SCRIBE Research Highlights

CBS is home to a wide range of innovative and interdisciplinary research programs. The research stories highlighted in this page showcase some of the exciting discoveries emerging from our labs and field sites. These stories have been written by graduate students in the SCRIBE (Students Communicating Research in Biology Education) program. SCRIBE writers take an active role in translating and communicating research results for non-specialist audiences as they develop their knowledge mobilization skills.


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Some of our students' SCRIBE stories have been published in CBS research magazines. Click on the thumbnails below to read the first (2018) and second (2021) edition of our research magazine.

 

Cover of the CBS Research Magazine 2018       Cover of the Research Insights Magazine 2021

For more information about research taking place in the college, or the SCRIBE writing program, please contact the Associate Dean of Research's Office.

 


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Current Stories


Date Image Article Title
March 19, 2024 panda bear Enhancing Animal Welfare in Captivity: Insights from the Itinerant Lives of Wild Animals
March 11, 2024 grey squirrel Winter is Coming: How Seasonality May Impact Grey Squirrel Gut Microbiomes
Feb. 7, 2024 Melanie Wills reviews data Closing the Knowledge Gap Between Lyme and Other Diseases
Feb. 2, 2024 red squirrel Welcome to the Neighbourhood: Red Squirrel Neighbours Share Gut Microbiome
Jan. 26, 2024 Edeline Gagnon

When a potato isn’t just a potato: the ‘dirt’ on understanding plant underground storage organs

Jan. 15, 2024 Jefferson salamander Saving Salamanders: Scientists ‘map’ a path to protect an endangered species
Jan. 8, 2024 cross-country skiing Target practice: How identifying motor synergies can enhance athletic training

 

Past Stories


Date Image Article Title
Sept 27, 2023 Steve Iseman at the ocean shore

The Transformative Power of Exercise: Cycling Across Canada with Parkinson’s Disease

Sept 19, 2023 Two women walking

Shedding Light on an Age-old Problem: Researchers Probe Muscle Function Decline in Older Adults

