Category Archives: Biological sciences

Just Another Seal? A look at the Northern Fur Seal

Posted on April 9, 2014 by icarion | Leave a comment

Climate change is a looming reality that we are all faced with. We are all aware that the earth is warming, but what you may not have considered, is how animals and their habitats will be affected. In this article we will look at how the results of climate change may influence Northern Fur Seals and their conservation.

So what is a Northern Fur Seal?

Northern Fur Seal

Northern Fur Seals are marine mammals who differ from other seals in that they have a thick fur coat. They eat mostly squid and fish such as pollock, herring, and anchovies. Their habitat ranges in the North Pacific from the coast of California, up to the Bering Sea and over to Russia and Japan. They spend their winter at sea, while during the summer they migrate to islands such as the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea to breed.

In the past the population of Northern Fur Seals has faced many challenges. They were commercially hunted for their fur which resulted in almost wiping out the species. Here an audio clip of our podcast which explains the how Northern Fur Seals were affected by the Fur Trade.

Seal FM Radio Podcast

As you have heard in the podcast, despite the fact that Northern Fur Seals are no longer hunted, their population is still declining. It has been estimated that since 1998 there was has been an annual decrease in their population by about 6%. One possible factor which may greatly affect their ability to survive is climate change. Northern Fur Seals are only able to live in a specific temperature zone, without expending energy. This ability to convert stored energy into a warming or cooling mechanism is called thermoregulation. We interviewed Dr. Rosen, a researcher at the UBC Marine Mammal Research Unit to learn a bit more about how thermoregulation works:

As you have learned from our video, thermoregulation is a factor essential to the survival of Northern Fur Seals. However, in view of the changing climate they may be forced from their natural habitat. This would additionally affect the distribution of their prey, potentially making it much harder for them to obtain food. Can you imagine how difficult it would be if your grocery store kept moving to a new location without you knowing?

Julia, Vishav, David and Rubeen

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Outreach project, Science communication, Science in the news

Tagged climate change, fur trade, Northern Fur Seal, thermoregulation

Saving the Reef: A new Method for an old Problem

Posted on April 9, 2014 by tonycaputo | Leave a comment

Naturally as humans, we tend to abuse any resource we can get our hands on. We exploit most of our planets natural resources (but that’s another story), as well as over consume many species that benefit us. Currently it is estimated that over 75% of the world’s fish stocks are being fished faster than they can be replenished, and that if we fail to change our ways we could be facing a global fish collapse by the year 2050. Looks like we could be eating jellyfish before we know it.

Indonesian fishing boats
Image courtesy: Dr. Divya Varkey

However, in light of this dooming news, there may be a solution. Recently Dr.Varkey, a Postdoc working on resource management from the University of British Columbia, has developed a method to help solve this issue. By analyzing coral reef communities in Raja Ampat (Indonesia), she has created a model that analyzes a bunch of different local factors and produces an outcome that is suited for both the community, and the fish.

Simplified version of the Bayesian Decision Network model
Image courtesy: Dr. Divya Varkey

To understand how this model works, we have a podcast performed by Dr.Varkey. She will help simplify the different complications of the model, so we can get a better grasp as to how this model works.

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Now that we understand how this model works, we can begin to see its many capabilities. Especially for smaller communities that rely heavily on fishing as a means of revenue, being able to balance the peoples needs and conservation can be extremely difficult. Like we heard Dr.Varkey explain, it can take everyone’s interests into account, and produce a result that is equally fair to everyone, while also conserving fish populations.

Local fishing boat in the community of Raja Ampat
Image courtesy: Dr. Divya Varkey

To understand more as to how this affected the community of Raja Ampat, as well as the conflicts between fisheries and conservation, feel free to watch this video to learn more about the community of Raja Ampat.

Now that we have seen how this model works, and how it can solve conflicts between different groups in a community, we can see the potential of this model in different ecosystems. Not only are the capabilities of this model powerful, but essentially it can be applied anywhere. Simply by deconstructing the model and recreating it for the desired ecosystem, we could apply it to any community where conservation is an issue. Locally, we could apply this model to sockeye populations, which reached populations so low in 2009 that salmon fisheries ended up closing.

