Innovations

* Doudna and Charpentier are best known for their Nobel-winning work of deciphering the molecular mechanisms of a bacterial immune system, called CRISPR/Cas9, and repurposing it into a tool for genome editing. * The protein Cas9 cooperates with guide RNA and works like scissors to slice apart the DNA of viruses, preventing the infection of the bacteria. * Doudna and Charpentier showed for the first time that they could use different RNAs to program it to cut and edit different DNAs.

her research focuses on shortening time-to-diagnosis for bloodstream infections through rapid pathogen identification; works in rare cell & biomarker capture; goal of Nanopath was to get diagnostic timeline down to less than 1 hour & has beaten that by having a Urinary Tract Infection test which has results ready in 15 minutes currentl y in hospital testing for FDA approval; Nanopath claims to identify DNA & RNA without the use of any nucleic acid ampliofication technology (NAAT) to screen for potential disease & get results within 15 minutes so treatment can begin before the medical appointment is over; currently only able to identify HPV & urinary tract infections; has 2 pending patents

* Bhatia’s research was one of the first projects at MIT of biological micro-electromechanical systems, or Bio-MEMS * Uses arrays of living cells as high-throughput platforms to study fundamental aspects of Bio-MEMS in stem cells * Her doctoral work focused on the development of a way to keep liver cells functioning outside of the human body *Adapted ideas from computer chip design and engineering to the microfabrication of a substrate for liver cells * Applied techniques from photolithography to petri dishes, to create a substrate that would support growth of a functioning microliver in a dish * Use of techniques from 3D printing to create a lattice of sugar as a framework for a synthetic vascular system with the goal of supporting larger tissue structures such as an artificial liver.

research focuses on understanding gene regulation chromatin modification RNA splicing and how regulating splicing allows cells to respond to their environment; her group has provided evidence that spliceosome assembly around a nascent mRNA transcript is regulated by histone modifications in the chromatin of the transcribed region

Isolated a pure form of tuberculin (purified protein derivative known as PPD); developed a TB test that became the standard in the U.S. in 1941 & the WHO standard in 1942; pioneered safe IV therapy by inventing a spray-catching trap (not patented) to prevent contamination during distillation while at University of Chicago (later adopted by FDA NIH & various pharmaceutical companies); while at Yale studied the IV injection of milk proteins & developed a method to prevent them from being contaminated with bacteria;

In her studies of worm behavior and neural control, Bargmann focused on olfaction at the molecular level. She looked for genes similar to those found by Richard Axel and Linda Buck to be the basis of smell and taste, and found those genes in the recently sequenced genome of C elegans. Her work led to discoveries of the mechanisms underlying complex behaviors, such as feeding behaviors. The work has continued to lead to a deeper understanding of the brain, sensory abilities, and neuronal development. Bargmann also identified SYG-1, a "matchmaker" molecule—a molecule that directs neurons to form connections with each other during development.

Jackson invented Ethnogenetic Layers as a computational tool to identify human microethnic groups & differential expressions of health disparities. A significant portion of her research is dedicated to examining the properties of cassava, a starchy root similar to a potato. Jackson's studies reveal that individuals in Liberia, West Africa, who consume considerable quantities of cassava exhibit immunity against certain illnesses. Notably, they display reduced rates of sickle cell anemia and a decreased susceptibility to malaria compared to those with lower cassava consumption. This is part of Jackson’s studies on human-plant coevolution and anthropological genetics, especially African human genetics and population biological substructures in peoples of African descent.

Anseth is developing photopolymers that will change from soft to hard in response to cues such as ultraviolet light, and then degrade predictably over time. Such materials could be used to for orthopedic repairs, functioning as a replacement for damaged areas of bone and then slowly being replaced by regrowth of natural material as the body heals. Her pioneering approach applies photopolymerization and photodegradation to enable precise control in space and time of hydrogels' structure and composition. This research involves fundamental investigations into the molecular dynamics of processes at the cell-biomaterial interface.

