Tracey Peake

Feb 5, 2012

Chemists Develop Faster, More Efficient Protein Labeling

Researchers have created specially engineered mammalian cells to provide a new “chemical handle” which will enable researchers to label proteins of interest more efficiently, without disrupting the normal function of the proteins themselves or the cells in which they are found. Protein labeling is used by researchers in a variety of fields to help them… 

Jan 26, 2012

Pioneering Cat Receives Total Knee Replacement

A tough cancer survivor named Cyrano received a brand new knee Thursday at NC State, making him the first ever feline recipient of an osseointegrated knee implant. Cyrano is a 10-year-old tabby cat who was treated for bone cancer last year and is now in total remission. However, the disease and treatment weakened the bone in… 

Jan 24, 2012

Cancer-Surviving Cat Is First to Receive Total Knee Replacement

A cancer survivor named Cyrano will be the first cat ever to receive total knee replacement surgery. The pioneering feline will receive his new knee on Jan. 26 at North Carolina State University. On Wednesday, Jan. 25, the day before the surgery, media are invited to meet Cyrano, view the implant, and speak with surgeon… 

Jan 18, 2012

Anti-bacterial Nukes

Imagine an anti-bacterial nuclear warhead – a compound so volatile that bacteria cannot develop resistance to it, because once it is deployed, there aren’t any bacteria left to develop resistance. Now imagine that the compound can be activated by light, which gives doctors and scientists the ability to pinpoint specific areas for detonation and to… 

Dec 15, 2011

Feral Pigs In (Outdoor) Space

Roaming feral pigs have established populations in 37 of our 50 states, causing an estimated $800 million in damage annually. And they may be sharing much more than just space with their domesticated brethren. Feral pig populations are exploding across the U.S., but there isn’t much data on the potential threat they may pose from… 

Dec 5, 2011

Oceanic Surveys? There’s an App for that.

Imagine being able to map ocean currents, temperatures, salinity, and depths from your desk in Raleigh, N.C. (By the way, for those of you unfamiliar with North Carolina geography, Raleigh is not a coastal town.) Roy He and his team of NC State oceanographers are doing just that. They’re part of a growing trend among oceanographers… 

Nov 30, 2011

Crowdfunding Liquid Sunlight

Can scientists raise money for their research by convincing the general public to open their wallets for small donations in fields ranging from astronomy to music to solar energy? According to NC State chemist Walter Weare, the answer is definitely “yes.” The process is called crowdfunding. You can think of it as the model charities have… 

Nov 29, 2011

Dr. John Cavanagh and Dr. Christian Melander

Research by Dr. Christian Melander and Dr. John Cavanagh holds promise for fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

Nov 21, 2011

NC State University Aims to Increase Diversity in Geosciences

A new initiative from North Carolina State University will address the need for increased awareness of, and participation in, geosciences fields from traditionally underrepresented groups. NC State has received a five-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to increase diversity in geoscience fields such as geology, marine science and atmospheric sciences. The grant will… 

Nov 3, 2011

Chromosomal “Breakpoints” Linked to Canine Cancer

North Carolina State University researchers have uncovered evidence that evolutionary “breakpoints” on canine chromosomes are also associated with canine cancer. Mapping these “fragile” regions in dogs may also have implications for the discovery and treatment of human cancers. When new species evolve, they leave genetic evidence behind in the form of “breakpoint regions.” These regions… 

Oct 31, 2011

NC State to Hold 6th Annual CPR Challenge Nov. 18

What: The North Carolina State University community and the general public are invited to take the CPR challenge and earn first aid or CPR certification from the American Red Cross. Instructors will offer classes in adult CPR, child and infant CPR, AED and basic first aid. Who: Sponsored by NC State Campus Recreation When: Friday, Nov.… 

Oct 27, 2011

NC State, Wake Forest, Collaborate to Bring Stem Cell Therapies to Humans, Animals

A new partnership between North Carolina State University and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center will make regenerative medical treatments more quickly available to both human and animal patients. NC State’s Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research (CCMTR) and the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center are pooling resources in order to… 

Oct 27, 2011

Flu Version 2.0

Every year, it seems the CDC warns us about a new flu variety, bandying about names that seem more like grid locations in a game of Battleship than actual descriptions:  H1N1, H2N1, and now H5N1 – or technically, H5N1 2.3.2.1. This new form of so-called “bird flu” is a highly pathogenic and dangerous strain of… 

Oct 24, 2011

Supernova Solved

Note: The following is mostly taken from a really nice article provided by the folks at NASA, so I can’t take credit for the writing here! In 185 A.D., Chinese astronomers recorded a bright “guest star” in the night sky. By the 1960s, astronomers figured out that the guest star was in fact a supernova,… 

Oct 6, 2011

Armor Up?

If you were a kid fascinated with dinosaurs, then you’re probably familiar with the iconic – if not exactly scientifically accurate – artist renderings of armored-up dinos like Stegosaurus or Ankylosaurus duking it out with angry T. rexes in epic displays of prehistoric cage fighting. Many species of dinosaur did have specialized bone that served…