Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has launched the Cech Fellows Program, which is a new Summer Undergraduate Research Experience program designed to support rising juniors and seniors who are eager to deepen their engagement in authentic research experiences. Cech Fellows are placed in HHMI laboratories across the US for a 9-week period in the summer, […]
First-year Ph.D. student Rey Carten from the May Lab received an outstanding poster award at the Molecular Biophysics in the Northeast meeting at the University of New Hampshire on October 11, 2025 (mbnmeeting.org). Congratulations to Rey!
The Cell Stress Society International (CCSI) named a new award in honor of MCB Professor Emeritus Larry Hightower. The award, the Dr. Larry Hightower Award for Excellence in Mentorship, was created in the spirit of Dr. Hightower and honors mentors who pair high scientific standards with care for their trainees. They invest time, give clear […]
Congratulations to Russ Hanson and Heather Jamieson (Goldhamer Lab) for being selected to give platform presentations at the international Frontiers in Myogenesis Conference, October 6-11, 2025 in Sunriver Oregon!
This semester marks the one-year anniversary of Dr. Kristen Ramsey at the University of Connecticut’s Molecular and Cell Biology department. Dr. Ramsey is a biochemist with a strong background in cell signaling, biochemistry, and molecular biophysics. Known for her unique approach to both research and teaching, Dr. Ramsey brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm […]
https://events.uconn.edu/live/json/v2/events/response_fields/location,summary/date_format/%25F%20%25j,%20%25Y/group/Molecular and Cell Biology/max/5/start_date/today/end_date/6 months/
May/Alder/Zweifach Labs: Mitochondria-Targeted Peptides and Bilayer Composition Modulate Membrane Electroporation under Elevated Electrochemical Stress Langmuir
Alexandrescu/Alder Labs: NMR assignments of the human homodimeric mitochondrial ATP synthase inhibitor IF1 Biomolecular NMR Assignments
Alder Lab:
Lateral lipid packing governs bilayer solubilization by styrene-maleic acid copolymers: a case study with cardiolipin-containing membranes. BBA- Biomembr
R. O'Neill Lab: Complete sequencing of ape genomes Nature
Teschke Lab: Elucidating double stranded DNA viral scaffolding protein structures through advances in cryogenic electron microscopy data processing. Curr Opin Struct Biol
Gage Lab: Addition of soil protists may enhance performance of agrochemical seed treatments. Soil Sci Soc. Am. J
Gage Lab: Understanding the retention of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: Insights from tracer tests and numerical modeling. Environ Res
Lynes Lab: The Detection of COVID-19-Related Multivariate Biomarker Immune Response in Pediatric Patients: Statistical Aspects. Viruses
Robinson Lab:
The fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora enters apple leaves through naturally occurring wounds from the abscission of trichomes. PlantJ
