Fundamentals (logo) Fundamentals November 2019

Exploring the science that makes tomorrow possible.

Following the Brain’s Train of Thought as It Makes Decisions

The human brain makes about 35,000 decisions in a single day. Each of these decisions influences our actions and behaviors. For a long time, scientists have struggled to study the brain at a level of detail that would allow them to link events in the brain to behavior. Jeremiah Cohen, Ph.D., illustrates his journey to a scientific discovery on decision making — found through a research technique called optogenetics — that could change the way we think about brain and behavior.

Jeremiah Cohen

Articles in this Issue

  • Q&A — The Next Generation of Scientific Researchers

    The Summer Academic Research Experience (SARE) gives high school students from low-income and diverse backgrounds an opportunity to participate in biomedical research, providing them with a pathway into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Three SARE scholars share their thoughts on barriers to STEM and the importance of programs like SARE.

    sare poster session
  • Image of the Month: Snakes and Stones

    Some therapies for vision-threatening diseases require a drug injection to the eye as frequently as every four weeks. Ouch! By replacing disease-causing genes in the eye, ophthalmologist Peter Campochiaro hopes to develop more permanent treatments for macular degeneration.

    glowing cells in a rat retina
  • Video of the Month: Mini Slimers

    Watch: Ectoplasmic residue! Our mini Slimers have their own version of the gooey ghostly substance. Amoebae like, they use structures similar to feet — called pseudopods — to move around. When they extend a pseudopod, it fills up with ectoplasm, giving them the structure and strength to drag themselves toward food or away from danger.

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  • Highlights

    Newsroom highlights for November 2019

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  • In Brief

    Faculty highlights for November 2019

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