News Archive

Student Research: New technique isolates placental cells for non-invasive genetic testing

Brown University researchers, including Christina Bailey-Hytholt, a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering, have developed a simple method for isolating placental cells from cervical swabs. The technique, described in the journal Scientific Reports, could aid in developing less invasive ways of diagnosing genetic disorders in developing fetuses. The technique isolates trophoblast cells — placental cells that carry the complete fetal genome — by taking advantage of their tendency to settle to the bottom of microwell plates. Read more.

Student Research: Modeling hurricane effects on Rhode Island

Joyce Pak, an MPH student, is spending her summer doing her part to ensure the Ocean State is prepared. Working at the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), she is refining a computer modeling system used by emergency preparedness experts and responders to minimize the impact of hurricanes, and other severe storms, on the state’s critical infrastructure such as hospitals and highways. Read more.

Student Research: Individuals are swayed by their peers, leading to more severe punishments, study finds

When acting as one part of a group charged with deciding how to punish someone — a jury, for example — individuals are swayed by their peers to punish more often than they would if deciding alone, a new study found. Jae-Young Son, a Psychology PhD student is first author on the paper, along with Oriel FeldmanHall, an assistant professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences who is senior researcher on the study. The research team conducted five experiments involving almost 400 participants. Four looked at individuals’ willingness to punish people who behaved selfishly in economic tasks, and another involved determining punishment recommendations for hypothetical perpetrators of crimes of varying severity. The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports. Read more.

Diversity Preview Day for PhD Students

Prospective graduate students from diverse backgrounds with an interest in pursing a PhD are invited to visit campus October 20-21 or November 3-4 to explore academic, social and professional opportunities at Brown. There will be opportunities to meet faculty, deans and current doctoral candidates, as well as tour campus and learn about Graduate School diversity initiatives. Priority will be given to recent graduates and current seniors who anticipate applying for fall of 2020. Associated expenses, including accommodations, meals and travel (up to $600) will be covered. Apply by September 9. Applications: Humanities & Social Sciences | Life & Physical Sciences

PhD Student Ariel Deutsch discusses lunar exploration past and future

Ariel Deutsch, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, will join an astronaut who walked on the Moon and two top NASA scientists for a panel titled “Lunar Geology: Past, Present and Future.” As the celebrations surrounding the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing come to a close, Brown graduate student Ariel Deutsch is thinking about the future of lunar exploration — and NASA wants to hear what’s on her mind. Read more.

Student Research: Scientists identify interactions that stabilize a protein associated with neurodegeneration

Most of the well-studied proteins in our bodies are like metal; some can change shape easily, like aluminum foil, and others are rigid, like steel beams, but they typically have a solid, well-defined structure. Many other essential proteins are more like water — able to change phase from liquid to solid ice. A team of researchers led by Nicolas Fawzi, an associate professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology and Biotechnology, used a combination of techniques to determine the atomic interactions that stabilize the liquid, yet “condensed” phase of FUS, one of the important phase-changing proteins. Fawzi’s team includes doctoral student Anastasia Murthy, the lead author on the study. The findings were published on Monday, July 1, in the journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. Read more.

Student Exhibit: ‘Memory Dishes’ exhibit traces generations of family cooking

Memory Dishes, curated by Johanna Obenda '19 AM (Public Humanities), highlights the cooking practices of six Providence families of African descent. Videos, photos and personal stories document the families’ culinary traditions, many of which changed as they moved to the New World and began to reimagine traditional West and Central African recipes by using European and indigenous ingredients. The exhibit on display through October at Brown University’s Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice (CSSJ). Read more.

Bilingual Summer Show Directed by MFA Student Tatyana-Marie Carlo

Much Ado About Nothing photo: Actors pictured: Victor Neto, Arturo Puentes, Alfredo Antillon, Catia Ramos, Emily Rodriguez, Marcel Mascaro; front: Robelis Cruz, Ashley Soto, Lorraine Guerra.Trinity Repertory Company, in partnership with Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA), offers its fourth annual summer bilingual show directed by MFA student Tatyana-Marie Carlo. Teatro en El Verano (Theater in the Summer) is a 90-minute bilingual English-Spanish adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (Tanta Bulla… ¿Y Pa’ Qué?). “The great thing about this show is that it’s a community project. Folks from all over Providence and beyond get together to make theater magic. During the day they could be a translator at a hospital, and in the evening, they transform into the ingénue of the play,” says Carlo.

Graduate Students Win Fulbright Awards

Brown is once again a leading Fulbright-producing university for the 2019-2020 academic year. Graduate students Melanie White and Keegan Cothern are among those selected this year. White is a doctoral candidate in Africana Studies who will travel to Nicaragua; Cothern is a PhD student in History who will travel to Japan. “Being awarded a Fulbright is an extreme honor and privilege that will allow me to conduct my international dissertation research in Nicaragua. I have been planning to conduct this research since my early years as an undergraduate, and it is incredibly affirming to know that the Fulbright program believes in and has decided to support my project,” says White. Read more.

Student Research: Cold weather increases the risk of fatal opioid overdoses, study finds

Cold weather snaps are followed by a marked increase in fatal opioid overdoses, a new study finds. A research team led by Brandon Marshall, an associate professor of epidemiology at Brown University’s School of Public Health, found a 25 percent increase in fatal opioid overdoses after periods of freezing temperatures compared to days with an average temperature of 52 degrees. One possibile cause is that opioid use and exposure to cold weather could combine to create a negative biological effect, said William Goedel, a doctoral student in Epidemiology, who spearheaded the analysis. Read more.