- Features: Cleanup duty; Calling on tele-outreach; Smashing stigmas.
- Awards and Recognition: The Graduate School has announced the 2022-23 Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellows; and more.
Cleanup duty
Senescent cells are aging cells that have stopped dividing but haven’t died, and the burden of senescent cells in our body doubles with every decade of life. Scientists at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism are creating new therapies designed to clear senescent cells from the body, which could keep us living healthier longer.
Calling on tele-outreach
For a rural Minnesota family with a child who has autism, it’s not unusual to wait two years for a clinical evaluation and intervention. That’s largely due to a shortage of care providers with the right expertise. Thankfully, the TeleOutreach Center at the U of M’s new Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain is working to address such barriers—for behavioral, neurodevelopmental, and mental health needs.
Smashing stigmas
Edwin Swaray ’06 and Vivian Ballah-Swaray ’05 are co-owners of VEEMAH Integrated Wellness and Consulting Services in Crystal, MN, putting them among only an estimated 3 percent of Black-owned counseling services in the U.S. today. Although their facility welcomes all clients, VEEMAH specializes in providing mental health care services and addiction treatment for immigrants and people of color.
Awards and Recognition
The Graduate School has announced the 2022-23 Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellows; Montse Torremorell is the 2022 recipient of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year award; U in the News features highlights of University faculty and staff cited in the media.
Seeking nominations for global engagement and internationalization awards
Nominations are now being accepted for two University-wide awards that recognize commitment to internationalization by faculty, staff, and alumni. The Award for Global Engagement is given to faculty/staff in recognition of outstanding contributions to global education and international programs at the University or in a field or discipline. The Distinguished Leadership Award for Internationals is for international alumni, former students, and friends of the University who have distinguished themselves in their post-university work. Deadline is May 18.
Novel heart ultrasound measures can be used to predict risk of developing dementia
Research from the University of Minnesota assessed whether there is a link between heart health and dementia. Using echocardiography—visual ultrasound of the heart—the research team was able to identify novel measures that are linked to a higher dementia risk.
Study asks whether evolutionary success might explain some cancers
A recent study out of the Masonic Cancer Center and College of Veterinary Medicine looks at whether humans and dogs, both susceptible to cancer, are outliving the capacity of their natural cancer protective mechanisms, creating an elevated risk of cancer and an excess of deaths by cancer.
Healthcare worker perspectives of COVID-19 vaccines
A survey led by the University of Minnesota found that the vast majority of healthcare workers were accepting of COVID-19 vaccines. The survey found that nearly 90 percent of healthcare workers surveyed were vaccine-acceptant, with those serving immigrant communities being more accepting than those who did not. Learn more about the survey’s results.
Clock gene mutation found to contribute to the development of autism
A team including U of M Medical School scientists found that the disruption of a circadian clock gene may be involved in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). About 50 to 80 percent of children with ASD have sleep problems, compared to less than 30 percent in the general population. The causes of sleep problems in ASD are not entirely clear, but a malfunctioning body clock could be the culprit.
As food prices rise, U of M Extension can help
The USDA Economic Research Service recently reported that the price of groceries has risen more than 7 percent in the past year. Extension offers resources to help individuals and families manage their budgets and keep healthy food in their cupboards.
Research Brief: New method of pancreatic islet cryopreservation marks breakthrough for diabetes cure
Engineering and medical researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Mayo Clinic have developed a new process for successfully storing specialized pancreatic islet cells at very low temperatures and rewarming them, enabling the potential for on-demand islet transplantation. The breakthrough discovery in cryopreservation is a major step forward in a cure for diabetes. Additional recent Research Briefs include “Rural hospital administrators’ beliefs on offering obstetric care.”
U of M featured virtual events
Apr. 1 - Playful Teaching for Engaged Learning
Apr. 5 - It's How You Play the Game: Athletics, Activism and Race
Apr. 5 - Links Between Anti-Asian and Anti-Black Violences: Black FAWK Down
Apr. 11 - Better pain therapy by leveraging remote technologies and biomarkers
Buddhist monk to create sand mandala on campus
The University of Minnesota Crookston will welcome Wongdue Sangbo Gurung, a Buddhist monk from Nepal, to campus Apr. 11-20 as he takes part in the ancient Tibetan Buddhist tradition of the creation and destruction of a sand mandala. The creation of the mandala will begin Apr. 11 and can be watched online or in person at the International Lounge, Sargeant Student Center.
