News
July 15, 2022
#IAmScience Beatriz Praena Garcia
Photo by Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Art and science are often considered opposites, but Beatriz Praena Garcia sees overlap. “I think in this job you need to be very artistic,” Praena said. “I have a basic methodology to do the essays … then I read a little bit online. You can search in another paper and do some research to see how you can apply it to your work. You can be more creative, so it’s not always the same.” The postdoctoral researcher studies influenza vaccines in the Henry Wan lab, tackling them from three angles.
July 1, 2022
#IAmScience: Ajay Gupta
By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Photo by Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Ajay Gupta learned biology basics as a first year undergraduate on the bumpy bus ride from his small hometown to Punjab Agricultural University. Just a few hours’ ride, he made the most of his time before he returned home to help his family’s agricultural goods business. Working extra hours in the margins of his time has become a habit for Gupta. Now a plant science first year Ph.D. student in the Bing Yang lab and Department of Plant Science and Technology Millikan Endowment…
June 20, 2022
A Dual Focus: MU researcher earns $181,734 NIH grant and U.S. Public Health Service Award for COVID-19 research in the lab and on campus
By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Cynthia Tang is an M.D.-Ph.D. student in the Wan lab. Photo by Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Cynthia Tang’s academic career is marked by her propensity to multitask. From earning a major and three minors during her undergrad to making a documentary while getting lab and clinical experience, she makes the most of her time. Recently Tang received the Excellence in Public Health Award from the United States Public Health Service, and a $181.734 National Institutes of Health grant to be used over four years . . . all while getting…
June 17, 2022
#IAmScience: Sam Yanders
By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC When Samantha Yanders stepped to the front of Monsanto Auditorium, she followed presentations from two researchers with three degrees each. Yanders only had three years of undergraduate research experience. Nevertheless, she pinned the microphone to her tie, ran her fingers through her short curly hair, and explained her research with a calm certainty to her voice. Having just finished her junior year as a plant science undergraduate, Yanders spent the first week of her summer sharing her passion for plants with fellow researchers during the 2022 Interdisciplinary Plant Group Symposium.
June 9, 2022
Stacked stress: climate escalation increasingly compound plant mortality
By Karly Balslew | Bond LSC If the world can be taxing on a person as pressure mounts, just think about how stress must feel to plants. Humans can add a layer of clothing when cold or get a glass of water when thirsty, but plants do not share this simple luxury and must endure whatever environment they sprout in. As climate change, pollutants, and extreme weather patterns escalate, this poses a serious global threat to plants and our food supply. Ron Mittler, a principal researcher at the Bond Life Sciences at the University of Missouri, recently…
June 6, 2022
Seeing the bigger picture through applied research projects
Investigators at Bond LSC take steps to apply basic research By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Photo by Lauren Hines | Bond LSC Scribbling in a lab notebook and planning experiments tucked between shelves of equipment, it’s easy to fixate on day-to-day lab operations. But scientists also face the challenge of finding how research can improve the world around us. “The direction, the vision of the lab, ultimately comes from the principal investigator that bridges the research into applied directions,” said Jay Thelen, biochemistry professor and Bond LSC principal investigator Despite the focus on basic…
May 12, 2022
Picture-Perfect Science: Contest highlights best microscopic images of the year
By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC One step into the Advanced Light Microscopy Core (ALMC) sounds an automated bell prompting Alexander Jurkevich, the core’s director, to step out of his corner office into the open square room. With a friendly smile, Jurkevich coordinates biologists across MU’s campus to reveal the wonders of the microscopic world. “Our mission is to provide researchers campus-wide with advanced microscopy instrumentation,” Jurkevich said. “We not only provide access to instrumentation, but we also train, advise users and support them during their early research at the core.” The core hosts an annual image contest celebrates MU…
April 29, 2022
#IAmScience: Mengran Yang
By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Mengran Yang sat perched on a stool too tall for the cart of lush green tobacco plants in front of her. Behind towering shelves of lab equipment, she hunched over the plants and steadily pricked each leaf with a syringe. Yang works with Arabidopsis and tobacco plants to learn about plant immune systems as a postdoctoral fellow in the Gary Stacey lab. Her research focuses on signals plant cells send to coordinate a fight against pathogens. “I think it’s very interesting to see how plants can defend against the pathogens,”…
April 23, 2022
#IAmScience: Leah Lepore
By Karly Balslew | Bond LSC Exploring new places and diving into the world of the unknown can be intimidating. At a young age, Leah Lepore was immersed in this world and grew to love it. “The first time I left the country was to travel to Japan and it was an incredible culture shock,” said the current Chris Lorson lab member. “From my twelve-year-old perspective, I was learning about a different way of life but also drove my parents nuts because I would only eat McDonald’s while we were there.” An avid traveler,…
April 20, 2022
Protein or Poison? Research into seed composition shows potential uses as protein source or insecticide
Hari Krishnan holds a handful of A. pavonina seeds. Known for their bright color, the seeds are known among many Asian and African communities as coming from the red bead tree. Photo by Cara Penquite | Bond LSC By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC An energetic and fulfilling day starts with a spread of healthy meals, and many people rely on nutrition labels to meet their daily quota of vitamins and nutrients. But how did scientists measure the Vitamin C in an orange or the protein content in peanuts for the label? Finding out…
April 15, 2022
#IAmScience: Aijing Feng
By Cara Penquite | Bond LSC Growing up in a humble beach town in China, Aijing Feng dreamed of following the footsteps of her idol and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Now halfway around the globe nimbly tapping a keyboard in her cubicle at the Bond Life Sciences Center, she realizes the shortcomings of her tech-giant fantasy. “For a commercial thing, you can have lots of money, you can earn lots of money, you can have [a] great life,” Feng said. “But when you [do] research, you can have ideas [that] something can change in your life.
April 13, 2022
Receptors Found to Help Patients with Sjögren’s Disease
The Baker lab poses for a group photograph. The lab has been working with specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators in efforts to help patients with Sjögren’s Disease. Photo by Karly Balslew, Bond LSC By Karly Balslew | Bond LSC Saliva is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when we think about eating our favorite foods. The clear liquid washes away food debris and bacteria, and it plays a vital role in maintaining our dental hygiene and oral health. You may take it for granted, but for patients with Sjögren’s disease, life without saliva is…