Six studies show the diversity of research in the college
Using microscopic bugs to save the bees
With mentoring from professor Sandra Burnett, undergraduate Bryan Merrill produced a natural way to eliminate American Foulbrood--a deadly disease that can cause beehives to collapse. Merrill and Burnett, a professor of microbiology and molecular biology, use tiny killer bugs known as phages to protect baby bees from infection.
Read more and see a video of the research here
Secondhand cigarette smoke causes weight gain
Research by BYU physiology and developmental biologists found that exposure to cigarette smoke can actually cause weight gain. In a study that has major implications for children who live with smokers, Benjamin Bikman and Paul Reynolds learned that exposure to secondhand smoke can cause insulin resistance.
Former track star-turned-researcher finds Achilles suprisingly adaptable
A study authored by former BYU track star Katy Andrew Neves and three BYU exercise science professors revealed great news about the Achilles heel: the Achilles tendon is capable of adapting to uphill and downhill running better than previously believed. The research was covered by Runner's World and Women's Running.
Read more and see the researcher's famous YouTube moment
We're all going to die; DNA on end of chromosomes hints when
BYU biologist Jonathan Alder studies telomeres, strands of DNA that serve as the protective tips of chromosomes that also happen to be biological clocks. The shorter your telemores, the shorter your lifespan. His recent research centers on the gene mutations that cause people to have unnaturally short telomeres.
Another reason to be thankful: Turkeys may be lifesavers
The biological machinery needed to produce a potentially life-saving antibiotic is found in turkeys. BYU microbiologists Joel Griffitts and Rich Robison, along with student Philip Bennallack, explored how the turkey-born antibiotic came to be. The team used mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study Strain 115, the good bacteria responsible for producing the antibiotic.
Flipping the flipped classroom concept on its head
Research from professor of biology Jamie Jensen found that the flipped classroom model, where lectures happen online outside of class and application activities are done in class, is not necessarily the golden egg people think it is. Jensen, a discipline-based educational researcher, says flipped classrooms can be good, but if you're already using an active learning model then there's no need to flip.
Read more about whether or not you should flip
