Latest news with #UniversityofCaliforniaRiverside
Globe and Mail
11-04-2025
- Health
- Globe and Mail
Recipient of the Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Healthcare Equity Announced
Boston, MA - The Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Healthcare Equity is thrilled to unveil its very first awardee. This unique $1,000 scholarship, initiated by Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, aims to uplift undergraduate students and aspiring physicians who are driven to enhance healthcare availability for underserved populations. Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, a devoted physician and champion of fair healthcare, launched this program to nurture the ambitions of students eager to tackle disparities in medical access. The impressive volume of applications received from across the country underscores the rising dedication among young healthcare enthusiasts to transform primary care and uplift community wellness. Supporting Tomorrow's Healthcare Pioneers The Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Healthcare Equity is designed to bolster students who are passionate about primary care and serving overlooked communities. Candidates were tasked with submitting an essay exploring medicine's role in underserved regions and offering creative ideas to boost healthcare reach. On March 15, 2025, one exceptional student was named the scholarship's inaugural recipient. This individual's essay will be showcased, celebrating their commitment to healthcare justice and their promise as a future leader in the field. Dr. Sudipta Mohanty shared his excitement about the scholarship's mission: 'As a physician, I've witnessed the struggles underserved groups face in securing proper medical care. This scholarship is my effort to inspire and equip the next wave of healthcare providers to close these divides. The future of medicine hinges on compassionate, equity-focused individuals.' Dr. Sudipta Mohanty's Legacy of Care Dr. Sudipta Mohanty has built a career rooted in primary care, health advocacy, and teaching. His remarkable journey saw him begin college at age 15, later earning a medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh and completing residency training at the University of California Riverside. This path sharpened his focus on patient-first care and health system improvements. A tireless proponent of expanding healthcare access, Dr. Mohanty's scholarship embodies his lifelong mission by aiding students who share his vision for change in underserved regions. Countdown to March 15, 2025 The review process for the Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Healthcare Equity completed with a panel carefully evaluating submissions to select a winner who reflects the initiative's core values. The chosen student was announced on March 15, 2025, with their inspiring story spotlighted to motivate others in the medical community. This scholarship not only provides financial aid but also fosters dialogue about making healthcare more inclusive. Dr. Sudipta Mohanty is eager to sustain this effort, championing the development of future healthcare trailblazers. For additional details about the Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Healthcare Equity and upcoming opportunities, visit Media Contact Company Name: Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship Contact Person: Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Email: Send Email City: Boston State: Massachusetts Country: United States Website:
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Underserved Communities in Medicine Announce Scholarship Winner
Dr. Sudipta Mohanty BOSTON, April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Underserved Communities in Medicine awarded its inaugural scholarship recipient on March 15, 2025. This one-time $1,000 award, founded by Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, is dedicated to supporting undergraduate and aspiring medical students who are passionate about improving healthcare access for underserved communities. As a practicing physician and advocate for health equity, Dr. Sudipta Mohanty established this scholarship to empower students committed to addressing healthcare disparities. The overwhelming response from applicants nationwide highlights the growing enthusiasm among future healthcare professionals to make a meaningful impact in primary care and community health. A Commitment to Future Medical Leaders The Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Underserved Communities in Medicine was created to support students who share a commitment to primary care and serving marginalized populations. Applicants were required to submit an essay discussing the role of medicine in underserved communities and proposing innovative solutions to improve healthcare accessibility. On March 15, 2025, one outstanding student will be selected as the recipient of this prestigious scholarship. The winning essay will be highlighted, recognizing the student's dedication to advancing healthcare equity and their potential to shape the future of medicine. Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, the scholarship's founder, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative: "Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand the challenges faced by underserved communities in accessing quality healthcare. This scholarship is my way of encouraging the next generation of medical professionals to take an active role in bridging these gaps. The future of healthcare depends on individuals who are not only skilled but also deeply committed to equity and service." Dr. Sudipta Mohanty's Vision and Impact Dr. Sudipta Mohanty has dedicated his career to primary care, healthcare advocacy, and medical education. His journey began with an accelerated academic path, starting undergraduate studies at the age of 15 before earning his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He later completed his residency at the University of California Riverside, solidifying his expertise in