department of biological sciences
Researchers Discover Wide Variation in Virulence of Non-Pathogenic Fungi
Sep. 11, 2024—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A new study led by research assistant professor David Rinker sheds light on how fungal pathogenicity might evolve. The article, “Strain heterogeneity in a non-pathogenic Aspergillus fungus highlights factors associated with virulence,” was published in the journal Communications Biology in September 2024. According to Rinker, “different isolates or...
Researchers Discover the Evolution of Seasonal Anticipation in Cyanobacteria
Sep. 6, 2024—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Being able to correlate changes in day length with seasonal weather patterns is crucial for many organisms to adapt to their environments. Trees shed their leaves, arctic foxes grow thicker coats, and bears prepare for hibernation. But what about smaller, short-lived organisms? New research led by BBSRC Discovery...
Rediscovering the Lost Plesiosaur (Cast): Restoring Vanderbilt’s Natural History Museum
Aug. 27, 2024—By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Embarking on a new research project often brings unexpected discoveries—some intriguing, some novel, but rarely a find of a lifetime. Such a remarkable discovery occurred when university archivist and associate director Kathy Smith stumbled upon a pile of plaster, hidden away for 60 years in a dim, cluttered...