Failure to change our current ways of exploitation could lead to a future without fish. Applying Dr.Varkey’s model could prove to be a simple method in reducing our over consumption of fish, leading to a more sustainable future.

Otherwise, we may be enjoying a lot more jellyfish in the near future.

-Raymond Quan, Madeleine Tsoi, Leticia Munoz, Tony Caputo

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Outreach project, Public engagement, Science in the news

Tagged Dr.Varkey, fish, Indonesia, Overfishing, Raja Ampat, Resource Management, UBC

DNA Barcoding: The Blueprint for Fungi and Beyond

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Sydney Honsberger-Grant | Leave a comment

Whether it is taking antibiotics to combat bacterial infections, relaxing at home sipping on drinks like wine or beer, or simply baking a delicious loaf of bread, we have fungi to thank.

At the University of British Columbia, Anna Bazzicalupo and her team are hard at work uncovering the mystery that are fungi. The importance of Anna’s research on fungi cannot be understated. Some of humanity’s most important innovations have utilized fungal research. One critical example is the discovery of the antibiotic Penicillin, perhaps the greatest innovation of the modern medical world. Anna’s research is crucial in finding new species and even lineages of fungi that we’ve never before stumbled upon. Applications of fungal research do not end there, as right in our classroom another Scientific Outreach team is studying the ways in which fungi might be the key to solving malaria.

Check out this podcast to learn more about Fungi:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ofn134

A class of life we know very little about, fungi are gold mines for researchers like Anna. So what is it that Anna and her team is doing to mine these mines?

Anna Bazzicalupo at work. Photo by Jessy Duhra.

To dig into the specifics of the research, Anna and her team of researchers are studying fungal communities by examining the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of fungal samples through what is known as next generation sequencing. To fully appreciate the value of this technique, we must recognize that DNA, the specific fingerprint for every form of life on Earth, is perhaps the best way to identify an organism. Next generation sequencing works by gathering a test sample and getting in return the entire collection of DNA strands that are in the sample. The video below gives a more detailed overview of the research:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5EcBE3WLZM&feature=youtu.be

Anna Bazzicalupo, armed with the weapon that is next generation sequencing, is on a mission to open the floodgates of fungal applications. With over five million species of fungi and many new species yet to be discovered, the possibilities of its applications are essentially limitless. We are headed in the right direction thanks to Anna and her team’s hard work on digging the fungal gold mine.

Jessy, Kevin, Shamim, Sydney

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Posted in Biological sciences, Outreach project

Tagged DNA, DNA barcoding, fungi, genetics

The Battle Against Malaria

Posted on April 9, 2014 by jastejsidhu | Leave a comment

Roughly half the world’s population is at risk of malaria. Children, under the age of five, account for 86% of malaria-related deaths in 2010. It is imperative that we find a solution to this mosquito-borne infection.

Malaria is found everywhere throughout the world, but sub-Saharan Africa, and tropical regions are most affected. In a World Health Organization (W.H.O.) report there were 207 million reported cases of malaria in 2012, with an estimated 3.4 billion people at risk.

Mosquito feeding on a human host.
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Malaria is a parasitic infection. Transmission of malaria begins with a single mosquito bite from an infected female Anopheline mosquito. With this exchange of malaria parasite for the victim’s blood, the parasites travel to the liver via blood cells. From there, the infection takes hold and the production of thousands of new malaria micro-organisms will begin. These mature malaria parasites make their way to the circulatory system where they invade red blood cells and eventually cause the red blood cells to burst. In short, malaria kills the blood supply to vital organs.

Symptoms of malaria range from headaches to fevers, to swelling of the spleen and death. These symptoms are due to the toxins released from ruptured red blood cells.

This podcast discusses the impact of malaria on a communal level, including causes for concern, as well as a malaria survivor’s ordeal.

