Yingling Fan is quoted in CBS Minnesota about her research that found biking to be the happiest form of transportation; Suma Jacob is quoted in Scientific American about untangling the ties between autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder; Fionnuala Ni Aolain co-authors a piece in the Washington Post (PDF) suggesting that Saudi Arabia still isn’t doing enough to fight the financing of terrorism; Kathryn Pearson moderates a panel discussion via MPR News about challenges and opportunities for women in politics; the four billion it would cost to purge lead from Minnesota drinking water would come with an eight billion dollar benefit, with comments at MPR News from Lucia Levers; Tom Fisher is interviewed at CBS Minnesota about how Minneapolis’ skyway system got its start; Chuck Tombarge, Scott Libin, and Christopher Terry are quoted in a Minnesota Daily story about campus filming guidelines complicating student coursework; Alex Haley is quoted in a Mashable story about why mindfulness isn't working for you; Leigh Turner is quoted in Nature about the CRISPR-baby scandal and what’s next for human gene-editing; Jason Bartos is quoted in Science about whether an artificial heart-lung machine could help prevent deaths from cardiac arrest outside the hospital.

Congratulations to the University of Minnesota researchers and their colleagues who were awarded patents during the past year. See the full list of patent recipients at OVPR.

The University of Minnesota is one of three universities selected to serve as a strategic partner for the Campus Compact of the Midwest Region’s Engaged Scholars Initiative. This multi-state initiative will engage scholars and scholar-practitioners from across the Midwest to address complex and challenging issues in society through community-engaged practices. As a strategic partner, the University, along with Michigan State University and the University of Kansas, will provide leadership and support to participants. Applications from interested scholars are due March 4.

Jon Schommer, associate department head and professor, Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems, will receive the American Pharmacists Association Research Achievement Award in the Pharmaceutical Sciences. The award recognizes and encourages outstanding, meritorious achievement in any of the pharmaceutical sciences.

Paloma Gonzalez-Bellido is quoted in The Atlantic about the surprising reason zebras have stripes; Fang Yu is quoted in a Star Tribune story about her research into whether exercise can combat dementia; Debra Wamsley is quoted in a MinnPost story about how rural Minnesotans struggle to access opioid addiction treatment; Don Dengel, Tyler Bosch, and Ryan Warren were interviewed in a FOX 9 story about the U of M's 'Dexalytics' system, which will be used by NFL teams at next week's scouting combine; Emily Beck comments in the New York Times (PDF) about an upcoming exhibit at U of M Libraries about medieval mixology; Republicans aren’t talking much about a federal election that will be rerun because of fraud, with comments by Eric Ostermeier in the Washington Post (PDF); Yingling Fan comments about the complex role transportation plays in rural and urban employment at Axios; David Jacobs is quoted in a Los Angeles Times story about how the EPA has embraced a view by a scientist who says some pollution is good for you; Steve Sanders is quoted in a Minnesota Daily story about electric bikes coming to campus this spring; Mike Swanoski is quoted in Inforum about why a drug costs $350 in the U.S. but only $40 in Canada; Michael Osterholm is quoted in Time Magazine about “zombie deer disease” and whether it may spread to humans.

Leah Milojevic, assistant director of CLA Diversity, Access, and Equity Programs, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Kai Nobuo Takatsuka, academic and career coach and senior academic advisor, Center for Academic Planning and Exploration, Office of Undergraduate Education, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Parry Telander, director of Student Success Coaching, BSHS and BSHP Programs, University of Minnesota Rochester

Frances Wood, academic advisor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Learn more about the award and the recipients. 
The awards will be presented during the luncheon of the Tate Advising Conference on March 14.

Institute on Community Integration director Amy Hewitt was named president of the Association for University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) during the association’s recent annual conference in Washington, D.C. AUCD is a membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs known as University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs). ICI is the UCEDD for Minnesota.

David Chang spoke with National Public Radio about ways in which President Trump's attacks on Elizabeth Warren are dehumanizing to Native people; Russ Straate is quoted in a Mpls./St. Paul Business Journal (PDF) story about the U of M’s new business incubator to help researchers start companies; George Weiblen was interviewed at Fox 9 about the changing genetics, business, and politics of cannabis; family leave in rural Minnesota needs improvement, with comments from Debra Fitzpatrick in the Minnesota Daily; Tina Falkner and Bob McMaster comment in a Pioneer Press (PDF) story about a decline in debt for U of M graduates; Keith Mayes was interviewed in a Kare 11 story about which term one should use: African American or Black; the Morris campus leads the nation in sustainability, as highlighted by the Minnesota Daily with comments from Shane Stennes, Troy Goodnough, and Bryan Herrmann; pop-up law clinics are serving rural immigrants reports MPR News, with comments from Deepinder Mayell; Clark Chen and Kathryn Dusenbery were interviewed at Kare 11 about a new brain cancer treatment at the University of Minnesota; Melissa Wilson, Mike Schmitt, and Carl Rosen are quoted in a Minnesota Daily story about U of M manure research.