Sept 6, 2023 Lake shore with transparent water and a rocky bottom What is the Key to Stable Ecosystems? Researchers Find Answers in Economic Principles
Aug 30, 2023 Illustration of a bird using a calculator Scientists are Harnessing the Magic of Math to Predict Species Extinction
Aug 10, 2023 Coho salmon parr Surviving Pipelines: Young Pacific Salmon Respond Differently to Oil Spills
Aug 1, 2023 Fox carrying a prey in its mouth Beyond Birds: Wildlife Rehabilitators Discover Spread of Avian Influenza to Small Mammals
June 14, 2023 Sea urchin Just an Arm's Reach Away: The Role of Thyroid Hormones in Urchin Development
May 25, 2023 Family eating breakfast together in the kitchen Un-processing Obesity: Insights into the Relationship Between Processed Foods and Obesity in Parents and Young Children
May 3, 2023 Candida albicans under the microscope Fighting Off Fungi: New Molecular Tool Joins the War Against Fungal Pathogen
Apr 3, 2023 Coffee beans A Better Morning Brew: Researchers Shed Light on the Asynchronous Flowering of Coffee Plants
Mar 2, 2023 Researcher manipulating a Cannabis plant Can Cannabis Treat Brain Cancer? Study Shows that Molecules in Cannabis Have the Potential to Attack Tumour Cells
Feb 23, 2023 Upclose image of the American chestnut Genetic Diversity May Hold the Key to Bringing Back an Iconic Endengered Tree
Jan 30, 2023 Hands holding papers in the shape of kidneys Have Your Estrogen and Eat it Too: Phytoestrogens in Soy may Support Kidney Health, Study Finds
Jan 23, 2023 Illustration of a squirrel guarding cones When Squirrels Win the Spruce Cone Lottery, They Stop Shouting "Get Off My Lawn!"
Jan 16, 2023 Synchronized swimmers' legs seen coming out of the water in a swimming pool The Heart Wants what the Heart Needs: Sutdy Offers New Insight into Cardiac Adaptations in Aquatic Athletes
Jan 4, 2023 Researchers sampling on a stream Divergence Makes the Genome Wander: What an Icelandic Fish is Teaching Scientists About Evolution
Dec 8, 2022 Researcher sampling microbes in freshwater There's Something in the Water: Accurately Identifying Freshwater Microbial Communities
Nov 30, 2022 Illustration of neural connections Small but Mighty: The Surprising Role of Bacteria in Brain Development
Oct 19, 2022 Illustration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Attack is the Best Form of Defense: Finding New Ways to Target Cystic Fibrosis Bacteria
Sept 19, 2022 A pair of kittiwakes (birds) Spying on Seabirds: Combining Old and New Tools to Understand How Kittiwakes Expend Energy
Aug 29, 2022 Lupine flowers The Roots of Change: How Human Activity is Altering Plant Interactions with Fungi
Aug 16, 2022 Fish being sold in a market A Food Web of Lies: How Misinformation in the Seafood Supply Chain Affects our Role as Top Predators
July 28, 2022 Small mouse with brown hair Let Them Play: How Richer Home Environments Make Mice More Social
July 14, 2022 Leafy greens in a bowl Eat Your Leafy Greens: Dietary Nitrate Improves Metabolic Health, Study Finds
July 11, 2022 Pensive student with laptop. Getting the Most out of Grading: How to Make Student Assessment more "Authentic"
July 4, 2022 Tumour cells in metastasis. Stopping the Spread: The Fight Against Metastatic Cancer
June 20, 2022 Zebra fish Low Oxygen Impairs Brain Development in Fish, but the Fish Aren't Stressed About It
June 6, 2022 Aquatic beetle up close Life in the Cold Lane: Study Sheds New Light on Beetle Biodiversity in the Sub-Arctic
May 24, 2022 Herbaceous plants with developed roots Plant Roots and Mycorrhizal Fungi: The Plot Thickens in a 500-Million-Year-Old Mystery
May 13, 2022 Pregnant woman taking a pill Folic Acid: Friend or Foe? Excess Folic Acid During Pregnancy Without Enough Choline Can Promote Obesity in Offspring
Apr 14, 2022 Athlete tying their shoelaces When Habitual Exercise Becomes a Problem: The Link Between Exercise Addiction and Low Energy Availability
Mar 22, 2022 Upclose image of a fish Fish Out of Water: an Unexpected Discovery
