News: Integrative Biology
Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin
UT News
Hunting for a Better Biofuel Is Scope of New UT Austin-Led Research
How to make humble switchgrass into a biofuel powerhouse.
![Aerial photo shows a large field of clumps of switchgrass](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/juenger_option1_1400px-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
Ask the COVID-19 Experts
An epidemiologist and two molecular bioscientists get to the bottom of your burning COVID-19 questions.
![Illustration of a physician in a white lab coat](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/covid_researcher_2400x1350.jpg)
UT News
Early Spread of COVID-19 Appears Far Greater Than Initially Reported
Thousands of patients who thought they had the flu actually had COVID-19 and spread it in the early days of the pandemic.
![Artist's image shows human figures in grey, yellow and green with lines between them indicating the spread of disease](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/meyers-1400px-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
UT News
New Tool to Guide Decisions on Social Distancing Uses Hospital Data and Emphasizes Protecting the Vulnerable
Epidemiologists develop framework to help policymakers determine which data to track and when to take action to protect their communities.
![Image shows a person's feet in tennis shoes standing near a red circle sticker that reads stay safe and keep your distance](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/social-distancing-1400px-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
UT News
Power of DNA to Store Information Gets an Upgrade
Researchers stored a copy of the Wizard of Oz - in Esperanto - in DNA using a revolutionary new technique.
![Artists image of DNA helix in purple, yellow and green with letters GTAC and 01 binary in the background](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/dna-data-storage-1400px-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
UT News
COVID-19 Drug Development Could Benefit from Approach Used Against Flu
A new study from researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has found that some antivirals are useful for more than helping sick people...
![Artist rendition of COVID-19 virus and pills](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/antiviral-drug-1400px-2-copy-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
UT News
For Each Day’s Delay in Social Distancing, a COVID-19 Outbreak Lasts Days Longer
Every day a city delayed social distancing increased an outbreak by 2.4 days.
![Calendar showing LOCKDOWN written in bold orange letters](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/eid-lockdown-1400px-1200x800-c-default.jpeg)
Department of Statistics and Data Sciences
Updated: Model Forecasts When States, Cities Likely to See Peak in COVID-19 Deaths
A University of Texas at Austin model that projects COVID-19 deaths for all 50 U.S. states and dozens of metro areas using geolocation data.
![A map of the US forecasts daily deaths from COVID-19](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/covid-19_map_past_peak.png)
UT News
Three UT Austin Faculty Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Astrophysicist Katherine Freese, astronomer John Kormendy and evolutionary biologist Mark Kirkpatrick of The University of Texas at Austin have been elected to the National Academy...
![Head shots show three smiling scientists, two men and a woman](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/everyone-1200x800-c-default.jpg)
Spring Insects to Spot on Neighborhood Walks
With much of the world practicing social distancing, walks and other opportunities to get outdoors are the highlight of many people's days right now.
![A green sweat bee covered in yellow pollen sits on a purple flower](/sites/default/files/uploads/images/default/green_sweat_spider_wort_aspect.jpeg)