Stories
April 12, 2023
Scott Peck Received Roger L. Mitchell Fellow Award as Part of 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Scott Peck, professor of biochemistry, received the 2023 Roger L. Mitchell Fellow Award at the CAFNR Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony April 11. Peck joined Mizzou in 2005 and has made numerous seminal discoveries on the functions of specific protein kinases and phosphatases that control plant defense responses to bacterial pathogens. His papers have garnered more than 10,000 total citations. Peck has been appointed as an Extraordinary Professor at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, and as a Joint Professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Japan. He continuously…
April 12, 2023
Marie Dickerson Receives CAFNR Safety Leadership Award at 2023 Celebration of Excellence
Marie Dickerson was honored with the inaugural Safety Leadership Award during CAFNR’s 2023 Celebration of Excellence ceremony on Tuesday, April 11, setting the standard of the quality of work recipients of this new award should perform, notes the awarding committee. Dickerson is the building manager and safety coordinator in the Division of Biochemistry. In her role as the liaison to MU Environmental Health and Safety, Dickerson is an advocate for the safety and operation of our campus buildings, including laboratories. She is the point person for the maintenance and repair of all levels of…
March 25, 2023
CAFNR Advisor Spotlight: Shari Freyermuth
Shari Freyermuth is an academic advisor for students in the biochemistry degree program. How rewarding is it to work with students in the biochemistry degree program? I love working with biochemistry students. They are driven to do well and they want to make a difference both now and in their future careers. I’m amazed at how much studying, activities and work many of them can pack into one day! How do you assist those students throughout their academic journey? I work with students to make sure their schedules work, and we often plan ahead for all four years. They…
March 2, 2023
Five CAFNR Students Earn Mizzou ’39 Honors
This week, the Mizzou Alumni Association and Alumni Association Student Board named the 2023 Mizzou 18 Award and Mizzou ’39 Award recipients. In the spirit of service that was the cornerstone of the 1839 founding of the University of Missouri, the Mizzou Alumni Association Student Board presents the Mizzou ’39 Award to 39 outstanding seniors each year. Recipients are chosen for their academic achievement, leadership, and service to Mizzou and the community. The five CAFNR students to earn the honor are: Javier Kelly Cuenca – Biochemistry Kelly Gillespie – Hospitality Management Isaiah Massey – Agriculture Jack McGrath – Parks, Recreation,…
Feb. 23, 2023
2023 CAFNR Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program Winners Announced
The second batch of proposals funded by CAFNR’s Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program has been announced. The Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program supports nascent, collaborative, multi transdisciplinary research with the goal of developing a competitive proposal for federal funding. The following proposals were selected (listed by the PI, Co-PI/s and title of the project): David Braun, Zachary Traylor, Sherry Flint-Garcia and Pavel Somavat; Developing the new “craft whiskey” market: Evaluation of Missouri heritage corn lines Jill Kanaley and Abdelnaby Khalyfa; Sleep Restriction, Exosomes and Insulin Resistance Abraham Khoo; Novel ways to increase biomass oil production Mengshi Lin and Jung Mun (Journey) Yang; Development…
Feb. 13, 2023
Endless Educational Opportunities
As part of ensuring student success, the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) offers its students numerous opportunities to connect in meaningful ways with industry professionals. Those interactions come through a variety of programs, from CAFNR-sponsored experiences to degree-specific trips. Recently, CAFNR students met with a variety of professionals through the Agribusiness Career Connections Program, Dickinson Scholars Program and Biochemistry Industry Tour. The Agribusiness Career Connection program is designed to connect CAFNR undergraduates to various agribusinesses located throughout the Midwest. Students hear from businesses and organizations, with a focus on possible internships or future job opportunities. The…
Feb. 1, 2023
The Joy of Collaboration
One year ago, a team of plant scientists and biochemists from Mizzou was among faculty awarded the first-ever CAFNR Joy of Discovery Seed Grant funding. Today, that team has parlayed that funding into a $1.25 million National Science Foundation grant that could lead to a deeper understanding of how plant immunity impacts the plant nutrient systems than ever before. The Joy of Discovery program, through the CAFNR Office of Research, aims to provide faculty with funding for interdisciplinary research that will produce preliminary data to make faculty projects more competitive to major funding sources. It provides up to $20,000 for…
Dec. 16, 2022
CAFNR Senior Spotlight – Q&A with Isabella Bertarelli
Bertarelli is a senior graduating in December with a degree in biochemistry.
Dec. 13, 2022
Senior Spotlight: Caitlin Kimes
Kimes will graduate with a degree in biochemistry.
Nov. 16, 2022
An Exceptional Evening
CAFNR honors six of the college’s outstanding alumni at the 2022 Column Awards.