At Medtronic, Inc., Bergman led a research and development team of scientists and engineers in the company’s Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management (CRDM) business. Her team developed interventional vascular devices & drug delivery systems. She has been recognized for her biomaterials and biosciences R&D, new therapy development, and information management initiatives.

Federoff pioneered DNA sequencing and worked out the nucleotide sequence of the first complete gene. In 1978 she worked on the molecular characterization of maize transposable elements or jumping genes, and plant stress response.

McClintock studied chromosomes and how they change during reproduction in maize. She developed the technique for visualizing maize chromosomes and used microscopic analysis to demonstrate many fundamental genetic ideas. One of those ideas was the notion of genetic recombination by crossing-over during meiosis—a mechanism by which chromosomes exchange information. She produced the first genetic map for maize, linking regions of the chromosome to physical traits. She demonstrated the role of the telomere and centromere, regions of the chromosome that are important in the conservation of genetic information.

By studying the regulation of the cell cycle, asymmetric cell division, and cellular differentiation, Shapiro's work has led to a much deeper understanding of the genetic and molecular processes that cause identical bacterial cells to split into different cell types. These are basic processes that underlie all life, from single-cell bacteria to multi-cellular organisms. The process of the Caulobacter cell cycle also show similarities to stem cell division, in which two distinct cells arise, one of which differs from the parent cell while the other does not.

Seaton specialized in embryology, studying biological processes in the eggs of several species across her career, including early studies in morphogenesis. She also conducted a mammalian study by working on cytoplasmic RNA in rats and rabbits. The work led to a "segregationist" theory, that was, according to a later director of the School, "long considered the most coherent interpretation of the differentiation of the two fundamental cell groups cell groups in the mammalian blastocyst". Seaton was also awarded several grants for her research in antibodies and cell division in sea-urchin eggs.

was a German entomologist, naturalist and scientific illustrator. She was one of the earliest European naturalists to document observations about insects directly. Merian was a descendant of the Frankfurt branch of the Swiss Merian family. ; illustrated the metamorphosis of the butterfly; illustrated the relationship between insects & plants unknown to Europeans while travelling to Surinam in 1699 & in 1705 published Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensum

Extavour conducted a study at Cambridge University on the mechanisms of germ cell formation that showed animal germ cells were likely specified by inductive signals more often than previously thought. This went against the mainstream scientific view that animal germ cells are usually specified by maternally inherited determinants. During a 2013 interview with Quanta Magazine, she explained the concepts of this research as such: "Before there is even an embryo, the molecular content of some cells predetermines them to develop as either germ or soma. In other organisms, there is instead a signaling mechanism: An embryonic cell receives chemical signals from neighboring cells that activate (or repress) the genes that allow for germ-line function."

Although Stevens did not have a university position, she made a career for herself by conducting research at leading marine stations and laboratories. Her record of 38 publications includes several major contributions that further the emerging concepts of chromosomal heredity. By experimenting on germ cells, Stevens interpreted her data to conclude that chromosomes have a role in sex determination during development. As a result of her research, Stevens provided critical evidence for Mendelian and chromosomal theories of inheritance. At first, her research and findings about sex determination were not appreciated or believed because of the gender bias in science. Another researcher, Edmund Wilson made similar discoveries to her around the same time but hers were much larger leaps in the world of science and were the ideas which ended up being correct.

Because Owens had sickle cell anemia traits, her research was limited by her inability to dive underwater to search for specimens.[3] Instead, she did a laboratory project at the Smithsonian Institution, working with coral samples collected by a British expedition in 1880. Her doctoral research concerned certain species of deep-sea button corals, a group of stony corals that are distinctive in that they do not form colonies. Her dissertation was titled "Microstructural Changes in the Scleractinian Families Micrabaciidae and Fungiidae and their Taxonomic and Ecologic Implications."

