University of Missouri

Nov. 17, 2017

A zebrafish’s empty stomach can help scientists understand brain function

A new test can show how much a zebrafish larva has eaten. This basic information could be crucial to upcoming discoveries. A zebrafish swims in its tank. Understanding how zebrafish move can give researchers insight into how certain diseases impact human motion. Photo courtesy National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. By Eleanor C. Hasenbeck | Bond Life Sciences Until now, it was hard to know when a zebrafish larva had a full stomach. Researchers in Anand Chandrasekhar’s Lab at the Bond Life Sciences Center are studying the networks of neurons that control the…

Nov. 17, 2017

Lisa Caesar #IAmScience

Lisa Caesar is a biological sciences Ph.D. candidate who works in Laura Schulz’s lab. | photo by Allison Scott, Bond LSC   “#IAmScience because education and my pursuit of learning became my ticket out of poverty and a way that I can really help others.” “Mother knows best” rings true for Gerialisa Caesar. In her family, the career options were either to be a lawyer, engineer or doctor. But with little interest in law and a greater love for science than math, Caesar decided to pursue her doctorate. “I graduated high school at 16 fully…

Nov. 14, 2017

Dr. Burke wins Distinguished Professor Award

Donald Burke-Agüero stands in his office in Bond LSC, holding a model of an RNA protein structure. Burke-Agüero studies the bio-chemical functions of RNA, and how those functions might be able to be artificially designed or replicated. | Phillip Sitter, Bond LSC By Samantha Kummerer, Bond LSC “He’s a triple threat in science,” Bond Life Sciences researcher David Pintel said. Donald Burke’s combination of scientific excellence, caring mentorship and devotion to the University of Missouri led Pintel to nominate Burke for the 2017 William H. Byler Distinguished Professor Award. The university agreed, awarding him the…

Nov. 10, 2017

Julia Brose #IAmScience

Julia Brose is a senior studying biochemistry at Mizzou. She works in Chris Pires lab in Bond LSC. | Photo by Allison Scott, Bond LSC “#IAmScience because I really enjoy discovering and being around people who cultivate a positive learning environment.” As a freshman at Mizzou four years ago, Julia Brose knew she had a love for plants. That, however, competed with her fascination with biochemistry. Luckily, she found and was selected for FRIPS, Freshman Research in Plant Sciences, which allowed her to do both. The program is made up of 10 freshman each year…

Nov. 3, 2017

Marianne Emery #IAmScience

Marianne Emery is a Ph.D. candidate in Ruthie Angelovici’s Lab in Bond LSC. | photo by Allison, Bond LSC “#IAmScience because it leads to innovation that makes for a better world, which is an awesome thing to be a part of.” It’s good to have a role model, and Marianne Emery has always looked up to female pioneer scientists. One of her favorites is Barbara McClintock, a Nobel prize winning botantist who studied how the chromosomes of corn change during reproduction. It is from women like McClintock that Emery is encouraged to always be impactful…

Nov. 2, 2017

The Truth Behind BPA- Free Labels

Cheryl Rosenfeld, a Bond Life Sciences Center investigator and professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri. | photo by Jinghong Chen, Bond LSC What companies aren’t telling you about their merchandise By: Samantha Kummerer, Bond LSC Bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA, is used to make plastic containers, coats the inside your metal food cans, and leaches into your food and water. BPA has concerned scientists, health practitioners and the general public for many years because of its potential to mimic hormones and disrupt the developmental stages in animals. Opposition to the chemical…

Oct. 30, 2017

In a viral game, the fight isn’t fair

Lab explores how parvo wins in tug of war with cells Kinjal Majumder and David Pintel examine the protein levels in mouse cells during MVM infection. Each black band represents the amount of viral protein in infected cells over time. | Photo by Samantha Kummerer, Bond LSC By: Samantha Kummerer, Bond LSC At the start of any tug of war game, the battle is even. But it doesn’t stay that way for long. After a back and forth, the inevitable happens — the stronger team gives the rope one last tug and send the…

Oct. 27, 2017

Vivek Shrestha #IAmScience

Vivek Shrestha, a Ph. D candidate, works in Dr. Ruthie Angelovici’s lab at Bond LSC. | photo by Allison Scott, Bond LSC “#IAmScience because it provides me with a platform to make that which seems impossible possible.” Agriculture is a mainstay in Nepal, where Vivek Shrestha was born and raised. He grew up in a small farming family, but he was surprised that although a significant portion of the country was involved with agriculture, food insecurity was prevalent. “Nepal is a small, developing nation that is naturally beautiful,” Shrestha said. “Agriculture is huge, but still…

Oct. 23, 2017

Modifying molecules with lasers

Jay Thelen Brief by Roger Meissen| Bond LSC What do lasers have to do with food allergies? Bond LSC’s Jay Thelen was recently part of a team that looked at how short laser pulses might be used to modify peptides and proteins to make foods edible for those with specific allergies. Thelen, a biochemistry professor, joined scientists from his department, engineering and Denmark to explore this possibility. What they found was a way to modify molecules quicker and more cheaply than current chemical methods. This could potentially lower costs for specific applications in medicine, pharmacology,…

Oct. 20, 2017

Ronnie LaCombe #IAmScience

Ronnie LaCombe, a Ph. D candidate in biological sciences at MU, stands near her lab station in D Cornelison’s lab in Bond LSC. | photo by Allison Scott, Bond LSC By Allison Scott | Bond LSC “#IAmScience because I feel most alive when I’m talking to people, both in and out of my field, about my work.” While other kids were playing with Legos and dolls, Ronnie LaCombe was exploring the world through a microscope. Alongside her cousins, LaCombe used science at an early age as both a way of learning and for entertainment. “I’ve…

Oct. 20, 2017

Expanding the limits of knowledge

Purva Patel presents her research on iron in plants during the undergraduate research fair. Patel works in Dr. Mendoza’s lab in the Bond Life Sciences Center. By: Samantha Kummerer, Bond LSC Purva Patel grew up captivated by newspaper articles discussing a method to grow plants without soil called hydroponics. Today, she is one of the scientists mixing the mineral and nutrient solutions to plant seeds in this rapidly growing soil-less method. The University of Missouri senior spent the past year working in David Mendoza-Cózatl’s Bond Life Sciences lab. Her research, which started out as a capstone…

Oct. 17, 2017

A love story closes LSSP 2017

Jim Obergefell’s love endured through his partner’s death and all the way to the Supreme Court. Jim Obergefell speaks about winning the landmark Supreme Court case that granted equal marraige rights to same-sex couples. Obergefell received a standing ovation after his lecture. Photo by Eleanor Hasenbeck | Bond Life Sciences By Eleanor C. Hasenbeck | Bond Life Sciences Jim Obergefell had a destination wedding, but not by choice. On a chartered medical jet on a tarmac in Baltimore, Obergefell married John Arthur, his partner of 20 years, in a union that would result in…