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In December, The Conversation hosted a webinar on AI’s revolutionary role in drug discovery and development. Science and technology editor Eric Smalley interviewed Jeffrey Skolnick, Regents' Professor and eminent scholar in computational systems biology at Georgia Institute of Technology, and Benjamin P. Brown, assistant professor of pharmacology at Vanderbilt University. Skolnick has developed AI-based approaches to predict protein structure and function that may help with drug discovery and finding off-label uses of existing drugs. Brown’s lab works on creating new computer models that make drug discovery faster and more reliable.
The Conversation | 2026-04-07T00:00:00-04:00
A team of researchers including David Hu, a professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Biological Sciences and George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, have visualized mosquito flight behavior for the first time.Based on their data, the researchers said they don’t think mosquitoes swarm because they’re following the pack. Each appeared to pick up on the cues independently, then found themselves at the same place at the same time.“It’s like a crowded bar,” said Hu. “Customers aren’t there because they followed each other into the bar. They’re attracted by the same cues: drinks, music, and the atmosphere. The same is true of mosquitoes. Rather than following the leader, the insect follows the signals and happens to arrive at the same spot as the others. They’re good copies of each other.”A similar story was published by The Economic Times.
ScienceDaily | 2026-03-22T00:00:00-04:00
If you’ve walked the aisles of a grocery store, scrolled through social media, watched television, or set foot in a fast-casual restaurant chain in recent months, you know that protein is having its moment.So, why are brands pushing protein? An International Food Information Council study found that 70% of adults are looking to increase their protein intake. But as it makes its way into more products than ever before, is it too much of a good thing?Lesley Baradel is a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and lecturer in the College of Sciences at Georgia Tech. In this episode of "Generating Buzz", she digs into the protein-packed trend, with implications ranging from health and wellness to marketing and how the rise of GLP-1s factors into the increased focus on the macronutrient.
Futurity | 2026-03-05T00:00:00-05:00
Research done in recent years after Florida's last historic cold snap reveals that the temperature at which iguanas become cold-stunned may be lower than what was commonly believed before."As a scientist, I was fascinated why these lizards can now tolerate a colder temperature than they had recently, prior to this cold snap," reptile researcher James Stroud of Georgia Tech’s School of Biological Sciences told Gulf Coast News via Zoom.Stroud has been studying invasive lizards of all sizes with a particular focus on understanding their tolerance for cold temperatures. His work has revolved around studying lizards that survive significant cold snaps and then testing to see how their tolerance changes afterward."Prior to the cold snap event, all lizards could tolerate temps around 46 to 50 degrees," Stroud said. "After they experienced colder temps than they had experienced in the previous few winters, they could suddenly tolerate colder temps, down to around 42 Fahrenheit."
Gulf Coast News | 2026-02-05T00:00:00-05:00
Green iguanas (Iguana iguana) are not native to the U.S. but were brought to Florida in the 1960s, where they have, for the most part, flourished—except, that is, when temperatures have dropped below 50 degrees F (10 degrees C). These chilly conditions can cause a cold shock in the lizards. And because the iguanas tend to sleep in trees, getting cold shocked can sometimes cause the animals to fall from the skies in an infamous Florida phenomenon. “These tropical lizards were experiencing conditions that they’ve never experienced in their entire evolutionary history before, tens of millions of years,” says James Stroud, an evolutionary biologist at the Georgia Institute of Technology.But in Florida, colder conditions occur every few years—albeit less often as temperatures rise because of climate change. The experience of the iguanas that have been forced to confront the cold in the state can teach scientists more about how animals respond to new climates more generally, Stroud says.
Scientific American | 2026-01-16T00:00:00-05:00
In an article published by The Conversation, Benjamin Freeman, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, discusses his research, including a recent study on how mountain birds in the Pacific Northwest are responding to climate change.
The Conversation | 2025-11-27T00:00:00-05:00
A team of researchers from the School of Biological Sciences published a paper on interlimb training and how it may provide tangible benefits during early-stage rehabilitation following upper limb amputation, especially in cases of partial-hand loss.
Nature Scientific Reports | 2025-11-05T00:00:00-05:00
Scientists have long thought that a lizard losing a leg should be a death sentence. New evidence seems to overturn this assumption, showing that some lizards can not only survive, but even thrive after losing one or more limbs.James Stroud, an evolutionary biologist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has spent years catching lizards in the wild to study how they evolve. He and his colleagues long thought that even the smallest difference in the length of a lizard’s leg could affect its ability to run from predators and chase their prey. Losing an entire limb seemed much more severe.However, every now and then he and his colleagues would observe something odd. “We’ll find a lizard completely missing its leg, and it seems fine,” Dr. Stroud said. He casually calls them “three-legged pirate lizards.”
The New York Times | 2025-10-21T00:00:00-04:00
James T. Stroud, assistant professor in the School of Biological Sciences, coauthored an article published in The Conversation detailing research which documents exceptional cases of lizards — survivors of limb damage or loss — that defy expectations about how natural selection works.
The Conversation | 2025-10-13T00:00:00-04:00
Last Friday, the Spatial Ecology and Paleontology Lab (SEPL), led by School of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Jenny McGuire, hosted its weekly Fossil Friday event. This hands-on outreach program invites participants to uncover ancient history, explore real fossils, and learn about the discoveries made by scientists beneath the approximately 80-foot drop of Natural Trap Cave in Wyoming.The goal of Fossil Friday is straightforward: to build a community centered on science outreach and enable people to interact directly with fossils. The event is open to students, faculty, and Atlanta locals alike, offering a relaxed space to learn, discover, and have fun.
Technique | 2025-10-03T00:00:00-04:00
