In 2019, scientists published research that showed that astronaut Scott Kelly's telomeres, the caps of DNA that protect our chromosomes and shorten as we age on Earth, actually grew longer while he was on a 340-day space mission compared to his grounded twin, Arizona State Senator Mark Kelly.
The discovery has highlighted how little is known about Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy, says immunologist John Spencer of Colorado State University, Fort Collins. The chimp find suggests leprosy “has other niches that it has adapted to,” Spencer says.
Anna Fagre: "It’s always concerning when you find a pathogen in wildlife that can make both the animals and people sick. It becomes a risk for wildlife conservation and public health."
He turned his passion into business as owner of the Gilded Goat Brewing Company, and now as an instructor in CSU’s Fermentation Science and Technology Program.
"This could save some dogs from being misdiagnosed, treated for cancer or even euthanized when they shouldn't be," said Dr. Anne Avery, professor of microbiology, immunology and pathology at Colorado State University.
Answers to questions yet to be raised about COVID-19 are already being compiled at Colorado State University’s “biobank.” CSU’s Elizabeth Ryan, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, is leading the team of researchers who are overseeing the biobank.
Bob Ellis, Ph.D., received the 2020 Arnold G. Wedum Distinguished Achievement Award from the American Biological Safety Association. The award is given to a current association member for outstanding contributions to biological safety accomplished through teaching, research, service, or leadership.
“With the pandemic, we’ve seen the disparities in our healthcare system. For me personally, it opened my eyes about what ‘good’ health care means and the need for medical advancement in microbiology.”
Bringing together talented scientists in one state-of-the-art space is the first step, in a new era of emerging and vector-borne infectious disease research at Colorado State University.
Dr. Forgivemore Magunda is the 2020 Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher, an award given by the American Veterinary Medical Association to educators in recognition of their character and leadership qualities as well as their outstanding teaching abilities.