Szmant was a member of the Tektite II missions were carried out in 1970. Tektite II comprised ten missions lasting 10 to 20 days with four scientists and an engineer on each mission. One of these missions included the first all-female aquanaut team, led by Dr. Sylvia Earle, along with Dr. Renate True, Ann Hartline, Alina Szmant, and Margaret Ann Lucas. The Tektite II missions were the first to undertake in-depth ecological studies. Tektite II included 24 hour behavioral and mission observations of each of the missions by a team of observers[17] from the University of Texas at Austin. Selected episodic events and discussions were videotaped using cameras in the public areas of the habitat. Data about the status, location and activities of each of the 5 members of each mission was collected via key punch data cards every six minutes during each mission. This information was collated and processed by BellCommand, to be used for the support of papers written about the research concerning the relative predictability of behavior patterns of mission participants in constrained, dangerous conditions for extended periods of time, such as those that might be encountered in crewed spaceflight.

Earle led the Sustainable Seas Expeditions, a five-year program sponsored by the National Geographic Society and funded by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund to study the United States National Marine Sanctuary. During this time, Earle was a leader of the Sustainable Seas Expeditions, council chair for the Harte Research Institute for the Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and chair of the Advisory Council for the Ocean in Google Earth.

In 1982 Earle and her later husband, Graham Hawkes, an engineer and submersible designer, founded Deep Ocean Engineering to design, operate, support and consult on piloted and robotic subsea systems. In 1985, the Deep Ocean Engineering team designed and built the Deep Rover research submarine, which operates down to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). By 1986, Deep Rover had been tested and Earle joined the team conducting training off Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas. Earle left the company in 1990 to accept an appointment as Chief Scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where she stayed until 1992. She was the first woman to hold that position. During this post, given her expertise on the impact of oil spills, Earle was called upon to lead several research trips during the Persian Gulf War in 1991 to determine the environmental damage caused by Iraq's destruction of Kuwaiti oil wells. In 1992, Earle founded Deep Ocean Exploration and Research (DOER Marine) to further advance marine engineering. The company, now run by Earle's daughter Elizabeth, designs, builds, and operates equipment for deep-ocean environments.

Late in the 1950s, Carson turned her attention to conservation, especially some problems she believed were caused by synthetic pesticides. The result was the book Silent Spring (1962), which brought environmental concerns to an unprecedented share of the American people. Although Silent Spring was met with fierce opposition by chemical companies, it spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy, which led to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides. It also inspired a grassroots environmental movement that led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.[4] Carson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter.

Studies the limits of microbial life in exDeming's research primarily involves the study of cold-adapted microbes gathered from Arctic sea ice samples. The bacterium Colwellia demingiae (type strain ACAM 459) is named after her. Cold-adapted microbial life has been a research topic of astrobiologists searching for life on Europa and Mars, due to similar cold climates. As such, Deming's research has been used as a reference for institutions such as NASA for what life may be like on Europa and Mars.

While at TACOM (US Army Tank Automotive Command), McClendon focused on developing methods to protect stored goods, notably fuel, from degradation due to biological agents. As part of this research, she developed a fungicide which did not harm humans who came in contact with it. McClendon’s findings greatly reduced the loss of fuel for the Army.

Emeagwali’s research focused on the RAS oncogene, the mutated form of the RAS gene. A normal functioning RAS gene plays a pivotal role in the life of cells in regards to cellular signaling and growth. Mutations that arise in the gene can lead to cancer due to uncontrolled growth. Emeagwali along with her collaborators revealed that RAS oncogene activity can be subdued via antisense methodology. This process ultimately suppresses protein production from the gene. This research provided an insight in how cancer can be combated.

De March’s research is focused on the description of olfaction process at the atomic level. In building a virtual olfactory system by means of computational and microbiology approaches, she can simulate the neuronal mechanism of the perception of smell. This helps to elucidate links between the structure of a chemical and its odor. She has also computationally investigated the interaction between odorant compounds and odorant receptors. De March’s long-term aim is to fully understand the link between odorant receptors and odorants at a molecular level, as well as between odorant receptors and odor perception.

