Breakthrough large-animal model aims to unlock secrets of devastating brain disorder.

In a groundbreaking step toward understanding — and ultimately — preventing Alzheimer’s disease, CAFNR researchers created a novel genetically engineered pig model that mirrors a key genetic mutation found in humans with early-onset Alzheimer’s. The work, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, was led by Kiho Lee, associate professor in the Division of Animal Sciences.

Supported by a series of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, the project leverages Mizzou’s National Swine Resource and Research Center and its unique infrastructure. Lee and his collaborators used advanced gene-editing techniques to introduce a known pathogenic mutation linked to familial Alzheimer’s disease — a rare, inherited form that strikes people as early as in their 30s or 40s.

“Most patients don’t come to the clinic until it’s too late,” Lee said. “We wanted to build a model that could help us see what’s happening in the brain before that point — something that could eventually help us intervene early, maybe even prevent it.”

Mizzou ecologist Allison Pease to study how environmental shifts impact freshwater fish biodiversity and food security.

Susanta Behura’s international project explores how native breeds adapt to extreme temperatures, with implications for food security, sustainable agriculture and future-ready science education.

Ag centers to host producers, share innovations and practices.

The Second International Symposium on Elderberry will be held in Columbia June 18-20, including a tour of Mizzou’s Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Farm. Scientists, farmers, processors and elderberry visionaries from around the world will gather in Columbia for a symposium that transcends borders, disciplines, and perspectives. Seats are still available, and participants can register online.

CAFNR faculty members have received the following recent grants (listed by Principal Investigator):

Jianfeng Zhou, Missouri Rural Energy Audit Program, USDA, 9/1/25-8/31/27, $99,685

Reid Smeda, WORK ORDER NO. 7, Bayer Cropscience, LP, 4/1/25-3/31/26, $6,804

Reid Smeda, Work Order No. 8, Bayer Cropscience, LP, 4/1/25-3/15/26, $27,720

Reid Smeda, Work Order No. 10, Bayer Cropscience, LP, 4/1/25-4/14/26, $18,900

Xi Xiong, WORK ORDER # 9, Bayer Cropscience, LP, 415/25-3/15/26, $37,126

Michael Byrne, Assessing Northern Harrier Breeding Populations and Habitat Selection in the Klamath Basin and Sacramento Valley, California Department of Fish & Wildlife (Fish & Wildlife Svc), 5/29/25-6/30/27, $223,148

Amy Petry, Increasing the energetic contribution of soybean meal (SBM) fiber through novel exogenous xyloglucanase and cellulase supplementation in swine diets, United Soybean Board, 5/1/25-7/31/26, $99,299

Craig Schenck, Collaborative Research: Sticky sugars and lantern fruits: investigating the convergent evolution of inflated calyces and chemical defenses in the tomatillo tribe (Physalideae), NSF, 6/1/25-5/31/28, $228,454

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LinkedIn: Mizzou College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and Shibu Jose, Associate Dean of Research

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