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MAES Scientist Elected to National Academy of Sciences

Richard Lenski, John A. Hannah distinguished professor of microbial ecology and MAES scientist, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Lenski is among 72 new members and 18 foreign associates from 16 countries who were elected to the academy in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

“We are delighted to see Richard Lenski and his outstanding work being recognized and honored," said Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon. "His achievements in the areas of mutation and adaptation are helping unravel some of the most compelling questions regarding the dynamics of evolution. This honor brings distinction not only to Dr. Lenski but to his academic unit, his colleagues and Michigan State University."

Lenski is the director of the MSU Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program, a multidisciplinary graduate program of study and research. He has faculty appointments in the departments of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Zoology, and Crop and Soil Sciences.

Lenski’s research focuses on experimental evolution and the ecological processes and genetic mechanisms that cause evolutionary change. His research itself has undergone a fascinating evolution. Lenski’s lab has gained considerable recognition for watching evolution as it happens in the context of experiments performed under controlled conditions. E. coli was the first mechanism to be followed by the revolutionary development of artificial life -- a computer program that allows digital organisms to test generalizations about how life has evolved.

“Rich Lenski is an outstanding scientist who has contributed greatly to our understanding of the basic principles of evolution and population biology," said Michael Thomashow, MAES crop and soil sciences and microbiology and molecular genetics researcher and another National Academy of Sciences fellow. “He and his colleagues pioneered the use of bacteria in long-term test-tube evolution experiments to probe how organisms adapt to environmental conditions and produce populations of organisms that have increased fitness. Through the use of self-replicating, mutating computer programs, he and his colleagues have demonstrated that highly complex function can result from random mutation followed by natural selection. Rich’s election to the National Academy of Sciences is a well-deserved recognition of his important contributions to science.”

Lenski received his doctorate from the University of North Carolina. He came to MSU in 1991, and he has since received a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. He also has been elected to the fellowships of the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Society for Microbiology, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The election was held during the 143rd annual meeting of the academy. Election to membership in the academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a U.S. scientist or engineer. Those elected now bring the total number of active members to 2,013 and MSU’s academy membership to eight.

Other MSU faculty members who are active members of the academy are:

  • Martin Bukovac, professor emeritus of horticulture and former MAES scientist.
  • James Dye, professor emeritus of chemistry.
  • Hans Kende, professor emeritus in the MSU-Department of Energy (DOE) Plant Research Laboratory.
  • Michael Thomashow, university distinguished professor of crop and soil sciences and of microbiology and molecular genetics and MAES scientist.
  • James Tiedje, university distinguished professor of crop and soil sciences and microbiology and molecular genetics and MAES scientist.
  • Jan Zeevaart, university distinguished professor emeritus in the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory and former MAES scientist.
  • Richard Witter, a retired veterinary medical officer with the USDA Agricultural Research Service and adjunct emeritus professor of veterinary medicine.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to the advancement of science and its use for the general welfare. It was established in 1863 by a congressional act of incorporation signed by Abraham Lincoln, which calls on the academy to act as an official adviser to the federal government, upon request, in any matter of science or technology.

MSU Center Receives $16 Million NIH Superfund Grant

The Michigan State University Center for Integrative Toxicology, supported in part by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES), has received a grant renewal of $16 million from the federal government’s Superfund Basic Research Program. The funds will be used to help clean up and assess the potential health hazards of some of the nation’s most polluted sites.

With the grant renewal, the center has received more than $52 million in Superfund grants since the program was established nearly 20 years ago.

“This grant is primarily focused on a class of highly persistent environmental contaminants, of which the most toxic members are dioxins,” said Norbert Kaminski, MSU pharmacology and toxicology scientist and director of the center. “In particular, a lot of the work will be focused on understanding how dioxins interact with the environment, primarily soils and clays, and with biological systems.”

The Superfund Basic Research Program, mandated by an act of Congress, is administered by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Kaminski said it’s not surprising that MSU has been such an active Superfund player, given the strengths and talents the university brings to the table.

“The area of environmental remediation, especially as it pertains to micro-organisms in the environment, is a very big strength here at MSU,” he said.

Toxicology faculty members who focus much of their work on a class of chemicals known as halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons is another strength that helps draw Superfund research dollars to MSU. About 40 percent of the faculty members affiliated with the Center for Integrated Toxicology are funded in part by the MAES.

“Dioxins, as well as PCBs, fall into this class,” Kaminski said, “and we have a significant amount of funding at MSU outside of Superfund for this work. MSU is very well known for toxicology research, especially in terms of biomolecular mechanisms in that area.

“In applying for this renewal, we chose to focus on this one class of chemicals and thus capitalize on the strengths of the faculty we have in this area.”

The Superfund was created in 1980 when Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. A Superfund site is defined as any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and potentially poses a risk to human health and/or the environment.

Kaminski said that in the more than 20 years since Superfund came into being, a lot of progress has been made.

