The 2024 recipient of the Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine is exploring the interactions between cancer cells and the nervous system.
Published November 11, 2024
By Megan Prescott, PhD Program Manager for Life Sciences
Michelle Monje, MD, PhD
What does it take to pioneer a new field of science? For Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, the key is humility, collaboration, and resilience.
Prof. Monje, the Milan Gambhir Professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine, was awarded the 2024 Ross Prize in Molecular Medicine, administered by the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and the journal Molecular Medicine, for her outstanding contributions to research relating to the neuroscience of cancer and its implications for therapy.
“Winning the Ross Prize is an enormous honor,” said Prof. Monje. “It’s wonderful to see cancer neuroscience being recognized in this way because it has so much potential for clinical translation and the potential to improve outcomes for very difficult-to-treat cancers. I’m just absolutely delighted to see this recognition shine a light on this emerging field.”
“Cancer neuroscience is a field at the intersection of neuroscience and cancer biology and it recognizes, what is increasingly appreciated, as the critical role of the nervous system in driving malignancy,” Prof. Monje explains. “Neuro-oncology concerns itself with a particular type of cancer emerging from, or occurring within, the nervous system. Cancer neuroscience includes not only those tumors, but also really every cancer, as it’s influenced by either the central or peripheral nervous system.”
Humility, Collaboration, Resilience
Prof. Monje received her MD and PhD in neuroscience from Stanford University and completed her residency training in neurology at the Mass General Brigham program in Boston. She then returned to Stanford for a clinical fellowship in pediatric neuro-oncology. She chose this field because she “recognized very early on that our therapies for many diseases of the nervous system and especially brain cancers are truly insufficient”, in part because “there’s still so much to be learned and so much that is unknown; I felt that in order to help my patients with brain cancers that I needed a much deeper basic understanding of the normal processes from which these tumors emerge,” she explained.
Prof. Monje believes her open-minded approach to her work is a contributing factor for her success.
“I’m constantly humbled by the lack of treatment options I have for most of my patients in neuro-oncology, the kinds of toxicities that those therapies can cause to the nervous system, and our need to do better by understanding more,” she said.
A crucial factor for success in an emerging field that intersects multiple disciplines is collaboration.
“Reaching out to expert immunologists and learning as much as I can from them has been really valuable, as we’ve discovered potential new therapeutic strategies for these terrible brain cancers that occur in children,” she says, adding that her work with Crystal Mackall, MD, has led to the first-ever CAR-T cell clinical trial for children with diffuse midline glioma (DIPG).
Prof. Monje also cites resilience as a primary driver in her success.
“The newest and sometimes most interesting ideas are the hardest ones to get through publication acceptance. It’s often hard when you have a new perspective, but if you believe in it, and you believe it’s true and important, you have to stick with it and keep beating that drum,” she says.
Connecting Neuroscience, Immunology, and Neuro-Oncology
Prof. Monje is committed to broadening her understanding of cancer neuroscience. Her research focuses on the connections between neuroscience, immunology, and neuro-oncology. Specifically, she studies the intricate communication between neurons and glial cells in normal and disease brain function. Her work has revealed how cancer cells can exploit this process to drive tumor growth in brain cancers. She is excited to see this field grow and the potential for the development of new therapies for cancer patients.
“There’s a fascinating crosstalk between the nervous system, the immune system, and cancers that I think are critically important, not only for the fundamental ways that these tumors grow and progress, but because they need to be understood in order for us to successfully leverage really promising immune therapies,” she says. “So, I’m very excited about this intersection of three fields that is occurring within cancer neuroscience.”
Exploring how cancer takes advantage of normal mechanisms of the development and plasticity of the brain, the field of cancer neuroscience can also lead to insight into the mechanisms of normal brain development that are important for learning and memory. Additionally, this may better our understanding of the development of other diseases ranging from epilepsy to opiate addiction.
“There’s been a wide range of implications for the lessons we’ve learned, from cancer, by studying the neuroscience,” Prof. Monje explains.
Ultimately, for Prof. Monje, the greatest driver of her success in advancing the field of cancer neuroscience is her patients.
“I feel so inspired after returning from clinic to ask very specific questions in the laboratory. Not only about the disease, but also about the normal nervous system,” she explains. “Throughout my career, the privilege of taking care of patients has really guided the basic science that we do.”
Bats play a vital role in ecosystems. But new research shows that if action isn’t taken, the future of these essential winged mammals in North America may be in jeopardy.
Published October 31, 2024
By Nick Fetty Digital Content Manager
A Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) flying over water in Arizona. This species’ conservation status is classified as “least concern” according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Image courtesy of Dennis Donohue – via stock.adobe.com.
More than half of North American bat species may face extinction in the next two decades, according to researchers from Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Recent research, published 15 October 2024 in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (Annals) built upon findings from a 2023 report by the North American Bat Conservation Alliance. For the Annals paper, researchers assessed the status of 153 bat species. The paper identified several factors threatening these bats, ranging from climate change and energy production to agriculture and problematic species, particularly disease.
The Impact of These Threats
Bats are vital to ecosystems. They serve as pollinators and insect consumers, both of which help to advance agricultural production. Furthermore, sustainable guano harvesting and tourism around viewing bat behaviors, support some local economies.
Temperature fluctuations, exacerbated by climate change, are impacting hibernation behavior and foraging opportunities for bats. They also detrimentally impact the timing of insect availability—a source of subsistence for many bat species. Additionally, extreme weather events have contributed to bat die-offs.
While renewable energy can lessen the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, and mitigate the impact of climate change, gigantic wind turbines are proving to have harmful effects on bats. This is especially problematic in migratory regions where wind energy development has grown in recent years. According to the paper, turbines are responsible for hundreds of thousands of bat fatalities each year in North America.
While owls, hawks, and snakes are natural predators of bats, disease poses the greatest threat. White-nose syndrome (WNS), caused by the invasive fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), has been devastating for bat populations. First discovered in New York in 2007, WNS affects bats during hibernation and causes a “visible white fungal growth on infected bats’ muzzles and wings.”
