News Archive
Tuesday, January 19 2010
News
Iowa State University researcher discovers Ebolas deadly secret
Iowa State University researcher Gaya Amarasinghe has led scientists to uncover how the deadly Zaire Ebola virus decoys cells and eventually kills them. He had previously solved the structure of a critical part of an Ebola protein known as VP35, which is involved in host immune suppression. Now he knows how VP35 is able to do it.
Help for Haiti
A grateful Mikelange Olbel called News Service on Monday to
report that his family survived last week's devastating
earthquake in Haiti, where the death toll may exceed 100,000.
Olbel, a graduate student, and others with ties to
Haiti urge the community to participate in a campus clothing
drive, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 19-22, in front of Parks
Library. The clothing needn't be new. Used jeans
and t-shirts would be appreciated, and any donation will help,
Olbel says.
"Even though we know Haitians' greatest needs now are
food, water and medical care, we know that they will need
clothing in the days and months ahead, and we are trying to
look at this long-term," Olbel explained. "A clothing
donation that may seem small or insignificant to you will mean
a great deal to the people of Haiti."
Olbel says he is working with Body of Christ Church in Ames to
develop a plan to deliver the clothing to Haiti.
Iowa State administrators help develop a new private school of education in Indonesia
Former U.S. ambassador to Pakistan will speak at Iowa State on Jan. 27
Wendy Chamberlin, a 29-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and former ambassador to Pakistan, will present "Can We Save the World?" at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 in the Memorial Union Great Hall. Chamberlin is president of the Middle East Institute. She previously directed civilian reconstruction programs in Iraq and Afghanistan, and development assistance programs in the Middle East and East Asia for USAID. The talk, part of the university's World Affairs Series, is free and open to the public.
ISU researchers part of team that completes sequencing of soybean genome
Randy Shoemaker and Steven Cannon are part of a team that has sequenced the soybean genome. The two said this sequencing could lead to important improvements to the plant.
History Channel to showcase Iowa State egg experts on Modern Marvels program
Several Iowa State University experts will be featured on the
popular History Channel program "Modern Marvels:
Eggs" set to air 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 21.
It's on cable channel 45 on Mediacom in Ames and Des
Moines, channel 269 for DirecTV customers and channel 120 for
those with the Dish Network. Check your local listings in other
parts of the state.
Iowa State researchers part of $78 million national effort to develop advanced biofuels
Two teams of Iowa State University researchers are part of a $78 million U.S. Department of Energy program to research and develop advanced biofuels. One team will study biodiesel production from algae. Another team will study the thermochemical and catalytic conversion of biomass to fuels.
Dance Marathon draws 900 ISU volunteers
Iowa State's largest student-run philanthropic event, Dance Marathon, will take place on Saturday, Jan. 23. Starting at 9 a.m. in ISU's Memorial Union, volunteers will spend 15 hours dancing to raise funds for the University of Iowa Children's Hospital through the Children's Miracle Network.
Increasing flexibility of ethanol co-product as animal feed is focus of ISU research
Mike Persia and Stephanie Hansen are two of the Iowa State
University researchers working to safely increase use of dry
distiller's grains with soluables (DDGS) by cattle and
poultry producers. DDGS are a co-product of ethanol production
and are rich in protein, oil and fiber.
Iowa FIRST LEGO League Championship challenges students to think transportation
Team T-shirts, loud cheers, goofy hats, LEGO bricks and fun lessons in science and engineering will be front and center during the Iowa FIRST LEGO League Championship at Iowa State University's College of Engineering. The championship begins at 9 a.m. Jan. 16 in the Howe Hall atrium. The event is free and open to the public.
Iowa State University events will honor Martin Luther King Jr. beginning Jan. 13
A carillon concert, community and campus programs, and three prominent speakers are among Iowa State University's activities to honor the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner and civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. The events, which begin Jan. 13 and conclude Feb. 8, are free and open to the public.
Meet the deans
Christina Gish Berndt
ISU researcher assesses ongoing fight over Native American sports names
Graham Spanier
Penn State President Spanier to give ISU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 50th anniversary keynote
In the news
RelationTips: Paternity Test
Avoiding gamer rage
Men's Fitness
ISU Assistant Professor Doug Gentile is among the psychologists offering advice to gamers to help them limit aggressive behaviors associated with violent video games. For example, Gentile suggests, adding games like Tetris into the mix can help gamers avoid turning into a post-game Hulk.
Economic indicators inch ahead in Iowa
The Des Moines Register
The Iowa economy is moving toward recovery, but it's going to take some time, ISU economist Dave Swenson predicts. "We have to prepare for a multiyear recovery," Swenson said.