COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Mark Easter, a Colorado State University researcher, has focused on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions for over two decades, developing methods to track and reduce these emissions. His work, influenced by the 1992 Earth Summit, emphasizes soil health management to reduce emissions, highlighting the importance of practices like reducing tillage, growing cover crops, and composting to mitigate climate impact.

Selena Ahmed, global director of the Periodic Table of Food Initiative, discusses her journey from ethnobotany to foodomics, aiming to quantify food quality and link agricultural practices to food biochemistries. She envisions a future where food systems are managed with food quality as a central parameter, benefiting both people and the planet.

The AVMA’s Veterinary Clinical Trials Registry connects clinical scientists with veterinarians and owners for animal health studies. It features improved browsing, sharing, and study submission processes. Recent studies include treatments for oral cancer in cats, canine hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma in dogs, and more.

Combat veterans caring for horses experience reduced PTSD symptoms and improved mental outlook, according to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. The eight-week horsemanship program involved basic horse safety and grooming, helping veterans develop a present-moment focus. Stress hormone levels decreased, and veterans reported fewer PTSD symptoms compared to a control group. Preliminary evidence suggests co-regulation with horses, and the therapy may offer an alternative to traditional PTSD treatments, which have high dropout rates.

Ranil Wickramasinghe, distinguished professor in Chemical Engineering, will present a seminar on 'Development of membrane-based operations for emerging separations challenges' on Sept. 20, 4-5 p.m. in CHEM 144. Refreshments available from 3:30 p.m. in CHEM 145. Free and open to the public.

Two U.S. Senate bills aimed at streamlining drug approval could harm Colorado's life sciences industry, slow drug discovery, and risk patient safety. The Medication Affordability and Patent Integrity Act would require drug companies to disclose trade secrets, potentially exposing them to theft by global adversaries. The Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act, intended to increase access to lower-cost biosimilars, could lead to automatic substitution without proper evaluation, posing safety risks. Both bills could stifle innovation and economic growth in Colorado's thriving bioscience sector.

Laboratory mice with Alzheimer’s-like cognitive issues showed improved memory after treatment with a new drug targeting neuroinflammation-related brain proteins, potentially offering a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s treatment.