Vladas Griskevicius is quoted at WalletHub about how to do Valentine’s Day on a budget; the Mayo Clinic may be onto the fountain of youth, featuring U of M research at Kare 11; the U of M will buy University Village apartments for $43 million, with comments from Stuart Mason in the Mpls./St. Paul Business Journal (PDF); Michael Howell answers CBS Minnesota’s question, “How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?”; Jaime Modiano is quoted in a Popular Science story about how lots of health 'cures' you hear about in the news aren't ready for humans; Frank Douma is quoted in a White Bear Press story about driverless vehicles; James Kakalios is quoted in Insider about how 10 popular sci-fi shows that got science wrong; Jean Abraham is quoted in the Los Angeles Times about how Democrats need to spell out exactly what they mean regarding Medicare for all; Lori Carrell and Lincoln Kallsen are quoted in a Rochester Post-Bulletin (PDF) story about UMR’s future growth plans; Jennifer Hsia is quoted in The Washington Post (PDF) about why you may want to see a doctor if you snore.

Dante Cicchetti, McKnight Presidential Chair and William Harris Professor of Child Development and Psychiatry, has been selected as a recipient of the 2019 Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association (APA). The award honors psychologists who have made distinguished theoretical or empirical contributions to basic research in psychology. Cicchetti will be recognized during an awards ceremony at the APA National Convention in Chicago in August.

Karen Seashore and Eric Kaler are mentioned in a Minnesota Daily update about the U of M presidential transition; Mark Pereira is quoted in a Men's Health story about whether eating breakfast has an impact on weight loss; Lynn Blewett is quoted in a Star Tribune story about the best spots to retire—which may not be the warmest; Larry Jacobs is quoted in the Pioneer Press (PDF) about Minnesota’s preparations for the tremendous undertaking that is the 2020 census; one benefit of extreme cold is that it kills the dreaded emerald ash borer, reports Inforum, with comments from Jeff Hahn and Rob Venette; workplace foods are a source of unhealthy calories, with comments from Simone French in this Reuters story; Nichole Morris, Tom Fisher, Ginny Crowson, and Max Donath talk about the U of M’s work in driverless vehicles and the future of smart mobility at Fox 9; Carrie Henning-Smith is quoted in a story about depression and loneliness at WJON; Uzma Samadani, David Darrow, and Ann Parr are quoted by Bring Me The News in a story about a U of M, Hennepin Healthcare study that is giving hope to those told they would never walk again; Lucy Dunne is quoted in Popular Science about why gym clothes smell so rank—and how to freshen them up; Abigail Gewirtz comments in USA Today about the startling toll on children who witness domestic violence is just now being understood.

The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost has announced that ten faculty members have been named as the 2019-21 McKnight Land-Grant Professors. The goal of this program is to advance the careers of assistant professors at a crucial point in their professional lives. The Professorship includes a research grant of $25,000 in each of the two years of the award, to be used for expenditures related to the recipient’s research/scholarly work. This year’s awardees are:

• Emilyn Uy Alejandro, Integrated Biology & Physiology, Medical School, Twin Cities
• Nicole E. Basta, Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, Twin Cities
• Gabriel Chan, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Twin Cities
• Lorenzo Fabbri, French & Italian, College of Liberal Arts, Twin Cities
• Jessica Gordon-Roth, Philosophy, College of Liberal Arts, Twin Cities
• Juliana Hu Pegues, American Indian Studies, College of Liberal Arts, Twin Cities
• Soheil Mohajer, Electrical & Computer Engineering, College of Science & Engineering, Twin Cities
• Vlad S. Pribiag, Physics & Astronomy, College of Science & Engineering, Twin Cities
• Michael J. Smanski, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Biophysics, College of Biological Sciences, Twin Cities
• Scott Vrieze, Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, Twin Cities

Diabetes, stress-induced aging and Alzheimer's disease, immigration-related obesity, and implantable drug testing devices are the targets of the research awards from the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics in 2019. The state-funded grants for these team science proposals total nearly $5.2 million. The five teams will initiate collaborative two-year projects that could transform the treatment of diseases that affect Minnesotans. Each team includes investigators from Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota.

2019 award-winning projects and awardees

"Generation and Immune Protection of PD-L1 Designer Islets for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes"
Brian Fife, University of Minnesota, and Quinn Peterson, Mayo Clinic

"Stress-Induced Exacerbation of Senescence-Associated Diseases"
Alessandro Bartolomucci, University of Minnesota, and Jan van Deursen, Mayo Clinic

"Retinal Hyperspectral Imaging: A Tool for Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease"
Swati Moore, University of Minnesota, and John Chen, Mayo Clinic

"Targeting the Gut Microbiome to Prevent the Increasing Incidence of Obesity in Immigrant Populations"
Dan Knights, University of Minnesota, and Purna Kashyap, Mayo Clinic

"Defining Parameters and Performance Specifications for an Implantable CNS Drug Testing Device"
William Elmquist, University of Minnesota, and Terence Burns, Mayo Clinic

The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota has received a grant from Wellcome Trust to support the development of an influenza vaccines research and development (R&D) roadmap. CIDRAP is a global leader in addressing public health preparedness and emerging infectious disease response. The $1.1 million, two-year Wellcome Trust grant supports a CIDRAP team to research and create the roadmap to accelerate the development of broadly protective influenza vaccines for preventing seasonal influenza and enhancing pandemic influenza preparedness. The CIDRAP team is directed by Michael Osterholm, and includes CIDRAP staff members Kristine Moore, Julie Ostrowsky and Anje Mehr.

