Science News Releases
New Assessment Released by the McClure Center Highlights Climate Change Challenges and Opportunities for Idaho’s Economy
Posted 12/14/2021 9:39:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho – December 14, 2021 – The impact of climate change in Idaho will present challenges and opportunities to all sectors of our economy – from agriculture to recreation and tourism, energy, human health, infrastructure and land – according to a series of reports prepared by Idaho researchers in an effort led by the James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research at the University of Idaho and just released to the public. Read more
Geologists Use Low-Level Helicopter Flights to Map Mineral Deposits In Salmon Region
Posted 9/22/2021 10:40:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — Sept. 23, 2021 — The result of a geophysical survey in a remote part of eastern Idaho could have economic impacts on the Gem State by identifying locations to extract cobalt and other minerals. Read more
U of I and INBRE Researchers to Study Coronavirus Variants
Posted 7/29/2021 8:31:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — July 29, 2021 — The Idaho INBRE higher education network and the University of Idaho will sequence COVID-19 samples and study coronavirus variants in the Moscow population in hopes of preparing for and preventing future outbreaks thanks to a $737,000 grant from National Institutes of Health. Read more
After Two Decades, U of I’s INBRE Program Has Attracted $170M For Student Research
Posted 7/21/2021 7:02:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — July 21, 2021 — Over the past two decades, more than $170 million has been generated for biomedical research in Idaho’s state and private colleges and universities thanks to a network administered by the University of Idaho called INBRE. Read more
New Idaho Landslide Inventory Database to Assist with Hazard Mitigation
Posted 6/29/2021 5:18:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — June 29, 2021 — The Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) has released a new statewide inventory of landslides that will assist emergency managers and planners with hazard mitigation and identification of problematic hot spots. Read more
Revealing Ancient Secrets: 1,000 Years of Tree Rings in Yellowstone Show Recent Climate Warming Trend
Posted 6/2/2021 9:06:00 PM
This story by Jerry Painter appeared in the Idaho State Journal on May 31. Like careful note-takers during the past 1,250 years, Engelmann spruce trees high in the Yellowstone National Park backcountry have left behind a record of how harsh summer temperatures have been. A new study of living and dead tree ring samples, applying new technology, reveals that the past 20 years in Yellowstone have been the hottest in 1,250 years. Read more
Jagdish Patel and Colleagues Identify Natural Product That Inhibits Cancer Cells
Posted 5/19/2021 8:29:00 PM
U of I molecular modeler Jagdish Patel worked with Canadian scientists to identify a natural product from actinomycete extracts that might be useful in combating cancer. They focused on various actinomycete, a type of bacteria often used in the bioremediation of water or soil that has been polluted, and published their work in Cell Chemical Biology. Read more
U of I Researcher to Study STIs Using Biomimetic Models of the Female Reproductive Tract
Posted 4/27/2021 10:25:00 PM
Larry Forney from the Department of Biological Sciences will take part in a five-year grant of $7,875,379 that was awarded to an interdisciplinary team that also includes researchers from the University of Maryland, the University of Virginia and the University of Delaware. Read more
Campus Can Crushers Recycle More Than 81,500 Cans Across U of I Campus
Posted 4/16/2021 6:13:00 PM
This story by Lynsey Amundson was published by KIVI-TV in Boise on April 15. MOSCOW — With a grant from the University of Idaho biology engineer student, Addie White, created "Campus Can Crushers" to help Idaho become more recycle friendly. “They are highly durable metal can crushers in the shape of university logos," White said. "It’s a project I started at the University of Idaho because our recycling program was cut.” Read more
Combining QPI and Deep Learning to Improve Subcellular Imaging
Posted 4/9/2021 8:39:00 PM
Researchers from the University of Idaho and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are improving the ability to study the metabolism and dynamics of living cells. In a new paper published in PLOS One, Northwest Knowledge Network Director Luke Sheneman, Associate Professor of Physics Andreas Vasdekis and MIT Chemical Engineering Professor Gregory Stephanopoulos develop a unique framework for performing accurate, high-throughput and non-invasive subcellular imaging and classification. Read more
Two U of I Students Will Receive Prestigious Goldwater Research Scholarships
Posted 4/7/2021 8:54:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — April 7, 2021 — Two University of Idaho students were selected from a pool of 5,000 candidates nationwide to receive the prestigious Goldwater scholarship for the upcoming academic year. Read more
Professors Research Effect of Warming on Dall’s Sheep in Alaska and Canada
Posted 4/1/2021 9:16:00 PM
