Research News Releases

Rodriguez appointed interim director of Seed Science Center at Iowa State University

May 4th, 2023
Woman with dark hair in red top and scarf, next to man with graying hair in red shirt, standing with seed trays on either side
AMES, Iowa – Lulu Rodriguez has been named interim director of the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University, effective April 28. “It is a great pleasure to have Dr. Lulu Rodriguez serve in the capacity as interim director for the Seed...

Iowa State University’s Manjit Misra Named Director of USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

April 24th, 2023
Man with graying hair in red ISU shirt and black trousers standing in front of seed lab trays
AMES, Iowa – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has named Manjit K. Misra as its new director. USDA...

Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University welcomes new partner, Sound Agriculture

April 19th, 2023
Soybeans emerging in no-till field
AMES, Iowa — Sound Agriculture has joined the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University as an industry partner. In this role, Sound Agriculture will serve on the ISRC’s industry advisory council, which provides guidance on research...

Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative announces grants for big projects, national conference

April 13th, 2023
AG2PI Logo with bold letters, colored dots and text
Ames, IA — The Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative has awarded seven new grants in its fourth round of support for institutions across the country to develop projects that advance multidisciplinary crop and livestock genetics research....

Agronomy student works to fill biodiversity gaps in knowledge in Honduras

April 10th, 2023
Andrew Hokanson discovered a love for agriculture while beginning his college journey, but his interest in world hunger started much earlier.   Hokanson, senior in agronomy, will be headed to Honduras this summer to complete his proof-of-...

Researching essential oils’ potential as bio-fungicide option

April 5th, 2023
By Madelyn Ostendorf Alexandra Starkey, graduate student in plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, is researching bio-fungicides. Alexandra Starkey hadn't pictured herself as a plant pathologist, but a chance connection with...

Conservation efforts needed to support monarch butterfly population recovery

April 4th, 2023
Monarch butterfly on milkweed with field and sky in background
AMES, Iowa – The last year was a difficult one for the eastern monarch butterfly, according to a report just released that indicates monarchs occupying forest canopy in their wintering grounds in Mexico decreased by 22%, down from approximately 7...

Ten years of teamwork: Graduate students plan plant breeding symposium

March 30th, 2023
By Amber Friedrichsen Graduate students in plant breeding and genetics have been hosting the R. F. Baker Symposium at Iowa State University for the past 10 years. The event offers students and alumni opportunities to network with researchers and...

Yandeau-Nelson receives Rossmann Manatt Faculty Development Award

March 23rd, 2023
The recipient of the 2023 Rossmann Manatt Faculty Development Award is Marna Yandeau-Nelson, associate professor in the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology at Iowa State University. 
AMES, Iowa — The recipient of the 2023 Rossmann Manatt Faculty Development Award is Marna Yandeau-Nelson, associate professor in the Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology at Iowa State University.  The award recognizes tenured...

GPSS conference aims to build community among graduate students

March 22nd, 2023
Victor Cecon talking about a poster to a woman
Getting to know fellow graduate students and improving presentation skills are among the takeaways students can expect from the upcoming Graduate...

CALS Faculty Rosenbloom, Yin named AAAS Fellows for notable career achievements

March 21st, 2023
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty Joshua Rosenbloom and Yanhai Yin were among three Iowa State University researchers the American Association for the Advancement...

Nutrien partners with the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University

March 16th, 2023
Soybean leaves emerging from soil
AMES, Iowa — Nutrien has joined the Iowa Soybean Research Center at Iowa State University as an industry partner. In this role, Nutrien will have a representative serving on the ISRC’s industry advisory council, which provides guidance on research...

Break a leg: Repurposing acting class methods to improve students’ presentation skills

March 2nd, 2023
Two professors providing feedback to a graduate student about her research presentation while seated around an arrangement of tables.
AMES, Iowa – Graduate students are often asked to present their research at conferences or in academic settings. The trick is taking sometimes very technical information unique to their discipline and presenting it in a way that is understandable...

Scientists exploit genetic mutation to accelerate plant breeding process

February 16th, 2023
Bearded man in lab coat holding seedling in front of computer screen
AMES, Iowa - Iowa State University researchers may have solved a long-standing challenge associated with accelerated development of pure genetic lines. Use of “doubled haploid” (DH) genetics has become one of the basic technologies underpinning...

Beaver dams: Beneficial for watersheds?

February 6th, 2023
Two bearded men, one of them standing next to and one  in a beaver dam pool,
AMES, Iowa – A novel research project investigating beavers and the dams they build is exploring the influence of this industrious, little-known animal on water quality and hydrology (water movement) within Iowa watersheds. “Once plentiful,...

Iowa State researchers help lead multistate project for a more diverse Corn Belt

January 19th, 2023
Diverse Corn Belt Logo
AMES, Iowa – In Iowa, more than 24 million acres are devoted to crops. That represents about 68% of the state’s land area -- and more than 94% of that land is used to produce corn and soybeans, according to the latest National Agriculture...

If at first you don’t succeed: Award-winning researcher perseveres through funding challenges

January 13th, 2023
Professor Joshua Selsby, Department of Animal Science. Photo by Christopher Gannon, Iowa State University.  by Ann Y. Robinson Joshua Selsby, professor of animal science at Iowa State University, studies the mechanisms of muscle disease and...

CALS announces seed grants to leverage existing and future research

December 16th, 2022
The Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station has announced seed-grant level funding for eight applications to advance research capacity in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Iowa State University.   “Many of our...

Iowa State University agronomist predicts the future through modeling

December 7th, 2022
Group of people on staircase with woman in red jacket and green cap cheering.
AMES, Iowa – Sotirios Archontoulis started out as a field crop researcher. “Every research project led to more questions,” he said. A mentor encouraged him to pursue modeling to find answers more quickly and cheaply. He took their advice and now...

Broiler research points to lasers as environmental enrichment devices

November 30th, 2022
Immature broiler chickens at feeder
AMES, Iowa — Motivating broiler chickens to move using specially designed lasers can boost animal welfare and improve meat quality. Research from Iowa State University shows periodically projecting randomly moving, dot-sized laser lights on the...

Iowa State University holds dedication ceremony for vehicle testing lab supported by Danfoss Power Solutions

November 21st, 2022
Line of people behind red ribbon with large farm vehicle in the background.
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University’s Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering hosted a dedication ceremony on Nov. 17, 2022, to celebrate the completion of a new research lab that is one of only a few facilities in...

Turkeys placed at Iowa State teaching, research farm

November 14th, 2022
A group of young turkeys
AMES, Iowa – A total of 1,800 poults (young turkeys) were placed inside the new Stanley L. Balloun Turkey Teaching...

Plant scientist prepares emerging researchers for success in the lab and beyond

October 26th, 2022
Group of eight students in lab of Dior Kelley in front of landscape painting
AMES, Iowa – Mentoring young scientists is a career priority for Dior Kelley, assistant professor of genetics, development and cell biology at Iowa State University. “I always like to have...

New study led by Iowa State University mines blood cell data to improve swine health

October 18th, 2022
baby pigs
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University scientists are leading a new study to mine the intricate content of pigs’ blood cells to improve selection for disease resilience. “We’re looking for new, more effective ways to measure and predict different...

Iowa Soybean Research Center funds new research at Iowa State University

October 12th, 2022
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa Soybean Research Center (ISRC) has awarded $300,000 in support of two soybean research projects at Iowa State University, reaching a $2 million milestone in soybean research funding by the center. The ISRC’s Industry...

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