The international team of researchers for the Annals paper found that 53% of North American bat species are estimated to have moderate to very high risk of extinction or elimination in the next 15 years. An estimated 90% of species will see decreased or likely decreased populations during the same period. The researchers identified 18 bat species (12%) as “Imperiled” or “Critically Imperiled”.
While the threats to bat populations are increasingly clear, the paper’s authors provide various suggestions for how these issues can be mitigated. Governments in Canada, Mexico, and the United States have implemented federal protection status for the most vulnerable bat populations. Eight of the species identified as Imperiled or Critically Imperiled have protective status in all three countries.
Similarly, governments, and other sectors, can take action to mitigate the impacts of climate change, which, again, has been identified as one of the biggest threats against bats. By protecting, restoring, and creating wetlands and other water sources, it can lessen the biggest climate change threats facing bats. Adopting sustainable agricultural practices, such as utilizing native trees for shading, not only protects the bats, but can also help to conserve the productivity of the land.
To mitigate the threats caused by wind turbines, turbine operations can be curtailed at night during migratory periods. Further study of WNS can provide researchers with evidence to support the need for meaningful policy action. By lessening the knowledge gap in other applicable areas like ecology, distribution, and migratory behaviors, researchers can promptly act to mitigate some of the biggest threats facing bats.
Call to Action
Urgent action is necessary to ensure these threats don’t proliferate further decline in bat populations, according to the researchers. This includes better educating the public about the importance of bats to the overall environment and why people need to support legislation that can protect these creatures. When the pace of the research can’t keep up with the direness of the threat, governments can act in the form of federal endangered species declarations as a last line of defense. If properly executed, these actions can “yield far-reaching benefits for both biodiversity and humanity.”
“Research on bat biology can spark innovative ideas for effective conservation actions that reduce population decline, and these actions can bring complementary benefits to habitats that other taxa (species) also rely on,” the authors concluded. “With coordinated efforts to reduce threats, raise public awareness, protect and restore habitat, and monitor species status and trends, conservation efforts can improve the outlook for bat species across North America and globally.”
Do you have a research paper you’d like to submit for publication in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences? Learn more about the journal’s criteria and submission process.
Healthcare workers in Rwanda are disproportionately affected by the ongoing outbreak of Marburg virus disease, which is highly virulent despite its relatively low case fatality rate. How can these medical professionals best protect themselves?
Published October 30, 2024
By Syra Madad, D.H.Sc., M.Sc., MCP, CHEP and Nahid Bhadelia, MD, MALD
A shot of downtown Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda. Image courtesy of F.C.G. – stock.adobe.com.
As Rwanda faces its first outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD), it stands at a pivotal moment. The country has confirmed 65 cases of Marburg as of October 28, 2024, with 47 recoveries and 15 deaths, a relatively low case fatality rate (CFR) of 23%. This is a testament to the strength of Rwanda’s healthcare system, which has earned a reputation as one of the most resilient and high-quality systems in Africa. Although this may be Rwanda’s first MVD outbreak, the country is not a stranger to the threat posed by viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs). It has had to maintain vigilance during recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Yet, despite these strengths, the current outbreak has highlighted an urgent vulnerability: the safety of healthcare workers. Over 80% of confirmed cases are among healthcare workers, a statistic that underscores the pressing need to enhance protections for those on the front lines of this and future outbreaks.
Rwanda’s Health System: A Success Story Under Strain
Rwanda’s healthcare system has made impressive strides since the country’s recovery from the 1994 genocide. Over the past three decades, Rwanda has transformed its health infrastructure to become a leader in healthcare delivery among low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the cornerstones of Rwanda’s success is its Mutuelles de Santé, a community-based health insurance scheme that covers over 90% of the population, making healthcare more accessible and affordable for the vast majority of citizens. Through sustained investments in rural healthcare posts and the decentralization of services, Rwanda has significantly improved healthcare accessibility, particularly for those in remote areas.
These advances have contributed to Rwanda’s remarkable achievements in public health. It is one of the few low-income countries to have met the United Nations Millennium Development Goals related to maternal and child health. Rwanda has also seen significant reductions in the burden of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s proactive response and efficient vaccine rollout enabled it to vaccinate over 82% of its population, setting a benchmark in the region and surpassing many of its peers in sub-Saharan Africa.
However, the Marburg outbreak has brought a new set of challenges. The virus, which is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals and can also spread through contaminated surfaces and materials, is highly virulent and shares many similarities with Ebola. Despite Rwanda’s impressive healthcare achievements, the high rate of nosocomial transmission, where infections spread within healthcare facilities, reveals gaps that must be addressed to protect healthcare workers.
Nosocomial Transmission: A Threat to Frontline Workers
The current Marburg outbreak in Rwanda highlights the risks healthcare workers face in outbreaks of VHFs like MVD, particularly when it is not at forefront of clinical suspicion. Nosocomial transmission, or the spread of the virus within healthcare settings, is not uncommon during VHF outbreaks, but it is particularly dangerous for healthcare workers. In Rwanda, the virus has spread primarily in two hospitals, resulting in a disproportionately high number of infections among healthcare professionals.
This is not unique to Rwanda. Across the continent, healthcare workers have been at the epicenter of VHF outbreaks, often working under extreme pressure, sometimes with limited resources. However, Rwanda’s healthcare system, bolstered by strong government commitment and partnerships with international organizations, is better equipped than most to respond to such a crisis. Access to personal protective equipment (PPE) doesn’t seem to be a limiting factor in this outbreak and is further supported by partners like the World Health Organization during this current outbreak.
Yet, despite these resources, healthcare workers remain at risk. This points to the fact that while access to PPE is essential, it is not the only solution. Comprehensive infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, proper training, surveillance and monitoring, and a culture of vigilance within healthcare settings are equally crucial to stopping the spread of the virus among those on the front lines.
