Stories
April 11, 2024
2024 Outstanding Mid-Career Research Award: Jaume Padilla
Jaume Padilla, associate professor, nutrition and exercise physiology, has received CAFNR’s 2024 Outstanding Mid-Career Research Award as part of the College’s annual Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony. Joining the University of Missouri in 2009 as a postdoctoral fellow, he become an associate professor with tenure in 2019. His research is having a major impact on the field of cardiovascular research. “His focus is on the connections between cardiovascular disease, physical inactivity, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, and addresses some of the greatest challenges facing society,” said nominator Dojin Ryu, director of the Division of Food, Nutrition and…
April 10, 2024
Taking on the global challenge of hidden hunger
More than 2 billion people suffer from hidden hunger, a form of malnutrition where individuals lack essential micronutrients — like vitamins and minerals — even though they consume what appears to be an adequate amount of calories. University of Missouri researcher Kiruba Krishnaswamy is focused on tackling this global challenge. She recently received a five-year, $532,000 Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) — the NSF’s most prestigious award for early-career faculty — in support of her project titled “FEAST (food ecosystems and circularity for sustainable transformation) framework to address hidden hunger.” “Food…
March 25, 2024
Nutrition and Exercise Physiology alum, Sabby King, M.D., uses her CAFNR degree to serve patients’ whole health
King had always planned to become a doctor, but didn’t expect how much her undergraduate degree would impact her patient care.
March 25, 2024
Dietetics students apply their nutritional knowledge to help the community
Through the NutriZou clinic, dietetics students provide free nutrition counseling to the Columbia community.
March 4, 2024
2024 CAFNR Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program Winners Announced
The third 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):
Feb. 25, 2024
Interdisciplinary research team uses AI to create revolutionary food safety technology
Imagine being at the grocery store, picking up a package of strawberries, then giving them a quick scan that will immediately tell you exactly the types and quantities of pesticide residues that are on the fruit before you buy them and bring them home to your family. This may sound like something out of a futuristic science fiction film, but a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the University of Missouri have used the power of artificial intelligence to make the technology that would enable this scene a reality. The team, which is led by Mengshi Lin, professor of…
Feb. 25, 2024
Mizzou MANRRS seeks to create an inclusive space for all
Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) is a growing organization within CAFNR working to connect students with broad opportunities in the agriculture and natural resources industries.
Feb. 20, 2024
An innovative approach to shield against foodborne illness
Like a silent saboteur, foodborne pathogens can sneak up and ruin your next meal. One of the biggest culprits is salmonella, a type of bacteria found in many foods that causes more than 1.3 million cases of foodborne illnesses annually according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite nationwide efforts, salmonella’s infection rates have remained nearly unchanged for the past 30 years. Now, MU is part of an interdisciplinary effort determined to change that after recently receiving a three-year, $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator program. The 19-member team of investigators…
Jan. 25, 2024
Three CAFNR faculty awarded MU Research Council Grants
The University of Missouri’s Division of Research, Innovation and Impact awarded the second round of Research Council Grants in December to 16 faculty members, three of which call CAFNR home. The CAFNR faculty awarded and their projects are: This internal funding of up to $15,000 supports research, scholarship and creative endeavors that lead to book contracts, juried theatre and music performances, art exhibits, peer-reviewed articles and the generation of pilot data to bolster proposals for external funding. During the 2023-24 academic year, faculty will have two more opportunities to apply for Research Council funding through …
Jan. 9, 2024
CAFNR Ag-celerator for Agricultural Technologies (CAAT) winners announced
The CAFNR Ag-celerator for Agricultural Technologies (CAAT) is a translational research funding opportunity for faculty in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR).