Emily Arntsen - News @ Northeastern

Portrait of Kerry Eller, Connor Holmes, and Abigale Purvis.

3 ways to create socially conscious academic careers

Kerry Eller, Abigale Purvis, and Connor Holmes receive the Harold D. Hodgkinson Award, one of Northeastern’s highest awards for academics and experiential performance, for their dedication to improving health systems and creating socially responsible businesses.

by Emily Arntsen April 9, 2021

Left, Missy McElligott, associate teaching professor and director of undergraduate studies for biology, was recently honored with the University Excellence in Teaching Award. Right, Laney Strange, associate teaching professor in Khoury College, was recently honored with the University Excellence in Teaching Award. Photos by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

They inspire women to code and teach lifelong learning skills

Laney Strange, associate teaching professor of computer science, and Missy McElligott, associate teaching professor of biology, were nominated by their students to receive the Excellence in Teaching Award for their outstanding dedication to diversity and comprehensive learning.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor April 8, 2021

Illustration by Alison Booth/Northeastern University

Vaccinated? It might be safe to see friends, but don’t throw out that mask.

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published safety recommendations for vaccinated individuals. Northeastern’s Brandon Dionne, assistant clinical professor in the School of Pharmacy, and Neil Maniar, professor of the practice and director of the Master of Public Health program, explain the main takeaways from the guidelines.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor March 12, 2021

Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Northeastern’s COVID-19 testing is identifying new variants faster than other labs

Unlike most COVID-19 diagnostic labs, Northeastern’s testing lab monitors for three of the virus’s genes instead of just one or two—bolstering the system against mutations that might otherwise allow positive cases to go unnoticed, says Jared Auclair, director of the university’s testing lab. Plus, monitoring for more genes enables Northeastern to identify new variants faster than other labs.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor March 10, 2021

These researchers are predicting COVID-19 trends weeks before standard surveillance

Using information from social media, clinical databases, and applications that monitor where and how often people are traveling, The MOBS Lab has created a system that successfully predicts COVID-19 trends weeks in advance every three out of four times.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor March 9, 2021

Why don’t high school bullies pick on someone their own size? Actually, they do.

Bullying occurs most often between friends or people on the same rung of the social ladder, according to a paper co-authored by Cassie McMillan, assistant professor of sociology, criminology, and criminal justice at Northeastern. “Friends are more likely to bully each other because they’re more likely to see each other as rivals,” she says.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor March 4, 2021

They’re harnessing the power of Big Data to track COVID-19 and other diseases

In partnership with Google.org and The Rockefeller Foundation, a team of researchers led by Northeastern professor Samuel Scarpino has launched Global.health, a collaborative platform that consolidates disease outbreak data from around the world into one free resource.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor February 24, 2021

Photo by Ruby Wallau/Northeastern University

Here’s how the Johnson & Johnson vaccine compares to others

The one-dose vaccine, which is under review by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization, is somewhat effective against new variants of coronavirus and doesn’t require special freezers for storage or shipment.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor February 11, 2021

Lee Makowski, chair of the bioengineering department, holds a 3D printed model of COVID-19 showing spike proteins on the surface. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

COVID-19 can affect the blood. Its spike protein may be the culprit.

Autopsy reports on COVID-19 patients reveal problems with their blood vessels—highly uncommon side effects of respiratory diseases. A hypothesis by Lee Makowski, chair of the Bioengineering Department at Northeastern, could help uncover the cause.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor February 8, 2021

Photo Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

2 masks are better than 1 to protect against new COVID-19 variants

Fit is paramount when it comes to face masks, according to two Northeastern professors who study how airborne particles travel through different facial coverings. Layering surgical masks under cloth masks can decrease the amount of particles that reach the nose and mouth.

by Emily Arntsen - contributor January 29, 2021

Posts by Emily Arntsen