Changes in Arctic habitats brought on by global warming could adversely affect Dall’s sheep in Alaska and Canada, according to a new paper published in PLOS One by University of Idaho researchers. Assistant Research Professor of Landscape and Wildlife Ecology Jocelyn Aycrigg, Professor of Wildlife Ecology Janet Rachlow and Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Ecology and Statistics Edward O. Read more
U of I Undergraduates to Present at National Conference
Posted 3/25/2021 9:39:00 PM
Six U of I undergraduates have been selected to present the results of their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in April. Read more
Forney Awarded Visiting Endowed Chair at University of Puerto Rico
Posted 2/22/2021 10:56:00 PM
University Distinguished Professor Larry J. Forney has been awarded the Hispanics in Research Capability Visiting Endowed Chair in Health Disparities Research from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus. Read more
Paper Explores Use of Shell Material to Gather DNA From Mollusks
Posted 2/19/2021 7:34:00 PM
Kelly Martin, a biology doctorate student, and two faculty members, including Christine Parent, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, and Lisette Waits, distinguished professor in the College of Natural Resources, jointly produced a paper on mollusk shells that appeared in BioScience, a peer-reviewed science journal published by Oxford University. Read more
Biology Professor Recognized by Alma Mater for Success, Service and Leadership
Posted 2/17/2021 10:48:00 PM
College of Science Professor Jim Bull has been recognized as the 2021 Arts and Sciences Distinguished Alumnus by Texas Tech University College of Arts and Sciences, where he earned an undergraduate degree before earning his doctorate from the University of Utah. Read more
Distinguished Professor Celebrates 60 Years of Chemistry Research at U of I
Posted 2/1/2021 10:58:00 PM
University Distinguished Professor Jean’ne Shreeve celebrated 60 years with the University of Idaho chemistry department on Monday, a milestone that — along with Shreeve’s accomplishments — is a tough act to follow. Read more
Zebrafish May Hold Clues for Retinal Regeneration in Humans
Posted 11/19/2020 10:17:00 PM
What can zebrafish do that humans can’t? They can regenerate damaged neurons in their retina for starters. Assistant Professor Diana Mitchell in the Department of Biological Sciences recently received $1.25 million of direct funding from the National Institutes of Health to study specialized immune cells called microglia and macrophages to determine if the function of these cells could help explain why zebrafish have this ability and humans don’t. Read more
Thank You to College of Science Fiscal and Administrative Staff
Posted 11/11/2020 9:59:00 PM
The College of Science thanks its fiscal and administrative team — Terry Evans, Lorrie Williams, Cindy Ball, Deb Cissell, Jana Joyce, Jaclyn Gotch, Melissa Gottschalk, Jessica DeWitt, Renee Jensen-Hasfurther, Gina Tingley, Kristi Accola, Hayley Grove and Clint McGregor — for their positive attitudes and hard work to keep the departments and college running. Read more
U of I Chemistry Professor Earns Fulbright to Research, Teach in England
Posted 9/24/2020 4:37:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — Sept. 24, 2020 — A University of Idaho chemistry professor whose work includes building calcium sensors for NASA recently earned a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to teach and do research at Great Britain’s University of Exeter. Read more
Diana Mitchell to Present at NIH Virtual IDeA PI Meeting
Posted 9/16/2020 10:10:00 PM
Diana Mitchell, assistant professor, Biological Sciences, was selected to present her abstract entitled “Retinal Development and Regeneration from a Microglial Perspective” at the NIH virtual IDeA PI meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22. She was one of the few selected from 175 submissions to present. Read more
Diana Mitchell Receives NIH Grant
Posted 9/9/2020 9:59:00 PM
Diana Mitchell, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, was awarded a $1.25 million R01 grant award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The research will span five years and seeks to determine the function of immune cell populations in the regeneration of the zebrafish retina. Read more
‘Lava Bombs’ Manufactured during U of I-Led Study on Stability of Volcanic Formations
Posted 6/4/2020 8:16:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — June 4, 2020 — University of Idaho volcanologist Erika Rader and colleagues investigated the growth of volcanic formations by manufacturing lava bombs, melted blobs of lava ejected from a volcano. Read more
Western U.S. Will Face Farming Challenges as Snow Falls as Rain
Posted 5/21/2020 9:45:00 PM
In some regions, warming from climate change is causing precipitation to fall as rain instead of snow. It is also altering the timing of snowmelt to shift and become out of synch with irrigation demands for agriculture. John Abatzoglou — from the Department of Geography — and his colleagues looked at how snowmelt affects food production and how changes in snowmelt may threaten food production in irrigated regions globally. Read more
U of I Announces Awards for Excellence to Faculty, Staff
Posted 4/24/2020 6:30:00 PM
MOSCOW, Idaho — April 24, 2020 — The University of Idaho is pleased to announce the University Awards for Excellence for 2019-20 to faculty and staff Read more