patient-centered care and health policy. Through his work, Dr. Sudipta Mohanty has been a strong advocate for increasing access to healthcare services, particularly for marginalized communities. His scholarship reflects this ongoing commitment by encouraging and financially supporting students who aspire to make a difference in underserved areas. Looking Ahead: March 15, 2025 Announcement The selection process for the Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Underserved Communities in Medicine consisted of a dedicated panel reviewing applications to identify the student who best embodies the scholarship's mission. The winner was announced on March 15, 2025, with their story shared to inspire future applicants and medical professionals. By recognizing students who align with Dr. Sudipta Mohanty's vision, this scholarship serves as both a financial resource and a platform to promote meaningful conversations about healthcare accessibility. Dr. Sudipta Mohanty looks forward to continuing this initiative and supporting future generations of healthcare leaders. For more information about the Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship for Underserved Communities in Medicine, including future application opportunities, please visit Contact Info: Spokesperson: Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Organization: Dr. Sudipta Mohanty Scholarship Website: Email: apply@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in to access your portfolio
The Independent
13-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Strange aliens could be hiding in gases, scientists say
Alien life could be hiding in gases, researchers have said. We could find extraterrestrial beings in gas on faraway planets that are very unlike our own, according to their new study. The gases themselves have been relatively neglected as a possible place to search for alien life. But it could actually be relatively easy and quick to examine, the scientists say. We could even do so by looking at exoplanets using Nasa's James Webb Space Telescope, they said. The gases themselves are called methyl halides. On Earth, they are usually made by bacteria, fungi, or similar – and they are made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms attached to a halogen atom. It would not be possible to see them on Earth-like planets, which are too small and dim to see with the Webb telescope. But other worlds, known as Hycean planets, could be possible places to search. 'Unlike an Earth-like planet, where atmospheric noise and telescope limitations make it difficult to detect biosignatures, Hycean planets offer a much clearer signal,' said Eddie Schwieterman, University of California Riverside astrobiologist and paper co-author. We don't know what the life forms that would produce such gases would look like – but they might look totally different from anything we've seen before 'These microbes, if we found them, would be anaerobic. They'd be adapted to a very different type of environment, and we can't really conceive of what that looks like, except to say that these gases are a plausible output from their metabolism,' Schwieterman said in a statement. The work is described in a new article, 'Examining the Potential for Methyl Halide Accumulation and Detectability in Possible Hycean-type Atmospheres', published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Megalodon: Scientists Reveal a Crucial Surprise About The Mega-Shark
It remains a sad fact of this world that we will never know for certain what the long-lost megalodon truly looked like – but a new study gives us what may be the most accurate reconstruction yet. An international team led by paleontologist Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University in the US has determined that the megalodon (Odontus megalodon) was probably longer and sleeker than previous interpretations of its scant, mysterious remains. "This study provides the most robust analysis yet of megalodon's body size and shape," says marine biologist Phillip Sternes, formerly of the University of California Riverside, now at SeaWorld. "Rather than resembling an oversized great white shark, it was actually more like an enormous lemon shark, with a more slender, elongated body. That shape makes a lot more sense for moving efficiently through water." The megalodon is one of the most captivating mysteries on the fossil record. It lived from around 23 million to around 3.6 million years ago, during which time it occupied a prime position at the top of the food web, before being driven to extinction. We know it was huge, compared to modern sharks, but learning more about what it looked like is extremely difficult. That's because, like those of today's sharks, megalodon's skeleton was mostly cartilage. Only its teeth and vertebrae have been preserved as fossils on the seafloor, indicating a monster of a shark that could have been anywhere between around 11 meters to over 40 meters (36 to 131 feet) in length. Most estimates settle between around 13 to 18 meters, with the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) as the basis for their model, using one of the most complete megalodon fossils we have: an almost complete spine found near Belgium measuring 11 meters in length. The white shark is a true powerhouse, one of the fiercest predators in the ocean, so it's easy to see why scientists might turn to it to understand the megalodon. Not all sharks are built alike, though. Rather than examining the megalodon spine in the context of just a handful of species, Shimada and his colleagues compared it against a huge catalog of 145 living and 20 extinct shark species. In particular, they were looking to calculate the length of the body parts not represented by the fossilized vertebral column; that is, the head and the tail of the shark. Their new approach found that if the megalodon's body plan was consistent with most of the other sharks evolution has so elegantly crafted, the extinct predator's head and tail could have represented 16.6 and 32.6 percent of the total body