“The problem we run into,” he said, “is that the majority of the chemicals that are on the Superfund list are very stable and persistent environmental contaminants. That includes PCBs, dioxins and metals.

“Our ultimate goal is to be able to understand and model how complex mixtures of these chemicals interact with the environment, as well as to more accurately predict their effects on human and animal health. I believe that we at MSU are in a singular position to continue to make a significant contribution and impact in this research area,” Kaminski said.

MSU Agricultural Researchers Among Most Cited

Michigan State University (MSU) agricultural scientists are members of the fourth most often cited faculty in the country, according to analysis done by In-cites, a Web site on Essential Science Indicators, published by Thomson Scientific.

MSU agricultural sciences faculty members published 836 papers in the past 10 years. The papers were cited 5,932 times, for an average of 7.1 citations per paper. Only the University of Wisconsin (1,035 papers/8.04 citations per paper), the University of California-Davis (1,668 papers/7.73 citations per paper) and Cornell (1,284 papers/7.56 citations per paper) ranked higher among U.S. institutions.

Thomson Scientific does this analysis every 10 years to objectively measure the research prowess of institutions such as MSU.

"Citation analysis is widely accepted as an objective measure of scientific quality, and it’s gratifying to see that our agricultural research programs are ranked so highly," said Steven Pueppke, director of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and assistant vice president for research and graduate studies. "MSU is No. 4 in the United States -- well beyond a number of institutions that publish more papers that don’t elicit nearly as much impact as we do. This ranking puts some hard numbers behind what we’ve known all along."

The agricultural sciences category includes general agriculture, agricultural chemistry and agronomy journals containing papers on agricultural engineering, agronomy, tillage research, agroforestry, horticulture, crop protection and science, agrochemistry, phytochemistry, agricultural biochemistry, food chemistry, and food science and nutrition.

Essential Science Indicators is a 10-year compilation of output and impact statistics on research authors, institutions, countries and journals. It also includes listings of highly cited and hot papers across 22 broad fields, as well as baseline citation statistics to gauge whether a paper is cited more or less often than the average.

Riedinger Named MAES Finance and Business Manager

Beverly Riedinger has been named finance and business manager for the MAES, effective May 1. She had been the business and finance manager for the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences since 2000.

In her role with the MAES, Riedinger will oversee all financial matters and day-to-day operations of the MAES, including human resources.

“I’m excited about this new opportunity and look forward to interacting with faculty and staff members connected with the MAES,” Riedinger said.

In the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Riedinger administered the department's budget and worked with faculty members on grants. She also was responsible for building operations, department endowments and human resources matters.

"Bev is a skilled and experienced professional who knows the university system," said Steven Pueppke, MAES director. "We’re very pleased to welcome her to the MAES."

From 1996 to 2000, Riedinger was associate director of the MSU Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER), and from 1991 to 1996, she was human resources business manager for MSU Administrative Information Services (AIS).

Before coming to MSU, Riedinger was assistant dean of admissions at Princeton University and worked in the private sector for a number of years.

Riedinger received her bachelor's degree in human resources management and her master's degree in business administration, both from the University of Washington. She is married to Jeff Riedinger, acting dean of International Studies and Programs and director of the Center for Advanced Study of International Development (CASID). They and their two children live in Mason.

Parasitic Worms Used to Fight Bowel Disease, Says MAES Scientist

For most of us, the thought of parasitic worms is repulsive, but some of these creatures are actually beneficial for people.
MAES large animal clinical sciences researcher Linda Mansfield is part of a national team of scientists investigating the role that parasites can play in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in humans.

Her research is part of a more than $10 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant supporting the Food and Waterborne Diseases Integrated Research Network of laboratories launched by the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Some researchers argue that improved hygiene throughout the developed world may be responsible for inflammatory bowel disease and a range of autoimmune disorders. According to this "hygiene hypothesis," immune systems require exposure to infections of all sorts early in life to develop sufficiently.

IBD, which has two forms -- Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis -- is virtually unknown in the developing world but is increasing dramatically in developed societies. When people from developing countries move to developed ones, their incidence of the disease tends to increase.

"We know from veterinary medicine that many bacterial and protozoan pathogens, especially those that multiply inside of cells, elicit an immune response in the host that would normally cause inflammation, but that worm parasites mount an anti-inflammatory defense that modulates it," Mansfield said. "The greater the immune response, the greater the anti-inflammatory effect. It's possible that the human immune system developed in a way that is dependent on parasitic worms to regulate immune responses."

The particular worm that Mansfield and her colleagues are studying as a potential treatment is known as the whipworm (Trichuris suis), a parasite that afflicts pigs. Early studies have shown that giving humans a concoction of whipworm eggs and Gatorade is very effective in treating IBD.

Mansfield and colleagues are using some of the NIH funding to develop an animal model to test the effectiveness of the worms on IBD and other maladies. Also, she is waiting for word on a new NIH grant that will support efforts to learn how the treatment works.

