Cecelia Kincaid

Behavioral Neuroscience // Class of 2027

Photo by Genomelink

Battles on multiple fronts: The power of combination immunotherapy in cancer treatments

Biology, Health / /

The human immune system is built on a foundation of complex networks. Together, many different types of immune cells and organs do everything from staving off infection to killing cancerous tumors. Inspired by the immune system’s versatility, scientists have been exploring its uses in cancer treatments by directly targeting some of these cells, an approach […]

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Wanderer: The far–reaching impacts of the vagus nerve

Health / /

With hundreds of bones and muscles, thousands of genes, and trillions of cells, the human body is extremely intricate and specialized. The tenth cranial nerve, the vagus nerve, has recently come under the research spotlight due to its involvement in many different bodily functions. Nicknamed “the wanderer,” the vagus nerve is the longest and most

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Plasticity during recovery: How young brains adapt to hemispheric surgeries

Health, Neuroscience / /

According to the CDC, about 456,000 people in the US under the age of 17 have epilepsy. This equates to approximately one in 160 children who suffer from seizures. Some individuals can be treated with medication, but others may be drug–resistant, in which case doctors can recommend a hemispheric surgery. This type of operation stops

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Friendly Fire: How Our Own Immune Cells Can Fuel Brain Cancer

Biology, Health / /

Studies show that anywhere from 30% to 50% of the tumor mass in glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, is actually made of our own immune cells. Glioblastoma is an elusive and dangerous tumor type. Only a quarter of patients live longer than a year, and less than 10% survive longer than five years. It grows

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The circadian rhythm and Parkinson’s: How major sleep deficits could worsen neurodegeneration

Health / /

Parkinson’s disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by the gradual loss of dopaminergic (dopamine-producing) neurons, leading to motor symptoms including stiffness, slowness of movements, and involuntary tremors. Parkinson’s can also present nonmotor symptoms such as digestive issues and sleep deficits. Unfortunately, there is currently no effective therapy that can delay or stop

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Beyond the senses: COVID-19’s influence on brain maturation and the aging process

Biology, Health, Psychology / /

For millions of people around the world, COVID-19 was not just a week-long scare; it became a chronic condition. The most familiar symptoms of COVID-19 resemble those of the common cold, but it had a much farther reach than respiratory or muscular difficulties, especially in adolescent communities. Newer concerns are coming to light regarding how

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Epigenetic age acceleration: How traumatic childhood events can lead to faster aging

Health / /

New research suggests that childhood home environments may have a say in the aging process. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events. They include all forms of abuse and neglect, but there are other ACEs such as exposure to parental substance use and parental incarceration. ACEs can have physical, mental, and emotional effects that

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Genetic interventions in Alzheimer’s disease: A promising future

Biology, Health / /

According to a 2021 report by Alzheimer’s Disease International, someone in the world develops dementia every three seconds. It is an extremely common disease and diagnoses will only become more frequent; over 30 years, the number of people with dementia is expected to grow by 84 million. Alzheimer’s disease alone accounts for 80% of dementia

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