CAFNR
March 26, 2025
From biochemistry to nutrition and exercise physiology: The path to a PhD
PhD student Anna Gonsalves found her passion for nutrition and exercise physiology through undergraduate research.
March 14, 2025
Students see success at Midwest American Society of Animal Science Meeting
Animal sciences students attended the Midwest American Society of Animal Science Meeting March 9-12 in Omaha, Nebraska. At the meeting, the Academic Quadrathlon Team secured their fourth consecutive first-place finish. The team includes seniors Kaylee Spencer (Griggsville, Ill.), Shannon Draper (Sedalia, Colo.), Grace Lloyd (Ellington, Mo.), and Ben Byrd (Troy, Mo.), who participated in the two-day event consisting of lab practical stations for a variety of species, oral presentations to industry professionals and scholars, a written exam, and a quiz bowl. Two students also earned honors in the research presentation contest. Angela McClaskey, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., won…
March 13, 2025
Mako shark trekking patterns reveal a hidden impact of changing ocean temperatures
Shortfin mako sharks, an endangered species, are among the fastest and most elusive predators in the ocean, and new research led by Michael Byrne, associate professor of wildlife ecology at the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources (SNR) sheds light on the limitations of their habitat availability caused by oceanography. The research tracked mako sharks over vast distances using satellite telemetry. Byrne’s findings reveal a pattern in movements and distribution of the apex predators spanning thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, highlighting the sharks’ dependence on one very specific factor — oxygen levels in the water. “I love…
March 7, 2025
MU Digital Agriculture Research and Extension Center to host second Digital Agriculture Symposium
2024 DAREC Symposium participants discuss a poster presentation. The University of Missouri’s Digital Agriculture Research and Extension Center (DAREC) is hosting its second Digital Agriculture Symposium, “Empowering Agriculture Using AI and Digital Agriculture Technology” in April. “The landscape of agriculture is changing rapidly as digital technology advances,” said Jianfeng Zhou, associate professor of Agricultural Systems Technology in MU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. “We are delighted to be able to share these advances and some of our research in that space and help Missouri’s agricultural producers make informed decisions about incorporating these new technologies into their farming practices.”…
March 5, 2025
CAFNR students earn Mizzou 18 and Mizzou ’39 honors
This week, the Mizzou Alumni Association and Alumni Association Student Board named the 2025 Mizzou 18 Award and Mizzou ’39 Award recipients.
March 4, 2025
MU Center for Agroforestry patents first black walnut cultivar, marking a milestone for Missouri’s tree nut industry
After a quarter of a century of development, the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry made a significant step toward a long-term goal of furthering the black walnut industry in Missouri with a recent patent for its first black walnut cultivar — The UMCA® “Hickman” Walnut.
Feb. 26, 2025
Missouri’s snowy winter: How La Niña and cold temperatures teamed up to bring more snow
According to Zack Leasor, Missouri State Climatologist and associate professor in the University of Missouri’s School of Natural Resources, a weather phenomenon known as La Niña — cooler than average water surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean — is partly to blame.
Feb. 25, 2025
From study participant to co-author, animal sciences student Asia Smith has explored multiple disciplines on the road to her future
A chance encounter with research has led Smith to paper authorship and cross-disciplinary lessons as she pursues veterinary school.
Feb. 24, 2025
Environmental sciences major explores new ecosystem through Gilman Scholarship
Lindsey Cunningham, junior environmental sciences major from Springfield, Missouri, studied abroad in Costa Rica over winter break.
Feb. 13, 2025
Discovering a clue to what causes reproductive complications
Ahmed Balboula Our cells constantly receive DNA damage from factors such as ultraviolet rays, irradiations, toxins and chemicals. For women, that can lead to poor egg quality, which in turn can cause infertility, miscarriage, birth defects or genetic disorders. Researchers at the University of Missouri are now working to better understand a process that can help repair that damage. In a recent study, a team led by Ahmed Balboula, an assistant professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) and researcher at the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building, is studying a process known as autophagy. The…