News: Integrative Biology
Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin
Integrative Biology Professor Wins Early Career Award for Contributions to Ecology
Caroline Farrior has been awarded for her research on forest ecosystem dynamics through mathematical modeling.
![Portrait of a woman in front of a stream](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/farrior_earlycareerfellow2400x1600.jpg)
Do Sick Animals Socially Distance?
According to a new review in the journal Science, when highly social animals — such as ants, mice and bats — get sick, their social interactions change...
![A group of common vampire bats just hanging around](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/vampire-bats-moore2400x1350.jpg)
UT News
Repeated Testing for COVID-19 is Vital, Economic and Public Health Analysis Shows
Having all people in the U.S. tested on a regular, rotating basis can likely slow the spread of the novel coronavirus and the loss of...
![Photo shows a woman in lab protective equipment and mask and goggles handling pipette at a lab bench](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/testing-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
UT News
Key Switchgrass Genes Identified, Which Could Mean Better Biofuels Ahead
Biologists are one step closer to the goal of making a cheap, widely available plant a source for energy and fuel.
![Image shows bundles of switchgrass in a field ready for harvest](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/20171023_144743-1-scaled-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
Adapting the Frequency of COVID-19 Testing
Transmission rates and community immunity can determine when and whether to scale back testing frequency
![An illustration of a group of people standing between two graphs showing peaks of viral spread and valleys](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/15_humansandstats2_1400x840.jpeg)
The College Welcomed New Faculty in 2020
See the new faces at the College of Natural Sciences.
![Seal of the university of texas with an orange filter](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/my_project-1_2.jpg)
UT News
Curbing COVID-19 Hospitalizations Requires Attention to Construction Workers
A new study shows how much more likely construction workers are to get diagnosed with COVID-19 compared to non-construction workers
![Construction workers at a plant](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/b2ap3_large_construction-1400px.jpeg)
UT News
Invasive Cactus Moth Likely to Spread and Destroy Native Prickly Pear
A tiny invasive insect has the potential to cause huge ecological and agricultural damage in Texas and beyond.
![Photo shows a closeup of a brown and grey moth on a prickly pear pad](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/cactoblastis_cactorum_moth_femal_20200330-161027_1-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
UT News
Two Pesticides Approved for Use in U.S. Found to Harm Bees
Pesticides were found to kill some bees and damage the health of others.
![Photo shows a close up of a honey bee with it's head stuck into a honeycomb](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/bee-research-1400px-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
UT News
New Dashboards Launched to Track COVID-19 Across Texas Communities
Sites use hospitalization data and more to predict how the pandemic is progressing in 22 different areas across Texas.
![Photo shows an elderly man in a hospital bed with a breathing apparatus while two doctors in surgical gowns, masks and goggles care for him](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/hospital-covid-19-1400px1-copy-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)