Recommendations to Protect Healthcare Workers
Rwanda’s situation is neither unique nor a one-off. The threat posed by viral hemorrhagic fevers like Marburg can emerge anywhere. Any country, regardless of its healthcare infrastructure, can face such outbreaks. The risk of nosocomial transmission, the dangers to healthcare workers, and the broader community impact are universal concerns. The recommendations to strengthen healthcare worker protection in Rwanda extend beyond its borders; they are vital for any nation vulnerable to similar infectious disease threats, which in this globally connected community means all of us. The lessons from Rwanda’s experience provide a framework that can be adapted globally to better protect healthcare workers and communities in the face of future outbreaks.
Here are several recommendations to strengthen the protection of healthcare workers, which apply not only to Rwanda but to any country:
Expand Infection Prevention and Control Training
Continuous and widespread training on infection control is critical to ensuring healthcare workers everywhere are equipped to handle outbreaks of high consequence infectious diseases like MVD. Regular refresher courses, as well as simulations of outbreak scenarios, should be a priority to ensure that healthcare workers remain prepared.
Strengthen Surveillance and Early Detection Systems
Robust surveillance systems that allow for rapid identification, isolation, and treatment of cases can mitigate nosocomial transmission, a threat that any healthcare setting faces.
Invest in Healthcare Worker Safety Programs
Providing comprehensive support, including mental health services, hazard pay, and strong safety protocols—ensures that healthcare workers across the globe feel secure and protected. Furthermore, healthcare facilities must establish clear reporting structures for IPC breaches, allowing for immediate action to protect both healthcare workers and patients.
Foster Global Partnerships for Vaccine Research and Therapeutics
Rwanda is one of the first countries to begin administering vaccines for Marburg, with over 1,149 doses already distributed. However, global support is needed to expand vaccine research and ensure that healthcare workers, those most at risk, are prioritized in vaccination campaigns. Supporting vaccine and therapeutic research, while prioritizing healthcare workers for vaccination, is a global imperative that transcends national boundaries. Rwanda has set a commendable record in deployment of the chAD3 MARV vaccine as part of an open label Phase II trial during the current MVD outbreak, administering 1,609 doses as of October 28th.
A Global Responsibility
Despite the challenges posed by the Marburg outbreak, Rwanda’s response has been commendable. The government’s swift action, transparent communication, and coordinated efforts with international partners have likely prevented a far worse scenario. The relatively low CFR of 23%, compared to historical outbreaks where CFRs have reached as high as 90%, is a testament to the effectiveness of supportive care and early intervention. Rwanda’s healthcare system, known for its resilience, has once again demonstrated its capacity to respond to complex health emergencies.
However, the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda is a stark reminder that viral hemorrhagic fevers are not distant or isolated threats, they are recurring global health crises that require sustained attention and investment. The global health community must rally behind Rwanda, not only to control the current outbreak but to build a future where healthcare workers are fully protected from such dangers.
Healthcare workers are the backbone of any outbreak response, and their safety should be a top priority. The lessons learned from this outbreak in Rwanda should serve as a blueprint for future responses worldwide. Protecting those who protect us is not just a moral imperative, it is essential to ensuring that health systems can withstand the shocks of the next inevitable outbreak.
About the Co-Author
Nahid Bhadelia, MD, MALD, is founding Director at the Boston University Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases, and an associate professor in the Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine.
For the first time in its relatively short history, The Lyceum of Natural History in the City of New York (“the Lyceum”) had its own standalone building when it moved into 563 Broadway, south of Prince Street.
The first meeting in the new building was held on May 9, 1836, with 18 members present, “an unusually large attendance.” The front of the building was light gray in color and consisted of a granite pilaster and columns, reminiscent of ancient Greek or Roman architecture. The building had a frontage of 50 feet, with a depth of 100 feet.
Searching for Revenue Streams
The new space provided ample room for the collections and library given the standards of the time, though later historical accounts suggest that such an “edifice” would “be considered a very contracted space.” The new building also included spaces that could be rented to other entities, serving as a revenue source for the Lyceum, which would rename itself The New York Academy of Sciences in 1876.
Retail stores on the ground level were rented for an annual rate of $750. Rooms on the second and third floors were rented for $350 each year. The Lyceum leased its lecture hall for use by the New Jerusalem Church on Sundays, and the museum room at one time served as a space for the exhibition of paintings.
Despite the multiple uses of the building, the revenue streams generated were insufficient and the cachet of the Lyceum having its own building proved to be impractical. Financial inflation was common at this time which led to an economic depression, and the institute was forced to sell the property in 1844 for $37,000 (more than $1.5 million today), just enough to cover the building’s three mortgages and the accompanying interest. The Lyceum would move to its next home in 1845, a few blocks up Broadway.
This is the fourth piece in an eleven-part series exploring the Academy’s past homes. Read:
Promoting inclusive STEM classrooms, labs, and workspaces is just one part of The New York Academy of Sciences’ broader mission of advancing science for the public good.
Published October 25, 2024
By Zamara Choudhary Program Manager, Education
Numerous studies have demonstrated the value of a diverse workforce, especially the inclusion of people from underrepresented groups in the STEM fields. A diverse workforce brings multiple perspectives and ways of thinking. The result catalyzes innovation, promotes creativity, and allows more communities to have access to scientific information, resulting in a better educated global citizenry.
However, after more than two decades of investment in STEM education, there is still a pronounced lack of diversity. According to a 2021 report from the National Science Foundation, just 28% of the STEM workforce identified as either Hispanic, Black, or American Indian or Alaska Native. In addition, less than 3% identified as having a disability.
Most of the jobs filled by these groups are technical and do not require a bachelor’s degree. As a result, they are often lower paid and have limited impact on STEM policy and research. In fact, Pew Research reports that although Black and Hispanic students enroll in STEM degree programs at the same rate as other students, they are less likely to graduate, in part, because of their reduced access to academic resources during and prior to college.