Feb 4, 2022 Student looks happy while looking at their laptop Learning how to Learn: an Instructional Guide
Jan 17, 2022 Researcher holding an adult sea lamprey Catch me if you can: study reveals the best ways to mark and recapture sea lampreys
Dec 10, 2021 Human brain on circuits Study Finds Key Brain Protein May Have Role in Psychiatric Disorders
Oct 18, 2021 A western painted turtle Chilled out: How Turtles Survive in Frozen Ponds for Months Without Oxygen
Oct 5, 2021 Jumping spider (Phidippus sp.) resting on a leaf Restoring Natural Habitat on Farmland Yields Big Biodiversity Payoff
Sept 20, 2021 Trees killed by the spruce budworm during a cyclical outbreak Tiny Wasps Have Big Impact on Spruce Budworm Outbreaks
Aug 17, 2021 Brain scan images It’s a No-brainer: Study Sheds New Light on How Tumour Cells Invade Brain Tissue
July 22, 2021 Fish Oil Capsules Gone Fishing: Fish Oil Supplements Reduce Impacts of Breast Cancer in Obese Mice
July 15, 2021 Anatomical model of muscles in the back eStudy Turns Conventional Thinking on Myofascial Back Pain Upside Down
July 6, 2021 Blanding’s turtle, an at-risk species, in Kejimkujik National Park (photo by Andrew Cannizzaro’ CC BY 2.0) eDNA: a Conservation Game-changer
June 28, 2021 Fire Belly Toad The Evolution of Learning and Behavior: How Toads Could Unlock the Complexities of Human Behavior
June 14, 2021 Tobacco plants used to produce drugs (photo by N. Prudhomme) How to Improve Drug Production: An Unbe-leaf-able Story
June 8, 2021 DNA molecules with red background Genome Miners Strike Toxin Gold
May 26, 2021 Person pouring a dressing onto a salad Feed Your Genes: How Genetics Influence Our Response to Food
May 18, 2021 People jogging in forest Don’t Fret, Just Sweat
May 10, 2021 A male Asiatic toad, Bufo gargarizans (photo by Z. Yao) Smaller Brains Help Toads Survive a Harsh Life atop Mountains
May 5, 2021 Oil pouring onto spoon The State of Matter Matters: How Does Consumption of Solid Versus Liquid Fats Affect Appetite?
Apr 26, 2021 A view of Ashby Lake, Ontario. Inset: illustration of a pumpkinseed fish (image by Duane Raver, USFWS) Fishing for Ecological Opportunity in Ashby Lake
Apr 19, 2021 A stressed plant growing on dry soil Hey, Stress, LEAve Them Plants Alone
Apr 9, 2021 A female daphnia (image by Dieter Ebert, CC BY-SA 4.0) Antidepressants in the Water Affect Daphnia and Their Babies… and Their Babies’ Babies!
Mar 30, 2021 Plant life near a waterway Following the Fertilizer Trail: Study Explains How Nutrient Run-off Leads to Far Off Impacts
Mar 15, 2021 Picture of a forest where a wooden trail can be seen Lost in Translation: Deconstructing Different Knowledge Systems to Improve Cross-Cultural Communication
Feb 19, 2021 Learners in a classroom raising their hands and participating in class Engaging Diverse Learners in Biology
Jan 5, 2021 Fish oil capsules arranged in the shape of a fish There’s Nothing Fishy About It: Omega-3’s in Fish Oils Reduce Inflammation
Dec 17, 2020 A study participant receiving blood flow restriction and electrical muscle stimulation to prevent muscle atrophy (photo courtesy of J. Burr) No More “Use it or Lose it”: New Discovery May Stave Off Muscle Loss During Post-Injury Recovery
Dec 1, 2020 Researcher wearing gloves and working in a lab A Diagnostic Bull’s-eye? Researchers Use Platelets and Citrate to Take Aim at Lyme Disease
Oct 28, 2020 Picture of human brain and circuits This is your brain (waves) on drugs
Sept 18, 2020 A model of a ribosome in a eukaryotic cell (image by Fvoigtsh, CC BY-SA 3.0) Ribosome Royale: A Specialized Secret Agent in the Fight to Detect Cancer
July 6, 2020 A collared woodland caribou in Northern Ontario (photo by Tal Avgar) Caring for Caribou: Understanding How Logging Affects Survival of a Threatened Species
June 10, 2020 Fish farming cages in the middle of a water body Help Me Genome, You’re My Only Hope: A Fishy Resistance Story
May 28, 2020 Heart inside a human body Take This to Heart: TBC1D1 May Help Reduce Risk of Heart Disease in Diabetics
