Study Could Provide Insight Into Origin of Heart Defects

UM biologist receives National Institutes of Health award to study heart formation

OXFORD, Miss. – A University of Mississippi biologist is asking big questions about the development of the human heart, and a new National Institutes of Health grant may help him find the answers. “When I think about life’s big picture, I think one of the great mysteries is how we go from a single cellRead the story …

Physicist Helps Advance Understanding of Fundamental Particles

Professor's work to measure lifespans of charmed baryons featured in prestigious journal

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi physicist Jake Bennett studies a group of fleeting subatomic particles in hopes of advancing understanding of the fundamental building blocks that make up matter in the universe, and he is part of a team that has precisely measured the lifespan of one such particle. Bennett is part of anRead the story …

University Awarded Grant to Promote Inclusivity in STEM Education

UM joins 15 institutions tasked with evaluating inclusive teaching

OXFORD, Miss. – The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded the University of Mississippi a new grant to understand, promote and evaluate inclusivity in STEM education. More than 100 colleges and universities have received six-year grants totaling $60 million as part of HHMI’s Inclusive Excellence 3 Initiative. The IE3 initiative challenges schools across the U.S.Read the story …

UM Professor, Students Lead Research Effort in African Countries

Laura Johnson partners with Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program

OXFORD, Miss. – An expert on positive youth development, University of Mississippi psychology professor Laura Johnson is partnering with the Jane Goodall Institute, or JGI, to affect change among young people across countries in Africa. Johnson, who has a long history of collaboration with JGI, has coauthored a grant for its Roots & Shoots youthRead the story …

Can Artificial Intelligence Plagiarize?

UM professor collaborates with Penn State to study copying, paraphrasing in bots such as ChatGPT

OXFORD, Miss. – Since the launch of ChatGPT in November, the online tool has gained a record-breaking 100 million active users. Its technology, which automatically generates text for its users based on prompts, is highly sophisticated. But are there ethical concerns? A University of Mississippi professor has co-authored a paper, led by collaborators at PennRead the story …

Black Hole Researchers Make Progress in Gravitational Wave Research

UM-led scientists discover nonlinear elements enhance computational models

OXFORD, Miss. – Finding a needle in a haystack might prove easier than finding the most accurate measure of gravitational waves, telltale ripples in space-time created when massive black holes crash into each other. Yet a University of Mississippi physicist and his team have made significant advances in that direction. Leo Chaim Stein, UM assistantRead the story …

Can Trees Communicate Underground? Maybe Not

UM biology professor debunks popular theory about soil fungal networks

OXFORD, Miss. – Imagine this: a tree in a forest is threatened by a predator or an invasive plant species. Underground, it sounds an alarm to neighboring trees through the “Wood-Wide Web,” a network of mycorrhizal fungi that connects them through the soil. It is a fascinating theory, but a University of Mississippi scientist hasRead the story …

Diamond Flower Compounds Show Promise in Repelling Mosquitoes

Latest development in UM search for natural products with repellent properties

OXFORD, Miss. – A flowering plant may provide a safe, biodegradable replacement for DEET as a primary insect repellent. Researchers at the University of Mississippi‘s National Center for Natural Products Research have published a paper in the journal Molecules demonstrating that Stenaria nigricans contains compounds that repel mosquitos. The study is the latest development inRead the story …

Natural Products Center Director Named AAAS, ASP Fellow

Khan recognized for contributions to safety, effectiveness of botanical dietary supplements

OXFORD, Miss. – Ikhlas Khan, director of the University of Mississippi‘s National Center for Natural Products Research, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The AAAS council elects members each year whose “efforts on behalf of the advancement of science, or its applications, are scientifically or socially distinguished.”Read the story …

Researchers Developing Early Warning System for Tornadoes

Method uses tornadoes' unique sound for detection and tracking

OXFORD, Miss. – Tornado season in the South means increased anxiety, hours of televised storm coverage and watching the skies. Unfortunately, it can also lead to “warning fatigue.” A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi‘s National Center for Physical Acoustics is working to combat this issue by developing an early warning system toRead the story …