A Culture of Inclusion in STEM
The Academy is committed to fostering diversity in science. Cultivating a sense of belonging, which is designed to ensure everyone feels respected, valued, and supported empowers historically marginalized individuals to contribute fresh ideas and perspectives. The Academy’s series, “Inclusion in STEM,” was ideated in partnership with 2030 STEM, which advocates for full representation of Black, Latino/a/X, Indigenous and people of color across STEM disciplines, sectors, and leadership.
Taking place online this fall, the series spotlights topics that are instrumental to actively cultivating a culture of inclusion in STEM. Upcoming sessions feature a panel of engaging speakers, who share their expertise on specific topics, including inclusive science communication, mentorship, and leadership.
No matter your career status, whether a student, fellow, or working professional, learning about and implementing inclusive practices can enrich your work and perspective. Through this series, the Academy is continuing its commitment to diversity in STEM.
Learn more about upcoming events in the 2024 Inclusion in STEM series:
Elizabeth Bojsza, MFA, Alda-Certified Facilitator and Assistant Professor of Practice, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, Stony Brook University
Lydia Jennings, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dartmouth University
Amy Sharma, PhD, Executive Director, Science for Georgia
Combatting misinformation in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election is crucial to ensuring democracy. It falls to science to address this challenge.
Published October 8, 2024
By Nick Fetty Digital Content Manager
From left: Nicholas Dirks; Joshua Tucker, PhD, Maya Kornberg, PhD; and Luciano Floridi, PhD. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
The complexities of artificial intelligence were discussed during the Deepfakes and Democracy in the Age of AI event, presented by The New York Academy of Sciences and Cure on September 17, 2024.
Seema Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Cure, a healthcare innovation campus in New York City, set the stage for the discussion by emphasizing the impact of AI on healthcare. She cited a survey of nearly 2000 physicians who expressed concern about changes in behavior they’ve observed in patients as we move into a more digital age.
Nicholas Dirks. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
“Patients are coming to them with misinformation and they’re not trusting physicians when physicians correct them,” said Kumar, who also serves on the Academy’s Board of Governors. “In healthcare, too, this is becoming an issue we have to tackle and address.”
Nicholas Dirks, president and CEO of the Academy introduced the panel of experts:
Luciano Floridi, PhD: Founding Director of the Digital Ethics Center and Professor in the Practice in the Cognitive Science Program at Yale University. His expertise covers the ethics and philosophy of AI.
Maya Kornberg, PhD: Senior Research Fellow and Manager, Elections & Government, at NYU Law’s Brennan Center for Justice. She leads work around information and misinformation in politics, congress, and political violence.
Joshua Tucker, PhD: Professor of Politics, Director of the Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia, and Co-Director of the NYU Center for Social Media and Politics. His recent work has focused on social media and politics.
The Role of Deepfakes
Professor Tucker suggested that research can be an effective way to better protect information integrity.
“The question is, and I don’t know the answer to this yet, but this is something we want to get at with research,” he said. “Is there a meaningful difference across modes of communication?” adding that modes include text, images, and video.
Professor Tucker argued that the most impactful video so far in this U.S. election cycle wasn’t a deepfake at all. Instead, it was the unedited footage of President Joe Biden’s performance in the debate on June 27, 2024.
Not A New Phenomenon
Luciano Floridi, PhD. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Kornberg agreed that misinformation is not a new phenomenon. However, she does recognize that because of the often-realistic nature of deepfakes, it may be more difficult for people today to differentiate fact from fiction. The lack of regulation in the tech sector in this regard further complicates the issue. She posed the example of an AI generated phone call impersonating an election official sent to misinform potential voters.
“It can be difficult to determine if this is a real call or a fake call,” said Dr. Kornberg. “It’s extremely important, I think, as a society for us to be doubling down in civic listening and civic training programs.”
The ease of producing realistic AI-generated content is also contributing to the issue, according to Professor Floridi. He cautioned that media can become so oversaturated with this content, that consumers begin questioning the legitimacy of everything.
Professor Floridi cited a research project that he and his team are currently working on with the Wikimedia Foundation. The team hopes to release their findings prior to the U.S. election, but at this point, they have not observed anything particularly worrisome in terms of deepfakes.
Maya Kornberg, PhD. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences
“What we do see is call it ‘shallowfakes.’ The tiny little change [to otherwise authentic content],” Professor Floridi said. He added that these “shallowfakes” can almost be more dangerous than deepfakes because the slight manipulations are generally less obvious.
The Issue of Credibility
Dirks then shifted the focus of the conversation to credibility. With first order effects, a person sees something untrue, then forms an opinion based on that misinformation. Dirks invited Professor Tucker to talk about his research on second order effects, in which the political consequences can be more salient and destabilizing.
Professor Tucker and his lab studied the Russian misinformation on Twitter during the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. However, counter to popular belief, the researchers did not observe a significant correlation to indicate that exposure to such misinformation influenced American voter opinion.
“Yet, we spent years talking about how the Russians were able to change the outcomes of the election. It was a convenient narrative,” said Professor Tucker. “But it worried me. And I wondered for a long time after this, did that sow the seeds of doubt in people’s minds?”
With the current hype surrounding generative AI as we enter the 2024 election, Professor Tucker expressed concern that it can be a new tool to further spread misinformation.
Combatting Voter Suppression
Dr. Kornberg and her colleagues at the Brennan Center study the impact of voter suppression efforts. The researchers are studying ways to debunk, or “pre-bunk,” certain misconceptions that may be on the minds of voters. She said that purveyors of misinformation deliberately focus on simple themes like malfunctioning voter machines, distrust of election officials, and dead people voting.
Joshua Tucker, PhD. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
“We saw that in 2020. We saw that in 2022. There’s a lot of reason to believe we’re going to see that in 2024,” said Dr. Kornberg. “So, we’re working to proactively get resources out to election administrators [so they can better counteract these threats].”
She cited the role of AI in further amplifying misinformation, which will make deciphering fact from fiction even more difficult for the average voter. Dr. Kornberg and her colleagues aim to get ahead of these issues by offering training and other resources for election administrators. She also advocates for experts with technical expertise in AI to advise local election official offices, municipalities, state legislatures and even congress.
