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Here’s this week’s science news in review:
As the world turns its ears toward Stockholm for this year’s Nobel Prize announcements, we have a chance to reflect upon and analyze the intertwined history of the esteemed prize-giving body with our university.
In 2003, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized Peter Agre for his discovery of aquaporin water channels, which serve various essential functions throughout the human body, from concentrating urine in the kidneys to regulating water movement in the brain, eyes, skin and sweat glands. Yet, this breakthrough, so fundamental to our present understanding of the inner workings of life, was anything but the achievement of one scientist working alone. On Thursday, Sept. 24 at the National Postdoctoral Appreciation Week keynote at the School of Public Health, Nobel laureate Peter Agre reflected on his journey to the discovery of aquaporins and the irreplaceable human beings who inspired him along the way.
The diagnosis of psychiatric disorders can be a challenging task. The difficulties involved in standardising and quantifying measures of abnormality have been well known within the field. Having identified this struggle, Sridevi Sarma, professor for biomedical engineering at the Whiting School of Engineering, presented a seminar detailing her team’s work on a neural health index on Sept. 9.
Dr. Amy Quan specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery and has earned her Master of Public Health at the School of Public Health and her medical degree from the School of Medicine. In a recent interview with The News-Letter, she discusses the science behind facial fat grafting, how the procedure differs from botox and traditional dermal fillers and the growing role of regenerative medicine in plastic surgery.
Federal funding has been a key factor for research across academia. Hopkins has been ranked as the school with the greatest R&D expenditure by the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) for decades, with a significant portion of its funds stemming from government institutions. In March 2025, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) grant cuts of $800 million led to the University scaling back several projects and the loss of over 2200 jobs. The federal funding situation has continued to evolve since then, with the NSF set to issue its lowest number of new grants in four decades, shifts in the kinds of research supported by government expenses, and new rules being proposed regarding grant approval.
The use of AI systems can appear to provide clear resolutions to many subjects. AI can summarize scientific papers, explain political conflicts or even build coherent arguments from scattered information across dozens of sources. AI can be said to function like a master math-machine that can observe and imitate patterns within language, leading to seemingly smooth “reasoning” with explanations that sound complete. However, is this just a result of complex calculations and matrices, or is there still something deeper to be revealed by our synthetic friend?
The city of Venice consists of various islands sitting in what is deemed as the Venetian Lagoon. Between these 130 islands lie small bridges that connect the floating areas together as one city. The lagoon consists of inlets connecting the Adriatic Sea to three main openings: Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia. To keep the city of Venice atop the surrounding water, an engineering marvel had to be constructed. On Thursday, Sept. 10, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences professor Rafael L. Bras expanded upon his role as a supervisor during the construction of the Venice Gates, including a discussion of its execution and why this solution was chosen.
On May 17, 2026 the outbreak of Ebola in Central Africa was officially labeled by the World Health Organization as a matter of international concern. Instances of Ebola outbreaks have long been some of the greatest challenges for the public health field. First identified in 1976, Ebola disease has periodically spread, affecting several parts of the world and especially African countries. The disease, thought to originate from an unconfirmed animal, has been caused by multiple viral strains. The mechanism of transmission is through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, living or dead, or through contaminated objects. An individual is only considered contagious once they begin to express symptoms.
A drone flies over a field of crops, capturing green and brown swaths of land. When you examine the pictures more closely, you notice that portions of the soil are covered in a dusting of chalky white powder. Nope, it isn’t fungi; it’s actually crushed limestone that's been spread to facilitate natural carbon capture. This was one of several pioneering solutions Brad Marston, a professor of physics at Brown University, touched upon during his lecture, ‘Can Physics Stop Climate Change?’, organized by the Department of Physics and Astronomy on Thursday, April 23rd, 2026.
Imagine the delicious smell of a family’s favorite home-cooked recipe passed down through the generations. Perceiving and enjoying that smell is made possible by olfactory neurons in the nose, which detect odors and send electrical signals to the brain. The olfactory system is essential for most animals: it supports postnatal survival, detects environmental hazards and mediates emotional, social and nutritional behaviors. It is also one of two systems in the body that can recognize a functionally unlimited number of unknowns, the other being the immune system.
Rejji Kuruvilla is a Professor of Biology and Vice Dean for Natural Sciences who studies the development and maintenance of the sympathetic nervous system. In an interview with The News-Letter, she described her research and duties as an administrator.
Here’s this week’s science news in review.
Sameer Gabbita is a junior at Hopkins, majoring in Biomedical Engineering. In an interview with The News-Letter, he reflects on his research journey and his recent achievement becoming a Goldwater Scholar.
In literature, the human heart is often associated with valor and invincibility. From an anatomical perspective, this image is slightly inaccurate since cardiomyocytes — cardiac muscle cells — are post-mitotic and stop dividing shortly after one's birth.
Roma Desai is a junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. She is a recipient of the 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which awards undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in scientific research. In an interview with The News-Letter, Desai described her research experience and future plans.
The area surrounding Hopkins is home to many species of birds commonly found in the Baltimore region. On Friday, April 10, the Behavioral Biology Steering Committee organized a birding expedition open to students across all majors to explore and appreciate the campus avians.
Henry Le Chang is a junior who was recently awarded the Barry Goldwater Scholarship for his research in neuroscience. In an interview with The News-Letter, Chang discussed his work investigating the biological mechanisms of pain and itch, his research journey at Hopkins and the lessons he learned, as well as his vision for advancing his work.
Oliver Nizet is a junior pursuing Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Computer Science. He is a recipient of the 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, which awards undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in scientific research. In an interview with The News-Letter, Nizet described his research experience and future plans.
Take some time to catch up on the latest scientific news from around the world.