Funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Ed Dzialowski, professor of biological sciences and associate dean for research and graduate studies, and his research team are studying the fetal artery that allows blood to detour away from the lungs before birth. The artery — the ductus arteriosus — closes shortly after birth in healthy, full-term newborns, but it often doesn't close in infants born prematurely, which requires medical intervention and possibly surgery. Dr. Dzialowski and his team are studying the development of chickens in their eggs to understand the cellular pathways involved in the artery's closing and hope to find an alternative treatment to surgery.

If you're interested in connecting with alumni or hearing about unique UNT programs, labs, and organizations, be sure to view the UNT Alumni Live! playlist on the UNT Alumni Association's YouTube channel. More than 20 UNT Alumni Live! events have occurred during the last year, featuring a variety of UNT family members. Quentin Moore ('07), pictured left, performed with The DaxTones; veterinarian Erin Tate ('94), pictured center, answered animal questions and gave a how-to demonstration on caring for a dog's teeth and ears; and Grammy-winning saxophonist Jeff Coffin ('90), pictured right, discussed what it's like to tour with the world-famous Dave Matthews Band. You'll also find events featuring UNT's standout programs and groups, including Green Brigade, Center for Agile and Adaptive Additive Manufacturing, CoLab, UNT at Frisco, and the Texas Fashion Collection. If you look deep enough in the playlist, you may also stumble across a cooking demonstration with yours truly!