Yale University

Mucins are her mission.

Yale chemist Stacy Malaker is working to better understand proteins that have long been difficult to study.

Mucins help produce mucus, but they also play important roles in health and disease. By developing ways to break these complex proteins into smaller pieces, Malaker's lab is helping scientists study them in greater detail, with potential implications for detecting and treating diseases like cancer.

Read a Q&A with Malaker: bit.ly/4jJus10

The world is expanding protected areas, but are they doing enough to safeguard wildlife?

A new report from Yale's Center for Biodiversity and Global Change finds that many species and their habitats remain inadequately protected, with particularly concerning gaps for threatened species.

While progress on land has been limited, researchers found more encouraging signs in ocean conservation: bit.ly/4yO0fl9

Public health programs can do more than change behaviors. They can also “rewire” social networks.

In rural Honduras, Yale researchers studied what happened when families received education about maternal and child health.

When only a few households participated, those who received the lessons were less likely to turn to other neighbors for health advice, leaving some people less connected. But when most households participated, connections across the community actually grew.

The findings show that sharing health information can change not just what people know, but who they turn to and trust.

Explore the research: bit.ly/4zTHnSW

What can gravitational waves tell us about the universe?

Yale astrophysicist Chiara Mingarelli is helping scientists answer that question. As part of the NANOGrav collaboration, she contributed to research that revealed the first direct evidence of a gravitational-wave background in 2023, offering new insights into how supermassive black holes grow and galaxies form.

Now, Mingarelli has been named a fellow of the American Physical Society, recognizing her pioneering contributions to gravitational-wave research.

Learn more about her work: bit.ly/47CIKJw

A friendship between two researchers has opened doors for students on both sides of the Atlantic.

For more than 20 years, Yale anthropologist Richard Bribiescas and his colleague Grazyna Jasienska in Poland have worked together, creating opportunities for students to travel and build lasting connections.

Now, Bribiescas has been recognized by the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences for his contributions to their partnership.

Read their story: bit.ly/47AJbny