Wong-Staal was the first scientist to clone HIV and determine the function of its genes. This was a major step in proving that HIV is the cause of AIDS; it showed the amount of TAT proteins within a cell infected by HIV-1 is directly correlated to the number of Kaposi's sarcoma lesions a patient may have. This was essential in developing new treatments for HIV/AIDS patients with lesions. Wong-Staal continued her research into gene therapy, using a ribozyme "molecular knife" to repress HIV in stem cells. The protocol she developed was the second to be funded by the United States government. In 1990 a team of researchers led by Wong-Staal studied the effects that the Tat protein within the viral strain HIV-1 would have on the growth of cells found within Kaposi's sarcoma lesions commonly found in AIDS patients.

Greider and Blackburn were awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for their discovery that telomeres are protected from progressive shortening by the enzyme telomerase. They were looking for the enzyme that was hypothesized to add extra DNA bases to the ends of chromosomes. Without the extra bases, which are added as repeats of a six-base pair motif, chromosomes are shortened during DNA replication, eventually resulting in chromosome deterioration and senescence or cancer-causing chromosome fusion. This led to the discovery of the telomerase, an enzyme that maintains the length and integrity of chromosome ends and is critical for the health and survival of all living cells and organisms.

Werner-Washburne found new cell types in yeast stationary phase cultures (quiescent and non-quiescent). As a part of her research with quiescent and non-quiescent phase cultures, researchers were able to gain a greater understanding of the cell’s life cycle, structural components, and their reproductive abilities. In further studies, they were able to isolate the two cells, which gave them the ability to track these cells systems, gaining a greater understanding of the cells and its cycles. As part of her genomics research, she developed hyperspectral imaging to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of microarrays.

Bertocchini’s research focuses on insects, especially wax worms, as biological means to degrade sturdy fossil fuels-derived polymers, i.e. plastics. Her research revealed that the saliva of Galleria mellonella larvae (wax worms) is capable of oxidizing and depolymerizing polyethylene (PE) through the use of 2 enzymes ( Ceres and Demeter). Her research suggests that water-based enzyme solutions could be implemented by waste processing plants or at-home plastic waste kits to break down polyolefin-derived plastics, establishing a wider distribution of this game-changing technology. The end products would only be natural components, such as ketones or alcohol, deemed safe for release or reuse in other processes.

Crowfoot Hodgkin identified & confirmed structures of molecules using x-ray crystallography, the experimental science of determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal. By measuring the angles and intensities of the X-ray diffraction, a crystallographer can produce a three-dimensional picture of the density of electrons within the crystal and the positions of the atoms, as well as their chemical bonds, crystallographic disorder, and other information. Using this tool, she was able to map penicillin's 17 atoms in four years. It took her eight years to map the 181 atoms of vitamin B-12, and 34 years for the 788 atoms of insulin; she considered the last to be her crowning achievement. Crowfoot Hodgkin’s work was instrumental in paving the way for the mass-production of insulin, used on a large-scale for the treatment of type 1 & 2 diabetes. Her work with penicillin allowed it to be mass-produced and is widely used as an antibiotic. She was the first to completely determine the structure of a complex organic molecule (cholesterol) by x-ray crystallography. Crowfoot Hodgkin was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964 for her work.

In 1952 Levi-Montalcini was able to isolate the nerve growth factor (NGF) from observations of certain cancerous tissues that cause extremely rapid growth of nerve cells. By transferring pieces of tumours to chick embryos, Montalcini established a mass of cells that was full of nerve fibres. The discovery of nerves growing everywhere like a halo around the tumour cells was surprising. When describing it, Montalcini said it is: "like rivulets of water flowing steadily over a bed of stones." The nerve growth produced by the tumour was unlike anything she had seen before – the nerves took over areas that would become other tissues and even entered veins in the embryo. The critical experiment was done with Hertha Meyer at the Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1952. Their publication in 1954 became the first definitive indication of the protein.

Shatz is one of the pioneers who determined some of the basic principles of early brain development. She found that the spontaneous activity of neurons in utero is critical for the formation of precise and orderly neural connections in the central nervous system. She discovered that waves of spontaneous activity in the retina can alter gene expression and the strength of synaptic connections. In 2000, Shatz and colleagues identified MHC Class I molecules as important for neuronal plasticity, a surprising new role for molecules previously thought to have only immune system function.