Podcast

There are many reasons why malaria research is important. Preventative measures such as anti-malarial medicine has proven to be ineffective because malaria parasites are so complex. In fact, there is no effective vaccination against malaria. These parasites are capable of becoming resistant to anti-malarial drugs through point mutations, which are slight changes in its DNA. Their ability to evolve hampers prevention efforts and further complicates the mission for malaria control.

Researchers are looking into other ways to eliminate malaria. A few researchers from Maryland modified a fungus called Metarhizium anisopliae and discovered that it was able to combat the malaria parasite in female Anopheline mosquitoes. This fungus stops the transmission from mosquito to human by killing the malaria parasite in the mosquito.

Metarhizium Anisopliae
Source: Dan Johnson, University of Lethbridge

Dr. Daniel Coombs
Source: UBC Department of Mathematics

Dr. Daniel Coombs, a Mathematical Biologist, and his research team at the University of British Columbia used this finding and developed a mathematical model.

“The question is do you then start treating with the fungus and what you’re basically doing is changing the infected compartment of the mosquitoes and if you’re just curing the malaria, you’re just decreasing that,” says Dr. Coombs, adding that this is what his team set out to determine.

This video discusses Dr. Coombs’ research.

While this research is still in its infancy, this mathematical model could also be used to improve and develop other methods of controlling malaria. Knowing that these parasites can develop resistance to treatment and insecticides, it is crucial that we continue to find or develop affordable, effective methods to either control or eliminate malaria.

By: Gregory McMaster, Brenda Nguyen, Jastej Sidhu

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Outreach project, Public engagement, Science in the news

Tagged fungus, health, malaria, mosquito, world

Southern Elephant Seals: Catching Climate Change in the Act

Posted on April 9, 2014 by nakisa kiai | Leave a comment

Southern Elephant Seal Image Courtesy of: Christophe Guinet

Many people have yet to wonder how seals can make an impact in local marine environments. Naturally, the cute appearance of a marine animal comes to mind from our exposure to pictures or visits to aquariums. However, few of us know about the behaviour of seals, that in the way they catch their prey can actually provide valuable insight into the process of global warming. The research underway by Dr. Christophe Guinet and his team of researchers may be the missing link.

Tracking the fine movements of the elephant seals with data loggers allow researchers to measure the behaviour of the seal while underwater. It also gives us evidence on how climate change is directly affecting this important marine predator.

With advancements in technology, electronic devices have opened the doors to many new possibilities to research on foraging behaviour. This allows for the collection of data on these marine predators in their natural environment. Through an in-depth analysis on how these data loggers work, measurements on behavioural (location, diving depth, prey capture) and environmental (temperature, light) parameters gives us a chance to reference these results to the possible aspects of how seal foraging relates to global warming.

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Southern elephant seals are important top predators to tag with data loggers because despite spending most of their time underwater and out of sight, they can dive depths ranging 1,000 – 2,000 feet and can even go as deep as 5,000 feet! Because they can spend up to 10 months at sea, they are able to collect a lot of data about the ocean and bring it back for the researchers to analyze.

Southern Elephant Seal tagged with Data-logger Image Courtesy of: Christophe Guinet

Though we are making advances, humans are still limited by technology. This means that sometimes the equipment we have does not allow us to reach certain parts of the ocean. Southern elephant seals are helping us overcome this problem. Not only can they dive to depths that we have been unable to sample, but the seals also return to the same beach every year to molt and breed, which makes it easy for the scientists to come back each year to re-examine the data without having to capture the seals out at sea. Some researchers have organized the temperature data collected by the elephant seals into a format that other oceanographers can use and even uploaded it on the the World Ocean Database. Millions of new data points are made available to scientists worldwide thanks to the southern elephant seals.

Climate change will have an effect on all of us in our lifetime. Knowing what the ocean can tell us and who the key players in helping collect this data are will be instrumental to fixing this global challenge. Understanding southern elephant seals may be a major step in understanding our changing environment.