length, respectively, with a sleeker, slimmer body more like that of the lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) than the white shark. This means that, for the Belgian individual, the head would have measured 1.8 meters in length and the tail 3.6 meters, making that specific megalodon a total of 16.4 meters wide. Although the Belgian spinal column gives scientists a bunch of related bones to work with, they are not the only megalodon vertebrae paleontologists have found; nor are they the largest. The largest vertebra in the assemblage is 15.5 centimeters (6.5 inches) long. Other vertebrae found near Denmark are reported to be significantly larger, up to 23 centimeters across. Assuming that this represents the largest possible size a megalodon vertebra can reach, the researchers calculated a new top size for the shark. "The length of 24.3 meters is currently the largest possible reasonable estimate for O. megalodon that can be justified based on science and the present fossil record," Shimada says. That length is comparable to two school buses, end-to-end, much larger than most sharks that swim the oceans today, although filter-feeding whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) can reach lengths of 20 meters or so, and actual whales can be significantly larger. The interesting thing about all these large marine animals is that their bodies, also, are long and sleek. The shorter, stockier shape of the white shark is built for short bursts of speed; the longer, sleeker bodies of lemon sharks, whale sharks, and whales are better for more energy-efficient swimming, and minimal drag. A longer, sleeker, more hydrodynamic body would have allowed megalodon to grow much larger than the white shark, whose maximum body size is less than 6 meters, limited by the energy demands of its swimming and hunting style. At 23.4 meters in length, a megalodon would have cruised the oceans at speeds around 2.1 to 3.5 kilometers (1.3 to 2.2 miles) per hour, using sparing speed bursts only when necessary. "This research not only refines our understanding of what megalodon looked like, but it also provides a framework for studying how size influences movement in marine animals," Sternes says. "Gigantism isn't just about getting bigger – it's about evolving the right body to survive at that scale. And megalodon may have been one of the most extreme examples of that." The research has been published in Palaeontologia Electronica. Dead Bacteria Dissolve Their Own Corpses as a Parting Gift For Relatives Stick From a Dead Shrub Reveals Surprising Truth About Its Record Lifespan Scientists Discover Thousands of New Microbes Lurking in The Ocean's Deepest Zone
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Megalodon may have been ‘even longer' than we thought
If you picture a megalodon, chances are you envision what amounts to a gigantic great white shark. The image is understandable, given almost every depiction of the ancient apex predators across research and pop culture. But last year, an international team put forth a new anatomical design based on their analysis of incomplete fossilized vertebrae. According to the researchers, the famous megalodon was likely 'more slender and possibly even longer' than the prevailing theory. Rather than a great white, the team offered sleeker mako sharks for a frame of reference. The hypothesis kicked off a heated debate among paleobiologists, many of whom contended the evidence still simply didn't support giant prehistoric makos. Unfortunately, a follow-up study likely won't satisfy anyone who disagrees with the mako idea, either. According to many of the original study's authors, megalodons may have been even longer and leaner than they first proposed. In terms of today's shark parallels, think less 'mako' and more 'lemon.' The revised shape and size is detailed in a paper published on March 9 in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica. After comparing portions of a megalodon's vertebral column to over 100 species of living and extinct shark species, researchers now estimate the megalodon may have topped out at around 80-feet-long, or about two school buses, while weighing as much as 94 tons—roughly as massive as a blue whale. For reference, the predominant megalodon theory puts them at 50-65 feet long and 53-115 tons. Based on their conclusions, even newborn megalodons were sizable creatures, and likely measured as large as a modern adult great white. 'It is entirely possible that megalodon pups were already taking down marine mammals shortly after being born,' Phillip Sternes, a co-author on both papers, argued in an accompanying statement. Sternes also contends the latest study 'provides the most robust analysis yet of megalodon's body size and shape.' 'Rather than resembling an oversized great white shark, it was actually more like an enormous lemon shark, with a more slender, elongated body,' he said. 'That shape makes a lot more sense for moving efficiently through water.' While the great white shark's bulkier, torpedo-like frame makes it perfect for quick bursts of speed, the lemon shark evolved for energy-efficient, sustained ocean cruising. This concept of evolutionary efficiency played into the team's alternative theory, as well. Tim Higham, a study co-author and biologist at University of California Riverside, offered Olympic swimmers as a comparison. 'You lead with your head when you swim because it's more efficient than leading with your stomach,' he explained in a statement. 'Similarly, evolution moves toward efficiency, much of the time.' If there's anywhere Team Lemon (formerly Team Mako) and Team Great White may find common ground, it's megalodon speed. Rather than a high-speed chaser or a slower, methodic hunter, the study's authors suggest a balance in which the sharks generally swam at a moderate pace while able to attack in quick bursts. 'Gigantism isn't just about getting bigger—it's about evolving the right body to survive at that scale,' Sternes said. 'And megalodon may have been one of the most extreme examples of that.'
