No. 160: Cell Self-Destruction

Researchers are racing to understand how our cells decide when to die, a process that goes haywire in diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer.

No. 160: Cell Self-Destruction
Photo by National Cancer Institute / Unsplash

We've arrived at the final One Work newsletter, at least for the foreseeable future. Thanks for reading, whether you just joined or you've been here for years – it has been a pleasure to write for you, and I hope your social impact efforts continue well after this newsletter ends.

This week, we're covering research about how cells decide when to die – a mechanism that impacts neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Scientists have found what triggers the formation of death-fold proteins, and if they can learn how to control this process, it could have significant implications on the way we prevent and treat these diseases.

My last featured job goes to a micromobility leader you may have come across in your urban travels, and they're looking for an Operations Associate in the Boulder, Colorado area – bonus points for being in a beautiful place to work. I'm also highlighting one of the job boards I've found most reliable for high-paying jobs with a social impact. So for one last time, let's hop to it!

~ Greg

What we're reading

Researchers are racing to understand how our cells decide when to die, a process that goes haywire in diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer. (NPR)

  • The cell's self-destruct mechanism involves specialized proteins that crumple and chain together into "death fold" polymers when they detect threats.
    • Forming this chain takes energy, and until now, researchers couldn't pinpoint the source.
    • They published their findings in a journal this week, showing how proteins inside cells demonstrate behaviors similar to how hand warmers rely on a chain reaction to produce heat.
    • This system makes sense for eliminating virus-infected cells, but it may be needlessly destroying brain cells in neurodegenerative diseases. Misfolded amyloid proteins in Alzheimer's appear to trigger the same chain reaction for example.
  • Given the root cause, researchers can start targeting how to control the formation of death-fold proteins.
    • Two methods have emerged thus far: one is focused on how to prevent crystallization from starting, similar to how antifreeze is used, and the other is focused on interrupting the communication pathways required for cell death. The latter is already known to be associated with inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.
    • If either approach succeeds, we might finally have tools to keep neurons alive longer in diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, or conversely, to make cancer cells die on command.
  • If I think about health achievements that have extended our lives, it feels a bit like we're in a continuous improvement cycle where once one disease is conquered, the next one appears.
    • I have a feeling that once these neurodegenerative diseases and cancer are addressed, it's going to lead to a leap in life expectancy. What comes after that?

Job of the week

We've discussed a number of electric vehicle stories in the past, from Norway's near-total transition to electric vehicles to Kathmandu's air pollution turnaround. One area I haven't focused on as much is electric micromobility such as electric bikes and scooters.

When it comes to that type of transportation, Lime leads the way. If you live in a city, chances are you've come across their scooters: they have over 200,000 electric vehicles now, and that means more zero-emission travel in the areas that need it most.

Among their job opportunities is a great entry-level Operations Associate position near Boulder, Colorado. I might be a bit biased – CU Boulder alum here – but that sounds like a sweet gig in a beautiful location. Why not check it out?

Community roundup

  • Hey, weren't we just talking about electric vehicles? Well here's another positive story: Target is partnering with Circuit EV Solutions and Frontdoor Collective on a pilot program for last-mile delivery services using electric vans. (Electrek)
    • The pilot program will deploy 50 vans, so we're not talking about a nationwide rollout. I am glad to see them invest here, however.
    • If it seems like Amazon has had Rivian vans for a long time, it's because they have: they made an initial $700 million investment in 2019 and took first delivery of their delivery vans in 2022.
  • Scientists have demonstrated that for cancer patients receiving immunotherapy, getting an mRNA Covid vaccine shortly before starting treatment helped them live longer. (NBC News)
    • This is a big deal because immunotherapy is only effective for about 1 in 5 people, partially because it's so difficult to dial in the immune response so it's not too weak and not too strong. The mRNA vaccine could be that happy medium that helps the treatment be more effective.
  • India’s Council of Scientific & Industrial Research has developed "green" firecrackers for Diwali, the festival of lights this week, to reduce the holiday's environmental impact. (ABC News)
    • There's definitely some greenwashing at play here, but the resulting firecrackers are much better than before. They use less toxic materials and have additives that reduce airborne particles, which is especially important given the air quality is so poor in parts of the country.
  • Global warming is thawing the permafrost in the northern hemisphere, and when it does, it releases microbes that produce more greenhouse gas emissions. (Smithsonian Magazine)
    • Given the flywheel implications of that process, scientists have taken soil samples from the Arctic and successfully reanimated the dormant microbes within – all part of an effort to understand how these microbes may impact our climate.
    • One of their findings was that longer, warmer periods such as lengthening summers are more conducive to waking microbes than shorter, hotter periods. The errant hot day is not enough: they need months of sustained heat to trigger them to process carbon.