Posted by: Nakisa Kiai, Alice Koh, Gurdas Panesar, Jean Wang

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Posted in Biological sciences, Outreach project, Public engagement, Science communication

Tagged climate change, elephant seals, oceanography, researchers, seals, technology

The Sharp Truth of the Hook

Posted on April 9, 2014 by monicaleslie | Leave a comment

An alien planet lives closer than we ever would’ve expected. Not far beneath the surface of the water lies a mostly undiscovered world, complete with its own set of aliens.

Leafy Dragon (Photo Courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons)

Coral reefs may look like they don’t belong on our own planet, but this world is not as isolated as we may think. In fact, our actions, above and below water, can have drastic consequences on their world.

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The Giant Clam is only one of many species being affected by human activity. Coral reefs and their marine inhabitants around the world are in serious danger of being lost forever. Unfortunately, it has already begun to happen. Reefs face

Giant Clam (Photo Courtesy of: Monica Leslie)

many challenges today, including increasing sea temperatures due to climate change as well as increasing ocean acidity. In addition, pollution and larger sediment loads on the reefs are also causing stress to the ecosystem. However, according to Krista Greer, it is overfishing of these reef ecosystems that often push them over the edge. Greer, a researcher for The Sea Around Us Project says:

“There are all sort of outside stresses, [and] maybe the reef can handle one or two of them, but when you also add overfishing, there’s a breaking point.”

We often think of commercial and industrial fishing as being the major cause of overfishing, but even smaller scale fishing practices can impact the ecosystem. Due to this manner of thinking, many places around the world are unaware that they’re fishing to a point beyond what is sustainable for the reef. This is the case with many island communities, such as Cocos (Keeling) Island.

Although not every species is affected by human fishing activity, the loss of even a single species can lead to an overall decline of ecosystem health. Overfishing is the final straw that can cause the delicately balanced ecosystem of coral reefs around the world to collapse.

Cocos (Keeling) Island Locals (Photo Courtesy of: Saripedia)

The first step in remedying this situation is implementing appropriate management of fisheries throughout the world. However, it is not enough to simply create laws and policies regarding fishing. Education is crucial, especially in small island communities as the local people need to understand the consequences of their actions. Krista Greer says,

“In order for it to actually work … they need the local population to be on board. They’re not going to be there to watch and regulate and enforce, so they need … the local population to do that.”

A global effort is needed if we are ever to start on the road to recovery. If our current actions don’t change, we risk losing this mysterious and enchanting world forever, before we have a chance to fully discover it. Can we really live with the sharp consequences that our hooks cause?

-Monica Leslie, Richelle Eger, Justin Sidhu

Audio Credits:
Sound Effects/Music Courtesy of: iMovie, Garage Band Narrated By: Richelle Eger

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Posted in Biological sciences, Issues in science, Outreach project, Science communication

Tagged Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Island, Coral Reefs, Fishing, Giant Clam, Overfishing, Reef Species

Beard Implants: A Growing Trend?

Posted on March 24, 2014 by monicaleslie | Leave a comment

Hipsters are known for their trends. From thick-rimmed glasses to flannel plaid, they always strive to be unique. However, none of these trends are as elusive as the full, thick beard so many hipsters strive for.

Photo Courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

Although hair transplantation surgeries have been available for years, beard transplants are becoming increasingly popular due to the latest male fashions. According to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, facial transplant surgeries have increased 14.2% from 2008 to 2010 and it continues to be on the rise.

A beard transplant is historically done by a series of micrografts and minigrafts; harvesting the hair follicles from the back of the scalp and inserting them into incisions made on the face with a 0.8mm scalpel. However, these techniques are very meticulous, time consuming and require quite a long healing period. In addition, these old techniques limit the surgeons to only harvesting 500-700 hair follicles in one surgery. Most patients require the harvesting of between 500 and 1000 follicles to complete their beard transplant, so this number is less than satisfactory.

The latest technique is called a NeoGraft Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant. This technique still collects the hairs from the back of the scalp and implants them in the necessary regions on the face. However the Neograft device improves the accuracy and speed of a FUE hair transplant while being less invasive, and requiring significantly less healing time. Using Neograft, a surgeon is able to harvest and transplant over 1500 hair follicles in one surgery making it more desirable for those individuals who require more hairs to be transplanted.