“There’s a lot of demystifying for the workers themselves that we’re trying to do with our trainings about how to deal with AI,” said Dr. Kornberg. “This will help us to come up with some intelligent and timely solutions about how to combat this.”
Academy members can access an on-demand video recording of the event. Click here to listen to or watch the full conversation.
The International Science Reserve’s new “serious game” puts players in the hot seat to test their decision-making skills.
Published October 3, 2024
By Mila Rosenthal, PhD Executive Director, International Science Reserve
Since COVID-19 hit in 2020, there have been hundreds of articles in journals and mainstream news outlets analyzing the shortcomings in the global response to the pandemic, and how we can learn from our collective mistakes. One of those articles last year, an op-Ed by Bill Gates for The New York Times, called on the world to think about what we can do now to better prepare the world for future outbreaks.
His advice? Prepare for outbreaks like firefighters tackle blazes: run drills, have dedicated teams of volunteers on standby, and build on existing expertise across institutions and specialties. The International Science Reserve (ISR), an initiative of The New York Academy of Sciences, has been working to build this exact model.
We have spent the last few years cultivating a reserve of over 11,000 scientists across 100 countries in nearly three dozen specialties who want to prepare and act when the next big crisis hits. We support them for future crises by building tools that break down borders and help them collaborate before the fire starts.
This August, we proudly launched a new digital game that simulates a pathogen outbreak, just like a fire drill. The Pathogen Outbreak Game, available with free membership to the ISR, puts our network in the hot seat. In the game scenario, players act as a public health director as an unknown pathogen emerges. The game asks you to consider: What would you do differently if we experienced a crisis of the same scale and scope? What decisions would you make if you could call the shots during the next pandemic?
“The Pathogen Outbreak Game offers a compelling exploration of crisis management, challenging me to think critically, much like real-world situations.”
Developed in partnership with the Center for Advanced Preparedness and Threat Response Simulation (CAPTRS), the game challenges players to navigate an evolving, hypothetical public health crisis, evaluating new information that is shared as the game progresses. When a crisis hits, there are complex decisions that leaders must make to protect people and reduce the impact on society and the environment. To simulate real-world situations, players are presented with dynamic information and surveillance data about an unknown pathogen outbreak.
In a series of game rounds, players are asked to practice their decision-making skills using data to identify outbreak trends and better prepare for and reduce the public health threat. This trailer demonstrates the basics of the Pathogen Outbreak Game:
The Next Pandemic and Building a “Culture of Readiness”
So, why games? Our research found that simulating real-life scenarios or drills can improve the capacity to collaborate, communicate, and make informed decisions in high-pressure crisis situations. Gamification also makes the experience of learning crisis preparedness skills more engaging for participants, encouraging wider participation and contributing towards a culture of readiness.
“I learned the importance of carefully evaluating the credibility of information before making decisions. The game highlighted how my conclusions could change drastically based on the reliability of the sources, demonstrating the critical need to assess information accurately to identify the correct virus.”
Our gamification-related literature review found that points, badges, and leadership boards are the best way to turn these drills into games. After they complete the game exercise, players are then encouraged to discuss their experiences with fellow scientists and experts in the ISR’s network and promote their achievements through digital badging on social media.
We do not know when another outbreak will happen, so in the meantime we need to quickly learn and grow from our mistakes, and better collaborate across disciplines and borders to save lives and reduce harm. The digital pathogen game can help build a “culture of readiness” and accustom policymakers to assessing different sources of scientific information to make decisions. It can also help scientists explore how their research could be prioritized and adapted when most needed. Together, we could build a more resilient future, one game at a time.
Are You Ready for the Challenge?
Ready to jump in? Then join us and play the ISR’s new Pathogen Outbreak Game! Earn badges, climb the leaderboard, and be recognized as a top player and top contributor in a global scientific community.
Not a member of this inclusive and impactful community? Join the ISR today.
A new, interactive art installation on display at The New York Academy of Sciences explores language and the hierarchical relationship between brainwaves.
The Neural Harmony installation is currently on display at The New York Academy of Sciences.
Published October 3, 2024
By Lois He, Vio Zhu, Sofia Shen, and Xing Zhang NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program
Neural Harmony, an interactive installation developed in collaboration with Buzsaki Lab, and the NYU Neuroscience Institute, explores the concept of Neural Syntax, a theory by György Buzsáki that describes how different brainwave rhythms interact in a hierarchical structure similar to language. The installation transforms this complex neuroscience concept into an engaging and playful experience.
Brainwaves and Language: A Hierarchical Metaphor
Through the metaphor of language, the piece demonstrates how brain rhythms interact. Neural Syntax highlights the parallels between language and brainwave patterns. Just as letters form words and sentences, slower neuronal rhythms modulate faster ones, structuring how the brain processes information. This hierarchy organizes and structures neural activity, allowing for effective information processing.
Users can manipulate brainwave rhythms through a simple interface. By turning a knob, they control the speed and order of the rhythms. Slower waves align with sentences, middle waves with words, and the fastest with letters. This interaction allows users to see how these changes reorganize the text, revealing how brainwaves shape cognitive processes.
When the user turns the knob on the installation, letters rearrange within specific words. This mimics the faster neural oscillations nested within slower rhythms. Simultaneously, the according brainwaves adjust their frequency to synchronize with both the upper and lower layers.
Transforming Neuroscience into Interactive Art
Neural Harmony transforms the abstract concept of Neural Syntax into a tactile and interactive experience.
A design rendering of the Neural Harmony installation.
The device, constructed from wood blocks and acrylic sheets, uses software such as Phidgets, VS Code, Unreal Engine, and TouchDesigner to power the interactive components, allowing users to engage with the relationship between brain waves and text in real time.
The user adjusts the layers of brainwaves, creating a playful experience that helps them visualize the connection between neural rhythms and language. This interaction makes the complexities of Neural Syntax not only comprehensible but also engaging.
