Sunaina Rao - Science Author - 30 Stories - FROMTBOT

FROMTBOT - From The Beginning of Time

Sunaina Rao is a molecular biologist and the Chief Editor of FROMTBOT. Sunaina is also a science illustrator and passionate about science communication.

The shortening of the ends of the DNA strands in our chromosomes is one of the biomarkers for cellular ageing. © Sunaina Rao

The shortening of the ends of the DNA strands in our chromosomes is one of the biomarkers for cellular ageing. © Sunaina Rao

ageing · Life · 09 Aug 2021

Can Telomerase Help Slow Down Ageing?

The role of telomerase in telomere maintenance and ageing.

Diabetes impacts millions of lives worldwide.

Diabetes impacts millions of lives worldwide.

diabetes · Life · 25 Aug 2021

Is There a Permanent Cure for Type 2 Diabetes?

Here, I discuss three interesting strategies proposed by scientists that have the potential to permanently cure type 2 diabetes.

Dogs can have very different visual abilities when compared to humans. © Sunaina Rao

Dogs can have very different visual abilities when compared to humans. © Sunaina Rao

dogs · Life · 17 Aug 2021

How Dogs and Humans See The World Differently

Dogs have contrasting visual abilities when compared to humans.

Science communicators play a central role in accurately conveying scientific advancements to the public. © Sunaina Rao

Science communicators play a central role in accurately conveying scientific advancements to the public. © Sunaina Rao

literacy · Science Policy · 11 Sep 2021

6 Inspiring Science Communicators and How They Have Changed the Way We Look at Science

In our opinion, they were instrumental in normalising the scientific process in pop culture.

The act of gifting has a huge effect on our nervous system, general physiology and our psychology. © Sunaina Rao.

The act of gifting has a huge effect on our nervous system, general physiology and our psychology. © Sunaina Rao.

neuroscience · Life · 20 Mar 2021

Why Do We Enjoy Presenting Gifts To Our Loved Ones?

The answer lies in our evolution, neurobiology and psychology.

Scientific research and science policy making - Connected or disconnected? © Sunaina Rao.

Scientific research and science policy making - Connected or disconnected? © Sunaina Rao.

covid-19 · Science Policy · 10 Feb 2021

Are our COVID 19 Policies Grounded in Quality Science?

A recent research published in the journal Science, explores how COVID 19 science affected policy making in government agencies, think tanks and IGOs.

Innovative thinking involves integration of knowledge from diverse disciplines. Image created by Sunaina Rao using vectors designed by Freepik.

Innovative thinking involves integration of knowledge from diverse disciplines. Image created by Sunaina Rao using vectors designed by Freepik.

mindset · Life · 20 Jan 2021

Paving The Way to Innovation

How interest in fields outside your established area of interest, can help in integrative thinking.

A decorated Christmas tree. Photo by Oleg Zaicev from Pexels.

A decorated Christmas tree. Photo by Oleg Zaicev from Pexels.

plants · Life · 24 Dec 2020

The 'Evergreen' Tradition of Christmas Trees

Why Christmas trees stay green all year long and its relevance to the Christmas culture.

A group of nomadic female humans seen here with their children. Photo by Ian Macharia from Unsplash.

A group of nomadic female humans seen here with their children. Photo by Ian Macharia from Unsplash.

humans · Life · 19 Dec 2020

Sexual Division of Labour May Be Less ‘Natural’ Than What We Think

Man the hunter and woman the gatherer? Well maybe not, in the more ancient human societies.

The CRISPR-Cas story. © Sunaina Rao.

The CRISPR-Cas story. © Sunaina Rao.

gene-editing · Life · 24 Jul 2021

The CRISPR-Cas Story

How a serendipitous observation led us to edit the code of life.

The earth is drowning in plastic. What can we do about this? © Sunaina Rao.

The earth is drowning in plastic. What can we do about this? © Sunaina Rao.

environment · Earth · 19 Dec 2020

The Earth is Drowning in Plastic. Will Enzymes from this Plastic Eating Bacteria Provide New Hope?

Scientists show how re-engineering enzymes from a plastic eating bacteria, can provide us new avenues in plastic degradation.

Vaccines help save us from many deadly viral and bacterial infections. © Sunaina Rao.

Vaccines help save us from many deadly viral and bacterial infections. © Sunaina Rao.

vaccines · Life · 02 May 2021

Vaccines - What are They and How are They Made?

A peep into the different kinds of vaccines and how they work.

The human body is surrounded by a large variety of pathogens. © Sunaina Rao.

The human body is surrounded by a large variety of pathogens. © Sunaina Rao.

immune system · Life · 13 Dec 2020

How Does The Immune System Work? (Part 2)

The war rages on – The adaptive immune system.

The human body is surrounded by all kinds of pathogens. © Sunaina Rao.