After the surgery one can expect the hairs that have been transplanted to grow as any normal hair would. A man will have to shave this hair like they would a normal beard. Dr. Bauman, the first plastic surgeon to routinely use the Neograft device says,

“It takes about a week to heal from the procedure. It takes 6 to 12 weeks for hair to start to grow. Half of the transplanted follicles have visible growth after 6 months. The rest fill in after a year.”

Although the latest techniques make a beard transplant surgery a more minor procedure it is not without its costs. A typical beard transplant surgery costs $10 per follicle. This equates to a cost of anywhere between $5000 and $10000. In addition, it should be noted that the hairs that are removed from the back of scalp never grow back.

FUE hair transplant, similar to FUE beard transplant. Photo Courtesy of: Wikimedia Commons

With less invasive procedures becoming available and the trend of a thick, full beard being more prominent than ever, it’s no wonder that beard transplants are becoming more popular. So, to all hipsters out there, you are not alone if you choose to embrace this growing trend.

Monica Leslie

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Posted in Biological sciences, Science communication, Science in the news

Tagged Beard transplant, Beards, Follicular Unit Extraction, Hair follicles, Hair transplant, Hipsters, medicine, Neograft, Plastic surgery

The Return of the Woolly Mammoth?

Posted on March 18, 2014 by justinsidhu | 3 comments

What if it was possible to bring back the woolly mammoths? Should we do it, or would it be unethical to bring back a species that went extinct thousands of years ago?

From Wikipedia Commons

Woolly mammoths first appeared over 200,000 years ago and are similar to modern elephants but were adapted to the cold environment of the last ice age.

Recently scientists have found a female woolly mammoth that was about 2.5 years old buried in ice in Russia. This specimen was extremely well preserved due to the ice, which is remarkable since it was alive 39,000 years ago. The mammoth that they found still had fur and its internal organs mostly intact, most importantly scientist were able to extract mammoth blood.

The cloning process can only begin if the DNA is found to be useable and undamaged. Also since cloning is a relatively new process, methods would have to be created to do so and if scientists are successful in cloning the mammoth this could revolutionize the field of cloning. Also if it is possible, it could even be used to bring back endangered species.

The main problem is whether or not we should do it because woolly mammoths had their chance and evolution selected against them. If scientists are successful in cloning the mammoth then that would be the only one of its entire species alive and in an environment that it is hardly even adapted to.

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Posted in Biological sciences, Science in the news

Tagged Cloning, Ethics, medicine, Woolly Mammoths

Do Men Really Lose Weight Faster Than Women?

Posted on March 17, 2014 by akoh | 2 comments

Source: Wikimedia commons; Credited to AnonMoos

Being the center of attention for beauty, there’s always a disadvantage for women when it comes to appearance. Adding influence from peers and media, it is no surprise for women to get frustrated after a failed diet. However, what really hits home to many is the rumour that men lose weight more quickly than women. Why is it that woman have to try much harder to obtain the same results? Or is that really the case? Many believe that men have an advantage when it comes to losing weight. There are countless of anecdotes featuring women struggling through a sweaty journey to lose a mere pound or two while men seem to portray this same journey just by cutting out junk food, hitting the gym and watching the weight drop off – a methodology representing simplicity. But what exactly is the real truth?

Body fat composition
Source: google images; Credited to Marc Perry

There are two key factors that contribute to the obvious results of short-term weight loss in men: distribution of body fat and muscle content. On average, women have between 6 and 11% more body fat than men. Therefore, despite a smaller calorie intake, women will maintain this higher average body fat content. One thing to keep in mind is that “fat” is not necessarily used in an unhealthy
context. It is true that women have larger fat stores due to their physiology yet this fat does not correlate to extra weight. If a woman contains 4% more fat than a man, it does not mean that she is 4% “fatter”. As for muscle, men tend to have more than women of the same age and weight. Testosterone is the main contributor of this through its effect on body musculature and fat distribution. In addition, the greater number of muscle tissue causes an increase in burning calories even during rest as it is metabolically active.

