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All posts to this blog are a reflection of the views of that particular author, not the CIDD Graduate Student Association as a whole. In order to keep discussion open but directed, any comments or opinions about a specific post should be directed to the author of that post, either publicly in a comment on that specific post or in private correspondence.
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Author Archives: britdodson
Ecology Seminar today
Today the ecology department is hosting a seminar that I thought some CIDD grads would be interested in entitled “Mosquito Population Dynamics in a Rapidly Changing Arctic” by Dr. Lauren Culler (Dartmouth College). The seminar will be in 106 Forest Resources Bldg … Continue reading
Could bugs fuel your car?
Last week, Penn State entomology graduate students met for journal club and Loren Rivera-Vega led a discussion about a possible alternative form of fuel: insects!
How do insects survive without a balanced diet?
As kids, we were taught the importance of a balanced diet with colorful food pyramids published by the USDA and now a plate is used to illustrate five major groups. But the message is still the same: variety. We get … Continue reading
Hitchhiking bot fly babies
You may have heard of the cute and fuzzy botfly, whose larvae take up temporary residence inside mammals while they develop and eat living tissue (called myiasis). In humans, these larvae typically develop underneath the skin, forming a lump that … Continue reading
Why do bad science articles rise from the dead?
Last week I posted this article, discussing bad information circulating about the Gardasil vaccine. I wondered why this misinformation has persisted, especially considering it has been five years since the original damning articles, and the CDC has proven vaccine safety … Continue reading
Just what we needed…another tick-borne pathogen
A new type of phlebovirus was discovered in several Missouri men in 2009 and named Heartland virus. The virus is suspected to spread from infected Lone star ticks to humans. Today I came across a recent CDC report of several other … Continue reading
The Vaccine Games: Catching Myths
Last week, one of my friends posted this article on Facebook that started a lengthy discussion about safety of the Gardasil vaccine. Gardasil prevents several types of cancer and genital warts caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). I know … Continue reading
Meet Chikungunya: One Twisted Virus.
Perform an internet search for “Chikungunya” and you’ll find numerous recent articles. Here’s a summary of the situation and why you should care.