Although the phenomenon of cell death had been known for centuries, even briefly described in the 19th century, the explosion of research and technology in the latter half of the 20th century led to greater and more nuanced discoveries that have provided insights into many physiological processes including tissue development, maintenance, metabolism, and disease states including cancer. The many accomplishments in programmed cell death research have improved our understanding and development of targeted therapeutics, and some of these milestones were recognized by Nobel Prizes for apoptosis and autophagy. As scientists continue to elucidate new cell death pathways and their interplay with other pathways, let's take a look at what we know so far and what new findings have come out.

Every August, we observe National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM), an event that educates and encourages everyone to keep up with their vaccinations. While healthcare providers continue to play important roles in education and supporting public health, the rest of us can read up on what vaccines are needed, vaccination schedules, and provide outreach to ensure that we and our neighbors remain safe and healthy from preventable diseases. 

Introduction

In the realm of genetics, the discovery of DNA and its double helix structure led to the assumption that genetic sequences alone determine cell phenotypes. However, researchers began to observe cases where organisms with identical genetic information exhibited different traits. This realization gave birth to the field of epigenetics, which explores the reversible influence on gene expression without altering DNA sequences. Epigenetic mechanisms encompass DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and the effects of noncoding RNA. These processes involve “writers,” “readers,” and “erasers” that add, recognize, or remove chemical groups from DNA or histones. The cooperation between the epigenome, transcription factors, noncoding RNAs, and external stimuli regulates gene expression in a temporary yet long-lasting manner. Understanding normal and abnormal epigenetic processes is crucial for comprehending diseases like cancer and developing potential treatments.

Having just moved a ludicrous amount of boxes and furniture into various U-Hauls and relocation tubes, I can feel all the literal weight of those decisions in my muscles and bones. Now that I'm back in Chicago, nursing my muscle soreness and the occasional bruise, I'm left thinking about the need for better muscular recovery and repair, which brings us to today's wonderful success story with an ABclonal customer as they added to our knowledge of myoblast differentiation and skeletal muscle development.

In the wake of new programs that produce artwork derived from existing media, ChatGPT, and even algorithms that can predict protein folding, it is evident that the age of artificial intelligence (AI) is upon us. In many cases, the AI programs and tools are far more advanced than we have previously seen, to the point where humanity can derive great benefit from AI while fearing how it may affect our society and livelihoods. While it is unlikely that we will be subjugated by our new robot overlords, it is still important to explore what has been done and remains possible through AI, and our considerations for its ethical usage.

Perhaps one of the best things about awareness months, even if they bring focus to maladies and situations that are not always pleasant, is to get people interested to learn about the topic, and if they're interested enough, they'll do something to help out. This is the case with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Some time back, there was the Ice Bucket Challenge which went viral, involved numerous athletes and celebrities and common people, and raised a ton of money for research and to support the afflicted people around the world. Yet, although I know it is a motor neuron disease and that it has affected famous people like the late brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking and more recently, the respected baseball media personality and fellow UChicago alum Sarah Langs (she's not even that old!), I found that I knew remarkably little about the disease itself. So this May, which is ALS Awareness Month, let's learn a little bit more together.