Alumnus builds successful career in extension
When Lynette (Amundson) Flage first arrived on the campus of the University of Minnesota Crookston, a two-year technical college in 1981, she never imagined the career that would be in store for her. Flage has made a career as an extension educator and is currently serving as the associate director for North Dakota State University Extension.
UMD students bring brain science to middle schoolers
Undergraduate and graduate psychology students at UMD are bringing the Mobile Neuroscience Lab to area middle school students, covering topics like brain anatomy and human behavior. “The UMD students have an opportunity to think on their feet and practice some of the concepts that we are learning in class in a more realistic setting,” says Associate Professor Rebecca Gilbertson.
UMD Theatre presents Pippin
Pippin is determined to be extraordinary. But will the price be too high? Known for Stephen Schwartz’s score and Bob Fosse’s original direction, UMD Theatre’s production of Pippin explores what makes a meaningful life. Apr. 14-16 and 20-23, 7:30 p.m.; Apr. 24, 2 p.m.
Apr. 28 - Overman Lecture
UMD will host Robin Wall Kimmerer as part of the Ben and Jeanne Overman Distinguished Speakers Series in “The Fortress, the River, the Garden: A New Metaphor for Knowledge Symbiosis.” Kimmerer is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Environmental Biology and the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. 2-3 p.m.
U of M Morris Benson Center for Community Partnerships leads food assessment of Stevens County
A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota Morris is conducting a food assessment for Stevens County, MN. The researchers seek to better understand whether people have enough food, how people access food, and what barriers there may be to food access in Stevens County.
Apr. 2 - 37th annual CNIA Powwow
U of M Morris Circle of Nations Indigenous Association (CNIA) will host the 37th annual Powwow. The contest-style powwow celebrates the social and cultural ties American Indian students have with Native communities across the United States and Canada.
Beyond the Nest: ‘It’s Not About You’
In the latest episode of Beyond the Nest, 2016 graduate Emily Jorgenson talks with neuroscience faculty member Robb Dunbar. Jorgenson and Dunbar chat about what brought her to UMR, discovering a career in mental health and addiction counseling, and how to avoid putting yourself in a box. Jorgenson is currently a licensed alcohol and drug counselor with the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.
Barnett earns Horace T. Morse Award
Senior Lecturer of Public Health Jessie Barnett has earned the Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. The award honors excellence in undergraduate education across the University of Minnesota.
Q&A with Humphrey School dean Nisha Botchwey
Nisha Botchwey joined the Humphrey School of Public Affairs as its new dean in January. A native of Jamaica, Botchwey is the first woman of color and immigrant to lead the school. As the Humphrey School recognizes the contributions of influential women in its history during March, Dean Botchwey reflects on her journey to this leadership role.
Putting pressure in all the right places
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate student Alireza Golgouneh specializes in incorporating shape memory alloys into clothing. He coaxes garments into applying pressure in the right places—in items like compression sleeves, when veins in the legs need support; “tourniquets” for an athlete’s knee or arm; or a “wearable exoskeleton” for people who need help moving their arms and shoulders.
Once a refugee herself, student organizes relief mission to Somalia
After weeks of fundraising, researching, and meeting with humanitarian groups in Minnesota, law student Samia Osman flew to Somalia over winter break to fact-find the root causes of her native Somalia’s humanitarian crisis and deliver some assistance. She spent 18 days traveling across the drought-stricken country to see conditions firsthand, meet with officials, and help distribute food, water, and other supplies to people in need. The work rekindled memories of Osman’s experience as an 8-year-old refugee.
Minnesota Law students, faculty, and staff provide legal support to Afghan refugees
Several Minnesota Law students joined faculty and staff from the James H. Binger Center for New Americans to provide legal support to Afghan refugees on the Fort McCoy military base in Wisconsin recently. The team helped the refugees understand the complex and often challenging U.S. immigration system, prepare their asylum or special immigrant visa applications, and get connected to a nationwide network of lawyers.
‘Our gift to the future’
The University of Minnesota Women’s Club (UMWC) has been providing support to U of M students since 1914, shortly after the organization was founded. To date, UMWC has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to undergraduate students in need. Meet some of this year’s UMWC scholars and learn how these scholarships are furthering their educational and career plans.
UMTC Featured Events
April - U of M Day of Service
Apr. 1 - TWW Panel: Multimodal Research Projects
Apr. 2 - Martha Graham Dance Company
Apr. 6 - Design in 7: 7 Stories, 7 Minutes
Apr. 7 - Spotlight Series: Unpacking the Middle