A new serological test in which an NAU professor played a pivotal role in developing can not only help humanity prepare for and respond to the next pandemic, but it also can be pivotal in the search for viral triggers of diseases like diabetes and celiac disease.
Jason Ladner, an assistant professor… Read more
2022 Flagstaff Festival of Science features NAU scientists, artists and educators, Sept. 23-Oct. 2
More than 100 free family-friendly events focus on ancient cultures, the environment and more
The 2022 Festival of Science, a Flagstaff tradition since 1990, kicks off on Friday, Sept. 23, bringing more than 100 free, family-friendly events to the community—many of them highlighting Northern Arizona University faculty and staff as presenters, lecturers and hosts.
This year’s Festival theme is “Pyramids… Read more
COVID-19 vaccination activates antibodies targeting parts of virus spike protein shared between coronaviruses
Could the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine reawaken previous antibody responses and point the way to a universal coronavirus vaccine? A new analysis of the antibody response to a COVID-19 vaccine suggests the immune system’s history with other coronaviruses, including those behind the common cold, shapes the patient’s response, according to a study published… Read more
Shedding light on reptilian health: Researchers investigate origins of snake fungal disease in U.S.
Although only recently recognized as an issue in wildlife ecology, snake fungal disease (SFD) is of emerging concern in the U.S., with parallels among other better-known wildlife fungal diseases such as white-nose syndrome in bats. SFD can be deadly to snakes, and even in milder cases disrupts an… Read more
Two scientists awarded prestigious Scialog grants supporting new research to detect, mitigate emerging animal-borne infectious diseases
New initiative supports building a collaborative community of early-career scientists
Zoonotic diseases—caused by germs that spread between animals and people—are very common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals—for example, scientists… Read more
NAU-TGen study results show COVID-19 virus triggers antibodies from previous coronavirus infections
The results of a study led by Northern Arizona University and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, suggest the immune systems of people infected with COVID-19 may rely on antibodies created during infections from earlier coronaviruses to help fight the disease.
COVID-19 isn’t humanity’s first encounter with a coronavirus, so named because… Read more