Stories
April 17, 2025
Amy Petry receives 2025 Outstanding Early Career Teacher Award
Amy Petry, assistant professor in the Division of Animal Sciences, received the 2025 Early Career Teacher Award at CAFNR’s Celebration of Excellence April 17.
April 17, 2025
Riley M. Sullivan has received the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Thesis Award as part of Celebration of Excellence
Riley M. Sullivan has received the 2025 CAFNR William R. Lamberson Distinguished Thesis Award for her groundbreaking research on maternal recognition of pregnancy in pigs. She received her M.S. in Reproductive Physiology in 2024. Riley Sullivan Her thesis, “Functional Analysis of Pregnancy in the Pig: The Two Essential Conceptus Maternal Recognition Signals for Preventing Luteolysis,” redefines a 50-year-old model by demonstrating the essential and combined role of conceptus-derived estrogen and prostaglandins in maintaining pregnancy. Under the mentorship of Rodney Geisert, professor emeritus in the Division of Animal Sciences, Sullivan used advanced CRISPR gene-editing to develop a triple knockout model targeting…
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…
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. 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…
Feb. 12, 2025
University of Missouri Board of Curators honors former Gov. Mike Parson with naming of new meat sciences lab
The facility will offer additional education and workforce development opportunities to contribute to one of Missouri’s largest industries.
Jan. 16, 2025
Final fall 2024 Show-Me-Select sale sets record
Palmyra’s Show-Me-Select Heifer sale set a local record with $1.16 million in sales, highlighting MU Extension's impactful heifer replacement program.
Nov. 20, 2024
Q&A with Cory Bromfield
Cory Bromfield is an assistant extension professor in swine production.
Nov. 12, 2024
Animal Sciences graduate student joining National Pork Board’s Real Pork Scholars 2024 cohort
Rachel Self, a master’s degree student in the Division of Animal Sciences, has been selected as a member of the 2024 Real Pork Scholar Cohort through the National Pork Board. This prestigious cohort-based program addresses communication gaps for the U.S. pork industry. It identifies outstanding graduate-level students engaging in value-added experiences while conducting academic work to positively advance U.S. pork production. They will learn best practices for communicating scientific research effectively to multiple audiences, helping answer commons questions about the pork industry, especially related environment, public health, community, animal welfare, food safety and people. “I wanted to join the Real…
Nov. 12, 2024
Celebrating our distinguished alumni: CAFNR Column Awards 2024
From left to right: David Larsen, Jonathan Dyer, Blake Hurst, Joel Spencer and Julian Lenis. Not pictured: Kendra Kattelmann. The College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources honored six recipients with the 2024 CAFNR Column Award for Distinguished Alumni. This is the only award specifically for alumni presented by the college – the highest honor bestowed by the College in celebration of outstanding alumni. The awardee class includes one graduate from each of CAFNR’s six divisions, reflecting the six historic columns at the University of Missouri. View the event photo album. School of Natural ResourcesDavid LarsenB.S. Forestry ’78, M.S.