Civic corner

  • The Environmental Protection Agency has revised its rulemaking timeline for solar panel waste from June 2025 to February 2026. The intent is to determine how to handle solar panels that have reached end of life after 25 to 30 years of service. (Inside Climate News)
    • The International Energy Agency estimates that 78 million tons of solar panels will be retired by 2050, and we need a plan for how to recycle the panels to reduce waste – similar to how we handle hazardous chemicals and electronics.
    • We recently discussed a similar need for how to manage wind turbine waste. I'd like to see more companies designing for end of life, not just for operational use: how do we build products so they leave no trace once they've fulfilled their purpose?
  • Colorado River negotiations are supposed to wrap up by November 11th, and Wyoming has drafted a conservation plan for the Green River – the largest tributary feeding the Colorado. (Inside Climate News)
    • This is the first I've seen of Wyoming even tangentially involved in the Colorado River discussions, but it makes sense. States are focused on how to divide up the Colorado River downstream, but that river has sources upstream whose consumption impacts states on the receiving end.
    • Honestly, these negotiations are complicated enough as is without more states getting involved, but I do appreciate that the states in the middle are doing what they can to improve access.
    • It seems to me that the supply is roughly fixed – triggering more snowmelt seems like a futile effort, for example – so we need more discipline on the demand side.
  • Vermont received FEMA disaster relief funding in the wake of historic flooding in 2023 and 2024, and they hired a contractor to help them administer aid. That contractor didn't subcontract the right number of people to support victims, using about $1 million in grant funding for their own services instead. (Grist)
    • The concern is that this is a pattern with disaster relief in general, not just in Vermont, and that states will bear the brunt of the impact as FEMA support is eliminated.
  • The Trump Administration recently announced higher prices for the H-1B visa program where companies need to spend $100,000 per visa to hire foreign applicants. This was primarily meant to target foreign workers at technology companies, but it is inadvertently impacting rural school districts. (NPR)
    • The Department of Homeland Security can grant exceptions to the fee, which may offer these districts a lifeline.
    • In one Montana school district, 20% of the teachers are working in the U.S. on a visa, which gives you a sense of the scale here. Imagine doing the same amount of work with 20% fewer people – it would be a challenge.

Hot job opportunities

Resource of the week

I've referenced this week's job board resource many times over the years because it provides a steady stream of high-paying jobs aligned to social good. That's mainly because it features tech jobs, or more specifically, Tech Jobs for Good. Lest the title scare you off, we're simply talking about jobs at technology companies, not that you need to be a programmer, engineer, or IT professional to land an opportunity on this job board.

Tech Jobs for Good runs the gamut from climate and environment to education and healthcare, and you can filter down on an impact area that resonates with you if you have a specific objective in mind. If you prefer a more passive job search, consider creating a profile here – companies can search the candidate database, and given this is a niche job board, you're more likely to be recruited for a role that speaks to your values.

Test your knowledge

For our final feat of trivia might, I challenged you to decipher the acronym STEM as it relates to education. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and it tends to be used in the context of encouraging students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to study in these fields.

It's hard to understate the impact that STEM has had on our lives, especially in the Information Age. I have reservations about the consolidation of wealth and power that seems to follow technological advancement, but it can also be used for good. Our resource of the week certainly demonstrates the opportunity ahead of us.

I drove up to Vista House along the Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon last weekend because I can't get enough of the views of the gorge. This is the first scenic highway in the United States, and it lives up to the reputation. If you find yourself driving into Portland, consider seeking out the road less traveled.