens Among Us.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

For questions about BioBanter, reach out to Jessie Ebie: [email protected]

Congratulations to Sara Brownell for winning the Bruce Alberts Award for Excellence in Science Education from the ASCB! This award is given to an individual who has demonstrated innovative and sustained contributions to science education, prioritizing the national impact of their research.

Brownell's research focuses on students with concealable stigmatized identities such as religious students, LGBTQ+ students and students with disabilities, as well as the impact on students of instructors revealing these identities in the context of the classroom. She is dedicated to improving undergraduate research experiences and making undergraduate science learning experiences more inclusive.

Brownell will be officially awarded and speaking at the ASCB's Cell Bio 2024 conference in December.

Read more in the ASCB's press release: https://buff.ly/3TnHq6H

SOLS professor Ben Minteer’s most recent book, "The Heart of the Wild: Essays on Nature, Conservation, and the Human Future," co-written with Jonathan Losos from Washington University in St. Louis, is a compilation of essays by a top group of natural historians, conservation scientists, nature writers and humanities scholars exploring the value of nature and the future of the wild in an increasingly human age.

Presenting perspectives on the meaning and value of “wildness” amid the realities of the Anthropocene, these essays consider the trends and forces that are transforming our relationship with the natural world and sometimes seem only to be pulling us farther away from wild places and species with each passing day.

Among praise from peers, Michelle Nijhuis, author of "Beloved Beasts" says, “The Heart of the Wild is a wonderful collection—a rich conversation that challenges orthodoxies, makes unexpected connections, and reminds us of the value of even the humblest forms of life.”

To learn more about the book and read Minteer and Losos' Q&A with Princeton University Press, click here: https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/ben-a-minteer-and-jonathan-b-losos-on-the-heart-of-the-wild

It’s Welcome Week! We’re so excited to welcome new SOLS students in the Class of 2028 to the Sun Devil family with campus-wide events.

Signature events on the Tempe campus include:

🔱 Residential Life Activities

🔱 Get Connected Kickoff

🔱 College Assemblies

🔱 Sun Devil Welcome & InfernoFest

🔱 Rock the Rec

🔱 Echo from the Buttes

🔱 …and so much more!

Be sure to check your emails and keep up with our stories for more information and details, as well as and or visit https://eoss.asu.edu/welcome/events/signature

Alumna Sue Rigler’s story of founding Hundred Mile Brewing Company highlights the true value of community. More than just a brewery, her business is a place where people come together to connect and support one another. Sue’s dedication to fostering a welcoming environment reflects her belief that community is about creating spaces where everyone feels they belong. Her journey from science to building a community-focused business is a testament to the power of a cold glass and a friendly smile. Read more:

Brewing community: An ASU alumna’s journey from science to craft beer | ASU News In the heart of her old college town, Sue Rigler crafted a business that’s more than just a place to enjoy a cold glass of beer. Rigler, passionate about community and science, has created a space that brings people together, celebrating both the art and science of brewing.

School of Life Sciences professor Melissa Wilson was recently featured in an article by The Washington Post discussing the topic gender testing in Olympic boxing and the ongoing challenges surrounding gender discrimination and the need to ensure both fairness and inclusivity in athletics. Read more here:

Column | Sports bureaucrats need to keep their paws off athletes’ DNA The solution to the boxing outcry at the Olympics is to standardize the matter with a simple declaration: Gender testing is wrong, as a matter of science and of ethics.

Professor Melissa Wilson recently gave a talk about s*x chromosomes in health and disease during an event hosted by the National Human Genome Research Institute. Learn more about the complexities around s*x, gender, and genomics by watching the talk here.

Exploring the many dimensions of s*x and gender in the genomics era (Day 1, Part 1 - Second Half) July 17-18, 2024 - A public two-day National Institutes of Health (NIH) symposium - Exploring the many dimensions of s*x and gender in the genomics era: Clar...

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is set to launch 15 new degree programs in fall 2024! Learn more about these programs, including a neurobiology, physiology, and behavior concentration in biological sciences for online students and a new master’s degree on the Tempe campus for neuroscience studies.

Read more:

The College set to launch 15 new degree programs | ASU News The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University is launching 15 new academic programs in fall 2024. Nine of those programs will include online formats, expanding learning opportunities for students across the country.Ara Austin, senior director of online engagement and strategic...

Ulia L. is a dual major in SOLS and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences pursuing her bachelor’s degrees in biological sciences and neuroscience. Learn more about her Sun Devil Story here:

My Sun Devil Story | Ulia L. Ulia L. is a dual major in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University pursuing her bachelor's degrees in biological sciences and ne...

A new study by Professor Michael Lynch and ASU Biodesign Institute uncovers how environmental changes influence genetic variation over time and challenges traditional views of evolution. Learn more about how this study is changing perceptions of evolution here.

Study challenges traditional views of evolution | ASU News In new research, Arizona State University scientists and their colleagues investigated genetic changes occurring in a naturally isolated population of the water flea, Daphnia pulex. This tiny crustacean, barely visible to the naked eye, plays a crucial role in freshwater ecosystems and offers a uniq...

Congratulations to Director Jane Maienschein from the Center for Biology and Society on being recognized as this year’s 2024 Sarton Medalist! Learn about Director Maienschein’s many accomplishments and why she received this prestigious award in this blog post from the History of Science Society.

Read more: https://buff.ly/4bIMfOa

A recent collaboration between Leah Ge**er and Gwen Iacona on a curated collection for the PLOS addresses the disconnect between data and decision-making in conservation efforts.