Reddick studied neurodevelopment of the chick medulla. The goal of her experiments was to understand how much of that area of the brain was already determined and how much was dependent on interactions with surrounding developing tissues, such as notochord, somites, and ectoderm. The results of these experiments supported the hypothesis that while some aspects of the post-otic medulla in chick have already been determined, there needs to be a continuous interaction with surrounding developing tissue. For much of her research in tissue cultures, Reddick used time-lapse microscopy (then called motion picture microphotography).

In her landmark paper published in 1991 with Richard Axel, Buck discovered hundreds of genes code for the odorant sensors located in the olfactory neurons of our noses. Each receptor is a protein that changes when an odor attaches to the receptor, causing an electrical signal to be sent to the brain. Differences between odorant sensors mean that certain odors cause a signal to be released from a certain receptor, enabling us to interpret varying signals from our receptors as specific scents.

Extavour directed a national research collaborative called EDEN, which stands for Evo-Devo-Eco (evolutionary-developmental-ecological) Network. The organization, funded by the National Science Foundation, encouraged scientists to develop and share tools and techniques for use in a broader spectrum of organisms than the traditionally studied laboratory model organisms. Extavour believes that a number of deep evolutionary questions cannot be answered by examining only one organism, and thus hopes that science will move past the model organism paradigm.

In her writings, Fausto-Sterling has elaborated on the theory of gender continuum, in which gender is not “binary,” or limited to the specific genders “man” and “woman” (or “boy” and “girl”). Instead it is continuous, forming a spectrum of differing degrees and combinations of the mental, emotional, behavioral, and biological traits commonly possessed by or attributed to members of the male or female sex. She has written two books intended for a general audience. The first of those books, Myths of Gender, was first published in 1985. Her second book for the general public is Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality, published in 2000. In the book she sets out to "convince readers of the need for theories that allow for a good deal of human variation and that integrate the analytical powers of the biological and the social into the systematic analysis of human development."

While at the Cornell Duck Research Laboratory, Price began working on vaccine development for Pasteurella anatipestifer, which caused “New Duck Disease” for white pekin ducks. She would continue research in avian cholera and TB for various species through her career. Some of the vaccines were commercially developed. She worked with national and international colleagues, publishing on Pasteurella anatipestifer in pheasants, medication for bacterial infections in ducklings, Pasteurella multocida in Nebraska wetlands and in snow geese.

Fuller was a virologist, specializing in research of Herpes simplex virus as well as HIV/AIDS. Fuller and her research team discovered a B5 receptor advancing the understanding of Herpes simplex virus and the cells it attacks. Specifically, her lab studies the pathogenesis of herpes and HIV/AIDS viruses. She is interested in understanding the modes of action of viral cellular entry and early infection, such as membrane fusion mechanisms. Her lab is part of a collaborative effort with chemical engineering and human genetic researchers to develop microchip technologies for early, quick, and inexpensive methods of viral infection detection.

Almeida succeeded in identifying viruses that were previously unknown, including—in 1966—a group of viruses that was later named coronavirus due to their crown-like appearance. Her immune electron microscopy (IEM) innovations and insights contributed to research related to the diagnosis of hepatitis B, HIV, and rubella, among other viral diseases. Her electron micrographs continue to be included in virology review textbooks, decades after she produced them. Almeida's work received new attention during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her little-known story became known through multiple publications about her work. According to professor of bacteriology Hugh Pennington, Chinese scientists credited Almeida's work, including techniques she developed, with the early identification of coronavirus disease 2019.

In an effort to help maximize the utility of the zebrafish as a model organism, Hopkins and colleagues set out to develop a large-scale insertional mutagenesis method. Although large-scale chemical mutagenesis screens were getting underway in several zebrafish labs at the time, there were concerns in the community at the time that identifying the molecular lesions using positional cloning methods would be inefficient. Hopkins believed that insertional mutagenesis, which had been very successfully employed in invertebrate model organisms would provide a valuable alternative or adjunct to the chemical screens.for zebrafish development . Also earlier research on gene expression in the bacterial virus lambda and on mouse RNA tumor viruses; cancer prevention & early detection.