: (Top: Atkins Diet) – Source: Wikimediacommons
(Middle: Slim-Fast) – Source: droppingpound.com; Credited to Mary
(Bottom: WeightWatchers) – Source: google images; Credited to theimpulsivebuy

The media plays with this rumour as weight-loss programs accentuate the difference between men and women. When sedentary men and women start some exercise program, it highlights men losing more weight while women don’t. In one study, men and women were each put on commercial weight-loss programs such as Atkins, Slim-Fast and WeightWatchers. Initial results showed men losing twice more weight than women and three times as much body fat. However, when reaching the six month period, the rate of weight loss equilibrated between the genders. Men tend to lose weight where they need it – the belly and so it is more noticeable immediately. Women tend to have their fat stores spread out so immediate results are hard to see.

Overall, the process of shedding those extra pounds is hard work. It is true that men, due to their additional muscle tissue and testosterone portray better initial results when losing weight. However no matter what gender you are, as long as you stay committed to losing weight, the playing field to get to the final result is more or less the same.

Posted by: Alice Koh

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Posted in Biological sciences, Public engagement

Tagged Appearance, Body fat, Diet, health, Men, muscle, rumour, Weight loss, Women

Marfan Syndrome: tissue disorder in tall people

Posted on March 16, 2014 by duhraj | Leave a comment

Are you tall, thin, have flexible joints, flat fleet and crowded teeth? You may be a victim of Marfan syndrome. Marfan Syndrome is a genetic tissue disorder that affects the connective tissues of the body, specifically long bones. People with this disorder are born with it but the features are usually present later on. This disorder affects 1 in 5000 people worldwide although not many people are familiar with it, such as myself. An article I came across on this subject caught my attention because I have physical features such as a tall, thin build with flat feet, similar to the symptoms. There is however, many tall people with the physical features of the disorder but are not diagnosed with it, which is most likely my case.

Source: Flickr Commons Author: Michael Dorausch
https://flic.kr/p/87KL9Q

The tissue disorder is caused by a mutation or defect in the gene that produces fibrillin-1, the protein involved in Marfan syndrome. This defect results in an increase in production of a protein known as transforming growth factor beta (TGF), which initiates defects in the connective tissue of the body. This disorder can affect many areas of the body since connective tissues are found throughout the whole body. Commons areas infected are bones, joints, the heart, blood vessels and the eyes. Because of this, it can be life threatening. Most deaths are cardiovascular related.

This videos goes over some physical signals of Marfan Syndrome:

An eight grader from Urbana, Illinois was diagnosed with the disorder at six-years-old. At the age of 13, she was just over 5 feet and 10 inches. Luckily for her, she began treatment at a young age to prevent any serious complications. Treatment of this syndrome involves daily intake of beta-blocker medication and an echocardiogram once year. Unfortunately, her father was diagnosed in his late 20’s and after years of strenuous activities such as playing basketball and football, his heart had experienced too much damage to be treated. When undiagnosed and untreated, there is up to 250 times the risk of a tear or rupture of the aorta. The effects of this syndrome are therefore serious and should be better communicated to people in order to be aware of the condition.

So if you know anyone that is young and has any of these features, it might be worthwhile to mention the tissue disorder as it could possibly prevent further damage and save a live.

Jessy Duhra

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Posted in Biological sciences, Science in the news, Uncategorized

Tagged anatomy, connective tissue, flexible joints, long bones, phalanges, tall people, tissue disorder, x-ray

Category Archives: Biological sciences

Just Another Seal? A look at the Northern Fur Seal

Saving the Reef: A new Method for an old Problem

DNA Barcoding: The Blueprint for Fungi and Beyond

The Battle Against Malaria

Southern Elephant Seals: Catching Climate Change in the Act

The Sharp Truth of the Hook

Beard Implants: A Growing Trend?

The Return of the Woolly Mammoth?

Do Men Really Lose Weight Faster Than Women?

Marfan Syndrome: tissue disorder in tall people

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