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December 2018 |
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Why screen time can disrupt sleep
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From left: Ludovic Mure and Satchidananda Panda
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For most, the time spent staring at screens
---on computers, phones, iPads
---constitutes many hours and can often disrupt sleep. Now, the lab of
Satchidananda Panda has pinpointed how certain cells in the eye process ambient light and reset our internal clocks, the daily cycles of physiological processes known as the circadian rhythm. When these cells are exposed to artificial light late into the night, our internal clocks can get confused, resulting in a host of health issues.
The results, published in
Cell Reports, may help lead to new treatments for migraines, insomnia, jet lag and circadian rhythm disorders, which have been tied to cognitive dysfunction, cancer, obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and more.
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Maintaining the unlimited potential of stem cells
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From left: Jovylyn Gatchalian and Diana Hargreave
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Embryonic stem cells are the very definition of being full of potential, given that they can become any type of cell in the body. The laboratory of Assistant Professor
Diana Hargreaves discovered a new protein complex that keeps the brakes on stem cells, allowing them to maintain their indefinite potential. The new complex, called GBAF, and detailed in
Nature Communications, could provide a future target for regenerative medicine.
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To detect new odors, fruit fly brains improve on a well-known computer algorithm
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It might seem like fruit flies would have nothing in common with computers, but new research the lab of Assistant Professor
Saket Navlakha reveals that the two identify novel information in similar ways. The work, which appeared in
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, not only sheds light on an important neurobiological problem
---how organisms detect new odors
---but could also improve algorithms for novelty detection in computer science.
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Click here for high resolution image » |
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Trio of Salk scientists named among most highly cited researchers in the world
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Salk Professors
Joanne Chory,
Joseph Ecker and
Rusty Gage were once again named to the
Highly Cited Researchers list by Clarivate Analytics. The list selects researchers for "exceptional research performance" demonstrated by the production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1 percent by citations for field and year. The Salk trio has been named to this list every year since 2014 for their contributions to plant biology, genetics and neuroscience.
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Nicola Allen receives $2.5 million Chan Zuckerberg Initiative early career award
Nicola Allen, an assistant professor in Salk's Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, received a five-year, $2.5 million Ben Barres Early Career Acceleration Award from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), as part of a $51.95 million effort launching the CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network. This new network brings together experimental scientists from diverse research fields to understand the underlying causes of disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease and ALS.
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Janelle Ayres awarded $1.8 million by NOMIS Foundation for novel research on mechanisms to promote health
Associate Professor
Janelle Ayres was awarded $1.8 million over two years by the NOMIS Foundation to study health as an active process in which microbes
---including the trillions of microorganisms that call the human body home
---initiate interactions that promote the health of the host. Ayres is a member of Salk's
NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, which is also funded by the NOMIS Foundation.
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Ronald Evans named 2018 AAAS Fellow
Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Investigator
Ronald Evans, who is also director of Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory, was named a 2018 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest general scientific society. In particular, the AAAS acknowledges his discoveries on steroid and orphan receptor signaling, revealing a "treasure trove" of both known and novel branches of physiology, metabolism and disease, according to the citation.
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Salk Institute earns Charity Navigator's highest rating for eighth consecutive time
For the eighth consecutive time, the Salk Institute's strong financial health and continuing commitment to accountability and transparency earned it a coveted 4-star (out of 4 stars) rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity and nonprofit evaluator. Receiving the highest ranking for eight consecutive review periods puts Salk in a distinguished class of nonprofits
---only 3 percent of nonprofits evaluated achieve that status.
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Salk partners with Amazon Smile
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The holidays are here and what better gift to give your friends and loved ones than knowledge? Salk's faculty has published
numerous books on a wide range of subjects that would make the perfect literary companion for the eager learner in your life.
Plus, if you use
Salk's Amazon Smile link, you can get all the gifts you need while supporting Salk research. A portion of every purchase made through our Amazon Smile URL goes back to Salk, so your gift giving can also empower leading-edge science.
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Salk Science & Music Series
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The sixth season of the Salk Science & Music Series continues at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday,
February 24, 2019
, with performances by Grammy-nominated cellist
Amit Peled and pianist
Karen Joy Davis along with a short scientific talk by Salk Professor
Jan Karlseder. Enjoy a musical program from Couperin, Bloch, Mendelssohn, Popper and Rachmaninoff. Be amazed and inspired!
Upcoming concerts:
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Salk science wallpaper images
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Looking for a unique background image for your computer, iPad or phone?
This month's image come from the Allen lab
---with a seasonal touch. Astrocytes (teal) and neurons (dark blue) are pictured in the visual cortex.
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