Catherine Hodges

Salt crystals are exposed along the edge of a large, serene body of water. The water reaches some far-off, cloud-capped mountains in the background.

Research Update

Extreme adaptation helps Dead Sea single-celled organisms to swim

Cryo-electron microscopy unveils the unique sheathed filament structure that supports survival and mobility in salty seas.

A close-up photo of crystals of two different complexes, one shown in yellow and one in orange, on a grey background

Research Update

Capturing an elusive step in molecular sandwich making

First structural characterization of a double ring-slipped intermediate brings new possibilities for stimuli-responsive materials design

A close-up photo of a water droplet, shaped in an elongated oval, pumping out a spray of tiny microdroplets from one end.

Research Update

Explosive evaporation unlocks new possibilities in 3D printing and chemical analysis

144-year-old theory expanded in water droplet evaporation experiments

Illustration of a polymerization reaction

Research Update

Identifying the limits of protein evolution

Large-scale computational study describes limiting factors for protein evolution, highlighting unexplored protein design possibilities and origin of life insights.

pygmy squid (Idiosepius sp.)

Research Update

100 million years ago, an ‘evolutionary fuse’ was lit in the deep ocean, sparking squid diversification

New evolutionary mapping suggests deep sea origins and mass extinction triggered diversification of modern squid and cuttlefish.

A photo of Peter Babiak, John Parker, and Zdenek Lajbner behind the newly developed cephalopod egg incubator, a large black box with wheels.

Research Update

Scalable aquaculture systems can improve survival, reduce labor, and enhance animal welfare

Automated light and flow-guided systems drive productivity in cephalopod, shrimp and fish aquaculture.

Amphiprion frenatus in its natural environment

Research Update

Social pressure forces baby clownfish to lose their bars faster

Researchers investigate how and why fish color patterns form and change, revealing insights into the evolutionary origins of this environmental adaptability

20 February 2026

A human outline in neon pink sits on a background of wire patterns in bright neon colors. Code in speech bubbles emerges from the back of the outline

Research Update

AI learns better when it talks to itself

Inner speech combined with working memory helps AI to learn and generalize across tasks

28 January 2026

Photos of two people, both looking at the camera and smiling, wearing flowery shirts.

Institutional News

Two OIST professors elected as 2026 SPIE fellows

Professors Bill Munro and Síle Nic Chormaic recognized for their pioneering optics and photonics research

09 January 2026

Diamond defects coupled to microwave cavities emit powerful microwave pulses in breakthrough for quantum technologies

Research Update

Superradiant spins show teamwork at the quantum scale

Powerful self-driven microwave signals open new possibilities in quantum sensing and communication.

02 January 2026

In their investigations, the researchers trained mice in a virtual maze, teaching them the correct route to receive a reward. They then switched the route, leading to an unexpected loss of reward for the mice, and observed the effects of this disappointing change using two-photon microscopy.

Research Update

Disappointment alters brain chemistry and behavior

Mouse study shows the importance of acetylcholine in behavioral flexibility, shedding light on addiction and OCD brain mechanisms.

17 December 2025

New method to create tree of life proven in termites. The image depicts the tunnels within a termite mound branching like a phylogenetic tree.

Research Update

'Jumping genes’ help scientists resolve tree of life

Termite study provides researchers with template to solve ancient evolutionary mysteries.

15 December 2025