Bringing cells to life … and to Minecraft: $30 million NSF grant to support whole-cell modeling

Beckman researchers and collaborators, including Eric Morgan of NRES and ALEC, received $30 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to establish the NSF Science and Technology Center for Quantitative Cell Biology. The center will develop whole-cell models to transform our understanding of how cells function and share that knowledge with diverse communities through the popular computer game Minecraft.

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Illinois project looks to glycogen to explain pregnancy loss, infertility

URBANA, Ill. — When we eat sugar, a portion of it is stored as glycogen in our liver and muscles, where it can be quickly metabolized to glucose for bursts of energy.

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New grant to optimize gut microbes, boost health benefits of broccoli

URBANA, Ill. — Love it or hate it, broccoli is chock-full of health-promoting chemicals linked to heart health, cancer prevention, immune function, weight management, and more. However,  some people are less efficient than others at unlocking those chemical benefits.

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Do artificial roosts help bats? Illinois experts say more research needed

URBANA, Ill. — Artificial roosts for bats come in many forms — bat boxes, condos, bark mimics, clay roosts, and cinder block structures, to name a few — but a new conservation practice and policy article from researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Families with a team mindset strengthened their bonds during COVID-19 pandemic

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Despite reports of families disintegrating under the hardships and constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study suggests that many families may have formed stronger bonds instead.

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How local communities depend on the ivory palm tree in coastal Ecuador

URBANA, Ill. – The ivory palm tree, also known as tagua, is endemic to the Chocó-Darien region on the Pacific coast of South America. The local population relies on this unique tree for many uses and the tagua fruit, nuts, and leaves provide materials for a range of products.

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Study: Infant formula safety checks can be improved with stratified sampling

URBANA, Ill.  – Producers of infant formula employ comprehensive food safety systems, including product testing to ensure those systems are working.

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Community health program boosts child vaccinations in remote areas of Madagascar

URBANA, Ill. – Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world and access to health care is limited for many people. Childhood vaccinations are a crucial component of preventative care, but vaccination rates remain below the World Health Organization’s goal of reaching 95% of children.

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New method has promise for accurate, efficient soil carbon estimates

Earth’s soil contains large stocks of carbon — even more carbon than in the atmosphere. A significant portion of this soil carbon is in organic form (carbon bound to carbon), called soil organic carbon (SOC). However, SOC has historically been greatly diminished by agricultural activity, releasing that carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.

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