Missey Roths, research technician in animal science, is the recipient of the staff 2025 Early Achievement in Research Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. She has demonstrated exceptional early-career research achievements, quickly demonstrating her ability to transcend the traditional boundaries of a technician’s duties. Her meticulous approach and intellectual curiosity have led her to develop independent lines of inquiry, and to her pursuit of a master’s degree in genetics and genomics.
Roths took on a leadership role in managing National Institute of Health studies using a pig model of Becker muscular dystrophy. This consisted of coordinating schedules for animal care, data collection, and overseeing blood draws in collaboration with veterinary staff and undergraduate/graduate assistants. She demonstrated exceptional attention to detail when she identified unexpected findings in the BMD pigs, such as increased obesity, tibial shortening and metabolic abnormalities including hyperglycemia and ketosis. Her keen observations helped to refine the study's design and deepen understanding of the disease.
In addition to her work on Becker muscular dystrophy, Roths developed an interest in heat stress and its effects on tissue. Her pioneering work in this area has provided crucial insights into how heat stress impacts heart function and has already informed several grant submissions and fostered new hypotheses in cardiac research.
Beyond her technical expertise, Roths is an outstanding mentor and collaborator. She has trained numerous undergraduate and graduate students in experimental design, molecular techniques and animal study logistics, fostering a culture of academic rigor and curiosity. Her ability to develop innovative approaches has significantly increased lab throughput and efficiency. A colleague stated, “She has become the primary resource for training new graduate students, often beyond my lab group, in biochemical and histological approaches.”
Roths’ exceptional dedication, innovative thinking and profound impact on research spanning multiple fields epitomizes the qualities of a rising scientific leader. Her work has generated substantial new knowledge and led to numerous publications and abstracts. Her research contributions have supported dozens of grant applications and advanced scientific understanding in a variety of pathological conditions.
“What sets Missey apart is her drive to ask innovative and meaningful questions,” stated a colleague. “Many of the research directions she has pursued – particularly her investigations into heat stress-mediated damage to the kidney and heart – have emerged from her own intellectual curiosity. She demonstrated an extraordinary ability to independently design experiments, interpret complex data and draw insightful conclusions, all while fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for other researchers. This clearly sets her apart from the typical skills and activities of a research technician.”