H1N1 Flu Deaths Update

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated this week that between 7,000 and 14,000 people have died of swine flu in the U.S. through mid-November, out of the 34-67 million people who had the swine flu so far.

Deaths caused by the flu are notoriously hard to estimate because most people are not tested for the flu when they have it and because people may die of a combination of causes, including the flu. The usual estimate is that the regular seasonal flu causes about 30,000 deaths each flu season (the winter months), so these latest swine flu numbers aren’t too bad. In fact they’re well below the government’s estimate back in August of 30,000 to 90,000 deaths from swine flu this season.

The big question is what will happen in January/February – will swine flu reassert itself in a third wave, as happened in the pandemics of 1918 and 1957? Will the H1N1 virus change to become more lethal, or more resistant to the vaccine? If either of these things happens the situation could change quickly. Most people in the U.S. are not yet immune to the swine flu because they have not had it yet and they have not been vaccinated against it.

Apparently many people think the danger is passed. We’ll hope they’re right. But if you still haven’t gotten your swine flu shot, it’s not too late. The vaccine supply seems to be pretty good these days.

Prion-like Activity in Neurodegenerative Disorders

Could misfolded human proteins with prion-like activity contribute to the progression of certain chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, and Huntington’s disease? A common feature of all three of these diseases is the presence of abnormal accumulations of certain misfolded proteins in or around nerve cells in the brain. Eventually these protein accumulations become so extensive that they choke off nerve cell function.

No one is saying that these diseases are infectious, like mad cow disease. But according to the latest thinking, once an endogenous protein "goes rogue" and misfolds, it might then cause nearby normal proteins to misfold as well. Once the process starts it could become self-propagating, from one region of the brain to the next.

Summer research opportunity #2

Caitlin passed on this reminder:

I thought it might be important to note that REU deadlines are usually between the second week of January and early March.

REU stands for Research Experience for Undergraduates and is an NSF funded program that is one of the largest sources of funding for undergraduate summer research. You apply to the individual REU sites for the funding so you need to do your homework.

Access the full list of REU sites here for Biological Sciences and here for a wider list of subjects.
Click on the individual sites to find full details and application details.

Winter internship opportunity

Bruce Tiffney passed this one on:

CCBER has several Coastal Fund-supported restoration intern positions (~ 6 hr/week) available this winter as well as several paid student worker positions (~10hr/week) available for students interested in developing their hands-on restoration skills. Lots of planting, plant identification, site maintenance, nursery work and camaraderie in the field!
Please send e-mail of interest including mention of relevant experience, winter schedule and an indication of the amount of time you want workduring the work week to Lisa Stratton: stratton@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Thank you very much,

Lisa

--
Lisa Stratton, Ph.D.
Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration (CCBER)
Harder South, Rm 1005
UCSB, MC 9615
Santa Barbara, CA 93106

Office: (805) 893-4158
Fax: (805) 893-4222

stratton@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Summer Research opportunity #1

Kathy Foltz passed this one on:

Dear Colleague:

We would appreciate you sharing the following opportunity with your students.

Caltech is excited to announce two summer research opportunities available to continuing undergraduate students. Questions about these programs can be directed to Carol Casey at casey@caltech.edu or (626) 395-2887.

MURF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS

The MURF program aims to increase the participation of underrepresented students (such as African American, Hispanic, and Native American, females who are underrepresented in their discipline, and first-generation college students) in science and engineering Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs and to make Caltech's programs more visible to students not traditionally exposed to
Caltech.

Eligibility: Students must be current sophomores through non-graduating seniors and must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required.

Support: MURF students will receive a $6000 award for the ten-week program.
Additional housing and travel support may be provided.

Application: Online applications are due January 13, 2010.

For more information, please visit www.murf.caltech.edu

AMGEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Caltech's Amgen Scholars Program is geared towards students in biology, chemistry, and biotechnology fields. Some of these fields include biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, chemical and biomolecular engineering, and chemistry.

Eligibility: Students must be current sophomores through non-graduating seniors, must be attending a four-year university, and must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents. A minimum GPA of 3.2 is required.

Support: Amgen Scholars will receive a $5500 award, round-trip air transportation, a generous housing allowance, and a food allowance.

Application: Online applications are due February 16, 2010.

For more information, please visit www.amgenscholars.caltech.edu

Carol Casey
Associate Director
Student-Faculty Programs
California Institute of Technology
Mail Code 330-87
Pasadena, CA 91125
(626) 395-2887
casey@caltech.edu

Show Your Working

From the BBC: 'Show Your Working': What 'ClimateGate' means.'

The "ClimateGate" affair - the publication of e-mails and documents hacked or leaked from one of the world's leading climate research institutions - is being intensely debated on the web. But what does it imply for climate science? Here, Mike Hulme and Jerome Ravetz say it shows that we need a more concerted effort to explain and engage the public in understanding the processes and practices of science and scientists.

Ecological Consequences of Natural Oil Contamination

Heather Coleman
PhD Candidate Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009
2:00 p.m.
Bren Hall Dean's Conference Room (2436)
"Ecological Consequences of Natural Oil Contamination"
Faculty Advisor: Hunter Lenihan