May 7, 2020 An orange jewelweed “open” flower (Photo by Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 2.5) Blooming Change: A Story of Adaption
Mar 13, 2020 A monarch butterfly spotted in Île aux Chats, Quebec (image courtesy of eButterfly) It Takes a Village: Citizen Scientists Monitor Canada’s Favourite Butterfly
Feb 28, 2020 PhD candidate Koley Freeman hand feeds a Canada Jay in Algonquin Provincial Park (photo by A. Newman) Eat Lots, Fly Early: Supplemental Feeding Leads to Earlier Fledging in Canada Jays
Feb 21, 2020 Bioreactors used to culture gut microbes in the Allen-Vercoe lab (photo by S. Rosiana) Together We Stand, Divided We Fall: How Microbes Cooperate in the Human Gut
Feb 4, 2019 Shoreline by a lake during sunrise We Can’t Direct the Wind, but We Can Adjust the Sails: Using Models to Predict Hypoxia in Lake Erie
Jan 24, 2020 Lots of chickens in a chicken coop You are What You Eat, but What Should Your Food Eat? Feed-additive Benefits in an Antibiotic-free Future
Jan 16, 2020 A Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (photo by Waldemarpaetz, CC BY-SA 4.0) Historical Fish Stocking Records may Hold the Key to Saving the Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout
Jan 7, 2020 Former Integrative Biology undergraduate researcher Sydney Collins holds one of her most recent study subjects (photo courtesy of Sydney Collins) Bold is Best: How Personality Impacts Mating and Chick Survival in Arctic Seabirds
Dec 6, 2019 The amphibious mangrove rivulus fish in water (photo by Brock and Sherri Fenton) A Tale of Two Worlds: Emersion and Exploration Behavior in an Amphibious Fish
Nov 5, 2019 Spoons with different types of protein powder What’s Really in your Protein Powder?
Oct 22, 2019 A cuff used to restrict blood flow during Ischemic Preconditioning (photo courtesy of Burr lab) When Cutting Off Blood Supply is A Good Thing: Using Ischemic Preconditioning to Enhance Exercise Performance
Oct 1, 2019 A hand holding pills, with a background of a microscope, test tubes and beakers How to Find a Needle in a Haystack, Fast
Sept 16, 2019 Baby alligators on a rocky surface Limited Oxygen Builds Stronger Alligator Hearts, Study Finds
Sept 4, 2019 Lentils of two kinds (red and brown) Why You Should Keep Your Finger on the ‘Pulse’ of Carb Substitutes
Aug 15, 2019 Female hockey player on the ice rink Water, Sugar, Salt: A Winning Combination in Hockey
Aug 7, 2019 A sapling emerging on the soil Limited Phosphorous Supply? Try Your Friendly Neighbourhood Fungi
Aug 2, 2019 The purple sea urchin as a microscopic larva (left) and in its more familiar adult form (images are not to scale) Growing Up is Hard: Study Explains High Mortality in Sea Urchins Following Metamorphosis
July 30, 2019 Chemical structure of progesterone Breaking Taboo: Understanding the Evolution of Menstruation
July 25, 2019 A salmon fish upclose How Rapid Evolutionary Change has Made Landlocked Salmon Less Seaworthy
July 22, 2019 Test tubes used for DNA testing Tips for Healthy Living: Eat Healthy, Exercise, and…Spit in a Tube
July 16, 2019 Showing various stages of embryo development of a chicken To Divide or not to Divide? That is the Question Being Answered by Dlx Proteins in Developing Embryo Cells
July 10, 2019 A person sitting at a dining table holding a knife and fork with a plate in between More than Just a Hunger Hormone: Ghrelin Could Help Prevent Diabetes
July 3, 2019 A fruit fly feeding on a banana (photo by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0) Fruit Flies (Yes, Fruit Flies!) Reveal New Insights into Animal Aggression
June 28, 2019 Close up of Scutiger boulengeri, a frog that lives at high altitudes. Frogs of a Stressor Evolve Together
June 24, 2019 A woman looking at a vending machine Candy or Chips? An Analysis of Taste Preferences and Why it Matters to Your Health
June 13, 2019 Older people walking down a path A Step Forward in Understanding Injurious Fall Risk in Older Adults