The human body is surrounded by all kinds of pathogens. © Sunaina Rao.

immune system · Life · 13 Dec 2020

How Does The Immune System Work? (Part 1)

The fascinating story of the warriors in our body - The innate immune system.

How Does a Cell Move?

How Does a Cell Move?

cells · Life · 13 Dec 2020

How Does a Cell Move?

Actin microfilaments in the movements of neutrophils.

Soap and the coronavirus. © Sunaina Rao.

Soap and the coronavirus. © Sunaina Rao.

coronavirus · Life · 13 Dec 2020

How Does Soap Kill The Coronavirus Particle

A simple soap bar can instantly crumble the entire framework of the coronavirus particle, rendering it inactive. But how does it do this?

A broken cell illustrates the complexity of a single unit of our life. © Sunaina Rao.

A broken cell illustrates the complexity of a single unit of our life. © Sunaina Rao.

cells · Life · 13 Dec 2020

What Would Spill Out if You Burst a Cell Open?

Imagine you pulled out a single cell from your body and burst it open. What do you think would spill out of it?

Cancer cells flowing through blood vessels. © Sunaina Rao.

Cancer cells flowing through blood vessels. © Sunaina Rao.

cancer · Life · 13 Dec 2020

The Adventurous Journey of a Cancer Cell

The long tiring journey of a cancer cell from its site of origin to a distant metastatic organ.

Cells affected by viruses. Here, T-lymphocytes are depicted as being affected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) particles. © Sunaina Rao.

Cells affected by viruses. Here, T-lymphocytes are depicted as being affected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) particles. © Sunaina Rao.

viruses · Life · 13 Dec 2020

When Your Cells Go Viral

By Sunaina Rao and Devadas Vivek

How viruses can take over your cells and dictate them to do their bidding!

Here I depict using acrylic art, the different organelles that exist within cells like the nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplast, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, lysosome and ribosome. © Sunaina Rao.

Here I depict using acrylic art, the different organelles that exist within cells like the nucleus, mitochondria, chloroplast, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, lysosome and ribosome. © Sunaina Rao.

cells · Life · 13 Dec 2020

The Story of The Cell

From a primitive packet of molecules to complex multicellular plants and animals, the history of the cell spans billions of years.

Graphene Oxide nanoparticles on wheels carrying the chemotherapeutic drug into a cancer cell. One of the Graphene oxide molecules has successfully made its way into the cell. Green: Cancer cell; Red and white: Chemotherapeutic drug. © Sunaina Rao.

Graphene Oxide nanoparticles on wheels carrying the chemotherapeutic drug into a cancer cell. One of the Graphene oxide molecules has successfully made its way into the cell. Green: Cancer cell; Red and white: Chemotherapeutic drug. © Sunaina Rao.

cancer · Applied Science · 20 Jul 2021

Nanoparticles in the Delivery of Chemotherapeutic Drugs

Advancing cancer therapy using nanoparticles.

On the left - A fibrotic tissue which favours increased colonization and outgrowth of metastasising cells. On the right - A less fibrotic tissue, which does not favour as much persistence and colonization of metastasising cells (red - blood vessels; blue - metastasising cells; brown - collagen). © Sunaina Rao.

On the left - A fibrotic tissue which favours increased colonization and outgrowth of metastasising cells. On the right - A less fibrotic tissue, which does not favour as much persistence and colonization of metastasising cells (red - blood vessels; blue - metastasising cells; brown - collagen). © Sunaina Rao.

cancer · Life · 17 Jul 2021

Can Tissue Fibrosis Influence Metastasis?

The role of fibrosis in cancer progression.

Membrane proteins dispersed on the cell membrane - Integrin, Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK), cadherin, ion transport channel and G Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR). © Sunaina Rao.

Membrane proteins dispersed on the cell membrane - Integrin, Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK), cadherin, ion transport channel and G Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR). © Sunaina Rao.

cells · Life · 17 Jul 2021

The Antennas, Doors and Bridges of The Cell

Receptors and transport channels.

In the normoxic cells, oxygen helps hydroxylate the proline residues in HIF1 α (dark blue), which then interacts with VHL (light blue), thereby leading to the proteolysis of HIF1 α. Whereas in hypoxic cells, the HIF1 α remains intact and hence enters the nucleus and brings about transcription. © Sunaina Rao.

In the normoxic cells, oxygen helps hydroxylate the proline residues in HIF1 α (dark blue), which then interacts with VHL (light blue), thereby leading to the proteolysis of HIF1 α. Whereas in hypoxic cells, the HIF1 α remains intact and hence enters the nucleus and brings about transcription. © Sunaina Rao.

cells · Life · 15 Jul 2021

Oxygen Sensing in Our Cells

The research behind the 2019 Nobel Prize in medicine.