Conclusion: Understanding Neural Syntax Through Interaction
Neural Harmony bridges neuroscience and art, offering a dynamic way to explore the concept of Neural Syntax. By directly manipulating brainwave rhythms and text, the audience can demonstrate the connections between neural processes and language structure. Through tactile and engaging interaction, the project opens up new ways of understanding how our brains work.
By combining art and science, Neural Harmony serves as a model for how interactive installations can make complex ideas more accessible.
About the Artists in Their Own Words
Lois He
I’m a multimedia storyteller, transitioning from filmmaking to interactive media and AI. With a background in storyboarding, camera work, and scriptwriting, I’m now focused on creating narratives that invite active audience participation.
I’ve worked across diverse formats, from physical spaces using sound and sensors for interaction to virtual narratives blending film and gaming through XR.
Collaboration is key to my process. I’ve partnered with fashion designers, dancers, psychologists, and neuroscientists, adding new perspectives to the narratives I create.
I’m currently a second-year master’s student In NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.
I’m a software engineer turned video jockey (VJ) and multimedia artist. As a VJ, I am passionate about merging natural aesthetics with digital visual production, creating visually compelling audio-reactive works. My art has been curated by LVMH and Public Visuals, and I have performed with DJ Rebolledo’s Japan tour.
As a multimedia artist, I collaborate with a wide range of creatives, from traditional Japanese musicians and techno DJs to club owners to neuroscience professors. My goal is to integrate scientific knowledge, evoke novel emotions, and inspire self-reflection through immersive, aesthetically driven interactive experiences.
I’m currently a second-year master’s student In NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.
I approach life through scattered feelings that are too complex to be spoken. Art became my way of making sense of these elusive emotions. For me, art is not merely a form of expression but a dialogue—one that connects both the personal and communal aspects of existence.
I began my creative journey as a fashion designer, previously worked on styling, creative direction, and have collaborated with various brands and influencers. I am currently exploring the potential of incorporating technical tools and sensors to create interactive experiences. I aim to redefine art as a medium that bridges thoughts, emotions, and experiences, making each piece a point of connection between herself and the world.
I’m currently a second-year master’s student In NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program.
What started off as a discovery excursion with many unknowns quickly yielded promise and proved to be one of The New York Academy of Sciences’ greatest early 20th century achievements.
Published October 1, 2024
By Nick Fetty Digital Content Manager
From The Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands
While celebrating its centennial in 1917, The New York Academy of Sciences also celebrated the success of one of its early scientific endeavors that still resonates today.
The Academy started planning a scientific expedition to Puerto Rico in 1912 and by 1914 the first groups of scientists were traveling to the island to begin conducting research. The findings from this field work were published in a 19-volume series titled The Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Much of the research was conducted and published in the early half of the 20th century, when relatively little was known about the region.
A researcher poses next to a limestone slab with a human face carving. From The Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands
Expanding the Breadth of the Survey
Because of the success of the initial endeavor, the survey eventually expanded beyond the island of Puerto Rico to also include the Virgin Islands. Academy scientists observed “the physiography of the region was remarkably uniform,” according to historian Simon Baatz in the 2017 update to his seminal history of the Academy published in 1988.
The scientists reported three cycles of erosion in the area including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Baatz wrote: “The first cycle, which formed the ‘upper peneplane of Porto Rico’ was ended by uplift; the second cycle destroyed the earlier peneplane and ‘produced an old erosional surface approximately 700 feet below the first’; while the third cycle, which was terminated by submergence, resulted in the formation of a lower peneplane.” These fundamental geological structures are estimated to have been created during the conclusion of the Tertiary period.
Howard Meyeroff, a geology professor at Smith College, made several trips to the region in the 1920s. In The Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands he reported “the entire Porto Rico-Saint Croix-Virgin Islands area developed as a unit until the late Tertiary dissection of the coastal plain.” During this same era, other researchers would study the region’s mammalogy (mammals), mycology (fungi), and ornithology (birds).
“A 10,000-Acre Swamp Below Sea Level”
H.A. Gleason studied wetlands in Puerto Rico as part of the Academy’s expedition. Gleason was the curator of the New York Botanical Garden and was a pupil of Academy Fellow Nathanial Lord Britton as a doctoral student in taxonomy at Columbia University. While scientific in nature, Gleason’s Puerto Rican research also had an economic component.
Gleason studied a swamp along the north shore of Arecibo, largely surrounded by fertile cane fields. With sugarcane as a major export for the island, Gleason suggested draining the swamp so that the entire area could be used to cultivate this cash crop.
However, with the swamp being at sea level Gleason stated it cannot be drained using “ordinary means,” as reported by the Yonkers Herald. Instead, he suggested they’d need to follow the example of the Hollanders by “[building] dikes to keep out the sea, and then [draining] the swamp by means of pumps,” which could be powered by windmills because of near constant “trade winds.”
Gleason also observed differences in the island’s topography between the north and south. While the north is swampier and saw greater rainfall, the south is semi-desert, arid and is subject to “long periods of drought.”
Along with co-author Mel T. Cook, Puerto Rico’s government botanist and plant pathologist, this research was published in The Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
“Curious Habits of Birds”
The Smithsonian Institute’s Alexander Wetmore studied birds in the region in the late 1920s. He observed that the stomachs of the Antillean grebe would often “contain masses of their own feathers, plucked and swallowed, which are regularly ground up and passed on into the intestines,” he wrote in The Scientific Survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Wetmore also studied the honey-creeper. He didn’t have to travel far as the bird would often fly into the parlor of his hotel “to search the blossoms of cut flowers in vases,” according to reporting from the Roanoke World-News.
During these excursions into the hotel room, the bird became puzzled upon seeing its own reflection in the mirror. Wetmore wrote “As it fluttered before the glass, the bird on the opposite side always rose to meet it, and after several attempts to evade the reflection, first on one side and then on the other, it would drop down, baffled, and scold its image sharply with quickly flitting wings.”
Additionally, it was observed that female honey-creepers didn’t always appreciate the company of their male counterparts, particularly during nest building. As Wetmore wrote, “he brings materials only when the female is absent, for when she catches him in the nest, she immediately drives him out.”