June 5, 2019 Culturing cells in the lab (photo by Kaibara87, CC BY 2.0) The “Goldiloxygen” Zone: Finding the Oxygen “Sweet Spot” for Growing Human Cells in the Lab
May 29, 2019 Clostridioides difficile (image courtesy of James Archer, CDCP) Poop Bacteria versus C. difficile: Pathogen Proves to be a Complex Opponent in the Battle Between Good and Bad Gut Bacteria
May 22, 2019 Adult damselfly posing on a grass leaf ‘Tis but a Scratch! Damselflies Lose a Limb to Escape Predators in the Nick of Time
May 13, 2019 A mangrove rivulus, an amphibious fish, on a small petri dish (photo courtesy of Pat Wright) Go Ahead and ‘Sweat It’: How to Survive as a Fish Out of Water
May 8, 2019 Picture of magnifying glass over the word LIFESTYLE DNA May Provide Clues Towards Personalized Treatments for Metabolic Syndrome
May 1, 2019 A picture of fish in water Genetic Study of Early Maturing Salmon Yields Surprise Discovery
April 25, 2019 The Eastern Pond Mussel (photo by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre, CC BY 2.0) Got Mussels? Understanding Why Turbid Rivers Have More Bivalve Shellfish
April 16, 2019 Fish in water Getting to the Heart of the Matter in Aquatic Ecosystem Stability
April 12, 2019 A person walking by eye glasses on the ground Making Sense of Moving Through Life
April 5, 2019 Lead from a bullet Biting the Bullet: Why Some Canadians and Wildlife Literally ‘Eat Lead
April 2, 2019 Tree swallow (bird) Feathered Jet Setters: Tree Swallows Map out Complex International Routes and Stopovers During Migration
Mar 29, 2019 A tractor spraying chemicals over an agricultural field Study Shows How Agrochemicals Can Increase Risk of Parkinson’s Disease 
Mar 26, 2019 The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (photo by  Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0) Know Your Enemy: Do Invasive Species Evolve More Rapidly?
Mar 22, 2019 Person cycling on a paved road When it Comes to Overtraining in Athletes, Less May be More
Mar 20, 2019 Wind farm on a field by mountains Bill C-69 Fails to Deliver on Indigenous Consultation and Knowledge Systems
Mar 14, 2019 Picture of a kidney diagram being erased by a pencil Investigation into Novel Gene Mutation Provides Surprising Insights into Rare Kidney Disease
Mar 6, 2019 Nutrition label from a good item New Study Explains Link Between High Fat Diet and Diabetes
Feb 26, 2019 A rhinoceros auklet, bird (photo credit: Dick Daniels CC BY-SA 3.0) Fishing for Answers: Using Seabirds to Better Understand Fish Populations
Feb 19, 2019 Wild strawberries in the field Are Strawberries too Tasty to Evolve?
Feb 11, 2019 Upclose of a sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus (photo by NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, CC BY-SA 2.0) How to Build a Better Trap for an Invasive Pest: Study its Personality
Feb 4, 2019 Generic picture of a plant Unfolding the Mystery of How Plants Defy Dehydration
Jan 28, 2019 Person running in winter during sunset Winter Blues? Study Suggests Exercise Builds both Fitness and Cold Tolerance
Jan 18, 2019 woman with measuring tape held around waist with bowl of veggies in her hand Fatty Acids Tell a Genetic Story about Health Risks, Says Study
Jan 7, 2019 An Escherichia coli bacterium undergoing cell division (photo courtesy A. Berezuk) Uncovering New Pieces of the Bacterial Cell Division Puzzle
Dec 13, 2018 A person holding their back in pain Tape: the Latest Weapon Against Back Pain
Dec 12, 2018 Small scale fishing and fishermen by the water Linking Humans to Fisheries Food Webs
Nov 21, 2018 Adult zebrafish in tanks at the Hagen Aqualab (left) and developing embryos (right) (photo credit: J. Matsumoto) Zebrafish Moms May Protect Eggs from Stress with Hormone that Reduces Cell Death
Nov 8, 2018 Spinach and egg salad in a bowl Combatting Obesity with ‘Methyl Donor’ Micronutrients
Oct 12, 2018 Medical professional extending hand with vitamins Novel Potential Role for Vitamin D During Puberty
