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NEWS
MU Study Identifies Mutations Specific to Omicron Variant
Findings show impact of mutations on pre-existing antibodies among vaccinated individuals, those who previously tested positive. While the Omicron variant continues to infect people around the world, researchers at the University of Missouri have identified the highly prevalent, specific mutations that are causing the Omicron variant’s high rate of infection. The findings help explain how the new variant can escape pre-existing antibodies present in the human body, either from vaccination or naturally from a recent COVID-19 infection. “We know that viruses evolve over time and acquire mutations, so when we first heard of the new Omicron variant, we wanted to…
Study: BPA Exposure of the Placenta Could Affect Fetal Brain Development
University of Missouri scientists examine how the transfer of bisphenol A (BPA) from mother to child could affect fetal brain development. In a new study, scientists at the University of Missouri demonstrate the direct transmission of bisphenol A (BPA) from a mother to her developing child via the placenta could negatively impact fetal brain development. Cheryl Rosenfeld, a professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and colleagues propose more attention should be placed on how this temporary organ affects fetal brain development. “The placenta is only a temporary organ that aids in the exchange of nutrients and…
MU Research Reactor Still Breaking New Ground in Fifth Decade of Operation
Two recent milestones in development of cancer treatments shine a spotlight on the most powerful university research reactor in America. After more than 50 years supporting research and industry as the most powerful university research reactor in the country, the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) is still making waves. The reactor, now in its 55th year of operation, was recently a part of two major milestones in the development of cutting-edge cancer therapies. Therasphere, a groundbreaking form of treatment for a certain type of liver cancer that was invented and patented by both MU and Missouri University of Science…
MU Lab Aids Surveillance Efforts for Deadly African Swine Fever
Recent reports of African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks in the Dominican Republic and Haiti have heightened surveillance efforts for the highly contagious viral swine disease in the United States. University of Missouri’s Shuping Zhang, professor and director of the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, explains the dangers of ASF and the role the VMDL plays in testing for the virus to help protect animal health and the country’s agriculture industry. What is African Swine Fever and why is it so concerning? ASF is a highly infectious and deadly viral disease that affects both…
MU Researchers Identify Mutations of Delta, Delta Plus Variants
When Kamlendra Singh flew back to Missouri from India in April, he developed a cough and fever on the plane, despite being vaccinated for COVID-19 and testing negative for the virus right before departure. Still, Singh tested positive for COVID-19, most likely due to infection from the Delta variant, upon his arrival home in Boone County – a diagnosis other fully vaccinated people and those who have already tested positive for the contagious virus were experiencing. He wanted to know why. Following his recovery at home, Singh, a professor in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and Bond Life Sciences…
MU Project Studies Increasing Prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease
Findings help increase awareness for deer hunters, surveillance efforts in Midwest. Researchers at the University of Missouri have found chronic wasting disease – a fatal illness found in deer that affects their neurological system and causes chronic weight loss – has spread fivefold among Kansas state counties, raising concerns about the spread of the disease and the importance of educating hunters about it. “In 2009, there were only six Kansas counties with confirmed positive cases of chronic wasting disease, and by 2020, there were 32 Kansas counties with confirmed positive cases,” said Zoe Koestel, a doctoral student at MU. “There…
Cats Less Stressed After Adoption by Families with Children with Autism, MU Study Finds
While researchers have found that adding a shelter cat to the family can help lower stress and anxiety for children with autism, a new study at the University of Missouri shows that joining a family does wonders for the felines, too. “It’s not only important to examine how families of children with autism may benefit from these wonderful companion animals, but also if the relationship is stressful or burdensome for the shelter cats being adopted into a new, perhaps unpredictable environment,” said Gretchen Carlisle, a research scientist at the MU Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (ReCHAI) in the MU College…
‘Dark Matter’ in Cat Genomes May Shed Light on Human Disease
MU researchers find cat genome resembles human genome more closely than nearly all other mammals. While dogs may be man’s best friend, cats are more genetically similar to humans than nearly any other mammal, according to a researcher and her team at the University of Missouri. The findings, published today in Trends in Genetics, come after decades of genome DNA sequencing by Leslie Lyons, a Gilbreath-McLorn endowed professor of comparative medicine in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine. “Comparative genetics can play a key role in precision medicine and translational medicine, particularly for inherited diseases that affect both cats and…
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