"The bottom line right now is that we don't know any of the mechanisms of how this works," she said.

Mansfield and the researchers also want to apply this effort to a variety of autoimmune conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Some researchers suggest that all of these conditions can be explained as combinations of the hygiene hypothesis and genetics.

CANR and Communities Tent Presentations to Focus on Families, Yard Care, Farm Profitability

Whether they are farmers looking for value-added marketing opportunities, families looking for activities or homeowners who want to spruce up their yards, visitors to the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) and Communities tent at Ag Expo, July 18-20 at MSU, can find topics of interest.

The tent will feature displays from CANR units and departments, including the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and MSU Extension, as well as presentations on topics ranging from yard and garden care to alternative energy sources, cooking and food safety.

“We’re offering a microcosm of the immense research, teaching and Extension activities of the entire College of Agriculture and Natural Resources,” said Sara Long, tent coordinator. “Whatever their interests, visitors can learn about a wealth of topics related to Michigan’s communities, agriculture and natural resources.”

July 18 presentations include a 9:30 a.m. talk about corn as an alternative energy source and a 10 a.m. presentation about the economics of wind energy. United Dairy Industries of Michigan (UDIM) representatives will share recipes at 11 a.m.

Also on July 18, visitors can get their lawn care questions answered by Kevin Frank, MAES crop and soil sciences researcher, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. They can view MSU Extension’s new educational video, “Lawn Care 101,” at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

July 19 presentations include a discussion of avian influenza and what consumers need to know about it (9 a.m.), a recipe demonstration from UDIM representatives (11 a.m.), and a talk about what parents and high school students need to know before they apply to MSU (3 to 5 p.m.). The day’s lineup will conclude with an introduction to agri-tourism (5 to 6 p.m.).

Rounding out the presentations on July 20 will be a discussion on keeping Michigan waterways free from invasive species (9 to 10 a.m.) and a youth entertainment program (10 to 11 a.m.). UDIM will offer recipe suggestions at 11 a.m. Other presentations that day include a demonstration of home canning safety methods (9 to 10 a.m.) and a water use and legislation discussion (10:30 a.m. to noon).

Ag Expo features commercial farm equipment from throughout the Midwest and several Canadian provinces on the 35-acre main exhibition site and the 40-acre field demonstration area.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 18, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 19, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 20. Admission to the grounds and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free. For more information about Ag Expo, call 800-366-7055.

Beware: Emerald Ash Borer Due to Emerge Soon

Emerald ash borer (EAB), the exotic pest that has killed millions of ash trees in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, will be emerging soon, MAES researchers report.

“We have been tracking the accumulation of degree-days each year before EAB emerges,” said Deb McCullough, MAES forest entomologist. “EAB has been found to emerge at between 450 and 500 degree-days, using a threshold of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Degree-days are a measurement of insect growth and development in response to daily temperatures. Insects, which are cold-blooded animals, don’t begin to grow or develop until temperatures warm up in the spring. The accumulation of degree-days every spring is used to estimate growth and predict insect development and emergence. Degree-days are calculated by adding the maximum daily temperature and the minimum daily temperature, dividing the sum by two, then subtracting from that sum a base number -- 50 degrees Fahrenheit in this case.

Because southern parts of the state get warmer and stay warmer earlier than areas in northern Michigan, EAB will emerge earlier in southern areas. In 2004, scientists found evidence of EAB emergence in Novi on May 18. The degree-day accumulation was 461.9 at the Tollgate Education Center in Novi, which was very close to the area being monitored for EAB emergence. As a reference, the plant species Weigela, 'Vanhoutte' spirea and red twig dogwood were in full bloom at the site. Dame's rocket was also blooming.

To determine degree-days and possible EAB emergence in Michigan, visit the MSU Integrated Pest Management Web site.

“Other insects, such as shiny green tiger beetles, also become active and emerge at this time. It is important that people be able to identify ash trees because EAB attack only ash trees,” McCullough said. “Many people have learned to identify the adult EAB beetle, which is about 1/2 inch long and bright metallic green with a purple abdomen that is visible when the beetle flares its wings. People in Michigan and surrounding states should also become familiar with the signs and symptoms that indicate an ash tree is infested with EAB. Woodpecker attacks on the trunks or large branches are one of the first signs that many people notice.”

Information on identifying ash trees, EAB, and EAB signs and symptoms can be found at the Michigan EAB Web site.

It's also time to treat ash trees against EAB. MAES entomologist David Smitley has created an informational bulletin on treating ash trees for EAB. Extension bulletin E-2955, “Homeowner Guide to Emerald Ash Borer Treatments,” is available from the MSU Bulletin Office or by calling 517-353-6740. It covers treatment considerations, options and recommendations for homeowners. This information is also available at the EAB Web site; click on “EAB infested trees.”

The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. To date it has killed more than 15 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana.

 
Last Updated: January 16, 2007
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