Lastly, and perhaps most morbidly, Wetmore uncovered an interesting trait of the brown pelican, also referred to as an alcatraz. After speaking with locals, he discovered that “when the alcatraz grows old and feeble, rather than suffer death by starvation it commits suicide by hanging itself by the head from the fork of a mangrove or the crevice between two stones.”
Advancing the Archeology
Researchers under the auspices of the Academy continued to conduct impactful archeological research in the region, eventually expanding to also cover other islands such as Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Bahamas and more by the 1930s.
On Puerto Rico, researchers in 1940 noted “[two] periods of prehistoric occupation on the island were distinguishable in clearly stratified deposits of culture refuse found on the north and south coasts.”
Done in multiple excavations across various parts of the island, the artifacts that researchers collected included decorative bowls, shell chisels, and carved stone figures.
The Puerto Rican Influence in NYC Today
Much of the success of this effort is attributed to Academy president Nathanial Lord Britton. What started as a four-year project in 1912, continued into the mid-1940s.
Britton controlled nearly every aspect of the survey until his death in 1934. Not only was he lauded for his organizational and administrative efforts, but he led what “proved to be the most ambitious project ever undertaken by The New York Academy of Sciences” so successfully that it became “an almost routine affair,” according to Baatz.
While Britton and other researchers from New York helped to influence the scientific culture in Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans have influenced the culture in the city and other parts of the United States in various ways.
More than 1.1 million Puerto Ricans live in the New York Metropolitan Region, according to 2022 data. This influence has contributed to the city’s rich culture in everything from theatre (West Side Story, Hamilton) to music (Jennifer Lopez, Mark Anthony) to sports (Bernie Williams, Yankees; Carlos Beltrán, Mets).
This is the second article in a two-part series examining the Academy’s past expeditions to Puerto Rico. The series is part of National Hispanic Heritage Month.
It will require a group effort from scientists, artists, and the public to protect the planet’s vital but endangered coral reefs.
Published September 30, 2024
By Nick Fetty Digital Content Manager
A mermaid sculpture graces the inside of the Rococo Cocco Reef Model designed by artist Mara G. Haseltine, MFA. This and other works are currently on display at The New York Academy of Sciences. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
Fernando Bretos, MSc: Bretos is a marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer, a National Fellow at The Explorers Club, and President of the Board of Trustees of SECORE International. His work explores the science behind creating genetically stronger strains of coral using coral larval propagation techniques.
Tom J.F. Goreau, PhD: Dr. Goreau is Director of The Global Coral Reef Alliance. His research examines “biorock,” a restoration technique that utilizes a novel way to restore corals with light electrical fields of negative electricity using the anodic-cathodic process on metal structures which then accrete calcium carbonate, a property that produces coral skeletons.
Mara G. Haseltine, MFA: Haseltine is an artist and activist with The Explorers Club and The Ocean Foundation. Her work explores the link between our cultural and biological evolution.
“We are an academy of sciences in the broad sense which is to say that we look at the impact of science on society. And we think about the relationships science has with just about every part of life, including, of course, the arts,” said Dirks. “Which is why we’ve been so pleased to have some of the art by Mara Haseltine on display.”
Joining Forces, Utilizing Diverse Skillsets
The event took place prior to Climate Week NYC, “the largest event of its kind to address climate change,” according to Emily Driscoll, the event’s moderator.
She went on to say that monumental challenges like climate change can only be tackled if society joins forces and leverages diverse skill sets. “We need to make the invisible visible. Inspire curiosity. Offer solutions. We need to combine science and art. Tonight we have the privilege to do just that.”
Some scientists describe coral reefs as “the canary in the coal mine” in terms of anticipating the detrimental impacts of climate change. Coral reefs are important to the sustainability of the planet because they not only create shore protection, but they also promote fishing and ecotourism locally.
Fernando Bretos, MSc, then discussed the immense strides made in coral restoration over the past two decades, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico. While advances are being made, he acknowledges more work needs to be done within his subfield of asexual coral restoration, which he compared to gardening.
Fernando Bretos, MSc. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
“It’s taking cuttings of corals, moving them into nurseries, and replanting them,” said Bretos. “But these are all clones, so they’re lacking the genetic diversity, the resilience, to cope with so many changes. And unfortunately, the Caribbean is getting hit hard.”
A “Hope Spot for Innovation”
Despite the challenges, Bretos described the Caribbean as a “hope spot for innovation” because of all the scientific ingenuity being forced by the urgency of the threats. He then shifted his focus to sexual restoration.
“I think the world needs more sex in general,” Bretos said, met by laughter from those in attendance. “And corals need more sex because the problem with corals is that because they are so sparse, especially in the Caribbean, their natural ways of reproducing aren’t as effective.”
Much of his work in asexual (fragmental) coral restoration began around 2015 at Guanahacabibes and Jardines de la Reina (“Gardens of the Queen”) National Parks in Cuba. He and his team’s findings proved to be promising with Bretos describing it as “probably the most successful asexual coral restoration project in Cuba.”
Following a Dream
Separate from his work in asexual restoration, SECORE International, of which Fernando Bretos serves as President of the Board of Trustees, has developed a technique known as coral seeding. This involves speeding up the sexual process, or as some have called it “IVF for corals.” Such research, including a recent paper published in PLOS One, also suggests that survival rates for young polyps are higher with coral seeding than natural (unassisted) sexual reproduction.
Fernando Bretos, MSc. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
Bretos said one of the greatest outcomes from this effort are the training techniques they are developing to help prepare the next generation of marine biologists. He was personally inspired by a young, aspiring marine biologist in Cuba named Ramón. Ramón is bucking the brain drain trend, common in many Caribbean countries, when young people either leave or never return to their home country after getting their education.
“I’ve been dreaming of doing this my entire life. My mother wants me to [move to Miami with her], but I’m staying because now I’m a marine biologist,” Bretos said, recalling his conversation with Raul. “Even though he’s going to make 30 dollars a month doing what he does, that’s enough for him to stay.”
