Research

Researchers Assess Animal Model of Mental Illness

Ottem and Prus
Nov. 29, 2018 —

A chance discovery of unexpected behavioral changes in genetically modified mice prompted two Northern Michigan University researchers to embark on an interdisciplinary project. If their collaboration reveals the mice more closely replicate mental illness in humans than existing animal models, it could lead to increased understanding of human psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and more effective drug treatments. Erich Ottem of Biology and Adam Prus of Psychological Science received a Northern PRIME grant to support their research.

NMU Researchers Study Alaskan Brown Bears

Alaskan brown bear photo by Sarah Trujillo
Jun. 7, 2022 —
A Northern Michigan University alumna and her NMU faculty mentor contributed to a published paper on a recent study of Alaskan brown bears that found significant variations in their gut microbiomes, depending on where they live. The finding advances scientific understanding of the relationship between wildlife habitat, diet and gut microbiome diversity, and facilitates more informed decisions to support the health of wildlife species.

26th Annual Celebration of Student Scholarship to be held at NMU

Celebration of Student Scholarship
Apr. 5, 2022 —
The Northern Michigan University Celebration of Student Scholarship will be held on April 14 on the NMU campus and online. The annual event recognizes the academic contributions of undergraduate and graduate students in all disciplines. Students share their work with the NMU and Marquette communities by presenting research posters, recording oral presentations, and submitting creative written work, and artwork. 

Horn's Next-Gen Computing Project Funded

Horn
Mar. 14, 2022 —
Northern Michigan University associate professor Jeffrey Horn has been awarded $92,500 from the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Innovation Hub for Advanced Computing for a next-generation computing project. Horn received the funding for a Deep-Scale Evolution (DSE) algorithm that he invented that has practical implications for minimizing material waste in industrial production. 

3MT Winners Announced

Caro Els
Mar. 2, 2022 —
Northern Michigan University has announced the winners of its recent Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Caro Els of the School of Health and Human Performance won both first place and people's choice in the graduate student category for her presentation titled “Maximum External Load During Max Squat Protocol with Different Abdominal Stabilizing Maneuvers.” Mandy Bonesteel of Sociology won first place and people's choice among McNair Scholar participants with “The Case Against Meritocracy.”

Rinsland Presents NPS Webinar

Rinsland with a pika (University of Richmond photo)
Feb. 14, 2022 —
NMU biology graduate student Hilary Rinsland will participate in a Science Behind the Scenery Webinar Series cohosted by Rocky Mountain National Park and Rocky Mountain Conservancy at 1 p.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 15. She will present  “Pika surveys to test climate-based predictions of population loss” with Chris Ray from the University of Colorado-Boulder. The series is free and open to the public.

NMU Partners on Mink Microbiome Study

Mink (Photo by Chuck Homler
Jan. 25, 2022 —
A recent study found a dramatic difference between the microbial diversity in guts of female and male American minks, suggesting an unexpected sexual distinction in the gut microbiomes of carnivores. Diana Lafferty, assistant professor of wildlife ecology at NMU, was first author on the paper. She said the finding is critical to informing future study design.