ASU researchers incorporate data into decision-making for conservation efforts | ASU News Leah Ge**er sees conservation as a crisis discipline — the work involved tends to be reactive, with the engaged decision-makers rapidly basing their guidance on the available information.

Coral Bleaching - a stop motion story about coral reefs Welcome to our journey into the mysterious and vibrant world beneath the waves. While we've charted every corner of our continents, much of the ocean remains...

Learn more about the importance of coral reefs to ocean biodiversity and the risks they face from rising temperatures in this video from Dr. Biology.

Watch now:

Coral Bleaching - a stop motion story about coral reefs Welcome to our journey into the mysterious and vibrant world beneath the waves. While we've charted every corner of our continents, much of the ocean remains...

Congratulations to Professor Stuart Newfeld on receiving a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award for an upcoming project in Estonia! As a Faculty Leader of Cellular and Molecular Biosciences, Professor Newfeld has researched topics including cell fate specification in the developing heart, branch formation in the developing tracheal system, and more fascinating discoveries.

9 ASU faculty receive Fulbright US Scholar awards for 2024–25 | ASU News Using AI to optimize rooftop solar panels in North Macedonia. Charting immigration and human rights efforts in Spain and Morocco. Improving health-records data systems in Uganda.These projects and more will be undertaken over the 2024–25 academic year by nine Arizona State University faculty membe...

A new study authored by Professor Marco Mangone explores the machinery of gene regulation by examining 3’UTRs of the tiny roundworm C. elegans. Learn more about the critical role of these RNA segments by reading this latest article.

Research shows how RNA 'junk' controls our genes | ASU News Researchers at Arizona State University have made a significant advance in understanding how genes are controlled in living organisms. The new study, published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, focuses on critical snippets of RNA in the tiny, transparent roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. ele...

Today, Kenro Kusumi will begin his role of senior vice provost and dean of The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University. Kusumi previously served as the dean of natural sciences for The College and is a professor of life sciences.

“I will continue to empower our students, support our local communities and produce cutting-edge solutions to life’s biggest questions with the encouragement and assistance of The College and ASU communities,” Kusumi said.

Read his welcome letter here: https://thecollege.asu.edu/welcome

Research shows how RNA 'junk' controls our genes | ASU News Researchers at Arizona State University have made a significant advance in understanding how genes are controlled in living organisms. The new study, published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, focuses on critical snippets of RNA in the tiny, transparent roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. ele...

Learn how ASU ocean scientists began their research work on seas and marine life in this interview with assistant professors Jesse Senko and Amy Maas from ASU's School of Ocean Futures.

ASU ocean scientists push for solutions beyond National Ocean Month | ASU News As students and researchers at Arizona State University continue to expand our understanding of the ocean, they face challenges brought on by rising temperatures, acidification and harmful practices that put pressure on ocean systems. The month of June marks National Ocean Month, a time to reflect o...

Learn how Hurricane Maria ‘changed the rules of the game’ on Cayo Santiago to foster more cooperation between rhesus macaques in this article discussing Professor Noah Snyder-Mackler’s latest study.

Read more: https://buff.ly/3S6N8cv

Learn how ASU researchers are making progress in the future of nonaddictive pain therapies in a new study looking into the cold-sensing protein TRPM8.

Read more: https://buff.ly/3VUNjcV

Learn how to get started in Dr. Biology's new game, 'Beat the Heat', by watching this introduction video which will teach you how to play.

Watch now:

Beat the Heat - Heat Safety Game Introduction Heat safety is important for everyone, especially students. Even though we want to ensure everyone is cool when the temperatures climb it also impacts learni...

Beat the Heat - Heat Safety Game Introduction Heat safety is important for everyone, especially students. Even though we want to ensure everyone is cool when the temperatures climb it also impacts learni...

In a new study by Professor Cheryl Nickerson, ASU researchers looked into how a deadly strain of salmonella fine-tunes its infection tactics.

Read more: https://buff.ly/4ejIWzj

More than half of the contiguous United States is devoted to agricultural production, however, the ways we grow food put increasing pressure on nature. In this article, learn how researchers from ASU including Associate Professor Arianne Cease are promoting environmental and individual health in our food systems.

Read more:

The hidden cost of the American food system | ASU News Editor’s note: This is the third story in a series exploring how ASU tackles complex problems to help transform entire systems for the better. Read the first story, about the role of the university in changing the world, and the second story, about about solving the CO2 problem.

In this episode of Science Friday, Dr. Krystal Tsosie and Dr. Stephanie Carroll discuss how data on Indigenous Peoples has been used and abused, why data sovereignty is more important than ever, and what solutions look like.

Listen now:

Indigenous Nations Are Fighting To Take Back Their Data Indigenous data sovereignty is the idea that Indigenous Peoples should decide how to collect, own, and use their own data.

According to research by ASU scientists Heather Bimonte-Nelson and Jason Newbern, the removal of a woman’s uterus may have direct impacts on brain function. Learn more about the science of hysterectomy and memory in this article.

Read more: https://buff.ly/456PzAM

Congratulations to Dr. Arvind Varsani for being awarded the Zebulon Pearce Distinguished Teaching Award from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences! Learn more about Dr. Varsani’s non-hierarchical teaching style and other teaching excellence award winners in this article.

Read more: https://buff.ly/3UX4HvY

In a new study, ASU Biodesign Institute and Professor Carlo Maley look into cell-in-cell phenomena including cell cannibalism, and how the behavior is widespread across the tree of life.

Read more: https://buff.ly/3KaQdUt