1 day agoThe critical organelle in cells that drives ferroptosisOur new paper reports that the endoplasmic reticulum is the key site in cells that drives ferroptosis. In our new paper, we found that the endoplasmic reticulum is crucial for driving a specific type of cell death known as ferroptosis. Here is our paper, published today in Nature Chemical Biology…Science4 min readScience4 min read
Jan 27Mouse motor neurons derived from embryonic stem cells undergo ferroptosis: a link to ALS?A new study provides insight on the link between ferroptosis and ALS I want to direct you to an excellent recent publication from Professor Wan Seok Yang and his team at St. John’s University. Mouse embryonic stem-cell-derived motor neurons are susceptible to ferroptosis — PubMed Wan did his postdoctoral training…Medicine3 min readMedicine3 min read
Jan 13Can Sulfur Save Your Brain?Here is a conversation starter for your next party: You: “I was reading that sulfur compounds may protect against some brain diseases by inhibiting ferroptosis”. Depending on the background of your conversation partner, they might respond with one of the following: (1) Huh? (2) Sure, ferroptosis is a recently discovered…Health4 min readHealth4 min read
Dec 27, 2022Ferroptosis of Microglia Drives NeurodegenerationA recent paper from Tim Hammond reports that microglia in the brain drive neurodegenerative diseases by undergoing ferroptosis. Neurodegenerative diseases are among the most challenging diseases for patients and drug hunters. These diseases include Parkinson’s Disease, Huntington Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and ALS, among others. It has been frustratingly difficult to…Science3 min readScience3 min read
Dec 23, 2022A key to making discoveries: ask “Why?”Asking Why? is crucial to see below the surface and find what others have missed. “There is our little Ehrlich; he is a first-rate stainer of tissues, but he will never pass his examinations,” remarked his medical school professor to future wunderkind Paul Ehrlich’s mentor, famed microbiologist Robert Koch. Another…Creativity6 min readCreativity6 min read
Dec 18, 2022Adopt new technologies to drive discoveryNew technologies allow researchers to collect radically different kinds of data, make striking new observations, and create further technological inventions in an exponentially growing cycle of innovation. “Every once in a while, a new technology, an old problem, and a big idea turn into an innovation.” – Dean Kamen Robert…Technology8 min readTechnology8 min read
Dec 11, 2022How to be visionaryTransformative discoveries require imagining the far-reaching implications of your anomalous observations. There are methods that can facilitate creating visionary ideas. “In choosing a hypothesis, there is no virtue in being timid.” – Thomas Gold In the episode “Cause and Effect” of the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the…Creativity13 min readCreativity13 min read
Dec 5, 2022Using classification as a tool for discoveryClassification and pattern recognition are crucial for seeing similarities among seemingly unrelated phenomena and hidden differences among seemingly identical phenomena. Classification is a powerful tool for discovery. As I described in a recent article: Making Discoveries: Find the Anomaly There is a powerful way to catalyze breakthroughs — look for anomalies that hint that something is missing in existing…brentstockwell.medium.comCreativity7 min readCreativity7 min read
Dec 3, 2022New advances in how to teach and learnExperiments with teaching and learning during the pandemic reveal new insights for how teachers should teach and how students learn best. Columbia University’s office of the Provost released a report entitled “Teaching Transformations: Faculty Reflections and Insights on Pandemic Practices”: Teaching Transformations: Faculty Reflections and Insights on Pandemic Practices This resource features reflections on pandemic teaching of Columbia faculty from across disciplines, campuses, and…ctl.columbia.eduTeaching3 min readTeaching3 min read
Nov 25, 2022Making Discoveries: Find the AnomalyIn science class, students are often taught to follow the well-trodden path of existing hypotheses, ongoing data collection efforts, and established model systems. Advisors, thesis committee members, and fellowship grant reviewers certainly value this approach to doing science. …Science5 min readScience5 min read