Hotter Temperatures Coupled with More Hot Days
Tom J.F. Goreau, PhD spoke about his work with the Global Coral Reef Alliance, a non-profit organization for coral reef protection and sustainable management. His interest in marine biology is because of his father. The younger Goreau began accompanying his father for dives along coral reefs as soon as he could walk.
“I’ve been diving for 70 years on coral reefs,” said Dr. Goreau, adding that he’s explored reefs in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean near Southeast Asia.
Tom J.F. Goreau, PhD. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
He said that part of the reason coral reefs are so endangered is because they’re highly susceptible to ecological threats. This includes high temperatures, salinity, pollution, mud, and more. He explained that scientists began observing mass bleaching of corals in the 1980s. At first, they struggled to pinpoint the cause but eventually realized it was a slight rise in temperature that had “such a dramatic impact.”
Not only was 2023 the warmest recorded year in human history, according to data from NOAA, but it was also the worst year for coral bleaching in the Caribbean. Dr. Goreau explained that the earth is experiencing longer durations of hotter temperatures. While the general trends are troubling, Dr. Goreau acknowledged that an area around the Bay of Matanzas on the north coast of Cuba, was “the only place [in the Caribbean] that did not get above lethal temperatures” in 2023. He said this was because of the way the currents move in this part of the ocean.
Biorock Coral Arks
One innovative way scientists are trying to preserve coral reefs is through biorock coral arks. This approach involves electrifying corals using “a trickle of electricity so small you cannot feel it.” With this practice, scientists can regrow reefs of any shape or size in the ocean. Research on this practice has been promising in areas such as settlement diversity, growth, survival, and resistance to stress.
“It’s the only method known that does that and the reason is that all life is electrical. All life is based on a little flow of electricity,” Dr. Goreau explained. “If you’re in the right range it’s [biologically] beneficial and healthy for you.”
Dr. Goreau and his research team build the scaffolding for these biorock structures from steel. They then grow solid limestone rock over the steel bars by applying electricity. The rate of growth is roughly one to two centimeters per year. The process is deliberately slow because this enables them to develop a material that is two to three times harder than concrete. Because of this durability these manufactured apparatuses, which look like cages, can better withstand wave stresses and other environmental factors.
Tom J.F. Goreau, PhD. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
“These structures not only are growing faster than sea level rises but they’re also self-repairing,” said Dr. Goreau. He explained that in one instance a passing boat damaged one of the structures, but within a year the limestone had grown back, repairing the damaged section.
Naturally Regenerating Beaches
This technique proved successful in the Maldives in 1998 when a mass coral bleaching event wiped out nearly 99% of coral reefs in the region. The corals around Dr. Goreau’s biorock structures managed to survive.
Moreover, it prevented bleaching for 18 years until 2016 when the power was cut off. This resulted in a die off of the reefs that Dr. Goreau had worked hard to revitalize. Also in 2016, he led a similar effort restoring corals around Indonesia. In both instances, the beaches in these areas that had been eroding because of the lack of reefs, began naturally regenerating. This is the only known method for naturally restoring sand beaches, which is less expensive and erosive than seawalls.
“What we can do with this technology is we can use solar power to grow back reefs, protect shorelines, generate mariculture, and protect our marine resources that we’re about to lose on a large scale,” Dr. Goreau said. “The technology is there to do it if there’s the funding and the will.”
An Artist’s Touch
Mara G. Haseltine, MFA, and Fernando Bretos, MSc, discuss the art exhibition currently on display in the lobby of The New York Academy of Sciences.
Mara G. Haseltine, MFA, then took the podium to talk about her art. One feature of her work is her use of sustainable materials such as the biorock technique developed by Dr. Goreau, with whom she’s been working for more than two decades. She wanted to combine this technique with other means of sustainable reef restoration.
Mara G. Haseltine, MFA. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
“I think that infusing art and poetry into the field sciences is crucial if we’re going to make a big difference in climate change,” Haseltine said.
Haseltine’s work embraces the concept of “geotherapy” a term coined by a panel of scientists in Leon, France in 1992. For her, geotherapy is a call to action to help save the planet, “for not just corals, but all sorts of things.” As part of her exhibition, Haseltine placed a thought bubble over the Academy’s bust of Charles Darwin, pondering “Geotherapy, an elegant adaptation for the Age of the Anthropocene… A poetic shift towards a symbiotic relationship with our shared biosphere… this would effect the evolution of ALL life on the planet. Hope it works!” Darwin was an early honorary member of the Academy.
Blueprint to Save the Planet
Haseltine then discussed her works currently on display in the Academy’s lobby as part of a project she’s calling Blueprint to Save the Planet: 1 Coral Reefs. Her exhibition encompasses 17 individual works, including 2D and 3D pieces.
Artist Mara G. Haseltine, MFA, poses next to her Rococo Cocco Reef Model currently on display at The New York Academy of Sciences. Photo by Nick Fetty/The New York Academy of Sciences.
Her Rococo Cocco Reef Model is one of the highlights of her impressive exhibition. The piece, roughly 27 cubic feet in size, is composed of crushed coral (coccolithophore) skeletons. Coccolithophore skeletons play a positive role in carbon sequestration.
Another highlight of the exhibition is her Plankton Pod Coral Nursery, largely inspired by Dr. Goreau’s biorock idea. It also brings in elements around Bretos’ work in larval propagation. In addition to helping with reef restoration, she also hopes that her miniaturized model can serve as a learning tool for students.
A post-discussion reception included organic wine featuring Haseltine’s art on the label donated by Perkins Harter Vineyard. In closing, Haseltine addressed how she measures success on her efforts that combine art and science.
“For me, success would be [increased] awareness. The fact I’m sitting here and talking about this is part of that,” she said. “Not only does this work [promote] incredible science, but [advancing] ecotourism and building up economies are also factors.”
Can’t make it into the Academy? Take a virtual tour of the exhibition led by the artist herself.