News

BIOLOGY - The University of Oregon's Environment Initiative has named six faculty fellows for the 2023-24 academic year, two of whom belong to the College of Arts and Sciences: Lauren Hallett, associate professor of environmental studies and biology, and Peter Walker, professor of geography and environmental studies.

BIOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE - New research biology professor Adam Miller’s lab — published in Current Biology — illuminates the importance of neuron-to-neuron communication via direct electrical signaling, instead of the usual chemical messengers sent between cells.

BIOLOGY - Using data science applied to plant and animal records at natural history museums, UO graduate student Jordan Rodriguez is finding new ways to study the evolution of key proteins.

BIOLOGY - On Thursday, May 25, around 450 UO students and recent graduates presenting their projects at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. The annual event showcases student research across all academic fields; 67 majors across all the UO’s schools and colleges will be represented.

BIOLOGY, NEUROSCIENCE - Research led by neuroscientist Shawn Lockery shows worms exposed to a cannabinoid become even more interested in food they'd already prefer, similar to craving potato chips after a few puffs of marijuana — known scientifically as “hedonic feeding” but colloquially called “the munchies.”

BIOLOGY, DATA SCIENCE - University of Oregon ecologist Lauren Ponisio has been awarded a fellowship from the Ecological Society of America for research and outreach that has proven her an exceptional leader.

BIOLOGY - University of Oregon biologist Diana Libuda has received national recognition for her research, leadership and mentorship. Libuda, an associate professor in the Institute of Molecular Biology, was awarded the Excellence in Science Early-Career Investigator Award from the Federation of American Societies in Experimental Biology.

BIOLOGY - Your average sunflower sea star can munch through almost five purple sea urchins in a week, and they don’t seem to be picky about the quality of their food. A team co-led by Aaron Galloway at the UO’s Oregon Institute of Marine Biology published the findings in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Feb. 15.

BIOLOGY - UO scientists have uncovered new clues to the genetic basis for scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine.

BIOLOGY - Marine plankton exist as the base of most ocean food webs that support and sustain valuable fisheries. Planktonic organisms remain understudied: researchers find them difficult to sample given that their sizes span from less than one micron to meters.

BIOLOGY - A western wildflower known as the scarlet monkeyflower could demonstrate how key evolutionary traits can help native species adapt to a rapidly changing climate.

BIOLOGY - Even worms have a ticking fertility clock. A new study from UO biologists suggests one possible reason why reproduction slows with age. Older worms are less efficient at repairing broken DNA strands while making egg cells—part of a process that’s essential for fertility.

BIOLOGY - Nanomia bijuga, a marine animal related to jellyfish, swims via jet propulsion. And it can control these jets individually, either syncing them up or pulsing them in sequence. These two different swimming styles let the animal prioritize speed or energy efficiency, depending on its current needs, a team of UO researchers found.

NEUROSCIENCE - The animal's sophisticated visual system could offer clues to brain evolution

BIOLOGY - Gut microbes encourage specialized cells to prune back extra connections in brain circuits that control social behavior, new UO research in zebrafish shows. The pruning is essential for the development of normal social behavior.