The University of Minnesota Press received 56 awards in 2018 across most of the major disciplines in which it publishes. Producing over 100 titles annually, well known for its work in Native studies, environmental studies, medicine and health, and disability studies, among other fields, the Press has been increasingly receiving more acclaim for its books than at any point in its 94-year history. The past five years have seen a steady uptick in recognition, from 26 book awards in 2014, to 46 in 2016, to 56 in 2018.

Zan Gao is quoted in a Reuters story about movement-based video games boosting preschoolers' exercise; Ed Goetz is quoted in a New York Times (PDF) story about the government’s retreat from affordable housing; Neil Linscheid, Kathy Schwantes, Hye-Young Kim, Hyunjoo Im, and Peggy Lord are quoted/cited in a West Central Tribune story about a new U of M program to help assist Kandiyohi County retailers; Janna Johnson is interviewed for CBS Minnesota’s story, “Is Minnesota Becoming More Diverse”; Gabe Chan, Elizabeth Arnold, and Jacob Mans, are mentioned in a Minnesota Daily story about a U of M sustainable energy collaboration with Puerto Rico; Fionnuala Ní Aoláin is quoted in The Atlantic’s ““In 1995, the U.S. Declared a State of Emergency. It Never Ended”; Ned Mohan is quoted in a Finance & Commerce (PDF) story about the bright future for solar, electric cars; Marco Pravetoni is quoted in the Everyday Health story, “How to Prevent Opioid Dependence”; Anu Ramaswami is quoted in a MinnPost story about the Minneapolis 2040 plan being a victory for food policy activists; Jessica Hellmann is quoted in the St. Cloud Times about where Minnesota stands on its climate change goals; Ann Masten is quoted in a Popular Science story about how natural disasters leave a mark on kids who live through them; Diane Treat-Jacobson is quoted in the US News story, “How Exercise Can Help in Peripheral Artery Disease.”

Ovarian cancer research at the University of Minnesota takes another leap forward as two cancer research projects receive grants from the Department of Defense (DOD) office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. Rachel Vogel, assistant professor in the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health and an ovarian cancer researcher with the Masonic Cancer Center, received a 2018 Ovarian Cancer Research Program Ovarian Cancer Academy - Early-Career Investigator Award, worth $1,116,501 over four years. Vogel’s mentors on the program are Melissa Geller, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health at the Medical School, and Heather Nelson, associate professor with the School of Public Health. The same team, this time led by Nelson, was also awarded a DOD Ovarian Cancer Research Program - Pilot Grant, worth $385,000 over two years for their project titled “Cytomegalovirus reactivation in ovarian cancer.”

The Minnesota Historical Society awarded a $135,122 grant to the School to fund the Smart Politics Minnesota historical election data archive, an online database that will hold the history of state and federal election results in Minnesota. The grant is one of 42 historical and cultural heritage awards given by the Historical Society, totaling $4.8 million, this fiscal year.

Minnesota winters are warming 13 times faster than summer, with comments by Tracy Twine and Peter Reich at MPR News; Amy Greminger and Sandra Stover are interviewed about how to doctor shop in the Duluth News Tribune; Lee Frelich comments at MPR on the benefits of extreme cold in Minnesota; Craig Hedberg is quoted in Politifact about a widely shared tweet questioning whether lettuce has killed more Americans than undocumented immigrants; Scott Vrieze is quoted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about a new U of M study that found 566 genes affecting tobacco, alcohol use; Katharine Nelson is interviewed at Kare 11 about the pain of letting go; Traci Mann comments in the Vox story, “Are "healthy" snacks actually good for you?”; Justa Heinen-Kay is quoted in a National Geographic story about a study that found male hermit crabs evolved larger sex organs to avoid losing homes; Stephen Meili is quoted in a MinnPost story about the thousands of immigration court hearings on backlog as the government shutdown continues; Henry Buchwald is quoted in the New York Times (PDF) story, “The N.F.L.’s Obesity Scourge.”

The University of Minnesota announced today an $8 million lead gift, made by James R. and Carmen D. Campbell, to fund the extensive renovation and modernization of the century-old building that houses the globally celebrated Institute of Child Development on the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus. The Campbells’ gift is the latest and the largest in a private fundraising campaign to generate a portion of the total needed to bring the home for the University’s most-celebrated child development programs in line with modern standards.