Sept 26, 2018 An Ontario vineyard with a grape plant upclose Helping Farmers Avoid Sour Grapes: Researchers Develop Test for Hidden Viruses in Ontario’s Vineyards
Sept 12, 2018 Students in a classroom at UoG CBS Turns a Scientific Eye to Improving Teaching and Learning
Aug 30, 2018 Picture of a heart Researchers Get it “Right” in the Study of Heart Failure
Aug 22, 2018 Various types of food that contain solid and liquid fats Solid and Liquid Fat Get Digested Differently, Says Study
Aug 16, 2018 Herbal pills coming out of a bottle Herbal Medicine Fraud: Do You Know What’s in Your Pill?
Aug 8, 2018 Seniors walking on a park trail Reduced Skin Sensitivity in Older Adults May Contribute to Poor Balance
Aug 1, 2018 Timothy grass (photo by Sparkleice, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) Plant Movement Important for Wind Pollination, Study Says
July 25, 2018 The bacterium Klebsiella pneumonia (photo by NIAID, CC BY 2.0) Study Paves Way to Better Identify and Treat Important Pathogen
July 18, 2018 Preschoolers eating fruit in company of an adult Starting out Strong: Inspiring Lifelong Dietary Habits in Preschoolers
July 11, 2018 Map upclose of the Bering Strait (image courtesy of Gretarsson, CC BY-SA 2.0) Tick Tock: Calibrating the “Molecular Clock” to Date a Species’ Evolutionary History
July 5, 2018 The bacterium Escherichia coli Understanding How Cellular Components Function as a Team
June 27, 2018 Person walking in the city while talking on the phone How to Multi-task with Ease: Train the Body and Mind as One
June 20, 2018 The amphibious fish Kryptolebias marmoratus (photo by P. Wright) Want to Know How to Survive Extreme Environments? Ask an Amphibious Fish
June 14, 2018 A closeup of a green leaf Revealing the Hidden Relationships Inside Plant Cell
June 7, 2018 Professor Coral Murrant (left) and graduate student Iain Lamb (photo by K. White) Regulating Blood Flow Takes Team Work
May 31, 2018 Picture of a Frog Not All Frogs are Created Equal When it Comes to Measuring Environmental Quality
May 24, 2018 Brain neurons (illustration in blue) When Brain Regions Can’t Communicate, and How to Prevent It
May 17, 2018 Back of a women stretching her arms and back New Research Reveals How Our Body Responds to Muscle Fatigue
May 9, 2018 A women blowing a dandelion outside on a spring day Deciphering Mode of Bacterial Infections Could Help Cystic Fibrosis Patients Breathe Easier
May 1, 2018 Parmelia sulcata, a type of lichen found in Guelph city parks (photo by J. Opiola) Lichens: a Bellwether of Biodiversity in City Parks
April 18, 2018 Professor Stephen Seah and Stephanie Gilbert (photo by K. White) New Possible Drug Targets Emerge for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
April 9, 2018 Professor Elizabeth Boulding (photo by K. White) Genetics Help Power Atlantic Salmon Restoration
Mar 28, 2018 PhD student Michal Pyc in the Phytotron (photo by K. White) Unlocking the Potential for Lipid Production in Plants
Mar 21, 2018 A purple sea urchin in the water You Can't Make a Sea Urchin Without Breaking Some Cells
Mar 16, 2018 A bunch of purple carrots with leaves A Study in Purple: an Emerging Symbol for Healthy Food
Mar 8, 2018 Adult and embryo images of fish (CC BY-SA 3.0; Todd Gillis) Common fluorescent label has unintended impact on health of zebrafish
Feb 23, 2018 Microscopic imaging of Shc proteins in a cell Study Discovers Unexpected Ability in Cell-trafficking Protein
Feb 7, 2018 Medical model of a human torso without skin depicting muscles Study Shows New Twist on Mind-muscle Connection
Jan 26, 2018 Computer visualization of proteins involved in myelin formation (image courtesy of G. Harauz) Gaining virtual insights into the molecular structure of the brain
Jan 10, 2018 Male running on a grassy field Iron Deficiencies More Common in Elite Athletes than Previously Thought
Jan 10, 2018 Upclose image of a seed shrimp [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons) “Junk” DNA Predicts Body Size in Seed Shrimp